Last year I left Houston at 1:30 Monday afternoon, and road in thunderstorms all the way to Jackson, MS, and in to Birmingham about 5:00 Tuesday morning. Not the most direct route - I prefer East Texas, and cutting from 59 to Schreveport to catch I20 I could have made better time, despite the rain, but I must say that the "midnight riding" across two states and into a fourth was very memorable due to the weather - easily one of the best bonuses of the whole trip.
I took a room In Birmingham for a few hours then made it in to Dahlonega before 2:00, Tuesday afternoon.
Coming home, similar route, left Dahlonega at 9:30 Sunday morning, and was in my driveway, in Houston, at 3:30, Monday morning. I held up for tornadoes in Birmingham that Sunday morning, and then fought a failing ignition coil some before finally breaking through the rain in Mississippi, so I could have made better time with better weather, but heh, what else did I have to do?
Travelling alone, I make the best time I can. I really do want to take the northern route through Arkansas and Memphis, though, time permitting.
