[MR] [MR} Gulf Wars drive (long)

[kevin taylor]

>Scripsit Ysar:
> >   Never having driven to Gulf Wars from the northern Virginia area,
> > what is the better route to take?  Is weather or weight of load major
> > factors?  I will not be towing a trailer but I do have four wheel drive
> > and a car top carrier.
>
>Personally I favor the Crescent Trail route parallelling US-11: make your
>best way to I-81, I-81 south into Tennessee, get on I-40 west where I-81
>ends, after Knoxville take I-75 south. At Chattanooga get on I-24 west,
>then where it ducks into Georgia get on I-59 south and take that all the
>way to the site.
>
>The major alternative seems to be I-95 south to Petersburg, then I-85
>south to Atlanta, then I-20 west to Birmingham (where I-59 merges in) and
>on to Meridian MS, then I-59 south to the site.
>
>The Crescent route appears to have less traffic. Neither weight nor load
>should be a major issue on either route. Should there be wintry weather,
>the Crescent route would probably be affected more than the I-85 route.
>
>Evan


its not OT - its very on topic, hopefully a boring review.

m'lady,

please forgive my attitude.  i travel for a living.  every 48 hours i cover 
the distance of NY city to Miami. and have for years now. 3,000 miles a 
week, or 140, 000 miles a year is not un common.  thats an average persons 
year compressed into a month. a car oil change EVERY week.

the routing that you were given is correct; and your choice would revolve 
around which route you could get to quickest.

the i85 route would run roughly 20 hours and the i81 route would run roughly 
15 hours, but you would have to deal with more hazard and hilly ride.

a four wheel drive is not an ideal design for long distance driving.  its 
top heavy tippy, and fuel intensive.  but if you KNOW that vehicle very 
well, its not a bad thing.

forewarned is forearmed; make plans to avoid bad things.

(Va is the cheapest in the nation on gas prices, followed by SC and several 
midwest states, then MS and AL.)

1> being of Northern Va, you are more familiar with FOG more than any 
outside of the Pacific NW.  that FOG continues through Southern Tn.  Until 
Ga the morning fogs are life takers.  i85 only has rainstorms. as long as 
you dont travel these areas late night / early morning you are fine.  "plan" 
to avoid.

2> Atlanta Rush Hour is something to be avoided by the inexpereinced.  DC 
rush hour is orderly by comparrison. though both are a mess when it rains.  
Atlanta is as rough as Baltimore, and Chicago in traffic and people.  just 
because you have pointy things in your car is no protection.  mayhaps its a 
target. 4-6 pm, just stop and eat, you wont be traveling far anyway.  same 
6-8 am. twenty minutes later and the Atlanta highways are sparse.

3> Meridian MS is situated on the quirkiest interstate system outside of i10 
in the nation.  the police have earned a reputation as being little more 
than highwaymen.  by definition any cash in excess of $200 IS defined as 
drug PARAPHERNALIA, seizable on the spot with no chance of recovery.  Nobody 
ever listens to this one, as a result police target the respectable public 
travelors, as they know you wont/cant fight for long.  you're from out of 
town.  "My Cousin Vinny" may only seem a comedy until you've seen many drug 
free people targeted.

4> professional travelors will tell you its suicide; you stand better 
chances with revolver roulette.  DONT ATTEMPT the drive (either route) in 
one single day.  8 hours is as much than an average road ready person should 
attempt. [sure you've done it thats why you'll recognize the following list] 
  and 14 hours is beyond even professional marathon range.

a> the first thing to happen (from 4-6 hours) is that you begin to stare at 
the lines, or the car ahead.  this is road hypnotized. thats as much lactic 
acid as alcohol in a six pack. you wouldnt drink would you?

b> the second thing (6+ hrs) is that you will begin to let the speed inch 
up.  as with drinking, at this point you are intoxicated. your judgement is 
impared. Thanatos is riding with you, you just cant see him yet. give him 
enough time and you will meet. Thanatos? the grim reaper, silly!

c> if you wait until you are tired, its already too late.   like drinking 
water on a hot day, when you are thirsty its already too late; you are 
dehydrated, and here the difference is that you will die quicker.

D> stop every two hours. chinese fire drill if your fresh, a walk to the 
bathroom if you're not. time lost is 3 min to the rest of your life.

E> each day check radiator before you ever crank; 3 hours to cool engine 
otherwise.  everytime you gas up your car, check oil and trans. if you use 
more than a quart oil per fill up, abort your trip. you wont make it anyway. 
inspect tires every daylight period.  that pothole just gave your sidewall 
an bulge.  you're a bubble pop away from an E ticket disney ride. think of 
polishing those scratches out of ya armor man! that is IF you survive it.

F> Rest areas are not for sleeping.  they are a necessary evil haunted by 
chinese fire drillers, thieves, highwaymen, and prostitutes.  ask michael 
jordans father. *ouch* ask any of the big rigs.  but if you try to knock the 
last thing you will probably hear is a round in the chamber.  back a way.  
go to a Wal-mart parking lot, if you must.  cheap hotels are better.

G> Gats, side arms, strapping, pocket artillery.  god bless america, its 
your choice.  never show it, it would make you a target.   vacate the area 
to avoid using.  if you must decide to live, still never let it flash.

H> Holidays and weekends, and Friday nights are for the enebriated.  they 
come straight at your headlights, like a moth to a candle.  a simple jiggle 
of the light or highbeam indicator, or a turnsignal could save your life.

I> idiots and college kids would only try to make the trip on "chips and 
cookies" and lots of mountain dew.  god protects college kids by giving them 
cast iron stomachs.

J> junk at truck stops is overpriced except the $7 rand mcnally national 
road atlas (get the booklet not the spiral bound) and the $14 book titled 
"the Next Exit: complete listing of every interstate exit in the US"

remember the basics and its a happy and easy trip!

i will be posting a Carolina  i-77 corridor travel guide to Pennsic this 
spring.  from hotels to fuel prices, and travel friendly restaurants.

best regards

Callidore
+600 miles every week day.

_________________________________________________________________
Mortgage rates as low as 4.625% - Refinance $150,000 loan for $579 a month. 
Intro*Terms  
https://www2.nextag.com/goto.jsp?product=100000035&url=%2fst.jsp&tm=y&search=mortgage_text_links_88_h27f6&disc=y&vers=743&s=4056&p=5117