Think of best of bad to mean "Do you want one tooth pulled or two? neither with any pain killer"

You really don't see very much of Manhattan on that route and if you could you would be too busy trying not to be killed by someone in a cage. The first route around NYC is what I take unless my destination is near the coast in CT, then I take I-287 across the Tappan Zee bridge.

 

Thanks guys. When we did this ride before we spent a couple of hours riding down to Battery Park and back up to Times Square. It was a time sucker, for sure, but it was a highlight of the trip for my daughter.

I even have some fond memories of I-95 -- seeing glimpses of Long Island Sound and boats in the various harbors as we rode along was picturesque. But that part of the ride also held some unpleasant memories as we definitely got stuck in traffic and I would not care to repeat that part of it, and I certainly would be willing to see something different this time around if it avoids that traffic.

I haven't compared waze to the google maps app, but I know that Google maps will also suggest a new route if traffic conditions change. Is Waze better at it than Google Maps?

Giacomo, it may seem like it's all about the miles, but it's more about the recognition that on a motorcycle you can see a lot, and experience a lot, even while covering a lot of miles. My NYC wasn't the same as someone who spent a week seeing the sights, but within two days either side of it I got to ride along the Mississippi, see the sun rise in Georgia, ride the back of the dragon in Virginia, cruise a two lane in Vermont, eat a pizza in Chicago, and watch the sun set while riding through pastures of southern Wisconsin dairy country. It's not about the miles on the odometer. It's about the experiences along the way.

 

I am pretty sure Waze uses info from Google Maps plus other sources. I find the Waze is better with constant updates as I am driving. Google gives you the best route when you plot it but not so easy to get an update on the fly. Waze will do that automatically for you if it finds out about something happening on your route. Just real easy and intuitive, works for me and the app is free. Like I said, I spend a lot of time in the car in traffic and I have not found anything better, yet. I have also used it out of state, again works great. I have made some interesting trips to NH from NY avoiding Boston traffic. You know how it goes, better to be doing 45 MPH on a pretty back road then sitting in traffic on the super slab.

 

Thanks. I've downloaded Waze. I'll start working with it so that I'm familiar by the time we go.

As for the dates -- am I correct in thinking it's better on a non-holiday weekend (Saturday) rather than a weekday (Wednesday)?

 

Tough call. On a week day from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM you can pretty much go anywhere you want. Weekends, can go bad any time of the the day. I wish a had a better answer.

 

That is what I figured as well. Figure anything remotely near water as being bad on weekends.

 

Driven the route from MA to PA many many times as I had family in PA. I would never ever take I-95 anywhere from Boston to south of Washington DC. It is poorly maintained (at least the one time i did drive it) full of traffic that is more interested in getting to the destination than it is in being safe. Also, even a minor accident will cause hours of backup.

The last time I headed north out of the shore in MD back to MA via I-95 we were lucky and missed any backups, however, by the time I got home I was twice as tired as when we go out around the city as outlined below.


If you want to stay on the slab (Which I understand, it does allow you to eat up the miles) I would suggest staying on I-81 all the way up to Scranton, PA, then jump on I-84 through CT and into MA. From there head east on I-90 towards Boston.(Electronic Tolling, billed to your plate unless you have a fastpass that is accepted in MA). Then north on I-495 until it runs back into I-95 way north of Boston (Almost into NH). From there it is an easy ride into Kittery, ME. This is by far the easiest way to get there. It may be a little longer, but a single issue on I-95 between Baltimore and North of NYC will make up for any of the extra time it takes to follow my route.

If you want to jump off the slab, there are some great rides up through PA, CT and MA that I could suggest, but they will not be for making good time.

Hope this helps, and if there is anything you think I could help with, let me know via PM.

 

Thanks. The problem with that route is that it misses Delaware, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

You've definitely contributed to my interest in avoid I-95 though.

 

You could take 301 from Fredericksburg and skip 95 south of DC, cross over the Bay Bridge (but not on a Friday or Saturday since everyone from DC would be going to the shore) and continue up 301 to I-95 in Delaware. From there take I-476 (not on a work afternoon) north to Scranton and then head east on 84 to Hartford. US 6 or 44 could then take you into RI so you can get your fuel receipt and then you can head north.

I have ridden 6 and there are traffic lights and it wasn't a bad ride when I last did it. I have no idea what traffic is like during rush hour

 

It doesn't add to traffic congestion but Rolling Thunder is that weekend. It is an event to do if you haven't. You could hug the coast on 13 and use the Chesapeake bay Bridge tunnel.