Sun photo/Karl Merton Ferron

Michael Schwartzberg and his family (above) figured they'd avoid the backups on the Interstate 95 corridor on their trip from Pikesville to Long Island, so when they reached Interstate 83 they headed north through Pennsylvania.

Alas, the family veered off the Getting There Northeast Passage route (York to Lancaster to Reading to Allentown) and stayed on Interstate 83. Michael Schwartzberg reports that it was clear sailing until they hit Harrisburg. That's where they hit a patch of 10-mph traffic worthy of the Delaware Turnpike.

"It's brake lights as far as you can see," said Stacey Needle, Michael's wife, who got stuck with the first leg of the driving.

 (If you're about to leave Baltimore for northern New Jersey or metro New York, trust me. You can get on U.S. 30 at York and enjoy interstate-like travel most of the way to north of Reading. From there U.S. 222 moves pretty briskly unless you get behind an Amish buggy. Just cut over to Interstate 78 before you get into Allentown traffic. It's shorter than the Harrisburg route.)

Meanwhile, back with the Schwartzbergs, Michael's hoping for better traffic on Interstate 81. The boys, Brandon and Jordan, are doing fine and just asked for their first snack. No reports of "Are we there yet?"