As most of you know, the Brave Astronaut family had a mini-beach weekend last weekend in Wilmington, NC. On Sunday, we packed up and headed home. I was not feeling well so Mrs. BA had to do the bulk of the driving. We left Wilmington around 2:30 in the afternoon. From Wilmington, it is about 6 hours of driving time. So with a stop for dinner and some time for the boys to run around, we hoped to be home by about 10:00. [cue laughter]
We encountered a stray thunderstorm in Wilmington which delayed us right at the outset. We did OK on I-40 and then on the bypass up to I-95. We were only about 1/2 hour behind schedule when we stopped for dinner and some exercise for everyone. We piled back into the family truckster and crossed the Virginia border from North Carolina. We even managed to do OK on the I-295 jog around Richmond (most of this is from a hazy recollection as I fitfully dozed next to the saintly Mrs. BA, shouldering the yeoman's task. Then we reached the merge with I-95. That's where it all went to H E double hockey sticks. From south of Fredericksburg to just outside of Washington, we crawled. For. No. Reason. There was no accident, no rain or weather, just a Sunday afternoon on I-95 in the Commonwealth. We pulled up in front of the Brave Astronaut launchpad at nearly midnight. 9 1/2 hours after we left.
So it seemed somewhat absurd to read this. I've ranted about traffic in the DC area before. I've even proposed solutions. They are introducing a variable speed limit system on the Beltway. We already have one of those, it's called normal traffic. So with lots of new construction projects in the pipeline here in DC, how long until we are back to walking to work on the roofs of the stalled cars on the roads?
4 comments:
Philly Girl subscribes to the "keep on moving, even if it means driving 50 miles out of your way" school whenever she is on any part of Interstate system. If it ever happens again, ditch 95 in Fredericksburg and take 17 (west) until you hit 15 or 29 or whatever, then head up toward the beltway. I have to agree that 95 in Virginia is about the most vexing stretch a road you will come across (although 95 in Delaware might be a close second, since I drive it more frequently.)
I agree totally. However, we did learn there was construction on the Neiss bridge and an accident on Rt. 1, so we were pretty much screwed.
As to Delaware, I have long thought, blacktop the whole friggin' state. But then again, that probably still wouldn't do it.
More importantly...are you feeling better?
I'm sorry about the traffic hassles. That's partly why I know I can't live in cities anymore. Toronto clinched that for me.
Lana - there is certainly something to be said for "country life."
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