Will life ever be the same? NOPE

[DrEntropy]

We leave for CT tomorrow. Hope to make it stopping only one night. What my poor body will feel like is another matter. We have food and drink, rubber gloves for gas stops, masks for indoor and as for the call of nature - well, there are woods along the way and we'll make like a bear....It will be like running the gauntlet, only to arrive is Stamford - Ground Zero for the virus- almost 1300 deaths so far. We must be crazy.

I think your plan is infinitely better/safer than going via air, though.

Wave on your way past us. :wink:

 

[John Turney]

You never know how antisocial you are until a pandemic isolates you and your life doesn't change that much!

I must be a real case; it feels like I'm getting out more than I used to.

 

[pdplot]

Drove all the way to Rocky Mount NC Monday. Took 11 hours & over 750 miles. Weather perfect - one brief shower in Jacksonville. Usual number of RVs, some rickety and tinny looking. One stop for gas, rest room closed, peed out back, took wife to another station where she bought some candy and used the restroom. We had a reservation at a Hampton Inn but when we went in, standing around the front desk were six highway workers, all without masks, horsing around and slapping each other on the back, etc. That's all my wife had to see and we cancelled our reservation and went across the street to a Doubletree Inn (also owned by HIlton and following their protocol) where we checked in, ate takeout BBQ with a glass of Merlot and went to sleep with our own cheap pillows from Walmart ($6) and Target ($4.00). Drove to Stamford the next day on I-95. Many trucks, a few wild drivers weaving in and out, one or two hidden cops. Took us 8 hours and never have I felt so rested and relaxed from a long car trip. No stiffness at all. That Subaru Legacy is some comfortable and easy driving car. I kept it around 80 when I could and it was quiet and safe. Sirius XM kept me company all the way. Many people were walking around going into stores and restaurants with no masks like there was no problem. My wife started the Honda right up with one turn of the key. Tomorrow I try the Alfa and the Triumph.

 

[LarryK]

Glad you made it!

 

[DavidApp]

Good to hear you made it.

We are headed to the beach in Florida on Friday. Will be taking sandwiches to eat on the drive. 1 gas and pee stop on the way.

David

 

[DrEntropy]

Drove all the way to Rocky Mount NC Monday. Took 11 hours & over 750 miles. Weather perfect - one brief shower in Jacksonville. Usual number of RVs, some rickety and tinny looking. One stop for gas, rest room closed, peed out back, took wife to another station where she bought some candy and used the restroom. We had a reservation at a Hampton Inn but when we went in, standing around the front desk were six highway workers, all without masks, horsing around and slapping each other on the back, etc. That's all my wife had to see and we cancelled our reservation and went across the street to a Doubletree Inn (also owned by HIlton and following their protocol) where we checked in, ate takeout BBQ with a glass of Merlot and went to sleep with our own cheap pillows from Walmart ($6) and Target ($4.00). Drove to Stamford the next day on I-95. Many trucks, a few wild drivers weaving in and out, one or two hidden cops. Took us 8 hours and never have I felt so rested and relaxed from a long car trip. No stiffness at all. That Subaru Legacy is some comfortable and easy driving car. I kept it around 80 when I could and it was quiet and safe. Sirius XM kept me company all the way. Many people were walking around going into stores and restaurants with no masks like there was no problem. My wife started the Honda right up with one turn of the key. Tomorrow I try the Alfa and the Triumph.

Good to learn you're home, safe 'n sound. I'll make the trip from here to Sarasota about once a month, that drive (about fifty miles each way) makes me nervous as a pregnant cat. Seems there are a lot of folk who think they're in a NASCAR event. I don't envy that journey you make a couple times a year!

 

[vette]

Originally Posted by pdplot
Drove all the way to Rocky Mount NC Monday. Took 11 hours & over 750 miles. Weather perfect - one brief shower in Jacksonville. Usual number of RVs, some rickety and tinny looking. One stop for gas, rest room closed, peed out back, took wife to another station where she bought some candy and used the restroom. We had a reservation at a Hampton Inn but when we went in, standing around the front desk were six highway workers, all without masks, horsing around and slapping each other on the back, etc. That's all my wife had to see and we cancelled our reservation and went across the street to a Doubletree Inn (also owned by HIlton and following their protocol) where we checked in, ate takeout BBQ with a glass of Merlot and went to sleep with our own cheap pillows from Walmart ($6) and Target ($4.00). Drove to Stamford the next day on I-95. Many trucks, a few wild drivers weaving in and out, one or two hidden cops. Took us 8 hours and never have I felt so rested and relaxed from a long car trip. No stiffness at all. That Subaru Legacy is some comfortable and easy driving car. I kept it around 80 when I could and it was quiet and safe. Sirius XM kept me company all the way. Many people were walking around going into stores and restaurants with no masks like there was no problem. My wife started the Honda right up with one turn of the key. Tomorrow I try the Alfa and the Triumph.

Good to learn you're home, safe 'n sound. I'll make the trip from here to Sarasota about once a month, that drive (about fifty miles each way) makes me nervous as a pregnant cat. Seems there are a lot of folk who think they're in a NASCAR event. I don't envy that journey you make a couple times a year!

Yes Paul, glad to see you made it and a relatively enjoyable ride as well. Now stay in quarantine for 14 days. My wife and I take some day rides around here in Pa. Mostly in central and NW Pa. It seems most people around here are acting as if there is no virus. I have found that there are a few chain gas station/mini marts that are very well taken care of and I will use them for restrooms but don't buy or touch anything. Looking forward to the time when I can get back on the open road and resume my summer travel plans.

Doc, That's why I drive a Corvette now. I can keep up.

 

[DrEntropy]

Doc, That's why I drive a Corvette now. I can keep up.

:lol:

It's not so much the "keeping up" as it is the 30~40 MPH speed differential while weaving thru traffic across three and four lanes. There's bound to be distracted peeps who would tend to over-react to it and cause some really ugly shunts. And the NASCAR guy will be long-gone from the scene.

One of the worst places I've encountered is on I-595 in Miami. Every variety driver, from Supercar Ferraris to hopped up Hondas figure their family name's Andretti.

 

[vette]

Doc, i know what you mean. I have been there in your neck of the woods. The traffic is atrocious and the hormones extreme.

 

[pdplot]

Couple of things I forgot to mention about the trip. The number of tire tread carcasses littering the roadway - some in the middle of the road. Look to be retreads that peeled off. I also ran over a small 2 x 4 that fell off a truck and a large rock hit the windshield - both incidents at the start of the trip in Florida on I-75. Luckily, no damage. Today I started and drove both cars. The Alfa started in about 8 seconds - 4 longer than normal, and ran flawlessly. The Tr6 took somewhat longer and the clutch didn't work until I pumped it about a dozen times but it drove OK except for a lot of clunks and rattles. I added some air in several tires but there were no starting issues because I put some fuel stabilizer in the tanks back in January before I left. I also disconnected the Alfa battery - something I do each time after I drive it because the battery runs down. The TR battery stays connected and I never had any problem since there is no parasite drain from the car. I might have to bleed the clutch - maybe some air got in.