Drive or Fly?

The house where I'm moving to in Crystal City, VA

Greetings. And happy holidays. After 3 months of roughing it the house at 8300 finally got internet from the putzes at Cox Communications. Unfortunately, I'll have only exactly 3 days to enjoy it--I'm moving to DC for a job with The Carlyle Group starting Jan 7 and the movers are coming to pick up my stuff on Dec. 20th. (Please note, this lack of household internet has been a key reason for Trifecta's and my recent blogging inactivity--Trifecta was even inspired to write a post about it titled, "Facts about not wanting to write on your blog cause you don't have internet", but this never panned out due to deterrents previously mentioned.

So now I'm faced with a difficult decision of driving or flying and I'm looking for advice from the readers. I've had some people say it's the chance of a lifetime to drive across country on somebody else's dime (I have a relocation allowance) and then I've had other people tell me a drive that long would be "torture" and "idiotic". Let me paint the picture:

1. I can fly out on Jan 3 ($500) and have my car shipped up ($1900) for a grand total of $2400.
   
2. I can drive across the country with my brother Des B. for the cost of gas ($50 x 9 gal = $450) + Motel ($100 x 4 nights = $400) + Food ($60 x 5 days = $300) + Flight back for Des B ($500) for a grand total of roughly $1650.

• Day 1 (Dec 30): Phoenix to San Antonio
• Day 2 (New Years Eve): New Orleans
• Day 3 (Jan 1): Pensacola, FL, and Charleston, SC
• Day 4 (Jan 2): Outer Banks, NC
  
• Day 5 (Jan 3): Washington DC

What do you recommend? What are my oversights? What are your PR's for distances traveled? I have to decide by Wednesday 12/17.