OP here... After thinking about the two paths home, straight up 95 through all of the highly populated areas of the East Coast or going up 81 on the western side of the mountains where we will run across substantially fewer people, we decided to opt for Rt 81 even though it will mean an extra night on the road. As much as my wife wants to be "home", the reports from her friends who are all going stir-crazy has her okay with sitting on the beach with a book every afternoon, so we aren't yet planning to leave before April.
Dave