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

[honeymo78]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered before but....is it better to go east or west around DC on 95??

 

[BC1836]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered before but....is it better to go east or west around DC on 95??

Neither. Straight through on I-95. HOWEVER, it all depends upon when you reach that infamous driving area. You must pass through prior to 6 a.m. (perhaps 5:30 on a Friday; non-summer weekends are not that problematic). East or West or North or South in that area during rush hour means anything but "rush."

All the best.

[19 drives to WDW since 2002]

 

[honeymo78]

We will be hitting it around 1pm on a Friday afternoon. I'm expecting heavy volume but not as bad as getting there between 3 and 4 and sitting in a parking lot.

 

[cemeb4dk]

Just thought it would be interesting, to see how many people that have driven this trip do it on a higher mileage vehicle.

My wife has an 03 trailblazer that we will be taking down and it will be making its 4th trip I believe. She has about 122K miles on it and it runs perfect, I have done all the general required stuff, and just wrapping up a few more things before we leave next month. So we will probably just be under 125K when we leave.

 

[Harryo]

We just made the trip from Mass to Orlando in our 2000 Chevy Venture this past June with 236,000 miles on it!!!

 

[cemeb4dk]

We just made the trip from Mass to Orlando in our 2000 Chevy Venture this past June with 236,000 miles on it!!!

WOW that is awesome, I have nothing to worry about then. Does your venture have the inline 6 in it? I know these engines run forever, but as I know it will make it no problems, and 125K is not high mileage anymore.

 

[Harryo]

Yup, slant 6's run forever!!

 

[sharadoc]

Just thought it would be interesting, to see how many people that have driven this trip do it on a higher mileage vehicle.

My wife has an 03 trailblazer that we will be taking down and it will be making its 4th trip I believe. She has about 122K miles on it and it runs perfect, I have done all the general required stuff, and just wrapping up a few more things before we leave next month. So we will probably just be under 125K when we leave.

We have an 05 Dodge Grand Caravan that is perfectly maintained and in perfect shape! Has about 80,000 miles on it and we expect to have it for many years and drives to Disney! Our mechanic told us these engines will run forever with proper maintenance, including flushing the transmission and cooling system and we listen!

Our 94 Caravan made the trip last January. That has 140,000 miles on it and runs great as well. The A/C went on that or we would probably still be driving that one.

Maintenance is key.

 

[cruisingkat]

For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! All-Time Records:

[Please add, update or correct all "statistics."]


Most total drives: #48 [since 1973] dvczerfs

Most drives in one year: #4 [twice: 2009 & 2010] bc1836

Most drives in one decade: #19 [2002-2010] bc1836

Longest drive: ?

Most passengers in one vehicle: ?

additional categories...?

We also made 4 drives in 2009 well actually 4 and a half as we did a return from our 12/08 drive down in Jan 2009. In a 365 day period from the middle Dec 2008 to middle Dec 2009, we did 5 round trip drives.

I believe we also hold the record for shortest time home between drives - in 2009, we got home from our Oct trip and left 19 days later to drive down for our Nov/Dec trip.

 

[pwdebbie]

Just thought it would be interesting, to see how many people that have driven this trip do it on a higher mileage vehicle.

How about an older vehicle with low mileage? Our 2000 Subaru Legacy (inherited from fil and sat in garage for two years after his death until we were able to receive it) is just under 60,000 miles right now. It has been to FL twice since we got it. And it's going to the mechanic next week for a once over to make sure everything is in good shape for the trip. Personally, I'd rather travel in a bigger car but "free" is good.

 

[BC1836]

"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" All-Time Records [updated 10/16/10]

Most Total Drives: 48 (since 1973) dvczerfs

Most Drives in One Decade: 19 (2002-2010) bc1836

Most Drives in one Calendar Year: 4 (two times: 2008 & 2009) bc1836 and (once: 2009) cruisingkat

Most Drives in one 12-Month Period: 5 (12/08-12/09) cruisingkat

Shortest Time Between Drives: 19 days (2009) cruisingkat

Longest Drive: ?

Most Passengers in One Vehicle: ?

[Please update this information!]

All the best.

 

[Fwd Facing Tentacles]

I'm about to pack the computer away for our trip home tomorrow. We had a great 9 days here. The trip down was easy and uneventful except for an accident that closed 95 in southern SC for an exit and took us and a whole lot of other cars on a detour that added 1/2 hour to our trip. The parks were not crowded at all except for the weekend. It's a good time to come except that every time you leave your room you have to decide whether to dress for the 90 degree outdoor temperatures or the cold air conditioning you find everywhere indoors.

 

[nytimez]

"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" All-Time Records [updated 10/16/10]

Please tell me that's a typo and I didn't just lose a month somewhere.

Again.

 

[BC1836]

Please tell me that's a typo and I didn't just lose a month somewhere.

Again.

Typo! "Haste Makes Waste!"

{and I'm an editor, no less!}

 

[BC1836]

I'm about to pack the computer away for our trip home tomorrow. We had a great 9 days here. The trip down was easy and uneventful except for an accident that closed 95 in southern SC for an exit and took us and a whole lot of other cars on a detour that added 1/2 hour to our trip. The parks were not crowded at all except for the weekend. It's a good time to come except that every time you leave your room you have to decide whether to dress for the 90 degree outdoor temperatures or the cold air conditioning you find everywhere indoors.

Last night dinner at the CG...and then the MK. Cool.
May you have a safe ride home.
[And did you ever miss some horrrible storms that passed through these parts earlier...another line of of smaller storms approaching!]
All the best.

 

[blondietink]

Next month we will be catching the Auto-train on a Saturday afternoon. We will be picking up the interstate system in Harrisburg, PA. and expect to be near Baltimore around 11 am. Which way should I go around/through Baltimore and DC to get to Lorton, VA? TIA!

 

[pwdebbie]

Typo! "Haste Makes Waste!"

{and I'm an editor, no less!}

I'm a proofreader -- always got in trouble for fixing the editor's mistakes.

 

[pwdebbie]

Next month we will be catching the Auto-train on a Saturday afternoon. We will be picking up the interstate system in Harrisburg, PA. and expect to be near Baltimore around 11 am. Which way should I go around/through Baltimore and DC to get to Lorton, VA? TIA!

Are you picking up 81 or 83 in Harrisburg? That might make a difference in what experienced folk will tell you.

Please let me know how your trip turns out. Is this a first on the AutoTrain for you?

 

[jakenjess]

Hi all you driving experts! I've lurked on this thread but this is my first post here. We drove once in 2004 (we live in southern Maine) but we usually fly. Up until now we've been able to pull the kids out of school and go during the slower times, and when flights are reasonble. Now our oldest has started high school as we can't do that. We had pretty much resigned ourselves that school year vacations are out of the question, as flights are outrageously priced over school vacation weeks.

Now I'm itching to plan a trip! How crazy would it be to drive from Maine to Disney over February vacation? We could leave about midday on Friday, and then leave to come back the following Friday. It's tough to time a trip from here without hitting rush hour somewhere in the northeast. Any suggestions or tips, or should I just forget the whole thing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[blondietink]

Are you picking up 81 or 83 in Harrisburg? That might make a difference in what experienced folk will tell you.

Please let me know how your trip turns out. Is this a first on the AutoTrain for you?

I can catch either route as we will be getting on from Rte 15. Makes no difference to me, just want the easiest, fastest route with the least traffic on a Saturday.