Interstate 20 and Beyond

New Paving Material
Well, the State of Alabama has begun a new Interstate paving program.  The stretch of Interstate 20 between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa is being repaved with a new rubber surface.  The landfills are no longer accepting worn out tires.  The highway Department has already begun laying out the material and it has the look and consistency of blown out tires and is already on both sides of the highway.

Exit ramps of I-285
When in Atlanta, it is unnecessary to get in the right lane early for an upcoming exit ramp.  Simply wait to the last minute and cut in front of the folks that have been in the right lane for at least a mile.  They will even slam on their brakes to let you in.  Plus, they will honk at you to make sure that traffic is clear and even wave a finger at you as you go by,


Construction on I-20
We have been traveling to Atlanta on I-20 for over 20 years on a variety of trips, both business and pleasure.  One constant has been the continuous construction that has been going on ever since they began building this particular stretch of interstate.

I want my funeral procession to include a trip the length of I-20 from Atlanta to Vicksburg. Since my ashes will be in an urn, it will be a challenge to keep the urn upright, without spilling any of my ashes!  Maybe, just maybe, all the construction will be done by then....

Atlanta Gridlock
Atlanta is known for traffic gridlock.  Most of the gridlocks occur on I-75, I-85, I-20, and I-285.  Most of these bring traffic to a complete halt, and once you pass  the point of congestion, you are clueless about what caused it.  There are other types of gridlock inside the I-285 loop.  My personal experience was with the Atlanta Starbucks drive thru rule: when there are twenty cars in line, join it, even if the line backs up into traffic, causing gridlock.

Atlanta Parking Lot Etiquette
When approaching a shopping center parking lot, you must be alert for not only empty parking spaces, but also other cars that might also be on the prowl.  I personally learned about the Atlanta parking lot rule: if a car is idle, with its turn signal on, waiting for a parking spot, go ahead and take it. What are two hicks from MS gonna do?

Roo Cup Stop
This is the first year for the Spousal Unit and I to experience the ROO Cup Stop adventure.  We decided to detour off I-20 and take Highway 82 from Tuscaloosa to Starkville and make a stop to see Morgan.  We pulled over for a Roo Stop for GPR (gas, piss & Roo refill).  At the checkout counter we found this:

And no, these are not a part of the $.25 refills!