I live just off US-1, the original road connecting Maine to Key West. I had lived just off of US-1 as a teenager and into my early 20's, my parents live a mile from US-1, about 850 miles south of here. I have periodically thought about going out the front gate, turning right and meandering down the old road, all the way to my parent's home in Florida. It would turn the 12-14 hour drive, into a 24-36 hour drive. I usually stop part way and break the trip over two days, taking the old road I would need at least 3 days each way. Maybe I will get to the point that I have the patience to do that. Not yet, but maybe some day.
Last Saturday I decided that a little jaunt in the northern Virginia countryside would be fun. I have been saying that I wanted to go to Fredericksburg, about 50 miles from here for the longest time. From what I have seen the old downtown area is quaint, and there is the largest most successful distillery in the state there. So off I went, leaving about 9:15 in the morning. It took me 2.5 hours to drive 52 miles, over an hour to go less then 14 miles. There are a couple of little towns between here and there that have installed traffic lights that let 7 or 8 cars pass through every two minutes. The result is traffic backed up half way to the moon on the weekends. Small towns that should be bulldozed. I am sure they are saying we they are trying to preserve the quality of life in their community, what they have created is traffic that is a living hell for anyone trying to move through there - with the possible exception of the middle of the night.
On Saturday I just kept reminding myself that I was not in a hurry, and the journey - even if it was in slow motion, was part of the adventure. I took the expressway home, it only 1.5 hours to cover the same 52 miles.
One time my ex-in-laws drove from Florida to visit family here in the DC area. They got as far as the stretch of expressway that took me 1.5 hours to go 52 miles, and turned around and went back to Florida.
Do you every give up on traffic and turn around and go home?
yep. 1 of the 923847560 reasons we left VA was the traffic.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great trip, what with thousands of your closest friends!
ReplyDeleteWhen I travel far afield from Baltimore, I usually leave at 03:30-04:00 to beat the rush...it is *AMAZING* how many cars you see travelling east to DC at 04:30 in the morning.
Middle of the night is the way to go!
:-)
-Andy
I usually stay in the traffic because I think it'll break very soon .... sometimes I'm right ... sometimes, not so much.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Bob, once in it I've invested the time I stick with it cause it can break just around the next turn. One of the very few downsides to living in San Diego is that we are south of LA. To get anywhere out of here we have to drive through LA. We fly most places.
ReplyDeleteI hate traffic, and its sense of being trapped. I will exit and make it up.
ReplyDeleteYES! From Memorial Day to Labor Day I DO NOT DRIVE the 10 miles down Route One to Rehoboth Beach. You can literally sit a twenty minutes at a time before you move. Where are all these people going and WHERE do they park? And each year it gets worse. Now it's getting to the point I have trouble getting out of my development to my job in Lewes, which is only three miles down the road. Two years ago when my Canadian friend Pat was down we attempted to go into Rehoboth in July. After 40 minutes on the road and not moving I told him to turn around and go back to my house. Never again.
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