I have driven up and down I-81 more times then most people have imagined. While I was in the Navy, I'd drive up Friday from Norfolk, VA to Boston, MA every other weekend (1 month I went up every weekend). Then when I lived in North Carolina for 2 years, I'd head up I-81 to visit family and friends in Massachusetts every so often. I literally have driven up this way a minimum of 50 times.
Your questions may be:
"Why would you drive up there so often?"
"Why wouldn't you go straight up the coast on I-95?"
I'll take a second to answer them. Have you ever been in Norfolk, VA? There is NOTHING to do! Virginia Beach is heavily patroled by police and you are ticketed for driving down the street 2 or 3 times in an hour. (They ticket for "cruising". What if you are lost? Too bad.) Norfolk is a crowded area that has nothing in the urban area to do unless you like Wal-Marts, Best Buys, being surrounded by other Navy personel, doing drugs across the bay in Portsmouth, staying on base and watching time go by. I drove home many weekends because a uniform and/or dressing in one gets you free drinks at bars (not in Virginia) and lots of attention from the ladies. (The majority of women in the Hampton Roads area dislike military men because they have dated them many times. You are automatically disqualified due to other servicemen's actions.)
As for driving up I-95. I made that mistake once. NEVER AGAIN! Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City........those cities are HORRIBLE! People here in Boston complain about traffic, which is pretty crappy but after being stuck in the Bronx in a tunnel for 2 hours during rush hour........I can't complain about Boston traffic. Baltimore was like watching Nascar or F-1 racing. I drive fast. 80mph most places. Baltimore people were going 90mph but crossing 3-4 lanes at a time, all over the road, etc. Philadelphia I actually witnessed someone break checking (jamming on the brakes after cutting someone off) and getting rear ended because of it. The traffic passing by the old Eagles stadium (this was in 2002) was terrible. NYC, no explanation needed.
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Now that we have that all cleared up, I-81 is the way to go on the east coast. Virginia is a beautiful state. Hated living there, but the views are great. Driving through this state can be a real bitch. Over 320 miles from West Virginia border to Tennessee boarder. With State Troopers all along the roads enforcing the speed limits, helicopters assisting them it makes for a long drive. The views along I-81 can't be beat, especially Flying J Travel Plaza in Clear Brook. After crossing the WV/VA border it is about 3 miles till the first exit. You notice this plaza so you pull over.
You are suddenly met with an epic sight. 50-75 cars, countless eighteen wheelers, tractors, busses and other vehicles there to purchase fuel, red bull, trucker hats and the latest issue of "Trucker Weekly".
Coming from New England there is a huge change. You can pump your gas first, then pay. Hmmmm, fools! What if I were to drive off? Well, those cameras record your license plate and it's considered theft of services. It is almost like an honor system once you cross the Mason-Dixon line. That would never work in the northeast.
I remember first entering the plaza for gas and a bathroom stop. I noticed all the CB radios, trucker hats, pork rinds, no doze caffeine tabs and other goodies. I looked over to the "TRUCKERS ONLY" section. I wish I could have waltzed in there. They looked so laid back. Then again, they drive probably 16 hours a day (while violating laws that prohibit such extended hours of driving) and could use some relaxation. I had a feeling that if I walked in there I would probably meet someone like Seabass. "KICK HIS ASS SEABASS!"
The have showers here too for those who need them. Convienent if you need to wake up or if you're too snoody to take a gallon of water and dump it over your head to wake up.
Everytime without fail this plaza is where I stop southbound on I-81 in Virginia. The characters you see here are worth the stop. The prices on gas have always been moderately cheap compared to the big named stations the next 10 or so exits. Plus, this place shows you what little towns in America are like. (You'll know what I'm talking about when you see a tractor crossing the road infront of you carrying bails of hay.)
5 stars because this place is priceless for anyone on this strech of road. My longest trip so far has been 30 hours from Boston to North Carolina in December 2004. I hit three different snowstorms (Massachusetts, New York/Pennsylvania and Maryland) on the way back. I also had a bad o2 censor which messed up my engine so I couldn't accelerate faster then 50mph (which didn't matter in the snow, but once I got to virginia I was screwed) and a huge bubbled tired thanks to the Mass Pike. Driving overnight sucks sometimes. read more