Aug 6 -The Journey Begins

Saturday, August 6, we leave Clearwater, FL and drive to Tuscaloosa, AL. 584 miles to destination and 10 hours in the saddle.

  • North on US19 to I-10
  • West on I-10 to US231
  • North on US231 through Dothan to Montgomery
  • North on US92 to Tuscaloosa
  • North on US 43 to family home

There’s not much in the way of distractions. US19 is divided highway with not much traffic once you get north of Weeki Wachee. Several small towns interrupt a fast blast up the highway. I-1o is a heavily traveled insterstate through Tallahassee.

Making the turn north on 231 and it’s divided highway again. Crossing the state line into Alabama and gas is suddenly a lot cheaper! A straight blast to Dothan, go west around the city on the loop, which is still 231, then northwest out of Dothan to Montgomery. It’s a pretty scenic drive.

You can save 15 minutes by going up I-75 to Tifton, GA, then heading west on US82, but it’s a lot more boring! Coming into Montgomery on 231, Google Maps routes you up to I-85 and then west. I’ve always taken 231 to US80 west, into US31 and by Maxwell Air Force Base and up to US82, following that northwest into Tuscaloosa. Roll Tide!

US82 is a 2-lane highway that weaves through some very pretty country until it splits into a 4-lane divided highway near Centerville. The Corvette is going to love that section of road. Four lanes into Tuscaloosa (Roll Tide!), follow 82 past where the tornado cleared out a swath a half-mile wide and several miles long many years ago, over the Black Warrior River and west to US43. North on US43 to the family homestead on Lake Tuscaloosa.

Saturday is in the Books

The drive from Clearwater to Tuscaloosa went pretty well. Caught heavy rain just west of Tallahassee on I-10, bad visibility meant slowing down to 50mph. Discovered a small water leak above the passenger door, Dillon got a little wet!

Otherwise the drive went like clockwork. To cap it off, we had BBQ ribs at Dreamland in town, a Tuscaloosa tradition!

Only a few pics from Saturday, I took mostly videos and will get these posted soon.

The Night Before

Applying Rain-X to the Windshield. A good thing, too, considering the monsoon-like rain we encountered.

The Car is Packed

Yes, most everything fit! I had to re-pack some items into smaller cases, but it all fits. Including a toolbox and a 24″ monitor.

The Reward

After a long day in the saddle, few things are better than Dreamland BBQ Ribs. Nationally recognized, even mentioned on national TV during the Alabama-Auburn game, good ribs and spicy sauce hit the spot.

Yes, They’re That Good

Dillon didn’t finish the whole slab, but he came awfully close. I knocked down a half-slab and cole slaw, we both polished off the fries. Next stop, grandma’s house. Over the river and through the woods…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

My Route 66 Road Trip
info@my66roadtrip.com
Clearwater, Florida