Making my way from Surf City to Ocean City was no picnic. At mid-afternoon, the roads are choked with Memorial Day vacationers heading back home. I sat through some significant jams on Route 72 Westbound, out of LBI, but once I hopped on the Parkway, it was pretty smooth sailing since I was heading south and most of the traffic was going the other way. I sure felt sorry for the folks going home from the southern beach towns - Cape May to Ocean City or thereabouts. Cars were parked on the Parkway heading north. And it's beautiful out, so that makes things worse for those stuck in traffic. (I know there's been rain back in Philly, but I have managed to miss it.)

When I stopped for gas on 72, the gentleman who pumped my fuel ($2.99 per gallon, but it's more like $3.05 when you get close to the ocean) rolled his eyes when I asked if it had been busy all day. "It's been crowded since 7 a.m.," he said. "They're all leaving at the same time."

Tourists. We never learn.

Here's the view from out of my car window, crawling along Route 72 out of Surf City. Cars as far as the eye can see.

If you've got a Shore traffic nightmare tale, throw us a comment. One Labor Day weekend, I sat on the Parkway, my gas tank close to empty, for two hours. What normally was a two hour drive turned into a three and a half hour trip.