We were very close to a route requiring use of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel that connects the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula with the Virginia Beach area. Instead, we will slice through Washington and head right for the mountains. Depending on the time of da you run the route, you will get a variety of different options. Running it during rush hour makes it an 11 hour trek right through the heart of our Nation’s Capital, covering 721 miles. That is a pace of about 64.9mph, which is better than I expected. The route will be scenic, so let’s enjoy it, traffic and all.

Taking a trip through DC and the mountains probably couldn’t be happening at a better time. Congress is about to call it a year, ensuring DC traffic will be significantly less burdensome, while the weather itself is going to be about as cooperative as it gets. A big ol’ dome of high pressure is planted over the Carolinas, and is bringing sunshine and unseasonably warm air to the Eastern Seaboard. It’s hard to complain about this kind of weather. Hold on tight after you get to Chattanooga, though. A strong system is organizing in the Gulf of Mexico, and will be very problematic to begin the week next week. Not a problem for this forecast, however!