The 8th trip north (TN8) is in the books, so it is time to do the wrapup.
By the numbers:
- 6 hops, 1,615 route miles (269 miles per hop).
- 13 nights (9 in hotels), $1,539 in hotel charges ($171 per night).
- 1,844 total driving miles, 56.4 gallons of gas (32.7 miles per gallon).
- $227.78 in fuel costs ($4.04 per gallon).
The hotel costs were more than I originally budgeted – I was planning on $130 per night – but both New York City and Charleston were very expensive. I asked Ooma to find the hotels and she found places that were very nice. Much nicer than the rattraps that I might have booked.
The 32.7 mpg wasn’t bad but would have been higher but for the the driving tour of NYC and the horrendous exit from the city on Hop 6. Also, while $4.04 per gallon wasn’t bad at a time when regular gas was averaging about $4.30, I probably could have slipped in under $4 if I had stopped for the last refueling at Costco in Miford CT ($3.99 there), but I skipped that because of the heavy traffic.
Highlights:
- My first visit with Jett’s boys and their families since her funeral. It was great to see them all again. And their warm welcome of Ooma made me love them all the more.
- Sharing NYC and Charleston with Ooma, who had never been to either place. She loved both, as I knew she would.
- St Marys GA, a beautiful little town.
Lowlights:
- Ooma’s COVID illness (her third!). It changed our NYC plans and resulted in canceling planned visits with 2 old friends. I don’t like to see her sick any more than she likes being sick. Fortunately, I did not catch it. I am sure that my bout with COVID after July 4 was responsible for that. It would have been difficult keeping to our planned itinerary if I had been ill too. So while it spoiled a few things, we were still able to enjoy New York. And we made it to Worcester right on schedule. Strange as it sounds, I am grateful now that I caught COVID before the start of the TN8.
- Devin’s boat breakdown. A lovely day in the water in VA was tainted by the failure of the boat to start after a lovely lunch. I am sure Devin was more upset than I was and the day was still very nice, but I hate when a brand new boat fails for no good reason.
- The horrendous traffic leaving New York on Hop 6. I can’t recall having worse traffic in all of my previous travels.
Planned versus actual routes:
Pretty close. No major diversions. The stop in New Salem was added.
Now a month in Worcester. It will be busy but we won’t be living out of suitcases. The 8th trip south (TS8) will start just before Labor Day. I will give a preview of that in a couple of weeks.