My "LIVE FROM I-95" Trip Report... Update 9/27.. Sad news.

[WilsonFlyer]

If the OP is still here (they should be "Home" by now), how did you find gas availability and prices down I-95?

 

[DVC Mike]

If the OP is still here (they should be "Home" by now), how did you find gas availability and prices down I-95?

I was wondering that myself. Here in Charlotte, we are still extremely low on gas. I went out this morning and drove by 3 stations. Two were closed (out of gas) and the third had a line of 35-40 cars.

I'm hoping the gas shortages (due to Ike) are over when we drive down in 3 weeks.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I was wondering that myself. Here in Charlotte, we are still extremely low on gas. I went out this morning and drove by 3 stations. Two were closed (out of gas) and the third had a line of 35-40 cars.

I'm hoping the gas shortages (due to Ike) are over when we drive down in 3 weeks.

Yea, it's pretty much the same thing here is Wilson but amazingly enough, there doesn't seem to be a shortage on I-95 proper (We live about 4 miles off the interstate) where prices are 10-15% higher. Go figure. LOL

They're saying it will get better near the end of the coming week as I'm sure you know but I understand things are pretty bad around Atlanta now which your observation in Charlotte reflects. I was just wondering if the problem had propagated to eastern SC and GA.

We're not going down again until the end of Nov so barring no more storms, things should be worked out before we drive down. We've never driven down, we have always flown but the economy has forced our hand this time so we thought we'd try it once. 9 hours from Wilson shouldn't be so bad as long as we can get gas. We shall see (on both counts).

 

[jdg345]

Cool - how are you posting from the car? (CAn yo tell I'm a bit behind on the technological front)?

Have a safe trip and a wonderful time. Hope the doggie heals quickly.

Probably an AirCard, they make them in all sorts of form factors now ... some are built in, some are little cards you slide in, and some are even available via USB. You pay a monthly fee like you would for a cellphone and get internet access. It's not like DSL or Cable, but it's decent for being on the road ... plus, you can use it in the car or at a road stop or anywhere. Great for road trips so you can find nearest hotels and read reviews and stuff while you're on the road.

 

[BroganMc]

How long does it take you from Springfield, VA. We are in Frederick, MD. It take us about an hour to pick up 95 South.

We hail from Ellicott City, MD. Our first day down we do a stopover in Florence, SC. Usually we average around 50 mph the whole trip (with the DC Beltway traffic slowing things down a bit and a stopover for gas and food in Roanoke Rapids, NC or Wilson, NC). So you figure roughly 450 miles or 8-9 hrs.

We made excellent time this last trip down though. Left last Saturday around 1pm and were in Florence by 8pm. Traffic on the beltway was very smooth. (We took the eastern/Wilson bridge route and then the HOV all the way past Potomac Mills.)

If you can bypass the DC Beltway you'll shave an extra 30-60 minutes off your travel time. Oh, and do not bother with the Richmond Bypass. Traffic through Richmond is never really busy and the bypass takes you an extra 20-30 miles off course. It's really only useful for heading to Williamsburg and Virginia Beach.

There's smooth sailing down I-95 past Richmond. But South Carolina and Georgia gets to washboard lane. They've been in the process of widening the roads to 3 lanes.

Also, try to time your trip to avoid rush hour through Jacksonville. That can get a little jammed around 5pm. Not nearly as bad as DC though.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We hail from Ellicott City, MD. Our first day down we do a stopover in Florence, SC. Usually we average around 50 mph the whole trip (with the DC Beltway traffic slowing things down a bit and a stopover for gas and food in Roanoke Rapids, NC or Wilson, NC). So you figure roughly 450 miles or 8-9 hrs.

We made excellent time this last trip down though. Left last Saturday around 1pm and were in Florence by 8pm. Traffic on the beltway was very smooth. (We took the eastern/Wilson bridge route and then the HOV all the way past Potomac Mills.)

If you can bypass the DC Beltway you'll shave an extra 30-60 minutes off your travel time. Oh, and do not bother with the Richmond Bypass. Traffic through Richmond is never really busy and the bypass takes you an extra 20-30 miles off course. It's really only useful for heading to Williamsburg and Virginia Beach.

There's smooth sailing down I-95 past Richmond. But South Carolina and Georgia gets to washboard lane. They've been in the process of widening the roads to 3 lanes.

Also, try to time your trip to avoid rush hour through Jacksonville. That can get a little jammed around 5pm. Not nearly as bad as DC though.

Brogan, we are going to HHI in November. From Westminster,we will catch rt. 27, to 70,to 270 to catch 95. Will we still hit the Wilson bridge from that route?

 

[acejka]

Ok... some more questions answered!

Usually it takes us around 12.5 hours to drive straight from Springfield to Orlando. We have no kids so there is minimal stopping. Basically go to the bathroom, gas up and go again. And plus we usually drive thru the night so there is not much for me to see and want to stop at. or shop at!!

This time it took 11.5 to get to Savannah. We mosied along... Stopped at South of the Border for a while, ate at Parker's, played scratch lottos tickets at every gas station, went out of our way by 16 miles in each direction to go to an outlet mall, got extra food, took pictures by this lake in HH etc. We really weren't in a hurry at all.

It's 2:15 pm and we just got on the road to Disney. I really did not want to leave Savannah at all. We walked all around and just really loved it so we didn't get in the car to hurry off to Disney at all. Very unlike me!

We haven't had any problems at all with gas. It is averaging around $3.75/gallon. We got some for around 3.60 and some for 3.98 but most of it was around 3.75. We kept filling up anytime we got off for food, or at 1/2 tank just to be safe because of the gas shortages.

Paula's was really good. I want to try the other place that was suggested to us. Mrs. Wilke's. Too bad we were here on the wrong day!

Now for the sad update... My mom called about the dog (she took her to the vet for the full check up and she has a tumor on her foot. Right now we just have to wait. It may go away and we won't have to do surgery, but if it hasn't gone away in about a month they are going to take it off and test it.

OK THAT IS GROSS. SOMETHING JUST LEFT A HUGE BLOOD SPLAT ON THE WINDSHIELD!


Well I am leaving off here. I need a nap!

 

[dis-happy]

I was wondering that myself. Here in Charlotte, we are still extremely low on gas. I went out this morning and drove by 3 stations. Two were closed (out of gas) and the third had a line of 35-40 cars.

I'm hoping the gas shortages (due to Ike) are over when we drive down in 3 weeks.

I'm in Clt too and keep finding myself "inadvertantly" in a gas line. It's crazy!!! I'll be driving along, traffic slows, then stops. I sit and wait patiently for the light up ahead to change.......3 cycles later when no one has moved I realize...HEY! I must be in a gas line!! ARGH!!! It's happened to me several times this week (once 3 times in the same day) and again this morning when I ran to Lowe's to buy some flowers.

The one day I actually needed gas, I lucked out. Ran into BJ's to get some groceries and the gas line was ridiculously long. When I came out it was non-existant, so I filled up, no wait. Very hit and miss, this whole gas thing.

Good luck. Hope you get gas Mike! We'll be at WDW Oct. 19-24. Is that when you're going?

 

[CarolMN]

Sorry about your dog. Hope she isn't in any pain and that th etumor goes away on its own.

Thanks to everyone for the info about the card. If I had a laptop, I might have to find out more, LOL..

 

[lowepg]

I was wondering that myself. Here in Charlotte, we are still extremely low on gas. I went out this morning and drove by 3 stations. Two were closed (out of gas) and the third had a line of 35-40 cars.

I'm hoping the gas shortages (due to Ike) are over when we drive down in 3 weeks.

Its crazy.

I live in Cary (Raleigh) and was in Greensboro Thursday- and didnt have any issues with gas. But the girl I was there to interview drove from Charlotte and said it was chaos.... Stuck me as odd being SOOO different just 60 miles down the highway.

BTW, we drove to Disney last week (9/14/-9/20) and saw gas prices spike through SC, but never any shortages..... thank god.

 

[DVC Mike]

Good luck. Hope you get gas Mike! We'll be at WDW Oct. 19-24. Is that when you're going?

Yes, we're going to be there Oct 18-28. My car is out of gas and I'm driving my wife's car. They say the shortage should end soon...

 

[5forDiz]

Hope everything will turn out well for your dog !

Thanks for info on aircard; we always drive to WDW from NY and this will be awesome for our kids while on the road !

Have a great trip

 

[SLM]

Hope all will be well for your dog-I would think if they were really concerned they would've done something right away?
We also went to Savannah when we were in HH two weeks ago-loved it! Also did lunch at Paula Deen's-my DH, by the way, had NEVER heard of Paula Deen! But he was very glad I made reservations to have lunch there!
Have a wonderful, relaxing trip-you are missing alot of rain this weekend!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Its crazy.

I live in Cary (Raleigh) and was in Greensboro Thursday- and didnt have any issues with gas. But the girl I was there to interview drove from Charlotte and said it was chaos.... Stuck me as odd being SOOO different just 60 miles down the highway.

BTW, we drove to Disney last week (9/14/-9/20) and saw gas prices spike through SC, but never any shortages..... thank god.

Hoping Raleigh area is not effected. DS in school is delivering pizza for PT living and gas is his basis for getting the job done. They live in northern Garner.

 

[acejka]

Hope all will be well for your dog-I would think if they were really concerned they would've done something right away?
We also went to Savannah when we were in HH two weeks ago-loved it! Also did lunch at Paula Deen's-my DH, by the way, had NEVER heard of Paula Deen! But he was very glad I made reservations to have lunch there!
Have a wonderful, relaxing trip-you are missing alot of rain this weekend!

We got to talk to the actual doctor who examined her, he gave us a call when he had a break between patients this afternoon, and explained everything to us.

The tumor/growth/whatever you want to call it because I can't spell it... may just go away on its own. It's not something that needs to be taken care of right away, thank God. They want her and her brother to stop licking it, so my mom is getting no chew to put on her arm. He said it isn't very painful to her, more like inflamed and annoying to her so she wants to chew at it to pull it off. She isn't even limping or anything. We were trtying to be better safe than sorry because we didn't want it to be something that was infected and going septic on her.

He said its probably a type of cancer that does not invade other areas of the body and we will watch it for a month, if not we will go forward with the operation and then he can test it and be 100% sure what it is.

 

[acejka]

So we are in FL now. We stopped at the welcome venter and got orange juice.

We are convinced that nobody cares about speed limits down here. We are doing 80 and being passed every few seconds. That and there is an annoying group of teenagers in their hondas playing tag and speeding, then slowing down and speeding again to keep the cars in a pack.

We are currently coming up on St. Augustine. I want to stop at the outlets here but we aren't going to because we stopped at some other outlets (they had a bath and body outlet! awesome!) and we need to try to make it to the ticket center to pick up our park hoppers before they close because I really want to go to MK tonight. We bought our tickets through my DH's job since we got a discount through the conmpany and that is why we have to pick them up over there.

Time for another nap!

 

[Jitzy]

Hey Everyone! We live in St. Johns County, FL just south of Jacksonville. The least expensive gas that I've seen recently is at I-95 and County Road 210. It's 3.69. I don't know how that compares to how the rest of the country is, but it is the best we've got.

Also, there are 2 outlet malls at the St. Augustine exit. The open air one is on the right. The enclosed one on the left is being remodeled, but they have a Disney store in it.

BTW, I'm from Elizabeth City, NC and I love Parkers and Bills BBQ. Bills catered our rehearsal dinner.

Safe travels to all...

 

[dvczerfs]

My hubby handed me the laptop and told me to post away... hes an IT guy so I just do what he says...

He says the thing that makes the laptop connect to the internet is an aircard.
He likes it because I am quiet the whole time

THanks for the warm wishes! We are hoping she heals quick too and that it isn't a spider bite!!

Well I am off to eat some NC BBQ!!

hum, aircard you say keeps the wife quiet the whole time? how much does one of these gems cost? wow, no more "move over, slow down,whatch that truck, there was a cop back there" it sounds like the greatest invention since the wheel!! im just kidding, have a great trip!!

 

[jdg345]

hum, aircard you say keeps the wife quiet the whole time? how much does one of these gems cost? wow, no more "move over, slow down,whatch that truck, there was a cop back there" it sounds like the greatest invention since the wheel!! im just kidding, have a great trip!!

You can usually pick them up for a minimal cost, $60-80, and many times you can get one for free when you sign a contract. It's like buying a cellphone in this case.

 

[threegoofys]

I was wondering that myself. Here in Charlotte, we are still extremely low on gas. I went out this morning and drove by 3 stations. Two were closed (out of gas) and the third had a line of 35-40 cars.

I'm hoping the gas shortages (due to Ike) are over when we drive down in 3 weeks.

Is it just NC that is having this problem?? We live near Durham and haven't had any problems getting gas; however, hubby travels all over the state for his business and has been advised by his western NC clients not to service any of his accounts from greensboro to the mountains. Glad his clients called to tell him, we had no clue! Hope it clears up soon, good luck to those of you who are having problems!!!