BillMFl wrote:
Each year I try different routes. This year it was leave Tampa area on 75 to 10 to 95. Light traffic, no towns and no tolls. A little longer but faster and easier than 301. Held speed to about 62mph in right lane. No significant contruction on 95, moderate traffic, mostly smooth except older two lane section in SC. Took the bypass around the east side of Richmond. Good road, very light traffic mid morning. Got off 95 on 17 at Fredricksburg to 66 thence to 81. 17 is a nice pretty drive and low stress route. I81 to I78 was very heavy traffic. I78 was light traffic until near Allentown. Took 33 to Stroudsberg. Usually take 209 to 84 but wanted to try 402. Its a decent road but longer so will use 209 next time. Took 209 from Port Jervis up to Kingston and got on 87 there. 209 is a pretty drive but lots of small villages and a slow drive (45mph avg). Getting off 84 onto 209 avoids the big hills of the Hudson valley and avoids the awfull toll bridge over the Hudson. I87 to the Mass Tpk avoids all the cities and traffic on 84 thru Danbury, Waterbury, Hartford, etc. but does cost $20 pluss in tolls. Very light traffic until the Springfield area and on to 495 around the Boston area. We were spending a few days with fiends in southern NH or I would have taken a more northern route across Vermont and NH to Maine and avoided the Springfield/Boston traffic. Arrived in BoothBay safe and sound without incident. 38' georgetown gasser performed very very well!
If ya like to change routes frequently....from Tampa stay on 75 up into Ga..to exit 201..have Flying J and some rests there...take Ga 36 across to Jackson pickup Ga 16 to Monticello,Ga and from there Ga 83 up to I-20..it is maybe tops 45 miles from 75 to 20...it is all 2 lane but also a truck route ,so no low overheads..speed limit is 55/60 almost all the way...it takes all of 5 minutes to get thru the 2 towns...Once on I-20 toward Columbia,SC..which is 3 hrs....you have a cpl of choices for the rest of the route home...up 77 to 81....or 20 out to 95 or 77 to 85 in Charlotte.NC and then 85 to 95 in Richmond,Va or another nice route is 85 to Greensboro,NC pickup Rt 29 toward Danville up to Charlottesville ,Va to I-64..this 29 is almost 4 lane all the way and is as pretty a ride as is Rt 17
Along all of these variations are some great in/out overnight campgrounds to stay in
Didn't mean to bore you with my ideas....but have followed your different routes on here...with interest..so ,just threw some ideas out there
We, go north- south...east- west from up here probably 4 or 5 times a year and mostly to same directions but different places....Chuck