The lone drive - Friday

Normally eight hours of driving plus stops wouldn't be a big deal. But after 6 days of averaging over 8 hours/day of traveling, I was a little worried. I don't remember doing more than 8 hours of driving alone since 1999, when I drove back to college in Oklahoma from a summer job in Minnesota.

I took I-75 to 81 to 77 through Tennessee instead of the West Virginia I-64 route because I had been through West Virginia many times while going to Indiana and I was tired of the steep mountains and tolls.

It was different with beautiful mountains, but at some point, the mountains become like the fields of Kansas and deserts of Arizona: more of the same.

By dinner I was ready to be done and not ready for road food. I saw a Super Walmart, pulled off the interstate, and scavenged for quick but not fast food. A memory bloomed. That new Walmart in Texas was in the news for Sushi. Suddenly I craved sushi. I’m not high class enough to worry that it’s Walmart sushi. It’s not to be found in rural Virginia. Next best choice: yogurt with mix-in oatmeal, tapioca pudding, orange juice, and a box of Kix to snack on.

Dear Budget Car Rental,

Sorry for all of the crushed Kix in front of the driver’s seat. My Kix accuracy was less than stellar. On the other hand, if you had the amenities that Avis had for the same price, like cruise control and XM radio, I might have taken the trip more quickly and avoided a hasty, ill-conceived Walmart meal. No cruise control! For shame.

I arrived in Durham at 10 PM. It was very good to be home.

The next morning I relaxed and dawdled until I realized at 11:50 that the rental car was due. I arrived right at Noon, when it was due. I walked across the street to the bus, which goes downtown and then out our way. This is the only bus route I know because I used it once before to see Toy Story at the mall. It’s strange how random ideas (did I really have to see Toy Story when I was without a car? Yes, it was in 3D and could leave theaters at any time). That’s why some tech companies allocate time for employees to work on weird ideas - you never know what useful information it may bring.