FlyingDog

If anybody else can offer help along the way, just add on to this thread.

I live in Blacksburg, VA and will be heading down to SITM Friday afternoon. I'll bring some basic tools with me. If you will be driving through the shaded area or along my route (may change slightly) feel free to PM me for my cell phone number. I can reach anywhere in the shaded are from home in about 1 hour. If you are driving through before tomorrow afternoon, I'll have access to some more tools that I'm not planning on bringing on the trip.

If you see a green Wrangler along the way that looks like a toy Army Jeep, it's probably me.

Styln928

Can anyone offer directions from Pensacola? Do I take I-65 to I-85 to Atlanta? I'm leaving Ft. Myers today at 3pm to Pensacola. On the road to SITM 9am Friday morning. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

wds928

I'm in Charlottesville, VA, about 20 minutes east of the Blue Ridge Parkway, where the SITM travelers from the north are meeting. I'll stop by on Friday to say hi at 9:30am. If anyone needs assistance, I've got tools, a garage, floor jack, jackstands, etc. Even cold beer. PM me for a phone number.

FlyingDog

When I drove down to Pensacola and back to here a couple months ago, we tried two different routes. Going down we did 81-40-75-59-65. It's not very scenic, but there was no traffic anywhere. If you take that way up, you'd go 65-59-75-40-81-26-321. That would be a very easy trip.

Coming back we went across to Panama City then up to I-85 North of Columbus. I would not recommend that part, just take 65 to 85. From there on, I-85 is good unless you hit heavy traffic in Atlanta. The advantage of going through (well, around on the bypass) Atlanta in a 928 is the local shark owners. North of Atlanta, you get on US-25 then US-74 up to Asheville. If you have the time, that drive is probably very scenic, and Asheville is a beautiful place.

I don't know what the best way to go is once you get that close.

FlyingDog

BUMP and a warning:

If you are driving through Virginia, look out for State Troopers. The academy is doing their field training cycle so there are extra patrols with eager young Troopers burning up your federal tax dollars to make sure you 'click it or ticket'. Most Troopers have a no leniency policy. If they pull you over, you will get a ticket for something. Virginia is working extra hard on writing tickets now to use as an excuse for a new law allowing the mobile tax collectors to use seat belt violations as primary probable cause for traffic stops. Virginia also enforces state tint laws on out of state vehicles.

jim morehouse

It's great that all of you are offering assistance and I sure hope I don't need it on the way down to SITM. I'd urge you and others reading this thread to sign on to the 928 Road Help list.

928 Road Help lists by state those owners who can be called for assistance if you happen to breakdown on a trip. The list is ONLY distributed to those who are willing to put their own names and contact info on it to prevent phone numbers,etc from reaching those who might abuse them. You don't have to be a mechanic or have a garage to signup, just be willing to offer assistance that could range from calling a tow/getting a hotel/recommending a shop... all the way to having lift/manuals/tools/expertise and a spare room. Some of the folks list if they are open to 'social visits' by passing members.

Each entry is sorted by state w a location given (usually in reference to nearest interstates), contact phone numbers, contact restrictions (ex. "no calls after 10PM") along w the level of assistance that can be offered.

You can sign up and get the latest listings by sending an email w the above info to:
928roadhelp@atlanticbb.net

Greg has done a real service by starting and maintaining this list. I've used it twice now and it's great to be able to deal w someone who knows what their talking about instead of having to pick a shop randomly and taking your chances.

Please signup now and spread the word!

Jim