I left a conference in Franklin Tenn. yesterday and headed south on the Natchez Trace Parkway. It was a very nice ride from Franklin to Tupelo Miss. I found the ride to be similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway without the altitude changes. Very scenic, curvey road. Lots of wildlife, deer, turkey, hawks, farms and farm animals. The sides of the road is cut well back so you have time to see the wildlife before you get too close. Most of the ride is 50 mph but there are some 40 mph spots. Rangers were out to enforce the speed limits. There was very nearly no traffic to deal with. That was a surprise as this is the fall foliage season.
Once I got to Tupelo it was a different story. 78 over to Birmingham was pretty miserable. Most of it was under construction and when you are on the two lane portion its slow. It took much longer than I thought it would to get to I20 in Birmingham. I20 was not any fun either. Lots of construction and many backups. At one point there was a 12 mile wait at some bridge construction.
Finally I got to Atlanta and I85 headed for home. No issues till I got to Greenvile SC. A truck passed me going about 90. He was loaded with 4X8 sheets of nylon insulation. It didnt look like it was well secured in the truck so I got behind a pick-up in the right lane. Sure enough about 2 miles down the road the guy lost the entire load. Every bit came back and hit the pick-up as he locked it down. I grabbed all the brake I could muster and stayed behind the pick-up. (Thanks ABS) I had some small chunks hit the windshield and ran over some but was able to stay up and kept going. I felt very fortunate for having missed the big pieces. Well I got home about 11:30 pm. with no other incidents.
Id recomend the Natchez Trace to all but try to avoid 78 and I20 till they get some more of the construction completed.
Bud
Once I got to Tupelo it was a different story. 78 over to Birmingham was pretty miserable. Most of it was under construction and when you are on the two lane portion its slow. It took much longer than I thought it would to get to I20 in Birmingham. I20 was not any fun either. Lots of construction and many backups. At one point there was a 12 mile wait at some bridge construction.
Finally I got to Atlanta and I85 headed for home. No issues till I got to Greenvile SC. A truck passed me going about 90. He was loaded with 4X8 sheets of nylon insulation. It didnt look like it was well secured in the truck so I got behind a pick-up in the right lane. Sure enough about 2 miles down the road the guy lost the entire load. Every bit came back and hit the pick-up as he locked it down. I grabbed all the brake I could muster and stayed behind the pick-up. (Thanks ABS) I had some small chunks hit the windshield and ran over some but was able to stay up and kept going. I felt very fortunate for having missed the big pieces. Well I got home about 11:30 pm. with no other incidents.
Id recomend the Natchez Trace to all but try to avoid 78 and I20 till they get some more of the construction completed.
Bud
