Friday, December, 17th As the day dawned, I saw some beautiful silhouettes of the mountains/foot hills approaching Knoxville, TN. At the other end of Knoxville, the Smoky Mountains were visible in the distance. Hurrah! The day had finally arrived where there was no darkness, drizzle, fog, or snow as I drove this fabulous mountain range. I could actually see the scenery I was driving though!
I vaguely remember some images of our annual family vacations growing up in the '60's and '70's. One was hiking through the Smoky Mountains. Another was of a bear rearing up on its hind legs to dig into our white canvas-top tent trailer (to a bear, it looked like a gigantic picnic basket). Of course dad floored it just as the bear's claws were about to rip into the canvas and we watched the bear behind us looking both dejected and forlorn as if to say "how could you deny me that tasty morsel under the tablecloth?" Dad kept going while the bear sat in the middle of the road. I'm sure the bear did OK after that. There was plenty other vehicles stopping to gawk at him. I'm sure one of them had something that looked like an oversized picnic basket (or they just threw him food out the window). I can't remember if that happened in the Smokies or Yellowstone National Park. I think it was the Smokies.
Once in the Smoky mountains today, there was only the faintest wisp of mist. What was unusual was the trace of snow that they Smokies had recently received (A friend of ours said that mid-Louisiana would be down to the mid-twenties the day before!). I was a little disappointed in my view of the scenery. First, I'm tall (over six-feet). As such, when I sit in the cab seat, the top of the cab roof blocks much of my upper sight. In other words, I have to scrunch down in the seat to see the landscape about me (including viewing traffic lights when I'm stopped before them). Secondly, a truck had dumped some sort of liquid in the left lane (it could have been diesel fuel) and in the process of trying to clear the film on the windows kicked up by other trucks passing me, the window became a blurry mess--even with the "help" of the windshield wiper fluid. Sigh. Oh well, I did enjoy my time on I-75 and I-40 -- it's a great drive.
Shortly after passing through the Smokies, I fueled up (I cleaned my windshield!) and later passed on through the beautiful Green River Gorge area south/east of Asheville, NC. It was neat to see so many evergreens (hence I'm assuming the name "Green") amidst trees that had shed their leaves for the year.
I delivered my load to Spartanburg, SC and discovered that one of the tires on the empty trailer I picked up was flat. Later at a tire place in town, I was dumbfounded when the tire was full of air and not needing a bit of attention (I'm still scratching my head on that one).
My next load assignment is to Wauwatosa, WI (close to where I live!). Er...cancel that. Shortly after receiving that assignment, I received another one bound for San Antonio, TX. I didn't mind--more miles! So I headed down to Augusta, GA to pick up the load. The folks there had me loaded in no time at all (Thanks guys!) Good thing because I pulled into a nearby truckstop with zero time left for the day!
As an aside, have you driven in the Augusta, GA area? In my humble opinion, the drivers there are pyscho! (well maybe that's a bit overstating it, but man....) I got stuck behind a bus driver (OK a female bus driver) who went 5-mph under the speed limit in the right-hand lane. Why? She was talking on a cell phone--oblivious to what was going on around her. Then she decided to get off at the same exit where I was getting off (a ramp to another freeway). No turn signal! I about had a cow, a bird, and--oh heck--a grizzly bear on the ramp. I was a tad bit agitated on her lack of professionalism (at least she did not have any kids on the bus that I could see). Once I passed her, I discovered that people will nearly come to a standstill on an entrance ramp if a big rig (like mine) is anywhere near them as they enter on to the freeway. Who teaches them driver's education down here anyway? Next, when I was trying to get over one lane because my lane was ending, the guy on in the adjacent lane just "sat" there--right on my rear bumper--seeing if I would actually pull right in front of him. Well, I just kept my blinker going and eventually he sped up just enough to pass me right before he cut the guy off in the lane next to him! That's right--without even a turn signal he went from his lane to the next. Very weird! (at least I was able to change lanes...ahem....safely). Finally, there were the individuals who zoomed by me at 15+ mph over-the-speed limit. What a hodge-podge of drivers! I know one thing: I don't want to be driving here when it starts snowing! OK, now that I've offended you all people living in that area (and perhaps Georgia), I will say that you have a great golf tournament down year every year (Am I forgiven now?).
Well tomorrow I'll be able to stop at a TA Truck stop and take advantage of free wireless networking (good until the end of the year as a result of my recent unpleasant experience with them).
miles driven = 529
7:21:25 PM
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