A call for assistance

[tcepsa]

I am very excited to be going on the retreat this weekend in pretty much all aspects save one: getting out there. Does anyone have suggestions for how to get from Alexandria to either the non-HOV part of I66 or the Dulles Toll Road without getting hopelessly entangled in traffic? I expect to be starting out sometime between 4 and 5, and I have a feeling it's going to be brutal; what I'm looking for here is a way to minimize the damage, not a way to get out completely free. (though if you know a way to get out completely free, I would LOVE to hear it!)

So far I've been able to come up with the following possibilities:
1) The George Washington Memorial Parkway to I-495 to Toll Road
2) Somehow taking smaller roads south far enough to avoid the madness of the mixing bowl and head west to, say, 123 or 29 28 and take that north to I-66
3) Risking the Beltway all the way from Alexandria around to the Toll Road
4) Possibly doing something with 50, though that seems like probably the least good of the choices

Comments

[princesskaite.livejournal.com]

Leaving between 4&5 is pretty much the definition of insanity.
People I've worked with say the best bet is the GW pky to 495 to the Toll Road. (Plus taking the GW pkwy in that direction is traffic free until you hit 395)
You don't actually have to be on 495 very long either.

[tcepsa.livejournal.com]

Thanks--that's kind of what I figured, but second (and third, and fourth...) opinions are always good to get in situations like this :)

Another option would be to take off later, like 6/6:30, but I'm hoping to get there while there's still a little daylight (and possibly some supper) left. Though if everyone else has to deal with the same things, maybe supper will be pushed back from 7 to a time when more people will have actually arrived ;)

Hmm, daylight or sanity? Decisions decisions...