Our Journey Begins

Saturday, December 2, 2006

Our journey south actually began on Friday night, with the truck being put together like a giant puzzle. After some jockeying around, everything was set to go. We were up bright and early at 0500hrs (or so) so that we could be on the road by 6:00. Jill had made reservations at the Country Inn and Suites in Savannah, Georgia, so we knew that we had a bit of driving ahead of us.

We had a couple of discussions before we left about the best route to take, and we decided to take our chances just heading down the NE extension of the PA Turnpike and onto Route 95 - this route would take us around Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. We knew we were taking a chance at hitting quite a bit of traffic, but figured since it was Saturday (and Saturday morning at that), we could luck out. As luck would have it, we did. Traffic around the cities was light, with a larger proportion heading north instead of south. The annual Army/Navy football game was being played in Philadelphia today, so as we headed south into Delaware and Maryland, we saw not only the multiple Navy team buses headed for Lincoln Financial Field, but the large caravan of cars and supporters following them. The only point we had trouble with this 'traffic' was when we hit a rest area around the Delaware state line, around the same time a bulk of the caravan did as well!

Our original plan was to drive as far as Delaware and grab lunch there. However, Jill did a great job of getting us south a bit quicker than we had anticipated, so when lunchtime hit we were actually just south of DC into NOVA. We stopped on the Prince William Parkway in Woodbridge and found a great BBQ place called "Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que". We both had a hankerin' for some good BBQ, and this place hit the spot! After lunch, we fueled up (and in the process realized there was a Romano's Macaroni Grill right across the street - more on that later!!), and hit the road again.

Somewhere after dark in one of the Carolina's (for the life of me, I can't remember which one it was or where we were) we stopped for dinner at a Cracker Barrel. Interesting point, and something we New Yorkers just aren't accustomed to anymore, when we checked in we were asked 'smoking or non-smoking'. You mean there's a choice? Intent on eating quick and getting back on the road, we said 'first available'. When we were seated (in smoking of course) we both realized how used to the 'smoke free' environment we had become.

As is the tradition of many northerners heading south along 95, we stopped at 'South of the Border' when we hit the North and South Carolina border. We grabbed some yummy desert (I had strawberry cheesecake ice cream and Jill had a rainbow sherbet). Afterwards we looked through the large souvenir shop at all of the quirky trinkets they had (purchashing two 'Pedro' buttons in the process), and then climbed into the car for the last leg of our trek...for today...

'round about 9:30, we lumbered into the parking lot at the Country Inn and Suites just off of 95 in Savannah, Georgia (200 Raley Road, Port Wentworth, Georgia - Room 212 - $89.72). A good nights sleep was in order, especially for my soon to be wife who was the marathon driver of the day (and for the trip actually!).

Total Mileage: 3095 Miles