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.

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: More Fun and Games in Winston-Salem

November 25th

Usually US-52 between Mt. Airy and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is not a bad drive as far as traffic.  And, it is a limited access highway and slated to become an interstate in the future (either I-72 or I-74).  But half way between the two, traffic picked up considerably until we had solid traffic but at least we were moving along well.

Then we got to Winston-Salem where we came to a complete stop and extremely slow-going after that.  I usually take US-421 eastward from the downtown area of the city and I got off only to find it was even worse than US-52.  They weren't going anywhere.  After awhile I was able to get back on US-52, only heading the wrong way.  I went north for awhile before finding an opportunity to get off and back on to 52 going the right way.

Traffic was heavy and moving slow, but at least it was moving.  This time I drove south to I-40 and by now i was expecting the absolute worst as I-40 has a lot of traffic at all times and I imagined it definitely would be today, the day before Thanksgiving.

Maybe It Is a Mistake to Drive Anywhere the Day Before Thanksgiving.  --RoadDog

N.C. Summer Trip 2015-- Part 10: Home

JULY 31ST, fRIDAY

Left Richmond at 8 a.m. and drove a little ways before stopping at Hardee's off I-70 and had their new porkchop, egg and cheese biscuit.  Mighty good.

Drove right through Indianapolis with no delays as I was there at 9:14.  Then took I-465 to I-77 and then to Illinois.  Bought the cheapest gas of the trip at Crawfordsville, Indiana,  for $2.09.

Then, Il-47 north to Woodstock, stopping in Huntley at Wal-Mart to check out their nursery for clearance plants.  Also caught the Huntley  Main Street Strangler which took about 15 minutes to get through and led to another big back up north of town at the Il-176 stoplight.  Then, it took 15 minutes to go from US-14 to the first stop light in Woodstock (about 3/4 a mile).

Good to get home after a  2,053 mile trip.

--RoadDog


REDNECK COMPUTER TERMS:  DIGITAL--  The art of counting your fingers.

NC Bound Fall 2013: September 6th-- Part 1

Took the usual way to avoid the Chicago Hassle, Il-47 from Woodstock to Champaign and then I-74 into Indiana and I-70 east to Columbus. Stopped at Boz Hot Dogs in Morris, Illinois, a place I've always wanted to eat. Good hot dogs.

Then, stopped at the Ambler-Becker gas station in Dwight for my taste of Route 66. Got gas at the Pilot station east of Crawfordsville, Indiana, the cheapest I had seen at $3.50 a gallon.

All the traffic you could ever want on I-465 bypass going south around Indianapolis. They have I-65 and I-70 torn up going through town What a mess!!! Backed up for miles and miles. I have to figure out a way to avoid the city on my way back.

Clear sailing I-70 going east, despite lots of areas of construction. Had my usual Cincy chili at Skyline Chili by Dayton, then drove to London, hoping this was not an Ohio State home game weekend. It wasn't fortunately, so no problem getting a room at the Motel 6.

Things Along This Route Starting to Look Familiar. --RoadDog