I-40 E Disasters
Made it to Virginia! I probably could have pushed through, but man...I'm just exhausted. The drive is still boring, except for the part when I got off of I-30 and onto I-40 East - that was multi-lane-changing and dodging tractor trailers exciting.
I had two MORE adventures on I-40 E.
Adventure #1: I-40 E was relatively uneventful until just to the east of Nashville. Suddenly, we came to a screeching halt. And I mean screeching. Nothing was moving. I figured I'd jump off and get some lunch and hope it cleared up. Not a chance! As I exited, I saw a cop car sitting at the entrance ramp to I-40 E, blocking it. Off was okay. Back on was NOT happening. I don't have a GPS, so I broke out the old Road Atlas (only 1.11 years out of date) and plotted a new course. This course took me up to Route 70...by a two lane highway that had several businesses and schools on it, at rush hour. I lost an hour, at least. 70 itself was kinda fun - twisty, turny, varying speeds, not a whole lot of light...totally gunned it. It was like being a movie, and I had a blast. It almost made up for the lost time.
Adventure #2: Not twenty miles after I got back onto I-40 E, I was privileged to observe a giant yellow flashing sign that said, and I quote, "I-40 E CLOSED, 58 MILES AHEAD." ...really? I just got back on! *flail* The emergency radio station was working, and it turned out that I-40 E was closed in North Carolina because of a rockslide. Everyone was being diverted to I-81 N and then off to 26 E, if they wanted to get through to Asheville, NC. Luckily, I only needed to make it to I-81 N. Huge sigh of relief.
I made it into Virginia and past Bristol, when I hit my wall. I'd been daydreaming all day again, but it was just getting worse. Plus, I was starting to get hungry. Found a hotel and a late night Italian joint, so bonus points for this particular intersection.
Fingers crossed that tomorrow I get up on time and manage to dodge most of DC's traffic.
A girl can hope, right?
I had two MORE adventures on I-40 E.
Adventure #1: I-40 E was relatively uneventful until just to the east of Nashville. Suddenly, we came to a screeching halt. And I mean screeching. Nothing was moving. I figured I'd jump off and get some lunch and hope it cleared up. Not a chance! As I exited, I saw a cop car sitting at the entrance ramp to I-40 E, blocking it. Off was okay. Back on was NOT happening. I don't have a GPS, so I broke out the old Road Atlas (only 1.11 years out of date) and plotted a new course. This course took me up to Route 70...by a two lane highway that had several businesses and schools on it, at rush hour. I lost an hour, at least. 70 itself was kinda fun - twisty, turny, varying speeds, not a whole lot of light...totally gunned it. It was like being a movie, and I had a blast. It almost made up for the lost time.
Adventure #2: Not twenty miles after I got back onto I-40 E, I was privileged to observe a giant yellow flashing sign that said, and I quote, "I-40 E CLOSED, 58 MILES AHEAD." ...really? I just got back on! *flail* The emergency radio station was working, and it turned out that I-40 E was closed in North Carolina because of a rockslide. Everyone was being diverted to I-81 N and then off to 26 E, if they wanted to get through to Asheville, NC. Luckily, I only needed to make it to I-81 N. Huge sigh of relief.
I made it into Virginia and past Bristol, when I hit my wall. I'd been daydreaming all day again, but it was just getting worse. Plus, I was starting to get hungry. Found a hotel and a late night Italian joint, so bonus points for this particular intersection.
Fingers crossed that tomorrow I get up on time and manage to dodge most of DC's traffic.
A girl can hope, right?