Kids these days will never know….

[Fodderwing]

I read somewhere a couple of years ago (like 2-3 tops) that they might actually extend the Suncoast all the say to I think Thomasville... When Son #1 lived in Tampa, Suncoast was well worth the tolls the 2 times we drove a Uhaul truck... there were literally no other vehicles but us.

Yes, you see lots of signs saying "No Toll Roads".

I would prefer they put elevated express lanes through Chiefland. Cross City, Fanning Springs, Perry, If you don't want gas or food, just hit the express lane.

The Selmon Expressway works great from Brandon to South Tampa.

 

[B52G8rAC]

Ah the memories of travel before interstates. We lived in PCola and my grandmother lived with my bachelor uncle in Tampa. Every holiday weekend we drove to see them, either using HWY 90 or 98 and then diving south through Chiefland, Cross City, etc. Generators only lasted a 1000 miles back then, so either coming or going, there was a 4 hour layover in Cross City to get a rebuilt one installed. And tires were 3000 milers. So after the generator was replaced, there was the tire patch/replacement stop in or around Monticello (Montisello, not chello like those Yankee Virginians pronounce it) or Perry. Today, a very pleasant 4 or 5 hour drive. Then, 16 hours of heat, humidity and learning swear words from a frustrated dad.

 

[Detroitgator]

Ah the memories of travel before interstates. We lived in PCola and my grandmother lived with my bachelor uncle in Tampa. Every holiday weekend we drove to see them, either using HWY 90 or 98 and then diving south through Chiefland, Cross City, etc. Generators only lasted a 1000 miles back then, so either coming or going, there was a 4 hour layover in Cross City to get a rebuilt one installed. And tires were 3000 milers. So after the generator was replaced, there was the tire patch/replacement stop in or around Monticello (Montisello, not chello like those Yankee Virginians pronounce it) or Perry. Today, a very pleasant 4 or 5 hour drive. Then, 16 hours of heat, humidity and learning swear words from a frustrated dad.

1000% can identify... as a LITTLE kid riding in the car, "cocksucker" didn't mean what I thought it meant... I thought that everything from other drivers to the rusty muffler with the rusty bracket that broke thus dragging said rusty muffler on the ground were "cocksuckers!" Here is a reenactment of my dad spotting a "cocksucker!"

 

[soflagator]

A lot of the time when I drive to/from Gainesville, instead of taking 10 all the way to 75 and down (or vice versa), I'll hop off I-10 just east of Tallacrappee and take 19 down to 26 and across to Gainesville... it's crazy the amounts of "pre-Interstate" stuff you see on 19, especially in/around Perry... still dozens of old one story motels, some empty, some repurposed to apartments.

From Gainesville to Jax up through Starke and Lawtey on 301 is like that. One story motels, with every third room having one of those cheap white plastic chairs just outside the door. Must be a lottery system because a few even have battery powered radios next to them.

 

[g8r.tom]

A lot of the time when I drive to/from Gainesville, instead of taking 10 all the way to 75 and down (or vice versa), I'll hop off I-10 just east of Tallacrappee and take 19 down to 26 and across to Gainesville... it's crazy the amounts of "pre-Interstate" stuff you see on 19, especially in/around Perry... still dozens of old one story motels, some empty, some repurposed to apartments.

That the route I take too. 10 gets so boring......

 

[soflagator]

That the route I take too. 10 gets so boring......

The stretch from Tallahassee to the Panama City exits has to be 9 hours minimum.

 

[Detroitgator]

The stretch from Tallahassee to the Panama City exits has to be 9 hours minimum.

And from there, it's only another 14 to Crestview, after that, you know you're on the final 7 hour stretch to P'cola!

 

[soflagator]

And from there, it's only another 14 to Crestview, after that, you know you're on the final 7 hour stretch to P'cola!

As we were leaving Destin a few years back, I was trying to make the pitch to my wife that it really wasn’t that bad of a drive and we should make it a summer staple trip. Then, as we approach the I10 ramp, the sign says Tallahassee(or Jax?) to the right and freaking Texas to the left.

Yeah, anyway we haven’t been back since.

 

[CDGator]

The stretch from Tallahassee to the Panama City exits has to be 9 hours minimum.

Sometimes we go through Panacea, Wewahitchka, Wakulla and hug the coast through Apalachicola just for a change of sceneries even though it's an hour longer to PCB from Tallahassee. Worth it to get stuck behind a car going 30 if you can see the ocean rather than driving 75 across I-10.

 

[soflagator]

Sometimes we go through Panacea, Wewahitchka, Wakulla and hug the coast through Apalachicola just for a change of sceneries even though it's an hour longer to PCB from Tallahassee. Worth it to get stuck behind a car going 30 if you can see the ocean rather than driving 75 across I-10.

That sounds like a good idea. What I tend to do is take 75 south to the turnpike which puts me in Palm Beach in 3.5 hours. Don’t get me wrong, I like driving 9+ and still being in the same state as much as the next guy. Just personal preference. Plus the Atlantic is better, but that’s a separate conversation.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

A NASCAR race decided by cars going three wide on the last lap down the back-stretch dodging tires and other flying debris with a photo finish to win the Daytona 500.

Such an anti-climatic finish yesterday.

NASCAR is dead to me.

 

[Nalt]

NASCAR is dead to me.

Restrictor plates killed racing...

 

[Detroitgator]

Restrictor plates killed racing...

When I tuned in around lap 35, and it is two straight columns of cars literally bumper to bumper, all going 190+/- mph, you know its dumb

 

[soflagator]

When I tuned in around lap 35, and it is two straight columns of cars literally bumper to bumper, all going 190+/- mph, you know its dumb

Sounds like the last stretch of 95 from Jupiter to WP on my way down. Were there any strip club billboards by chance? Because that would be almost spooky.

 

[stephenPE]

Ah the memories of travel before interstates. We lived in PCola and my grandmother lived with my bachelor uncle in Tampa. Every holiday weekend we drove to see them, either using HWY 90 or 98 and then diving south through Chiefland, Cross City, etc.

 

[CDGator]

 

[B52G8rAC]

This kaleidoscope image at DuckDuckGo

 

[Gatordiddy]

I was kind of obsessed with this in the mid 70s.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I was kind of obsessed with this in the mid 70s.

View attachment 55017

Oh shi...!!! I had completely forgotten those until just now.

 

[Gatordiddy]

Oh shi...!!! I had completely forgotten those until just now.

“Sorry guys… can’t come out and play football right now. Got a Big Mac riding on this floor exercise here.”