Even as I left Oklahoma, I had in my mind that I wanted to see the Smoky Mountains in the daylight. By the time I made it to Knoxville, tired logic said that I should push through as far as I could despite the lack of light. Midnight would have to be the first time I see the Smoky Mountains.
Though I couldn’t see the scope of what I was driving into, I started to get excited. The oncoming cars and the local businesses created a glow when surrounded by the fog. That excitement quickly died as I read a large, yellow sign. “Curves ahead next 16 miles”. The winding roads through Eastern Tennessee were nice, but curves? For 16 miles! Are you kidding me! If you are a veteran Oklahoma driver you know the routine. Step 1) Drive in a straight line. Step 2) Make a 90-degree turn as necessary. Step 3) Repeat steps 1 and 2.
As the elevation started changing, the curves tightened and the rock faces coupled with the trees to close in on the road. I found myself leaned up, crowding the steering wheel like a 90-year-old grandma, with my white knuckles wrapped around 10 and 2. I decided to use the semi in front of me as a pace car like I was running a race. If he can make it, my little hatchback can make it. I duplicated his speed and got an early warning on which direction the road was turning next. The plan was working brilliantly until I noticed the decals on the back of the tubular trailer. “Flammable contents”. “Under high pressure”. I had one of those thoughts. The ones that have no rational basis and are illogical, but they speed through your mind anyway. Something along the lines of... he jackknifes while taking a tight curve. His cargo bursts into a fiery orange sphere of metal melting fire. The little hatchback has no choice but to join him to add real smoke to the Smoky Mountains. Activate turn signal. Switch lanes. Increase speed. Pass semi. Crisis averted.
Though I didn’t get to see the Smoky Mountains in all of their glory, the experience did wake me up and make me fully alert for the next 3 hours. Also, looking back on it, it was fun… in one of those awesome, adrenaline rush, exhausting, roller coaster, mini-adventure sort of ways.
