I have returned from Shovel-Stock hosted by Eric the Blade and meeting up with a bunch of Blodgers. Great people, great conversations, great food, great fire, multiple successful rocket launchs...good chutes on all of 'em...we even put one on the roof...which has become a custom, but a roof landing is in the hand of the Wind God. Yeap, there was an Ewe there as well, which is also becoming a custom. No one was shot, stabbed, or beaten. Everyone survived and I'm sure a good time was had by all.

For me, this is where it got bad.

The drive on I-40 from NC to TN or TN to NC is one of the prettiest in the country, especially when the Fall foliage is at peak...and it is PEAK right now...which means there are more people in the area than any other time of the year. I will say, this year the fall colors are as beautiful as I can remember.

I can make it from my door to Eric's door in about 6.5 hours. When I left the Blade's, my GPS said my arrival time was 2:08 pm...which was my plan...had some things to do when I returned yesterday afternoon...like a nice long hot bath with some of my woman's foo foo bubble stuff, among other things. I always smell like an over-made-up-French tart after after one of those...but I still take 'em.

I neither heard or saw any news while there, so I had no idea what I driving into. My woman didn't know about it either...she spent the weekend putting bread on the table and watching chick flicks.

The TN DOT did not "put out" any "road closed" signs until it was too late. I got detoured, with thousands (maybe more) of other cars and trucks about .75 of the way up the mountain(s). The detour involved service (dirt and gravel) roads in the mountains. The traffic was bumper to bumper...0 - 10 mph. I finally made it to the road in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park that would take my pissed off ass from TN to NC. Bumper to bumper...I'm telling you. I needed some gas, and I needed to pee, so instead of slipping onto the Blue Ridge Parkway (no fuel there), I had to head to the Cherokee Indian Reservation. I got some gas and took care of my business, but it was still 10 mph most of the way to Asheville...where I pick up I-40. Nightmare, I'm telling you.

Anyway, that was the most whacked out drive I've might have ever had. I don't think I've ever seen that much traffic on I-40...ever...and I've taken it coast to coast many times. It was still bumper to bumper (both lanes) after I got back on I-40...except these idiots were doing 80 mph minimum. I'm in the soup again...8 car pile up. ..i barely missed it...stopped...dark... and just an all around a cluster-fuck. 50 miles further down the road...another pile-up.. stopped...dark...not good.

Anyway, I arrived safely back in the Brier Patch after 9:00 pm...12 hours after I left the Blade's. Obviously, this was not in my plan...and I always have a plan.

I travel to Tennessee and back, often...but I won't be doing it again until someone fixes this shit. They say it might take several months to clear and repair, and the detour is between 200 and 250 miles. I-40 is closed both east bound and west bound.

It is what it is...but it seems to always be the unexpected that spanks your ass.