The Back Roads of Virginia

Having been on the road for the last few days driving to and back from Florida, sometimes the interstate can be annoying with all the trucks and traffic. Leaving is tolerable, but returning is difficult.  Approaching DC from Virginia can be challenging depending on the time of the day. The fast pass lanes are always heading in the opposite direction so we don't have a chance to try them out. So after lunch right past Richmond, we thought we would get on Route 1 and drive through the back roads. Initially it was smooth sailing at 55 miles per hour and no traffic. But as we reached Spotsylvania or thereabouts, the easy ride changed to stoplights and even more Friday afternoon congestion. You can still feel the south with all the Civil War markers and familiar confederate names while riding on the Jefferson Davis Highway. After passing by the University of Mary Washington, we decided to head back on to I95. There were a couple hot spots but otherwise we made relatively good time. It reminds me of any trip we took from Milwaukee and needed to return through Chicago. It too was a nightmare regardless of the time of the day. I guess as long as you're taking road trips you need to expect both the fun of it and the irritations. Luckily, the fun is more frequent. And it sure beats flying if you like the open road.