Barkley Road Trips - Are We There Yet?

It was time for the weekly commute to work, a several hour drive in the usual heavy truck traffic. I left early, to get here before dark, still with what was left of an accident closing all but one lane, it took over four hours.

I've driven this route for a couple years now, no accidents and no tickets.  The secret is -

(1) drive a vehicle with an engine that sucks fuel like a CF700 turbofan  engine
(2) don't break any traffic laws
(3) don't break them as bad as anyone driving around you.

#3 is easy.  Find the worst possible driver in the world (which is not hard to do on I-65) and when you spot him or her, stay back at their 8 or 4 o'clock position, whichever keeps them between the Highway Patrol on the median and you.

Or simply draft behind the trucks sharing the road responsibily until that smile and glazed look in the eyes of the Dart Guy on the back of the truck creeps you out and you have to pass.

Barkley travels with me, with a harness that assures in a sudden stop he can't turn into one of the flying Wallenzas.  It does however, allow him JUST enough room to sit with his rear end on the seat and his front feet on the floor. 

You think I'm kidding, this is how he sits at home when he's not napping.

When we finally get to the crash pad,  he's all excited, RUNS to the back door in the garage.  Then he realizes, this is the small place, with less toys per square foot, no squirrels to bark at and his friend who takes him to the dog park won't be here until the morning.

And the sulk begins.

No one can sulk like a lab.

But Barkley, at least you don't go on call at midnight.