Routes
STE3 wrapup
By the numbers: 9 hops 16 nights 1608 tow miles 2103 truck miles $687.65 in campground fees ($42.98 per night) The actual route included two stops that differed from the plan and had some minor detours and changes in route, but otherwise went as planned. Highlights: The Johnson Space Center in Houston. A fascinating tour … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 9: Sarasota FL to Naples FL
124 miles via I-75, FL 84 and US 41, with a slight detour near the Ft Myers airport. Cumulative tow miles: 1608. Truck miles: 128. Cumulative truck miles: 2103. Thus endeth the Second Trip East (STE). The last hop was short and almost uneventful. The minor event was a stop to check the sewer hose … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 8: Cedar Key FL to Sarasota FL
184 miles via FL 24, US 98, I-75 and FL 780. Cumulative tow miles: 1484. Truck miles: 205. Cumulative truck miles: 1975. Our penultimate hop (I love that word!). It was a 3-hour jaunt, the first half on US 98 and the second half on I-75. It is a route we have traveled before and … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 7: Port Saint Joe FL to Cedar Key FL
217 miles via US 98, US 319, FL 345 and FL 24, with a refueling stop. Cumulative tow miles: 1300. Truck miles: 269. Cumulative truck miles: 1770. Usually our refueling stops occur about 150 to 180 miles into the hop. This one occurred 24 miles into the hop. Why? Because the one diesel pump at … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 6: Orange Beach AL to Port Saint Joe FL
176 miles via AL 161, AL 182, FL 292 and US 98. Cumulative tow miles: 1083. Truck miles: 281. Cumulative truck miles: 1501. Jett hated this route. I chose it because it was mostly on US 98 which I liked a lot, based on my experience on more southerly sections. It also cut about 40 … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 5: Waveland MS to Orange Beach AL
153 miles via US 90, MS 43, I-10, AL 59 and the Foley Beach Express. Cumulative miles: 907. Truck miles: 341. Cumulative truck miles: 1220. We don’t normally go on toll roads, but in this case it seemed like a good thing to do: by paying a $4.25 toll to use the Foley Beach Express … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 4: Duson LA to Waveland MS
175 miles via I-10, I-12 and MS 607. Cumulative tow miles: 754. Truck miles: 176. Cumlative truck miles: 879. This hop, like the others on I-10 and I-12, was rough. There were some pretty long stretches that felt like we were riding on railroad ties. But it was also interesting. It skirted the northern shore … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 3: League City TX to Duson LA
210 miles via TX 96, TX 146 and I-10, with one minor screwup and a refueling stop. Cumulative tow miles: 579. Truck miles: 214. Cumulative truck miles: 703. The minor screwup was due to following a sign for I-10 rather than listening to the GPS. We went about half a mile, turned back and returned … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 2: Aransas Pass TX to League City TX
186 miles, almost entirely on TX 35. Cumulative tow miles: 369. Truck miles: 191. Cumulative truck miles: 489. This hop was more interesting than the previous two as it brushed the coast and had some nice causeways over two broad and very scenic bays. While it was just a state road, it was in good … Continue reading
STE3 Hop 1: Brownsville TX to Aransas Pass TX
183 miles via TX 511, I-69E, US 77, TX 44, TX 358, I-37 and TX 35. Cumulative tow miles: 183. Truck miles: 298. Cumulative truck miles: 298. This was a truly boring ride. At least coming south, via US 281, there was some farm activity. Going north on US 77 there was nothing to see … Continue reading