Going to WNY in a few weeks...

[boyst]

I was born in Brockport and there is a family reunion going on in a few weeks and I am driving up in my F350. Diesel is expensive but it is so comfortable to drive in despite being over 23' in length (crew cab and long bed). Anyway, I have some questions on what people recommend who have made similar travels. First off, if you'd like to have a more accurate idea, I am coming from 27292.

 

My two thoughts are that I want to completely avoid the NY turnpike. However, if I end up leaving at the right time (5am) and go up 77 and 79 I will hit 90 and may be able to pass through Buffalo for training camp. I will have driven 10 hours at that point and wondering if there would be really much fun in stopping? I am traveling with my Dad, I finally urged him to come and he is still not the happiest about traveling that far and long. What are the boards thoughts on trying to time it up to hit training camp? I looked already and saw that it runs from 6-8pm Friday Aug 6th. I've never been to a training camp, just a few preseason games and dozens of regular seasons. Is camp worth it?

 

Also, on the way back I thought about taking 77-81, than in Harrisburg taking 15N directly in to Brockport on the way up. Is that an easy travel? I would hope it is 4 lanes and I might consider taking it to see more of the country. I would also save money on tolls.

 

Notes:

I drive fast (78 in a 70mph, 74 in a 65 mph), I get about 19mpg of diesel on a 37 gal tank, I do not stop much if at all, I will be the only driver.

Any input would be most appreciated! I may try to leave on a Thursday just to enjoy my vacation (my first in 7 years). Thanks guys!

[justnzane]

I was born in Brockport and there is a family reunion going on in a few weeks and I am driving up in my F350. Diesel is expensive but it is so comfortable to drive in despite being over 23' in length (crew cab and long bed). Anyway, I have some questions on what people recommend who have made similar travels. First off, if you'd like to have a more accurate idea, I am coming from 27292.

 

My two thoughts are that I want to completely avoid the NY turnpike. However, if I end up leaving at the right time (5am) and go up 77 and 79 I will hit 90 and may be able to pass through Buffalo for training camp. I will have driven 10 hours at that point and wondering if there would be really much fun in stopping? I am traveling with my Dad, I finally urged him to come and he is still not the happiest about traveling that far and long. What are the boards thoughts on trying to time it up to hit training camp? I looked already and saw that it runs from 6-8pm Friday Aug 6th. I've never been to a training camp, just a few preseason games and dozens of regular seasons. Is camp worth it?

 

Also, on the way back I thought about taking 77-81, than in Harrisburg taking 15N directly in to Brockport on the way up. Is that an easy travel? I would hope it is 4 lanes and I might consider taking it to see more of the country. I would also save money on tolls.

 

Notes:

I drive fast (78 in a 70mph, 74 in a 65 mph), I get about 19mpg of diesel on a 37 gal tank, I do not stop much if at all, I will be the only driver.

Any input would be most appreciated! I may try to leave on a Thursday just to enjoy my vacation (my first in 7 years). Thanks guys!

 

79 is very hilly thru w. virginia and you'll spend roughly 4 hours battling that alone. I would avoid 79 until pennsylvania, you could do 77 and cut over to 79 when you are in ohio, or take 77 up to 90 (this way google say is as quick 77 to 79 all the way).

 

I used to live in Atlanta and drive back and forth from Buffalo to Atlanta. the first way i took was 79 to 77 in a buick regal that was not too far from being sent to the junkyard, and it struggled with the hills of i-79 in WV. I don't know if 77 is any smoother in WV, but I can tell ya 79 is not for cars that struggle uphill at 70 mph.

 

On a trip from Albany,NY to Atlanta 81 was money... one of the funner drives i have had despite it snowing all down to NC. On that trip i-77N was backed up for 25 miles because a couple semis slid into each on a bridge. As I was driving southbound i got to laugh my ass seeing and SUV's rolled uphill. That said, the way back down sounds fine.

[Just Jack]

However, if I end up leaving at the right time (5am) and go up 77 and 79 I will hit 90 and may be able to pass through Buffalo for training camp. I will have driven 10 hours at that point and wondering if there would be really much fun in stopping? I am traveling with my Dad, I finally urged him to come and he is still not the happiest about traveling that far and long. What are the boards thoughts on trying to time it up to hit training camp? I looked already and saw that it runs from 6-8pm Friday Aug 6th. I've never been to a training camp, just a few preseason games and dozens of regular seasons. Is camp worth it?

Training camp is in Rochester. Plus it's a night practice, so tickets (free) are required to get in. Now if you're still interested, what you can do is take the bus over from the shuttle lots ($1), and the Bills usually have a will call table set up where the busses drop you off at St. John Fisher. You could ask them if there are any extras available. I know previous years people like me that had multiple tickets, would leave the extras at will call for those less fortunate. And being a night practice it will be packed. So you've also got to decide if being with several thousand fans after driving 10 hours just to see a practice is worth it.

[Scraps]

If you take the I-81 route, in Harrisburg take I-81 across the river, get on 22-322 West and then get on US 15 N. That takes you up the east side of the river on a 4 lane highway. Rt 15 in Marysville (west side of the river) is 2 lane, 35 mph and painful. A few weeks ago when I went through there they were doing construction on the I-81 US-15 interchange so I'm not sure you can get onto 15 N anyway with the route you planned.

 

You might be able to plan where you get fuel by using www.gasbuddy.com.

[tennesseeboy]

where in north carolina are you starting from? I'm not sure why you want to avoid 90 as it seems the best way to to (I come to buffalo from the NC Tennessee From gomapper website these directions work.

4. I-26 W/US-23 N

6. Take exit 8B to merge onto I-81 N toward Bristol

Entering Virginia 91.9 mi

7. Take exit 72 to merge onto I-77 N toward Bluefield

Partial toll road

Entering West Virginia 74.0 mi

8. Take exit 48 for US-19 toward N Beckley/Summersville

Toll road 0.4 mi

9. Continue straight 1.7 mi

10. Continue straight onto US-19 N 66.6 mi

11. Merge onto I-79 N/US-19 N via the ramp to Clarksburg

Continue to follow I-79 N

Entering Pennsylvania 136 mi

12. Take the exit onto I-70 W/I-79 N toward Washington Pa

Continue to follow I-79 N 143 mi

13. Take exit 178A to merge onto I-90 E toward Buffalo

Partial toll road

Entering New York 84.1 mi

14. Take exit 57 for NY-75 toward Hamburg/E Aurora

Toll road 0.8 mi

15. Keep right at the fork to continue toward NY-75 N/Camp Rd and merge onto NY-75 N/Camp Rd

Continue to follow NY-75 N

Partial toll road 3.0 mi

16. Continue onto NY-5 E/Lake Shore Rd

Continue to follow NY-5 E

If coming from Buffalo take the Leroy exit Route 19 which goes straight up into Brockport. I lived there for many years and worked at SUNY Brockport.

[plenzmd1]

Sister just drove from DC to Buffalo via 15, said construction delays were brutal..just be forwarned

[boyst]

I am leaving from the zip code 27292, Lexington, NC. I live right off of 85, near HWY 52 and about an hour from 77.

[Marv's Neighbor]

I-81 in Virginia is not good. Heavy Truck traffic, worn out driving surface and during the summer, a lot of construction just to keep up with the road problems.

 

If you do get to Harrisbug, US-15 is really not too bad. There are stretches of old road to be sure but there are also a lot of Interstate like by-passes that take you around a lot of the old towns. US-15 has had signs for many years saying that it is the future route of I-99. It's shovel ready but somehow keeps getting overlooked.

 

If it was my choice, I would take US-15 over I-79 & I-90. The times are comparable, no tolls and it's a more scenic drive.

[mead107]

You could hook up with Chef Jim.

[Chef Jim]

You could hook up with Chef Jim.

 

Thanks for the advice, but I...........wait, wrong thread.

[tennesseeboy]

I drove down I-81 from Albany to Tennessee in July and the traffic was no problem (July 5) I usually go the way described above to Buffalo but if you are going to the Bills in Rochester you might try 81 straight on up to Syracuse. Where I've run into issues on 81 (traffic and construction) in the past has been in northern Pennsylvania.

[BillsFanNC]

Coming from Raleigh this is the route I take...

 

I 40

hwy 52

I 77

US 19

I 79

I 90 to Amherst

 

I just did it for the 4th weekend and it took about 12.5 hours with the wife and kids, I used to be able to make it in about 11 hours by myself.

 

There was some construction on US 19 and I- 79 around Pittsburgh, but no major delays. Summersville, WV is brutal with speeding enforcement.

[Scraps]

I drove down I-81 from Albany to Tennessee in July and the traffic was no problem (July 5) I usually go the way described above to Buffalo but if you are going to the Bills in Rochester you might try 81 straight on up to Syracuse. Where I've run into issues on 81 (traffic and construction) in the past has been in northern Pennsylvania.

 

I have found 15 to be a faster route than 81.

[Hossage]

Sister just drove from DC to Buffalo via 15, said construction delays were brutal..just be forwarned

 

From Buffalo to DC, I have weeded out the slower country roads. You must start on the 219, take the 255 at Johnsonburg, go through St. Marys, take the 153 at penfield, jog on 80 take the 322 south at exit 123 to 99, and figure it out from there. The trick is knowing the faster country roads.