A Drive for the Ages: 750 miles to Nashville.

Disclaimer: The entry you are about to read is true... the names have not been changed to protect those who are innocent or guilty as charged. What you are about to read is a testament to American Interstate System, the traffic she holds, and the speeds that are allowed.

When someone gives you the keys to a 2020 55-year edition Ford Mustang GT convertible rental... you don't ask questions... You just get in the driver's seat and drive...

As I've learned, I've taken some adventures to places but not like this. This was an adventure into the unknown as I've never traveled THIS FAR in a car before.

I decided to drive over fly because I am not very trusting of the airlines right now and personally, seeing America and her doings comes best from the ground. Personally... having a car gave me an advantage over the bachelor party that I was going to.

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It was 12:15am, September 8th, where I decided to just get up and get out of town. My bag was packed and I loaded that along with my extra pair of shoes in the car.

As I turned on the car, I knew that I was in for a long and arduous drive of over 700 miles, showing that I wouldn't get there until nearly 11:00am.

Everyone called me crazy for going in a car over a plane but it made more sense because I would prove that driving a car would be somewhat cheaper than that of flying.

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I was hopeful for an easy drive and not having to deal with too much in terms of the traffic which was true to form for the most part. I was on 340 west going through the top of the Virginia's head and I reached West Virginia

70 through 340 was very quiet and unassuming through West Virginia.

I was making record time until I made it to I-81 past the Berryville Pike in Virginia. It was 1:53am and I had to at least make a stop for a snack or a drink and maybe a quick fill-up.

However, the Sheetz on Berryville Pike had just unleaded regular. It was now 2:00am.

As I continued my drive through, it was time to deal with the long stretch after VA Route 7. The car was performing magnificently and doing very well on gas and I kept tabs on my "miles to until empty" rather than the speedometer for which I typically like to do.

Numbers you know... Numbers... Love numbers.

As I finished with VA-7 and got on Interstate 81, I heard my google said: Stay on Interstate 81 for 321 miles.

I said: Wow... Usually it would say over 100 miles.

I drove for another 92 minutes and 104 miles and made my first stop at the Pilot Travel Center in Staunton for which I needed to go to the bathroom but probably get some nourishment as well. I'm not a big fan of the Pilot Travel Centers as their gas pumps are extremely slow. It took a bit to fill up. I didn't get anything to snack on and I said: "ONWARD"

3:38am, it was time to get back on the road. My distance to empty read a mind-boggling 542 miles as I charged up and ready to go as I began the longest uninterrupted part of the drive.

It was now 4:38am and a sudden rainstorm came through. I was stuck behind a FedEx truck during this rainstorm in a construction zone where the speed limit dipped to 60. I was typically running a few mph (2 to 3) below the speed limit... At this point, I dropped well below minimums, a police car gesticulated for me to pick up the pace but it was raining heavily and I could not get the car into "wet mode" fast enough.

6:47am, I arrived in Tennessee and I'd been on the go for the last 3 hours. I made it to the welcome center with a lot of time left to spare. I needed a restroom and with how cool it was... it wasn't appropriate to put the top down just yet. I left there at 6:53am after getting a picture of Dolly Parton stand-up and the AmVets of Tennessee

After I was done my bathroom break, Tennessee smelled of the Great Smokies and country living... seeing the highways going through the cuts of the mountains... It warranted just taking it all in and enjoying the sceneries around me.

As the morning went on, I noticed an advertisement for the Buc-ee's. I've been hearing so much about Buc-ee's. I really wanted to see what the commotion was all about.

And sure enough, it was bigger than I imagined! It was huge! It had EVERYTHING!!!!

While this was a picture of it coming home from Tennessee. It is still massive!

I grabbed myself a bacon beast breakfast burrito (say that 5 times fast) and then an energy drink. It was 8:32am and I still had a pretty good chunk of time to kill since we couldn't get into the house until a certain time.

I felt the air and I think it was time to put the top down in the car for which I did but... stupidly... I forgot to put on my Orioles hat for the first run with the top down.

I threw on some music and headed out. This was my first ever time driving a convertible with the top down and I got to say: Probably more thrilling than I thought it was going to be.

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Well the rest they say is history. It was a wonderful experience being in a car that I have never ever driven before. Life? It's short. Make it spectacular.