05-01-2011, 05:24 PM
Before we could get to AL, we had to go through GA, which of course means going through ATL. Got that? It was about 2:30 on a Friday afternoon mind you. Rush âhourâ was coming into full swing along the I-85 corridor. Both hands were on the wheel, both feet on both pedals, bumper to bumper, going from 0 to 60 to 0 over and over. After about a mile of that, we decided that the HOV lane looked a little better. It was on the left side of the highway. Getting the truck and trailer over there took some doing, but we got it done without any damage. ATL is kind of weird in many ways. One of those ways is that there are ramps that go onto the highway coming into the HOV (or fast lane). While we werenât going fast per se, it should still be the fast lane, right? Wrong.
After we get by one of those ramps, I see some blinking lights in the rear view. Great- a cop! We already discussed amongst ourselves that we had 4 in the truck, so we were HOV- even with the Bronco in tow, right? A few seconds later, I realize what is going on. He wasnât after me. It was a funeral procession! I respectfully (to them) stop. What else do you do? Everyone else around me seemed to think that was the wrong idea, but they learned to deal with it.
Did I mention that I hate ATL traffic? We finally got out of that hole and after an hour we had clear road ahead. AL, here we come! We were greeted by the Welcome to AL billboard with open road, rolling hills, unmowed grass in the median, uncleaned highways, warm blue sky, and even a dead armadillo on the side of the highway. I had never seen one of those before, alive or dead! Do they rot and decay, or do they just stay there in their shell? I have no idea how long it had been there, nor did I want to stop to find outâ¦
About 5 miles from our exit ramp off of I-85 I see a truck towing something with chrome windshield trim in the rear view. It certainly wasnât a Bronco, as the windshield trim was curved, but it was definitely older. Could it be another racer? The Dodge that was towing it was gaining ground on me, so I kept it steady to see who or what it was. It was the black #666 XJ of Tony Hirko. We nodded and waved and I followed him to our venue.
After we get by one of those ramps, I see some blinking lights in the rear view. Great- a cop! We already discussed amongst ourselves that we had 4 in the truck, so we were HOV- even with the Bronco in tow, right? A few seconds later, I realize what is going on. He wasnât after me. It was a funeral procession! I respectfully (to them) stop. What else do you do? Everyone else around me seemed to think that was the wrong idea, but they learned to deal with it.
Did I mention that I hate ATL traffic? We finally got out of that hole and after an hour we had clear road ahead. AL, here we come! We were greeted by the Welcome to AL billboard with open road, rolling hills, unmowed grass in the median, uncleaned highways, warm blue sky, and even a dead armadillo on the side of the highway. I had never seen one of those before, alive or dead! Do they rot and decay, or do they just stay there in their shell? I have no idea how long it had been there, nor did I want to stop to find outâ¦
About 5 miles from our exit ramp off of I-85 I see a truck towing something with chrome windshield trim in the rear view. It certainly wasnât a Bronco, as the windshield trim was curved, but it was definitely older. Could it be another racer? The Dodge that was towing it was gaining ground on me, so I kept it steady to see who or what it was. It was the black #666 XJ of Tony Hirko. We nodded and waved and I followed him to our venue.