Thoughts from the Road

I made a couple of trips in the last two weeks to pick up some military surplus purchases. One trip took me to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and the other to Norfolk. My younger son went to Mechanicsburg with me but I went to Norfolk alone. Riding alone affords my mind the chance to wander as opposed to answering stimulating questions from my son such as "Are we there yet?"

So without further adieu, some observations from the road.

1. The gas tax in Virginia is 12 cents lower than in North Carolina, so naturally gas is about five cents cheaper in Virginia. That's right FIVE cents in savings by eliminating TWELVE cents in taxes. I never took economics but I am guessing that some oil company is making an extra seven cents a gallon on the deal. Don't wait for that admission from ANY oil company!!

2. There are no two words less understood on the highway than YIELD and MERGE. There's nothing like watching some idiot rocket down the ramp to the highway and then hit their brakes rather than merging. OR they just pull into your lane and wait for you to stop for them.
On US 29 somewhere in northern Virginia, I saw a sign on the lane leading to the highway that read "Merged traffic must yield". It's a shame that the idiot in that lane didn't read or understand the sign. He instead chose to cut me off in my lane at 60 miles per hour. I am putting one of those "Horn Broken, Watch for finger" bumper stickers on the truck before my next trip north.

3. I-81 is obviously some tributary to a NASCAR speedway. I was in the right lane going about 70 MPH and had several drivers get on my rear bumper and flash their lights. Hey pal!! Where the hell am I going to go? Forget the "Horn broken" bumper sticker, I am going with the "Warning! Driver carries only $50 in ammunition!" sticker.

4. Hardee's has improved their burgers but worsened their service. In South Hill, Virginia on Friday, I stopped for a burger. From the time I walked in the door to the time I walked out with my burger, seventeen minutes elapsed. Remember fast food??

5. The Crossroads Store is located about 8 miles south of Charlottesville on US 29. The sandwiches there are better than Subway, etc. and the service much faster. If I am in the neighborhood, I always stop there.

Time to go unload my purchases. It's like Christmas looking through the boxes of things that Uncle Sam has declared surplus.