Things I've learned after a very long distance roadtrip

[Jake Levin]

So I drove to GA to visit my family for the holidays. I left Christmas night and returned New Years Eve. My folks moved from SC to Albany, GA. For anyone who knows where Albany, GA is, you might was well call it Florida! The following is a list of things I've learned from this trip



1. Gas stations and McDonalds are not open on Christmas night along Rt 81 in Maryland, West Virginia, and southern PA.

2. Not all gas stations listed on the blue interstate signs are anywhere near the actual interstate

3. Just because I can't see the road in the fog doesn't mean the rest of the world should slow down to under Mach 10

4. My g/f can't drive my truck

5. Don't eat Hardee's at 5 o'clock in the morning without a bathroom in sight

6. GPS lie!

7. Stink bugs really do stink

8. My g/f REALLY can't drive my truck

9. Sirius radio plays the same songs in a continuous loop that repeats every 5 hours or so

10. Women don't like when you drive down a mountain with run away truck ramps doing 90

11. Gas is over priced no matter what state you're in

12. No doubt about it, my g/f just cannot drive my truck

 

[Fred]

:lol:

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

13. People are driving 10 mph over the speed limit no matter what state you drive through.

 

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

LOL...great post.

 

[Jim Burch]

Over the years we have learned that Waffle house is the only thing open on Christmas day as we travel Interstate 81 often on Christmas. Better pack some food next time or eat at Waffle house ....your choice .

 

[Todd Z]

J,

How long was the trip, Did you stay over night or drive throught?? I plan to make the GA meet and just curious on driving time...

Thanks

Todd Z

 

[ChrisW Vincent]

I take it your G/F can't drive your truck lol

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Here's an international version:



Drivers in Turkey become more insane as they travel south and/or east. Near the Syrian border, their ultimate goal is to drive to Allah's front door.



The toll booths in France will add the cost of a speeding ticket to your toll. If you speed, don't be surprised to pay $40 - $50 at the toll booth.



When renting a car in Lisbon, be sure to read the fine print before driving to Paris and back. As you're turning in the car is not the time to find out you were not allowed to take the car out of Portugal.



Driving into Madrid at 5 pm is not a good idea. The only way to reach your destination is to drive like a Turk.



Korean drivers are ALWAYS polite, but driving in Seoul still is unpleasant. You'll make better time walking.



The stone bridge you're crossing in Turkey, may have been designed by Romans 2000 years ago for use by chariots, but it is still stronger than the five year old bridge you drive on in the US.



Driving into Paris is much easier than getting back out. All outbound roads seem to deadend at the River Seine.



There is only one free parking space in Paris, and it is on the street in front of Notre Dame. If you get that space go into the church and say a prayer of Thanks to God.



The word spanish word "Graniso" does not mean fog and this word is foreign to Puerto Ricans. If you see a sign flashing this word at the entrance of a tunnel, do not be surprised to find six inches of snow at the other end of the tunnel. It is best not to exit the tunnel at 70 mph. If you do so and survive you have only God to thank.



If you decide to take a little-known shortcut across the island of Terceira (in the Azores, Portugal) at 11 pm, be sure to make sure you don't crash upside down into a ditch. If you do, be sure to take a cell phone with you -- otherwise you will either remain there until daybreak or have to walk four miles to civilization.



If you are looking for your hotel in Madrid, and you are lost, you will remain so until your Puerto Rican fiancee finally decides she knows more Spanish than you do.



All of the signs in Seoul for the airport will direct you to the Inchon airport. This does you no good if you're meeting someone at the new Seoul airport. The actual directions to this new airport is a closely guarded secret only known to Seoul taxi drivers.



If you approach an intersection in Turkey as the light turns yellow, do not slow down or stop until you have first checked in your rearview mirror to see if the folks behind you are stopping...especially that big overloaded truck!



When you are in San Sebastian, Spain do not ask any locals what the second language is on all the road signs. It is the Basque language, but no one will tell you that, or that you are in Basque country, and even though it may be a scenic place, you are also in mortal danger from Basque seperatists.



2 a.m. is not a good time to take a walking tour of Istanbul, or any other city for that matter. :blink:

 

[Johnny O]

I remember an article P.J O'Rourke wrote for Car & Driver many years ago about driving in foreign countries. Among other things:

1. Honk your horn when traffice stops.

2. Honk your horn when traffic goes.

3. Honk your horn at all other times.

 

[Jake Levin]

LOL, nice guys!



Todd, The drive down took 19 hours, 14 to the border of GA and 5 hours to get to Albany. the drive home took 17 hours, 4 hours to the border of GA and 13 home. On the way down we drove 5 hours in pea soup fog and I couldn't drive more then 50 mph (and at that speed my g\f was freaking out). It was comoing up on yahoo as a 1040 miles but in essence it was really 1140, but that's too Albany which is something like 300 miles from Atlanta. My g\f hit 65 once (in a 70 mph zone) and pissed off more truck drivers then I could count. On the way home she had a panick attack in Richmond, VA where 85 merged into 95 and it was like 6 lanes in each direction and too much traffic for her. We drove straight through, Left at 10:30 pm, ran out of gas at 4:00 am, switched at 5:30 am, switched back at 9:30 am and arrived at 5:30 pm. On the way back we left at midnight, switched at 9:30 am, switched back at 11:30, and arrived home at 5:15.



Snoop, you're right, I did notice that waffle house was open at every exit along the way!



ChrisV, good observation!:lol:



Nelson, remind me not to drive anywhere other then North America!

 

[Nelson Atwell]

jlevin,



Each of my "lessons" has a pretty funny or scary story behind it.