For 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers only!

[dvczerfs]

2000 mile plus drivers, i will be heading down on nov 30th and departing december 11th from okw. i have a 6 foot lighted christmas tree shrink wrapped and ready to go!!!! im not going to drag it back home with us so if anyone is intrested in a free lighted tree on december 10th, let me know, you can have it!! you will just have to pick it up at okw on the10th. i can meet you in the parking lot at okw. i client of mine was throwing it away because the needles fall out.( i never seen an artificial tree drop needles but it does.) i said, "nooooo, ill take it with me to wdw!!!) i took it to work and had the guys shrink wrap it and we have a tree. all you need is some decoration and your done. the lights all work and everything. sorry a bit off topic.

 

[Marshay]

So with about 50+ days until our 1st driving trip and 9 days until our Memorial Weekend trip to PA, we are doing all the car stuff to get ready.

- Got the interior detailed, took the car seats and all the accumulating junk out It looks great!!
- Turned the car seat around to forward facing -- she's a big girl now (and her poor legs were all squished)
- Took to our mechanic to get a once-over

So we need new brakes and pads and stuff
Need a new timing belt and other stuff
One of the windows doesn't roll down anymore, so they are fixing that



But at least we know that we should be ready for a long road trip. We certainly don't want these things to go bad while stuck on I-95.

 

[nytimez]

So with about 50+ days until our 1st driving trip and 9 days until our Memorial Weekend trip to PA, we are doing all the car stuff to get ready.

- Got the interior detailed, took the car seats and all the accumulating junk out It looks great!!
- Turned the car seat around to forward facing -- she's a big girl now (and her poor legs were all squished)
- Took to our mechanic to get a once-over

So we need new brakes and pads and stuff
Need a new timing belt and other stuff
One of the windows doesn't roll down anymore, so they are fixing that



But at least we know that we should be ready for a long road trip. We certainly don't want these things to go bad while stuck on I-95.

I'd save the detailing part for after the trip!

 

[Marshay]

I'd save the detailing part for after the trip!

Yeah, we thought of that but since we had to move the car seat anyway, it was N_A_S_T_Y under there ... we thought why not do the whole thing...hadn't been done ever and it's a 2003! Talk about 7 years of grime!

It is sooooo nice now -- I'm glad we did it early!

 

[mrodgers]

I'd save the detailing part for after the trip!

Better yet, do both!

I want to start out the vacation right. Sparkling clean vehicle to start with. I'll be giving the interior a good look, wash and wax the exterior, and definitely give the windows lots of attention with some rainX.

So we need new brakes and pads and stuff
Need a new timing belt and other stuff
One of the windows doesn't roll down anymore, so they are fixing that

Easy stuff... I just finished pulling the head to replace the head gasket... luckily, not on the car I am taking to Disney though. Would be more comfortable in the old million mile Civic than the newish Mazda Tribute though on a long trip like that. I've yet to sit in a more comfortable car than the Civic even with 185,000 miles on the driver's seat.

 

[BC1836]

I just finished pulling the head to replace the head gasket... luckily, not on the car I am taking to Disney though. Would be more comfortable in the old million mile Civic than the newish Mazda Tribute though on a long trip like that. I've yet to sit in a more comfortable car than the Civic even with 185,000 miles on the driver's seat.

Indeed! We've taken our Civic each time since our spring 2007 drive: 12 trips. The driver's seat is surprisingly comfortable. And great front-seat leg room, too.

 

[emh1129]

So with about 50+ days until our 1st driving trip and 9 days until our Memorial Weekend trip to PA, we are doing all the car stuff to get ready.

- Got the interior detailed, took the car seats and all the accumulating junk out It looks great!!
- Turned the car seat around to forward facing -- she's a big girl now (and her poor legs were all squished)
- Took to our mechanic to get a once-over

So we need new brakes and pads and stuff
Need a new timing belt and other stuff
One of the windows doesn't roll down anymore, so they are fixing that



But at least we know that we should be ready for a long road trip. We certainly don't want these things to go bad while stuck on I-95.

You're smart to get this taken care of early! We leave on Saturday and I had to get the tires rotated, oil changed, car cleaned out, head light replaced, etc. all this week. I'm a bit of a procrastinator

 

[emh1129]

I recommend Massaponax, VA (exit 126), just south of Fredericksburg.

Restaurants:: Arbys, Aunt Sarahs Pancake House, Blimpie, Cracker Barrel, Jimmy's Diner, KFC, McDonalds, Shoneys, Waffle House, Wendys, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Damon's, Denny's

Gas: BP, Chevron, Citgo, Crown, Exxon, Mobil, Race Trac, Shell, Texaco

Lodging:: Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Econo Lodge, Fairfield Inn, Heritage Inn, Holiday Inn, Howard Johnsons, Motel 6, Royal Inn, Super 8 Motel, Wytestone Inn

Wow- thanks! Lots of great information! That sounds like a perfect place to stop. I'll run it by DH tonight and then we really should be all set.

The comprehensive roster of items posted by Tina is a good one, to say the least. You'll actually find many of her listed items at most of the exits on I-95. Were you looking for something actually in that area or somewhere else? And were you looking for mini side-trip stops along the way, like Mount Vernon, Civil War battlefields, and other historic sites?

All the best.

I don't think we'll be up for any side-trips, although I am really looking forward to visiting the area to do all of those things when the kids are a bit older.
Thanks for all of your help in planning this trip-- all of you have been so helpful!

And my House....about 2 miles from the highway LOL...give the Dis'er honk when you go by...

 

[Donut23]

I am also from New Jersey and I'm on my way this Saturday. We're leaving about 10 and stopping to sleep around midnight (or as far as we can go). Then we're up and ready by 7 and there by 10-11ish. Stupid things like seeing the countdown signs of south of the border or the funny town names in some of the states make me happy, haha!

I talked my DH into driving last month and he actually enjoyed it. Your comment about South 'O the Border made me laugh!

Two friends joined us there and we drove them back to NC -- and spent the night.

We rented a nice comfortable big car and we had an absolute BALL.

Also.....we enjoyed a few stops along the way. There is SOOO much to see and do in this country and it was impossible to drive down without taking some side trips. We especially enjoyed our reservation at the Lady and Sons in Savannah!

We are looking at driving for the next trip as well.

I say....if you are thinking about it.....try it once! It may just become a habit!

 

[PrincessMom4]

El Pedro is our funniest memory too.

 

[sharadoc]

El Pedro is our funniest memory too.

We cheer when we go over the Little Pee Dee river!

 

[Mickey527]

We cheer when we go over the Little Pee Dee river!

Sharadoc, my boys used to giggle at that one too. There is also a Big Pee Dee river.
The boys used to try and see who could be the first to see those South of the Border signs. They used to be brighter than they are now and they could be seen at night. Some of them have been painted over with less bright colors. there also used to be more 3-D signs too.

 

[nytimez]

Sharadoc, my boys used to giggle at that one too. There is also a Big Pee Dee river.

I don't know why, but "Coosawhatchie" always makes me laugh.

 

[BC1836]

And don't forget the educational benefits of examining such punctuation-challenged South of the Border signs like "Kid's Rule" and "Keep Yelling Kids."

Creative parents can use the billboards as a teaching tool (but tell your kids it's a game!).

All the best.

 

[sharadoc]

Sharadoc, my boys used to giggle at that one too. There is also a Big Pee Dee river.
The boys used to try and see who could be the first to see those South of the Border signs. They used to be brighter than they are now and they could be seen at night. Some of them have been painted over with less bright colors. there also used to be more 3-D signs too.

Once they needed to go more politically correct, they went calm on those signs. I think neon paint is expensive!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

Once they needed to go more politically correct, they went calm on those signs. I think neon paint is expensive!!!

there use to be more of those signs. we always do who can find the first palm tree.

 

[dvczerfs]

i cant believe gas is trading for $1.94!!!!

 

[patclairesmom]

Do you try to go to bed early and get as much sleep as possible? or do you just get up really really early?

 

[nytimez]

Do you try to go to bed early and get as much sleep as possible? or do you just get up really really early?

I try to get to bed early... but I usually can't.

 

[dvczerfs]

QUOTE=patclairesmom;36718241]Do you try to go to bed early and get as much sleep as possible? or do you just get up really really early?[/QUOTE]

i dont sleep for about 3 nights before we leave anyway but i normaly get up at 4 am so getting up at 3am for a 3:30 departure is no big deal. good luck on going to bed early and falling a sleep early the day before you are leaving. i could never do it!