| Saturday, July 01, 2006 |
| DAY ONE (The Real One) |
Now that we have adjusted our travel schedule, I actually have time tonight to write about our "Day One" journey.
Driving the truck has proven to be one of the most arduous tasks I have ever undertaken. Mine is, by no means, the largest truck on the road, but if you consider the weight-to-size ratio, it's HUGE! I'm improving as each hour passes, but cannot go above 55mph without loosing a safe control. (Because it's loaded to the brim, the truck has enough top weight to be dangerous when swaying.) The only true scare I've had -- so far -- was two minutes into the trip, in Winston-Salem when we first merged onto I-40. Some ass purposely blocked my merge and sent me into a wicked yaw. Since then, no problems, but that first scare is still with me.
Other than a nauseous anxiety and a LONG first day, the trip has been uneventful thus far. However, the 12 hours of travel forced us to rethink our itinerary, and our trip will now take six days to complete.
Here are a few other random thoughts from our first day:
-We departed Winston-Salem at 9:45am EST.
-If you EVER pass a rental truck or big rig that looks to be traveling at an impossibly slow clip, DO NOT get frustrated! Just pass them quietly and go on your way. They are only doing what they need to be doing to stay safe.
-If you are EVER trying to merge onto a highway and a rental truck or big rig doesn't move to give you space, DO NOT get frustrated! Most of the time they just cannot change lanes very fast (either from weight or are blocked on the other side). If you are in a consumer vehicle, it is YOUR job to speed up and merge! DO NOT dawdle until the end of the merge lane! If a truck slows to give you berth TAKE IT! (I cannot stress this enough!)
-Bucksnort is my favorite town name in TN
(Bucksnort, TN factoid: While some have speculated the community gained its name in relation to the large number of deer in the area, the most often told story about the name dates back to the 1880s, and the owner of a local mercantile named Buck, who sold moonshine on the side. Nearby residents would say they were going to "Bucks to get a snort", hence the name "Bucksnort".)
-We finally arrived in Jackson, TN at 9:00pm CST. (12.5 hours and 560 miles later.) We had dinner at a Cracker Barrel and stayed in a Microtel Inn that was very nice and very quiet.
Till next time...
--KAW & CJW |
posted by CJW @ 7/01/2006 06:45:00 PM   |
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