We awoke Tuesday in Knoxville, excited to be finishing our journey today. Our destination today was our friend's home in Raleigh (Ray). A "mere" 350 miles! No problem, right? Well, I am no stranger to the areas between the TN and NC border. I have need to the area countless times in my Miata, that's where Deal's Gap and Tail of the Dragon is. The Smoky Mountains are a lot lower than the Rockies, BUT the elevation changes are closer together and tighter with a LOT of trees and vegetation. This makes it trickier and requires more concentration in a truck this size. This was the part of the drive I was most nervous about. This part of the 40 is more prone to rock slides and accidents that can close the freeway down. This is also why we stopped in Knoxville; this way I would be fresh and rested heading into this stretch of the drive. It is less than an hour from our hotel, so I briefed Tina about my concerns and asked for radio silence until we cleared it. It didn't help that the rain showers lingered in the area.
Beautiful, but deadly if you aren't careful. I didn't take a lot of pictures here because I had my hands full.
Snapped this pic quickly before the NC border. I said "fuck it" after this because of the tricky drive.
This part of the drive you have to mind the corner speed limits. Some of them are pretty tight for trucks. You are moving in and out of tunnels, misty mountaind tops and heavy elevation changes. We made it through fine without holding up traffic! Huge relief!
I wasn't out of the woods yet, though. I knew about the steep downhill section near Asheville about 45 minutes away. Once I cleared that, we were free and clear. I used the transmission for braking through that, keeping the speed at 25-35 so I wouldn't overheat the brakes. You could see where trucks had used the runoffs for emergencies the day before. The tranny in the truck didn't like the downhill and kept upshifting on me, but I made it! We stretched out into the rolling hills of North Carolina and pressed towards Raleigh!
As we approached Hickory, I noticed something ahead of me. I was coming up on another rental moving truck towing a car on a trailer behind it. The car had California plates on it with an Orange County dealer sticker on the plate frame. There was another car following it, also from CA. It was a couple, just like us! The guy was driving the truck, the male was following in their second vehicle. I remembered we passed them in Arizona on the first and second day, then again in Oklahoma on the third day! It was getting rare to see California plates at this point and I waved as we passed them.
Something funny happened at that point. We started this sort of impromptu, friendly race on the I 40 with this couple.We swapped lead changes over a dozen times in the next 3 hours, waving each time. I had a better top end speed, passing on the hills as I kept my momentum. I also knew how to draft better, maintaining speed behind other trucks. They had a *slightly* higher disregard for speed limits and designated truck lanes. I thought we lost them when they pulled off near Stateville and the I-77 interchange. I had to tell myself NOT to follow them, because I was used to taking that route out of the mountains when we would drive back to our home in Charlotte from Deal's Gap.
We pushed past Greensboro and stopped to try to find fuel. Tina topped off, but I couldn't find a station that had enough room for my rig. Frustrated, I pushed on and Tina soon caught up on the freeway. I decided I would push the limits of my fuel and refill in Raleigh. With ants in my pants and cramping buttocks, I pulled in to a rest area east of Greensboro to stretch, calm down, and walk Puma. We were there about 20-30 minutes and it helped a LOT. We had about 2 hours to go until we made it to Ray's house and I needed the break to refocus.
We jump back onto 40 and less than 20 minutes later, we pass that couple from SOCAL again.It really helped make that last 2 hours go by FAST. I drafted behind a pair of semis west of Durham and the other couple got stuck behind a slow car. I could see them getting farther behind me, and I lot sight of them just west of Raleigh when we took the 440 (a beltway) to head towards Ray's. I wonder if their destination was Raleigh, too. I'm sure I'll watch for their cars for a long time as I drive the roads around here.
We made it to Ray's about 2pm on Tuesday, the truck on fumes. He lives very close to downtown Raleigh. We climb out, unload the hound and go inside. We hang out with Ray's wife, Betsy. She a surgical resident. She is on call but is sympathetic and gracious. Tina and I are like zombies at this point and we flop on the furniture and just sort of zone out. Ray and Betsy have a Vicsla, a rare Hungarian breed of dog named Bocephus, Bobo for short. Puma and Bobo remember each other and rekindle their friendship immediately! Puma is scared of the doggy door, but manages to get through it fine and goes out into their yard to enjoy being out fo the truck and lays on the lawn with Bobo. Puma would later come inside and sprawl out on the couch next to Betsy and sleep. And sleep, and sleep some more. She was tired. Ray was driving up from Atlanta with one of our friends from there, Joel (Chucky).
Everyone turns in early that night until Ray and Joel arrived at abut 11:30pm. We wake up and talk a while, enjoying a sack full of tacos they bought on their drive up. I went back to sleep about 1am.
Wednesday, we head over the new apartment about 10 miles away and unload. I drop off the rental truck and trailer by 3pm. It was sort of a bittersweet parting. I hated and loved that truck, but I was thankful it got me all the way across the US. I drove it angry and it took everything I threw at it and never gave me a problem.
Ray and Betsy kept Puma for us until Saturday. It allowed Puma time to rest and play while we unpacked and organized the apartment. I wasn't sure Betsy was going to let us take her back. She loves Puma.
Ray and Betsy showed us around town and had people over on Saturday for BBQ. SOooooo gooood!
I met them and Joel on Sunday at Beasley's downtown for chicken and waffles. It was better than Roscoe's in Long Beach. DEFINITELY. Think Roscoe's with hipsters.
Tina and I had the apartment set up by Saturday and she started her new job this past Monday. I have been reconnecting with old business contacts in the area.
We have been enjoying the area very much and plan to enjoy the long weekend to finally relax.
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Originally Posted by jdm slick
