North Carolina Summer 2016-- Part 12: On the Way Home

July 31, Sunday.

US-70 to Raleigh and then I-40.  Doing this on a Sunday means there is no traffic jams.  Got off on US-421 and stopped at a Cook-Out restaurant which has a really good Carolina bbq, slaw, fries and hush puppies for $3.99.  Good deal.

Then US-52 to I-77 and gas and Chocolate Uglys at Wytheville.  Gas now $1.87.  I always love gas under $2.  Experienced long back ups at the first two toll booths heading north on the West Virginia Turnpike and just plain heavy traffic.  Sunday must be a big travel day in the state.  Then I hit quite a long traffic stop a few miles outside of Charleston.  Never did see why we had that backup.

I-77 north to US-33 and then into Ohio.  Stopped at a place I've been meaning to stop at in Logan, Ohio, called Millstone BBQ.  I'll definitely stop again..

I-70 through Columbus to Motel 6 in Richmond, Indiana, for the night.

A Traveling, Eating Kind of Day.  --RoadDog

OH HELL! ... Let's Offend Everybody:  What is the difference between a southern zoo and a northern zoo?  Answer:  The southern zoo has a description of the animal along with a recipe.

Sorry If You're Offended, But These Are Funny.

North Carolina Summer 2016-- Part 4: Traffic, Fort Fisher, a Donut and Topsail Beach

SATURDAY, JULY 23

Chia made a great breakfast at Mom's house and I drove to Wilmington, N.C..  Wilmington has to be one of the worst cities to drive anywhere near it in the country.  If the traffic doesn't get you, the photo-enforced lights will.  Traffic is especially bad around UNC-Wilmington.

I went to my favorite history place, Fort Fisher which was the reason I got into all this history stuff that so impacted my life (why I taught social studies for 33 years).  Took as walk around the fort and then heard Richard Triebe talk about the fate of the Fort Fisher prisoners at the North's horrible Elmira Prison in New York where half of them died in just a few months.

Then got my Britt's Donut fix in Carolina Beach and drove to Topsail Beach to Mom's condo.

--RoadDog

T-Giving 2015, Day 2: Still In Traffic

November 25th.

I was happy to find traffic on I-40 was heavy, but moving along nicely.  I even got into the dreaded Raleigh-Durham Strangler and it moved along.  Usually the stoppage starts at RDU Airport, but it was clear sailing.

Unfortunately, I started seeing the flashing signs saying that there were big delays east of Raleigh between Exits 299 and 311. That was an understatement.  This was the worst traffic jam I've ever been in.  I'd go two feet and stop and repeat and repeat and so on for miles.

It got much worse whenever other major feeder roads dumped into I-40.  It took me an hour and a half to go four-five miles.  There was also road construction, making it worse.

I finally was able to get off on Business US-70 through Clayton and actually moved until I hit a mile long backup at the first stop light.  Clayton truly deserves the name City of Stoplights and it was great when a bypass was built around it.

However, after that long wait, and that was still better than that mess on I-40, I made most all the rest of the stoplights on green and made the rest of the drive to Goldsboro, N.C. with no problems.

Definitely Not driving Distances on Day Before Thanksgiving Anymore.  --RoadDog

T-Giving 2015-- Day 2: Gas Gouge and Fun and Games With Traffic

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25

However, traffic continued to get heavier the whole way through West Virginia and Virginia on I-77.  Usually, the cheapest gas I get the whole trip is in Wytheville, Virginia, and I always wait until I get there to fill the tank.  Gas in Ohio was $1.85.  It was $1.86 there.  (I had gotten gas in Crawfordsville, Indiana, yesterday for $1.66.)  But, of course that was before the twenty cent gas gouge we had between then and today.

However, mind you I am not complaining about these gas prices after the prices of driving anywhere the last several years.

Driving down that eight mile grade going into North Carolina was essentially solid traffic and not much fun at all.

I didn't make my usual stop in Andy Griffith's hometown of Mt. Airy, North Carolina, figuring that traffic was only going to get worse.

--RoadDog

Too Late, Too Cold and Too Late Again

Tuesday, April 21st, resulted in a very late, late leave time for us.  We didn't get away until 2:30 p.m., which put us right in the middle of rush hour from Huntley and Yorkville, Illinois, along Illinois Highway 47.  That road has a lot of traffic at anytime, but much worse during rush hour.

And, I am happy to report that we hit around 2/3 of the many, many stoplights on red, especially the forever one at Main Street in Huntley.

We stopped at the Route 66 Old Family Cafe in Dwight to eat, so got out Route 66 fix.

For this late in April, we had to dress warmly as it was big-time C-O-L-D!!!  Enough of this Global Blah-Blah-Blah.  It is way too cold for me.

We got to Champaign, Illinois, off I-74  and checked into the Super 8 Motel and watched the first three periods of the Blackhawk-Predator hockey playoff game at the TGIF's across the street.  Talked with a girl from Nashville, Tennessee, who was a big Predator fan.

I always hate it when the Hawks start at 8:30.  That is way too late.  Sadly, it was tied 2-2 at the end of regulation at 11:10. And, Friday's started closing at 11.  Liz and I went back to the motel and watched the first overtime and watched the first overtime, still no score.  i then fell asleep and the game went to the third before tthe Hawks won.

That Is Way Too Late.  --RoadDog

JSS: Traffic Circle-- Property Taxes-- Boating

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  TRAFFIC CIRCLE--  Yesterday I checked out the new and much-ballyhooed traffic circle in nearby Johnsburg, Illinois.  I hate traffic circles.  You never know where they're going to hit you from.  Approaching from the south, they have a sign up "Traffic Circle Open.  Be Ready."  It Should also read, "Be Ready to Get Hit."

2.  PROPERTY TAXES--  Yesterday, I went to our local bank and paid my property taxes to the tune of $4,747.69.  That's a lot, but even worse, that is only HALF OF IT!!  I need a break.

3.  BOATING--  No boating Saturday to Monday because of bad weather and the crowds out on the Chain over Labor Day weekend.    We did go out yesterday and hopefully today and tomorrow.  So far, we've been out 28 times.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog


SIGNS OF OLD AGE:  Your relatives longingly refer to your things as your "estate."

JSS: End of Round Lake Carnival Jinx?-- Everybody Out-- McHenry Gridlock-- Chaos at Menard's Nursery-- Dandelion Plot

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  END OF ROUND LAKE CARNIVAL JINX?--  Today is drop-dead, down-right gorgeous after the warm yesterday but really heavy winds.  Is it possible that this means the end of that bad-old Round Lake Spring carnivals reign of horrible weather.  I hope so.

2.  EVERYBODY OUT--  With all that great weather, I think everybody who has a car in the McHenry, Illinois, area is out and driving around.  Parking lots were almost full.  Spring Fever has bitten, bitten mighty hard.

3. McHENRY GRIDLOCK--  Unfortunately, with all those folks out driving, downtown McHenry is undergoing a much-needed construction project and roads are torn up and down to two lanes all over, causing some major backups.

4.  CHAOS AT MENARD'S NURSERY--  I've seen Menard's in Fox Lake busy before, but not like today.  And, the inside wasn't too bad.  But just try to get near the nursery area.  The checkout lines were both open and backed up ten deep, made even farther by the carts and shopping carts.  Everyone's in the planting mood.

5.  DANDELION PLOT--  I don't know, but I've seen the multitude of dandelions in my yard seemingly bending over to whisper amongst themselves.  I thinking they're plotting overthrow.  Just to be safe, I'm getting my spade.  Hey guys, think SALAD!!!

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog