Drove to Florida today.

"mazda616" (mazda616)
05/28/2016 at 17:43 • Filed to: Vacation

579 miles. 9.5 hours from our house in western Kentucky thanks to stops for food and restroom breaks as well as pretty heavy Memorial Day traffic. Only saw two Jalop-worthy cars. Averaged 30 MPG due in part to constant A/C use and also due to my wife insisting on going 80-85 the whole time she drove. :)

.CTS Wagon!

Stopped for gas in Birmingham. Well, a suburb of Birmingham, anyway.

Behold, a car that costs more than my house.

Observations about Florida: The touristy areas are nice, as I remembered (went to Panama City Beach for my honeymoon in 2012). Everything else is....well. You can tell the economy isn’t great. :(

Sylvia the 6 in front of our rental vacation cottage. 7 miles from the beach. About 1/3 the price of a beachfront condo.

DISCUSSION (18)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 17:47

Ah Century, the last truck I looked at before I got my 4Runner was in Century. I met the guy at Whataburger and drove it down a river trail. Hopefully the last GMT400 I’ll ever drive.

Rico > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 17:48

Good mileage for the speed + AC, was it mostly flat going? Have fun!

Chris Clarke > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 17:53

I just crossed the state line. Been stuck in this shitty mini van with 6 others since 5 am. Still have 5 hours to go. I think I saw McMike’s long lost cousin.

Kinja'd!!!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 17:57

Also, really, live through me, go to Milton Bakery and get sour cream donuts. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/’’/mi…

I’ve been seriously tempted to drive down there for that and some seafood. The riverwalk in downtown Milton is also pretty neat, and there usually is something going on this time of year.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Rico
05/28/2016 at 18:03

Middle Alabama isn’t too flat, but past Montgomery it’s basically downhill.

Klaus Schmoll > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 18:21

Wait! 879 miles in 9.5 hours is like 92 mph. If you figure bathroom breaks as you mentioned that means you must have been doing 100 mph pretty much constantly.

My record to cover the 930 kms or 574 miles from my place to get home is at 6h 45 mins. that’s 138 kph average or 85 mph including two fuel/bathroom stops. And that was on German Autobahns where about 50% were unrestricted so I could use the 126 mph top speed my old Honda has quite a lot.

How many tickets did you get? As you might know, I’m on my last day of a one month driving ban for speeding.

mazda616 > Klaus Schmoll
05/28/2016 at 18:24

Typo on my part. 579 miles.

DoYouEvenShift > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 19:22

You crazy! Florida on Memorial weekend traffic?! Stay safe and good luck.

I live in Central Florida and am staying my ass home. Gonna lay by the pool, blast some country music and enjoy my hot wife in bikini. God bless America!

mazda616 > DoYouEvenShift
05/28/2016 at 20:32

We found a cottage in a residential neighborhood about 7 miles from the tourist area and we have access to a semi-private beach. We’re good. :-) And we are staying all week.

DoYouEvenShift > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 20:43

Even better! Have fun out there.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 20:50

Also just thought, it’s gay pride weekend in PB. It becomes a shit hole. Not an anti-LGBT rant, it just becomes a stereotype for the weekend.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 20:56

Where was that Raceway. Don't think I've ever been there.

mazda616 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/28/2016 at 21:13

Yep. That's why we aren't really doing anything touristy these first days. This week is when we will be venturing out. My coworker is from here so she gave me all the advice.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 21:16

Yep, though Opal Beach or Navarre should be fine.

mazda616 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
05/28/2016 at 21:16

My debit card receipt says “Gardendale.” We ate at a Chick-fil-A and gassed the car up down the street.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > mazda616
05/28/2016 at 21:49

I'm pretty sure I've eaten at that chick fil a.

mazda616 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/29/2016 at 12:41

Kinja'd!!!

Took these this morning and it’s not much more crowded now. This Is at Perdido Key.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > mazda616
05/29/2016 at 12:53

That’s surprisingly empty.