NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm leaving Texas tommorow at 3am in the morning to depart for Pensacola, where i will be residing for college. I'm going to take I-20 to Meridian, (450 miles) hop on some smaller 2 lane roads and go about 300 miles south...directly to P-cola.

I am worried though because this is going to be the first time I've EVER drive across state lines by myself, and if I screw up I'm going to have to use my super-high-speed-low-drag map skills to extract myself from the situation.

I am guessing it's going to be about a 18-hour drive...sooo I figure 14 hours driving, 4 resting/sleeping/eating. I'm making a cooler full of strombolis to take so I don't have to stop. What I have to worry about is geting carjacked-I20 is the route that the evacuation is taking, so I had best be on my guard. No weapons with me aside from a trusty crowbar (Think Half life/HF2 :p ), so drilling the punks isn't an option... Although a 5000lb Mercedes might prove to be a really good looter-smasher :D -I just got my tires replaced today ;)

Any advice or comments?

Have a cooler (not one of the styrofoam ones, they squeek)filled w/ many soda's and your tapes/CD's ready. Pick up one of those US map books from the store that has most of the major roads on it. Don't trust Yahoo maps.

Take it easy and don't push yourself. If you start getting tired, pull into a rest stop and doze for a few hours. If you see a white line down your vision when you take a rest break, stop for at least 4 or 5 hours.

Have a cooler (not one of the styrofoam ones, they squeek)filled w/ many soda's and your tapes/CD's ready. Pick up one of those US map books from the store that has most of the major roads on it. Don't trust Yahoo maps.



I have a State farm insurance US map. Looks like it will work.Take it easy and don't push yourself. If you start getting tired, pull into a rest stop and doze for a few hours.

Noooo way. If I do have to go to sleep I am pulling into a police station and napping, but NOT anywhere along the evacuation routes. If I do go to sleep there I WILL wake up to the Pearly gates. Plus, I am going to be unarmed.

If you see a white line down your vision when you take a rest break, stop for at least 4 or 5 hours.

Isn't that because I'm driving too fast and not a sleep related issue ;) ?

Isn't that because I'm driving too fast and not a sleep related issue ;) ?


:) It's more sleep related actually. After much driving, your vision will automatically insert the line that its been seeing so much 'thinking' it's still supposed to be there. That's why people who fall asleep don't realize it because they still "see" the road when their eyes are closed.

I am worried though because this is going to be the first time I've EVER drive across state lines by myself, and if I screw up I'm going to have to use my super-high-speed-low-drag map skills to extract myself from the situation.

If you are worried about your map reading and navigation skills, perhaps you should join the Army or Marines for four years and attain those skills before setting out for college in P-cola.:D

If you are worried about your map reading and navigation skills, perhaps you should join the Army or Marines for four years and attain those skills before setting out for college in P-cola.:D

He should go NAVY and then he could still end up in Pensacola. The maps would be a little different though.

He should go NAVY and then he could still end up in Pensacola. The maps would be a little different though.

And if he went into submarines, the maps would be a hell of a lot different. :eek: