Road Trippin'

Takin' a Ride With Hal Wood

Tired of long lines at airports and spending hours on “gate hold”?  Is going to Wal-Mart once you reach your destination turning into a hassle because you need more than three ounces of toiletries for your visit?  Why not pack a full suitcase, put it in the trunk, fill 'er up, and hit the road, Jack?

My wife, Carolyn, and I recently spent 11 days and 3,900 miles on the road from Florida to Massachusetts with a side trip to Hendersonville, N.C., on the way back. Our ride is a 2004 Holden Monaro, a.k.a. Pontiac GTO.  The modern Goat was decent on gas (22 mpg with an automatic) and gas prices were reasonable ($2.99-$3.29 for premium) because we avoided all of the major metro areas.  Being on permanent vacation, we chose to take the Snowbird Bypasses (U.S. 17 in Virginia to I-81 to I-84 in Pennsylvania).  We also sidestepped Connecticut and used the Taconic State Parkway from I-84 to the New York Thruway.  It was a pleasant surprise: The road was recently repaved from Pleasantville to the end.  It is still heavily patrolled, so I set the cruise at 59 and enjoyed the scenery along one of Robert Moses’ treasures.

The smoothest roads were in Florida and Virginia, and the roughest were in Pennsylvania (perpetually under construction) and in South Carolina over some of the original I-95 concrete.  Traveling mid-week, most of our traveling companions were semis.  Some are upholding the Order of Knights of the Road, while others are not worthy of their CDL.  Fortunately, the GTO filled gaps in traffic in the proverbial New York Minute.  The good ladies and gentlemen who moved over got a flash from the four ways -- and they appreciated the gesture.  We also witnessed the Renaissance of the Police Interceptor: Fortunately, we weren’t forced to get up close and personal.  The vehicle of choice is the Dodge Hemi Charger, although the Virginia State Police favor the Impala SS.  The New York State Police had the most diverse fleet, including Chevy Tahoes, Mustang GTs, and a few surviving Z-28s.  The Crown Vic now makes a nice taxicab.

There is still time to put together an August odyssey or September sojourn.  We are fortunate to have a system of great highways that allow us to see our beautiful country from a height of inches rather than thousands of feet.  So, to paraphrase the late, great Dinah Shore, “See the USA in your ________”.

Hal Wood

Holiday, Fla.

vallewood@aol.com