Time flies when you are driving often!! Between vehicle relocation trips and a needed drive to Florida, a month has passed since last I provided an update.  Everytime I turned around to write something else came up.  UUGH.

May 9th had me headed down to Sarasota FL to pick up a vehicle I delivered there back in October of 2024. My second snowbird return of the year. Both from Florida, back up to NY.

(well the first snowbird had me return to NY temporarily, then on to Martha’s Vineyard if you remember).

The above maps showed my starting point of Sarasota and all my stops heading north up to my destination, Albany NY.  

As I mentioned, I started the journey on the 9th.  Shooting up I-75N up just north of Ocala, FL and taking 301N up past Jacksonville, connecting with I-95N up through Georgia and stopping in Walterboro SC (one of my favorite spots in SC).  The first day was about 450 miles of driving.

In Walterboro, I stayed at my usual spot, Days Inn. I like the place as it is conveniently located off I-95. Has a good gas station next door and of course a good Mexican restaurant nearby. Unfortunately this Days Inn really doesn’t have a breakfast offering, but there is a Cracker Barrel on location.

On the 10th, I set out on 95N and reached my goal of Quantico VA. Again, another 450 miles or so straight up 95.  Being my first time overnighting in this area, I opted to stay at a fairly well rated Ramada INN.  As busy as this area is, I really didn’t find a restaurant to my liking so it was Taco Bell night.  I can’t speak for the breakfast offerings as I decided to leave early in the morning even though it was Sunday to get around Washington DC with minimal traffic. Great plan but it backfired a little as just as i was getting back on 95N, I heard of a traffic report indicating two 18-wheelers mixed it up and four of the six lanes were blocked off. 530 in the morning!!!!!!!! Nice half hour delay to start the morning off!!!!

The game plan for the 11th was to finish the drive into Albany, avoiding all tolls!!!!!.  To do so meant about 480 miles and driving around DC and out to Frederick MD on I-270. Then follow state road 15 up to Harrisburg PA. Jumping on I-81N towards Binghampton NY. Outside of Binghampton, merge with I-86/88N up to Duane Lake NY, then exiting to state road 20 towards Albany. Minus the morning delay getting started, the drive actually went great! I reached Albany about eight hours after starting out!.

I had a lot of hotel choices in the Albany area and I ended up staying at a Microtel. Good rating, good rates and even offered a breakfast (which I skipped). For places to eat in the area, there were plenty but I couldn’t find a Mexican place to my liking so I  ended up at the local Chili’s. 

On the morning of the 12th, per the customer’s plan, I parked her vehicle at the airport as my return flight to Atlanta departed one hour prior to her arrival from Sarasota.  The plan worked well and when her flight landed, she contacted me to let me know all was good and found her car with no problems!

I was at home no more than three days and I was back on the road.  This was supposed to be a much simpler trip, but it didn’t quite work out that way. Before my trip I described above, I had accepted a West Palm Beach FL/North Georgia job. I planned  for the West Palm Beach pick up spot but then it got changed to Miami and then the pick up location was up in the air. Eventually it was all settled on the pick up location but I was never informed.  I flew into West Palm and ended up having to take a one plus hour Uber trip down to Miami, at customer’s expense.

On the morning of 15 May, I flew down to West Palm Beach with no issues.  I discovered I needed to be in Miami, so I ubered there.  That went well.  I finally picked up the vehicle and headed back north on 95, having to pass through West Palm Beach of course.  I followed 95N up towards the Jacksonville FL region. Just south Jax, got on I-295N and joined I-10W.

Took 10W about sixty miles and hopped on I-75N, eventually stopping in Perry GA for the night.

I have overnighted in Perry GA a few times but have still been looking for a good place with reasonable rates and so I decided to try the Travelodge. Nice choice. Recently renovated and conveniently located just off the interstate. No real restaurants in the area. Most of them are located one mile north at the next exit. I found a Mexican joint I had visited about four years prior.  Jalisco Grill. Easy to find as it is located in a Walmart shopping plaza.  Good food and good prices.  Oddly enough, the restaurant’s address is listed on St Patricks Drive.

The following day, 16th, I headed up 75N to north GA.  Having to pass through Atlanta, I tried to time my travels to minimize traffic issues and for once it actually worked. I ended up getting through the “ATL traffic” with little delay and I arrived at my destination town, Calhoun, a little earlier than expected.  I stayed at my usual location, Super 8 and enjoyed the EL Nopal Mexican restaurant in town.  

The next morning, I delivered the vehicle and took the Groome Shuttle back to the Atlanta airport where my car was parked.

I took the next couple of weeks off to tend to business back home and also a trip to Mexico Beach Fl. During my mini-vacation, I ended up booking two more trips for early June that required some creative planning.

June 4th I was airborne, headed to Dallas TX.  I picked up a company vehicle there and headed off to Maryland Heights Missouri (suburb of St Louis).  A pretty simple drive as shown below. The only issue with this trip was that I had coordinated a second trip for the same company and I had  to time it properly.

The trip up to Maryland Heights went well but did include an overnight stay in Rolla Missouri.

First time I ever stayed in the  Rolla area. Not knowing the town, I holed at a SUPER 8 just off the expressway. Nice and quiet. Limited food options in the area, however I did end up finding an Applebee’s not too far away.  The hotel only offered a grab and go breakfast which is what I did. This stop in Rolla left me a little less than two hours shy of Maryland Heights.

On the 5th, I headed out to Maryland Heights to deliver the vehicle.  Following delivery,  I took an Uber to the St Louis airport to pick up a one way car rental that I drove down to Nashville Tn. Because of scheduling and timing I needed to stick to, I stopped short of Nashville in Clarksville TN. 

Another new town to me, I elected to stay at a Howard Johnson’s in town. Excellent place. They do offer breakfast but left before 6am to finish my drive into Nashville. For evening chow, I found a really nice little Mexican restaurant with super reasonable prices. El Comal.

My early morning drive to the Nashville airport went uneventful. I dropped off the one way rental and then Ubered one hour west on I-40 to Dickson TN (my third time making that journey this year). I picked up a repaired vehicle at an auto dealership in town.  Destination…back to Calhoun GA.

Again, another simple drive…not so fast. While the car was undergoing repairs, the registration on the tags had expired. It turns out the vehicle had actually been re-registered by the company representative using it, but they failed to put the new sticker on the vehicle and for some reason discarded the sticker along with the updated paperwork.  UUGH. Ultimately this delay was minimized as the company sent me an email containing the registration and I set out for Calhoun.  

The route I took, I have been on many times prior but unfortunately this time a lot of construction.  What should have taken a little more than three hours ended up taking five.

In Calhoun, I pretty much did my usual. Staying at the Super 8 and enjoying the EL Nopal Mexican restaurant again. The following morning, I delivered the vehicle and again took the Groome Shuttle back down to the Atlanta airport.  

A little deja vu.

Well that catches up with my most recent activities.  Have another trip already booked for later this month (out of Dallas …deja vu all over again). Who knows what else may arise!!!!

I hope you enjoyed it and don’t forget to share.  Also, don’t forget, I AM FOR HIRE!!!