Oh, How I Loathe I-80

Let me preface this entry by saying that I got to spend a really great weekend in L-town. I got to spend time with P, A, her new boyfriend D, my good friend (and former co-worker) D and her boyfriend B. The weekend was nearly flawless with the exception of a very long trip home from the hot springs along I-80.

I-80 runs east-west through the southern part of the state. Being a cross continental highway, there is heavy semi-truck traffic and because of its location in the state, it’s also prone to horrible, nasty weather. They’ll close the interstate just because of the wind, and like so many other stretches of highway throughout the state, the towns are few and far in between.

There have only been two times in my life that I have experienced road rage. Both times I was traveling on I-80. Semi-truck drivers and middle-aged people in SUVs are merciless and just down right angry on this stretch of highway. Then again I’d be angry too if I had to drive all the way through Nebraska only to enter the lovely southern half of our state. Angry drivers somehow make me angry and not only have I been cut off at high speeds, but I’ve found myself trying to out speed 16-wheelers too. Not smart, yes I know, which is why I will try to avoid driving that interstate when at all possible.

So, of course I was secretly delighted when P offered to drive to the hot springs last Sunday night. The drive there was rather uneventful, a light snow started falling about 20 minutes before we got to our destination. The springs were great, well, great except for the drunk kid and the slightly mediocre guitar player, but they were only a minor annoyance. The light snow that started as we arrived gradually increased in snowfall intensity and by the time we hit the road (with P behind the wheel) white-out conditions had begun. While the semis weren’t nearly as prevalent as they are during the day, there were enough to cause far too many moments of little or no visibility. The drive home took twice as long as the drive there. I felt terrible that P had to drive through wind, snow and truck drivers in a car that, according to him, has “issues.” I call them quirks, but at least they didn’t play into the drive being bad. D and A were in D’s big pickup and it was just as bad for them. Thanks for driving, P! I might have lost all my hair from the stress that drive would have undoubtedly caused.

After last weekend, I’m just glad I have no reason to go to Nebraska or Utah anytime soon. No I-80 for me, and that’s a good thing for me and everyone else on the road.