If you\u2019re hitting the roadways Wednesday ahead of Thanksgiving, the earlier the start, the better.<\/b>
\nIf you\u2019re hitting the roadways Wednesday ahead of Thanksgiving, the earlier the start, the better. That includes starting your journey overnight, according to drivers at a rest stop on Route 50 in Maryland. Charles Spires, who\u2019s on his way to Atlanta from the Wilmington area of Delaware, told WTOP\u2019s John Domen that avoiding traffic around D.C. is the big reason to get an early start. And while gas prices are higher this year, it\u2019s not deterring him. Linden Parris is headed to Georgia from Brooklyn, New York. He started his trip at 1:45 a.m. because there\u2019s less traffic on the road and he \u201cdidn\u2019t want to deal with a lot of congestion on one of the heaviest travel times of the year.\u201d He\u2019s hoping to get to his destination by 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. \u201cMy wife made a lovely sweet potato pie. I\u2019m looking forward to that,\u201d Parris said. One thing he said he\u2019s noticed on his trip: increasing gas prices as he goes. Several other drivers also touted the benefits of driving overnight. Another New York driver, on his way to Germantown, Maryland, said traveling overnight is all about beating traffic. \u201cIt\u2019s a holiday so you know it\u2019s about to get really busy,\u201d he said. \u201cSo far so good.\u201d He said overnight driving is pretty smooth. \u201cEveryone just kind of stays in their own lane.\u201d Carrie Zaleski left New Hampshire at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night. She\u2019s on her way to Florida. She said it\u2019s easier to drive at night than during the day, other than all the trucks on the highways. Zaleski said she\u2019s looking forward to kayaking and surprising her dad, who\u2019s 88, for Thanksgiving. WTOP\u2019s John Domen contributed to this report.<\/p>\n