For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (III)

[justussix]

Originally Posted by monymony3471

We are doing the same in picking a new route instead of 75 all the way. We too are from MI. We leave in 18 days and are looking forward to the new sights and hopefully less messes along the way.

Have you done the route through Ohio then? It cuts at an angle from Findlay to Parkersburg West Virginia. There doesn't appear to be much in the way of construction, but there are segments that are just divided highway and may have traffic lights, etc. I'm concerned that some of this goes right through towns and could be stop and go. If this is very limited, I can live with it but I don't want to find us two hours in with no way of changing course.

With our regular way, there is construction accross the Ohio River bridge and through downtown Louisville as well as through downtown Nashville. Looks like the entire segment of I-24 after it comes back into Tennesse from the Georgia dip, through Chattanooga, then back into Georgia is under construction. That's concerning as well.

[nono]

Originally Posted by iDad

As for our schedule, we are planning on me going to bed early (5:00ish) and then loading everyone into the van at 2:00 am. I am the early riser in this family so I would then drive for the morning until DW wakes up (we are hoping she can sleep) and then switch with each stop.

iDad

I can't help with the route. Heck only about 2 people take my route anyways! We ferry over from Cape May and drive down the DelMarVa penninsula and across VA to hook into I 95. But, I hope someone can guide you to a guidebook or website for your planned route.

As for your strategy, it sounds very good. My problem (and hence the leaving after lunch and getting me away from the house) is that I just have to get away from the house. Getting me on the road puts me in vacation mode and I relax and sleep better with a few hours behind me. (Whacked, I know! LOL)

It sounds like you are sensible, and I bet you'll have a great time. We've been doing this for a few years now, and my kids are only 8 & 5. They LOVE the car ride. Best tip anyone gave me here was to put a cooler or carry-on bag under each child's feet, so they have footrests. It helps relieve the pressure on their backs, and they can more easily shift themselves in their seats, just like adults do.

[emksmama]

Roughly 6 hours til we leave!!! DH is getting ready to go lay down for a few hours, and I think I will too. We are pretty much ready to go, I'm dropping our dog off at my friend's house at 4pm for the week, and then home to load up, pack the cooler and have a quick dinner before hitting the road!!

Gassed up our van today, 20 gallons at $3.17 (thanks to 20 cents off at Kroger), so hopefully I'll luck into prices around the $3 mark most of the way. Last tank (all in town driving) I only managed 12.5 mpg ...gotta love driving a 13 year old minivan with 143K miles on it. Ugh. Hoping to average 22-23 mpg on the road!

[BC1836]

[QUOTE=emksmama;45559851]Roughly 6 hours til we leave!!! DH is getting ready to go lay down for a few hours, and I think I will too. We are pretty much ready to go, I'm dropping our dog off at my friend's house at 4pm for the week, and then home to load up, pack the cooler and have a quick dinner before hitting the road!! QUOTE]

We assume you've been on the road about three hours by now...and making great progress, especially as the traffic starts to thin out during the night .

Be safe...drive cautiously...and enjoy WDW!

All the best.

[emksmama]

Making good time, 230am and we are just south of Knoxville!

[dvczerfs]

Originally Posted by sharadoc

Our recommendation for anyone attempting the drive for the first time is to limit each driver's shift. We do a max 3 hour shift and switch off. That way you avoid fatigue.

We'll drive 12 hours the first day and 5 the next, so that means 2 shifts each on day one and 1 shift each on day two. It's easy!

or you can do it another way.

HI SHARON!!!!! how are you guys doing? did you get the house sold yet?

[mamapajama]

Originally Posted by WIDisneyFan

I am not sure if you are thinking a hard or soft carrier, but if you are thinking soft I would highly recommend roofbag.com, in particular the Cross Country model. We have the larger model and have used it for multiple trips to Florida from Wisconsin and it has worked great. It is relatively compact and easy to store, waterproof (short of driving into a lake I don't think you can get water into it), and easy to load / unload.

If you have any specific questions please let me know - I would be happy to answer them.

We also have a roofbag and it was fantastic. I also recommend it.

[Tanooki]

Hi there!

We're preparing for our 5th drive (in less than 3 weeks, woohoo!) and I need opinions on the itinerary. First off, let me tell you that we leave around 5am and we always do he drive in 2 days, stopping for the night in VA.

Since we leave from near Montreal (Canada), we've gone the I-95 all the way a couple of times but they were always during a weekend day in the winter time. We did the 88-81-77-26-95 way as well, mostly when we were traveling weekdays.
Last summer, we did our first summer drive and we also used the 81 since we didn't want to chance traffic, as I've read here that the 95 can be really busy during the summer months, even on weekends. We found that, even if we were using the "less busy road", we encountered much more traffic than any of our other drives.

This time around, we are leaving on a Saturday (August 11th) and I'm really wondering what itinerary we should take. The fact is, the I-95 shaves a couple of hours on the drive, which is nice at the end of the day. As dh says, these last 2 hours can seem like forever...
Can anyone tell me about their experience on using I-95 all the way during the summer? When we go this way, we usually hit Washington, DC around 4:00pm, which would be really bad on a weekday, but we're talking about a Saturday.

I'm also wondering if the I-95 would be a good option going back home, since we will be traveling during a weekday, but leaving from our overnight stay would put us in DC around 9:30-10am. What do you think?
We've also done the I-95 going down and I-81 coming back so this remains an option as well.

Ok, I'm ready now, I know there are a few specialists here who will tell it like it is

Thanks!

[monymony3471]

Originally Posted by justussix

Have you done the route through Ohio then? It cuts at an angle from Findlay to Parkersburg West Virginia. There doesn't appear to be much in the way of construction, but there are segments that are just divided highway and may have traffic lights, etc. I'm concerned that some of this goes right through towns and could be stop and go. If this is very limited, I can live with it but I don't want to find us two hours in with no way of changing course.

With our regular way, there is construction accross the Ohio River bridge and through downtown Louisville as well as through downtown Nashville. Looks like the entire segment of I-24 after it comes back into Tennesse from the Georgia dip, through Chattanooga, then back into Georgia is under construction. That's concerning as well.

I think we leave 75 at Corbin in KY. I don't have any experience with the route you described.

[nono]

Originally Posted by Tanooki

Ok, I'm ready now, I know there are a few specialists here who will tell it like it is

Thanks!

I can't believe as a near-Montrealer, you aren't coming to spend a couple days in Wildwood first, and then heading onto WDW. If you did that, you could take my route!!

[Tanooki]

Originally Posted by nono

I can't believe as a near-Montrealer, you aren't coming to spend a couple days in Wildwood first, and then heading onto WDW. If you did that, you could take my route!!

Thanks for the invitation but we want to spend as much time as we can in WDW :good vibes Dh even thinks a day at the beach is a waste...

[nono]

Originally Posted by Tanooki

Thanks for the invitation but we want to spend as much time as we can in WDW :good vibes Dh even thinks a day at the beach is a waste...

We try to pack as many Quebecois as possible in town during the season. You, as a group, blend much better than some of our much closer neighbors.

Have a great trip and I hope someone chimes in with a vote for which route would be best for you!

[sharadoc]

Originally Posted by dvczerfs

or you can do it another way.

HI SHARON!!!!! how are you guys doing? did you get the house sold yet?

Hey there! Nope, house isn't even on the market yet. Too hot to get all the work done still painting the downstairs. Nothing really out there to buy so we're taking our time hoping more goes on the market in the fall.

How's it up there?? We keep saying we want to go to Musikfest and come see you guys too. Hasn't happened.

We leave 3 weeks from tomorrow. Getting excited!

[dvczerfs]

Originally Posted by sharadoc

Hey there! Nope, house isn't even on the market yet. Too hot to get all the work done still painting the downstairs. Nothing really out there to buy so we're taking our time hoping more goes on the market in the fall.

How's it up there?? We keep saying we want to go to Musikfest and come see you guys too. Hasn't happened.

We leave 3 weeks from tomorrow. Getting excited!

hope you guys have a great trip!!! i watch music fest on tv. briana is dancing there i think on wednesday. she dances at the college and they are doing something. if you do happen to come up, let me know.

[dvczerfs]

Originally Posted by emksmama

Making good time, 230am and we are just south of Knoxville!

ARE WE THERE YET????

i hope you guys are having a great time.