Going the Distance
I recently had to drive a friend of mine to the airport in Charlottesville, which is an easy hour’s drive down I-81 from Harrisonburg, where we go to school. This had to be a quick trip however, as I had to get back to school for an afternoon meeting.
As my friend and I stopped for (venti, soy, iced) coffee before hitting the road, she pulled a folded piece of paper out of her purse, and showed me a quicker route to Charlottesville that passed right by the airport. This 40 mile drive definitely seemed like it would be much more time efficient than taking the highway.
This is where we were wrong. While yes, this road was shorter, and yes, this road passed closer to the airport, this road also wound violently through the Blue Ridge Mountains, maintained a maximum speed limit of 55, and passed through about a dozen small towns. Those of you who haven’t traveled on country roads before might like to know that when I say “small towns” I mean “gas stations and traffic lights.”
So here is my travel tip to you, seasoned traveller. Just because the road is shorter, doesn’t mean your trip will be quicker.
On the bright side, I made it back to Harrisonburg with 15 minutes to spare before my meeting. And the Blue Ridge Mountains sure are beautiful!
Disclaimer: I took this photo in August, but the natural beauty of the area still applies!
