The day started off great. Had a full seven plus hours of sleep last night and got on the road around 5:30 this morning. Driving north from Panama City on U.S. 231, I was headed to Montgomery, AL in order to hook up with the Interstate system. Reaching Troy, AL, home of the Troy University Trojans, I figured they must have gotten hosed. After all, how many colleges (besides Southern Cal) were named for a prophylactic? Looking for a Starbucks of Borders Books (aren't they in every college town?), I was out of luck and, with nothing between Troy and Montgomery, I decided to settle for McDonald's. I pulled in and found quite a number of people waiting around. Asking one fellow if he was in line or waiting for his food, he said he was waiting for his order. There were three or four people behind the counter enjoying each other's company and paying no mind to those of us who may have wished to placed an order. In fact, one of the girls made eye contact with me but kept on with her conversation. I muttered so that those near me could hear, "This is (effing) ridiculous" and walked out. Hoping to find a Wendy's or Hardee's on further up the road, I was s.o.l. Hitting I-65, I continued on the trek north and, about 20 miles north of Montgomery, I saw my favorite travel sit down restaurant, The Waffle House. I pulled in and got a seat at the counter. The lady doing the cooking greeted me. To my immediate left was a booth that a couple was seated at. They finished and left, naturally leaving the dirty dishes on the table. A family of five came in and sat on the chairs set up inside the entrance for those awaiting a booth. The waitress cleaned out the booth, the family sat down and the waitress came over, handing out the silverware and getting ready to take their order. Foiled again, I got up and left, ending at a McDonald's down the street. That was great, The manager immediately greeted me and took my order. I thanked him for serving me, telling him my tale of woe at the previous two stops I had made. I guess third time is truly charmed.
Back on the road, making it to and through Birmingham. About 40 miles north of there I found a temporary orange diamond sign saying "Slow Traffic Ahead", a real understatement. I-65 is three lanes wide at that point and, as I came up over a hill, I saw traffic slowing to a stop ahead of me. Being in the lane next to the median, I stayed there and came to a stop. It was then bumper to bumper for the hour or so. Traffic crept along, going maybe ten or twenty feet at a time (even about six inches at one point) then would stop for about five to ten minutes. This went on for about 5 miles I would estimate. Keeping my place in line in the inner lane, I felt a bit vindicated when a couple of cars ahead of me got into the middle lane and I passed them, leaving them far in the distance, as that lane remained stopped or slower than my lane. As I neared the end of the backup, I found that the three lanes of traffic were being funneled into a single lane. I was so glad to be moving again and making my way through and out of Alabama.
One thing about that state that did not impress me at all was the memorializing and apparent idol worshiping of the bigot of bigots, George Corley Wallace. I saw a sign, pointing the direction to George C. Wallace Community College and a couple more indicating Wallace University--this town and Wallace University--that town. I was reminded of a phrase used to describe Charleston, SC: "Two hundred years of history unspoiled by progress." Sorry, Regina, but that seems to fit the state of Alabama.
Made it to and thru Tennessee without spending a single dime. I bought gas in Alabama, picked up a map at the visitor's center, and made it into Kentucky without stopping. In a perverse sense, I take pride in costing Tennessee at least the price of a map. Nashville was a bit hectic to get thru. Besides road construction, the Tennessee Titans have a game tonight and traffic was starting to build for that as well as the beginning of the rush hour.
I finally called it a day at the Holiday Inn in Hopkinsville, KY just outside Fort Campbell. While I am proud to humbly display a peace symbol on the back of my car, I felt discretion was the better part of valor and stashed it in the trunk, lest it be stolen or the car vandalized. I stopped here after a long 12 hour day and am looking forward to relaxing this evening. I had dinner as an "OK" Chinese buffet across the street. Showering down, after dinner, I am simply chilling and looking forward to making it on to David's place sometime tomorrow afternoon.
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