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The Way Home
Nov. 21st, 2023 11:36 amNo road trip is complete with the trek home. sometimes it's faster, since it's a familiar return-trip. Other times, it's not.
Driving home from Asheville was very much not what I wanted or needed or expected. After hearing the TN/GA game was in Knoxville on Saturday afternoon, then encountering wildfires right up to the edge of westbound I-40, I noped out of that return route poste-haste. Google had other options, after all, that would only be a bit longer. No problem, right?
Wrong.
I was supposed to take I-26 north through Johnson City TN to Kingsport, then start heading west, or even take US 23 north into WVA, but for some reason, when I lost my signal, google maps decided i needed to go off-roading, and had me get off the interstate at Erwin, TN. Pro: I saw signs for Jonesboro and the Storytelling festival thing my friend Jo attends. Con: a twisty-turny road with no margin for error was NOT what I wanted or needed on the 4th anniversary of my crash.
TN-107 had me back-tracking quite a bit, passing more Dollar Generals and Marathon Gas stations than I thought possible. At one point I was on I-81 heading back towards Knoxville, then picked up 25E and was on that for ages, never realizing at one point how close I actually was to VA. Once I hit KY I figured things would be looking up, and when I stopped for lunch and could get a signal, I realized I was about an hour out from I-75, my ultimate goal. I was still way far south of Lexington, but hitting the interstate meant I could unclench everything and auto-pilot home.
KY was by far the worst for highway driving, with everyone doing 10-15 over at the slowest. I did my best to stay out of the way, but when there's only 1-2 lanes, there isn't much I can do. even on US-127, the locals had no patience for me.
three days later and I'm still sore and wondering why I do this to myself, and remember that I'm doing it again in 9 days.
Driving home from Asheville was very much not what I wanted or needed or expected. After hearing the TN/GA game was in Knoxville on Saturday afternoon, then encountering wildfires right up to the edge of westbound I-40, I noped out of that return route poste-haste. Google had other options, after all, that would only be a bit longer. No problem, right?
Wrong.
I was supposed to take I-26 north through Johnson City TN to Kingsport, then start heading west, or even take US 23 north into WVA, but for some reason, when I lost my signal, google maps decided i needed to go off-roading, and had me get off the interstate at Erwin, TN. Pro: I saw signs for Jonesboro and the Storytelling festival thing my friend Jo attends. Con: a twisty-turny road with no margin for error was NOT what I wanted or needed on the 4th anniversary of my crash.
TN-107 had me back-tracking quite a bit, passing more Dollar Generals and Marathon Gas stations than I thought possible. At one point I was on I-81 heading back towards Knoxville, then picked up 25E and was on that for ages, never realizing at one point how close I actually was to VA. Once I hit KY I figured things would be looking up, and when I stopped for lunch and could get a signal, I realized I was about an hour out from I-75, my ultimate goal. I was still way far south of Lexington, but hitting the interstate meant I could unclench everything and auto-pilot home.
KY was by far the worst for highway driving, with everyone doing 10-15 over at the slowest. I did my best to stay out of the way, but when there's only 1-2 lanes, there isn't much I can do. even on US-127, the locals had no patience for me.
three days later and I'm still sore and wondering why I do this to myself, and remember that I'm doing it again in 9 days.
