Senior Moments

The rock slide on I-40, October 25, 2009. Photo by wpsa.com

Yesterday (Sunday) started at an early hour for me.  I knew Betsy had to check out of the cabin in Maggie Valley at 9 o’clock (ignoring the time change).  I also know that it took three hours to get from Maggie Valley to the house on Tuesday.  So I set the alarm for 4 o’clock and was on the road before five.  I would get there to Maggie Valley with an hour to spare.

Everything went well until about 7 o’clock , as I was approaching Newport, Tennessee.  Flashing lights, a police car and a fire truck announced that there was a problem up ahead.  It turns out that there had been a major rock slide on I-40 at about 2 o’clock Sunday morning.  The rock slide caused about 30 miles of the interstate to be closed.  The closed section runs through the Pigeon River Gorge and is just about the only way to get through that part of the mountains.

There were volunteers giving directions, but unfortunately they didn’t agree on the way to get from where I was to Maggie Valley.  Following one set of directions took me in a circle and brought me back to the exit where I had to get off.  Our GPS can select a route by the shortest distance or by the faster time.  Both routes used the closed section of the interstate.  I finally gave up and took a route that I knew would get me there — eventually.  To make a long story (and trip) short, I finally got to the cabin just before 11 o’clock.  That three hour trip took six hours.

Fortunately Betsy hadn’t given up on me and I got reunited with my Beautiful Bride.  Since  the interstate was closed we decided to go back home over the Cherohala Parkway.  The autumn colors were gorgeous, but I’ll save that for tomorrow.

Sunday night they were reporting that the interstate will be closed for at least two months.  We might not be traveling east for the next couple of months.