We adjusted our clock ahead to be on Eastern Daylight Time last night. So when we awoke at 7:30, we were already on home time. After breakfast and a final cleansing of our sewer system, we were on the road by 9:l9. I drove the first half, so David would be behind the wheel for the drive down Couch Mill Road. We had been warned yesterday nearing Nashville to take the TN 840 bypass to avoid delays. We had done that 23 days ago heading the other direction, so we'd already planned to go the bypass today.
As I was driving I was struck by the number of bridges on this route and I commented to David, "I wonder what this road cost". Well good 'ol Google tells me from "The City Paper" article dated November 5, 2012, that it cost $753.4 million and 26 years to build, an average of 3 miles/year at a cost of $9.66 million/mile. It was started in 1986 and completed in 2012. It is 78 miles long, but the last 12 miles between Pinewood Road and Columbia Pike in southwestern Williamson County, a 12-mile stretch through the wealthiest and most pristine watershed and animal habitats, was held up in litigation for many years by vocal, local environmentalists. That was back in the day when Tennessee road projects, managed by the State to avoid federal environmental strings, didn't have environmental impact studies or local citizenry input. That has changed dramatically since that time. I was struck by how few truckers I encountered until I got to the eastern portion of the bypass between I65 from the south to the intersection with I40 on the east.
We changed drivers in Cookeville and arrived home at 1:15 EDT.
REFLECTIONS ON 5,202. MILES TO UTAH AND BACK--WESTERN PARKS TRIP 2015
1. The United States has some of the most spectacular and varied scenery in the world. We have traveled extensively in Southern Africa and Europe, but our country has just as much beauty of which to be proud.
2. In general asphalt (tarred) roads are better than concrete when towing a trailer. That being said, every state we traveled in (Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado) needs to spend a whole lot more on roads. And, yes, I'd be willing to pay more for gas in taxes if the money went to improving roads built to accountable standards.
3. We drove through many construction zones, some cautioning uneven lanes and shoulder drop-offs, but in general, we lost very little time to construction delays. We don't consider having to slow from 70-75 mph to 55-60 mph for a few miles to be delays. Seldom did we ever have to stop and wait.
4. We saw 6 National Parks, 1 State Park and 3 National Monuments and each was unique in rock formations, trees, and animals. Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah, adjacent to Canyonland NP, offers the best views of the Colorado and Green Rivers and is well worth the stop.
5. While visiting the National Parks, the Senior Pass provided a huge savings on admission fees. It is issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Services, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation to people over 65 for a small fee.
6. We bought 529.6 gallons of gas ranging in price from $1.99/gallon in Oklahoma to $2.99/gallon in Utah.
7. We could not have done this trip had we not shared the driving.
8. The mind and soul have a finite capacity to absorb the infinite beauty of our country.
9. The few photos I've shared in the blogs are but a small sample of the hundreds of digital images taken on our iphones and camera.
10. As we crested the Cumberland Plateau, near Crossville, TN, we noted tinges of color to some leaves, especially dogwood, maple and ornamental pears.
11. We stayed in some "interesting" RV camps across the country from the top of the line, such as KOA, to the very simple. In general we felt welcomed and treated well. Some we will not go back to, sadly the KOA in Flagstaff, AZ is one. This KOA has too many trees. I know that should not be a possibility, but in their case it is. Evidence of scraped bark on trees and scraped paint on RVs is proof. Additionally it is very poorly marked for traffic flow, causing drivers to end up going in the wrong direction to get in and out of sites.
12. Both Jay and RBII are happy to be home, like their owners.
7. We could not have done this trip had we not shared the driving.
8. The mind and soul have a finite capacity to absorb the infinite beauty of our country.
9. The few photos I've shared in the blogs are but a small sample of the hundreds of digital images taken on our iphones and camera.
10. As we crested the Cumberland Plateau, near Crossville, TN, we noted tinges of color to some leaves, especially dogwood, maple and ornamental pears.
11. We stayed in some "interesting" RV camps across the country from the top of the line, such as KOA, to the very simple. In general we felt welcomed and treated well. Some we will not go back to, sadly the KOA in Flagstaff, AZ is one. This KOA has too many trees. I know that should not be a possibility, but in their case it is. Evidence of scraped bark on trees and scraped paint on RVs is proof. Additionally it is very poorly marked for traffic flow, causing drivers to end up going in the wrong direction to get in and out of sites.
12. Both Jay and RBII are happy to be home, like their owners.
