This is the log of our trip to Hilton Head in the summer of 2003.

Atlanta to Hilton Head May 31, 2003

12:31pm

• We left the house headed for the Chick-Fila on Clairmont Road at Briarcliff . We gassed up at QuikTrip on the way.

12:58pm mileage 0

• We leave Chick Fila for the beach heading south on I-85, I-75-85, then I-75.

1:26pm

• We reach the Stockbridge Exit 229, Hwy 138 and find a traffic jam (construction on the southbound land). We take 138 to I-675 south and re-entering I-75. We make up a few cars but are still in the jam (finally down to one lane).

2:14pm mileage 39.8

• Back to speed limit at High Falls Exit. Mileage 62 miles.

2:49pm

• We reach the mile marker 179 rest area just north of Macon. We take I-75 rather than I-575 to head towards I-16.

3:13pm mileage 95.5.

• We reach I-16.

3:50pm

• I-16 rest area at mile marker 44.

3:55pm mileage 146.0.

• Dublin Exit 51. The only real burger row on I-16, also it's the exit to Little Ocmulgee State Park.

5:23pm mileage 257

• Reach I-95 and head north.

5:40pm mileage 276

• Stopped at the South Carolina Welcome Station. From there we took Exit 5, Hwy 17 intending to take 170 up through Bluffton but we missed the turn and went a few extra miles.
• We should have taken the Hwy-278 exit but no harm done.

6:31pm mileage 313

• Crossed the James F. Byrnes Bridge and entered Hilton Head proper.

That's 5 hours, including a traffic jam, two rest stops and a wrong turn. Not bad at all.

We had to go home too.

Hilton Head to Atlanta June 7, 2003

9:45am mileage 0

• We left the very tip of Lands End at South Beach Headed for IHOP and breakfast. It was 6.4 miles from Lands End to Sea Pines Circle.

11:55am mileage 13.2

• We left IHOP. We had a long wait for a table but a really nice family meal.

12:25

• We reached I-95 (on Hwy 278) and turned south.

12:42 mileage 48.2

• We stopped at the Georgia Welcome Station. We asked how to avoid the construction traffic between Macon and Atlanta. They recommended Hwy 23 just north of I-16 in Macon.

12:53 mileage 59.9

• We reached I-16 (Exit 157) and headed west.

1:40 mileage 103

• We gassed up at Exit 116 and had a pleasant conversation with the (Indian / Hindu) owner proprietor of the truck stop on the south side of the exit. Way above average gas station experience.

3:25 mileage 223

• We reached I-75 in Macon and headed north.

3:30 mileage 226

• We reached the Hwy 23 Exit 169. We got a little confused. At the exit you go left, then right at Hwy 23 which goes back over the I-75. That wasn't obvious from the map. We stopped at Chick-Fila for a togo meal and headed north on Hwy 23.

5:50 mileage 313.7

• Home after Hwy 23 to Stockbridge, the I-675 to Moreland Avenue and Atlanta. Hwy 23 was a very pleasant trip through the countryside. Cork, Flovilla, Jackson (BBQ alert), Jenkinsburg Locust Grove, and McDonough.