Finding A Clear Road To Greensboro, NC In Two Snow Storms
December 28, 2010
The family were in Scituate, Massachusetts for Christmas, we'd driven up from Greensboro, NC the previous Friday. We had a lovely week, and I even had time for a tweet up at The Burren in Somerville, MA. Lot's of friends managed to come, and it was great to see everyone.
Special thanks to Adam Zand for his apple pie, the family devoured it, yum, yum!
Back in Scituate on Saturday, Christmas dinner was over and we were just looking up for air by watching the weather channel, only to learn that a blizzard was heading for New York and Boston. Within the hour we were on the road for the New Jersey Turnpike, and did not stop until 1:30am in the morning. We'd made it to Maryland, and in the process completely missed the first snowstorm forming in the Northeast.
Next morning we headed south, but using a combination of the Google Android navigation app, and weather alerts from a Blackberry WeatherBug app we decided to head down 29 through Charlottesville instead of driving through Richmond, VA. In the process we missed the second storm, and had clear roads all the way back to Greensboro, NC. Driving into GSO we were met with stunning winter scenes, the tress in Greensboro are large, and so we had picture postcard weather with snow hanging from every branch.
On the 800 mile trip down the Eastern Sea Board it was great to have the mobile apps, but I did think there was room for a weather mobile app that combines with a navigational app that makes recommendations on routes, and times to travel. The app would be based on weather alerts and actual events on the ground. A number of times we had to make a best judgement on what route to take based on distance, road conditions and the likely weather we'd meet. I think there's room for a weather predication's navigation mobile app.
I'm sure there's an app out there like this, if so do let me know! But if not I know what I want for the holidays in 2011.