U.S. and State Highways: The Roads Less Traveled

I've been driving now with my new job for the last 4 months. Getting settled into the world of Hot Shot Trucking, I started off traveling the Interstate System both to and from my drop offs, because it was what I felt was the fastest route, which is ultimately not the truth. If you can learn the state roads in any given state, it will help you immensely, especially if you are frequenting that particular route. It could actually be a faster way home or just a good way to divert the Interstate if there is an accident or road construction clogging up the highway.

One day, I was coming back from Calera, Alabama. I had a friend I wanted to see in Memphis, Tennessee and I thought that I was going to have to drive all the way up to Nashville and cross over on I-40. When I put the address in the GPS, it said to get off the Interstate and head down the back roads of Alabama. Well that's a little nerve racking when you have no clue where you are and you don't know where the GPS is taking you.  I decided "What the hell. What could go wrong?" and off I went. I ended up on Alabama 157 that took me to US Alt 72 which ended taking me through the rest of the state and through Mississippi right to Memphis. I was impressed on the ease and speed of the drive (65 mph speed limit through most of Alabama). I also saw a lot of beautiful countryside, abandoned gas stations from a time gone by, and a lot of classic cars waiting for an eternity for either their savior or to be sent to the scrapper. It was one of the most calm drives I had in a long time.

U.S. and State Highways can come in many shapes and sizes. They can be a two-lane blacktop that winds through the landscape or they can be a 4-lane divided highway, very similar to an Interstate. They can take you right through the middle of little towns scattered through the state or they can bypass towns and cities to be a non-stop route. You can still have rest areas and truck stops just like the Interstates or you can have crazy little roadside attractions and small town diners. In all honesty, they can sometimes just be faster than the Interstate System, especially if you are going diagonal through a state, not directly North, South, East, or West. Yes, you can end up driving through small towns that will slow you down, but it is never for more than a few minutes. Yeah, there are stop lights too, especially when two major roads intersect or are going through a larger town, but you will not usually get held up too long.

The other advantages of these Highways, is that they are usually main thoroughfares through most of these towns, so you will always see gas stations and restaurants along the way, so you never have to worry about if you are going to be able to find some amenities. There is also a lot of country you haven't seen, I guarantee it. You see a lot of Americana and many things from the past. From turn of the century grain elevators to art to drive-in theaters and everything in between. There's all sorts of little diners and produce stands scattered through the country. You may discover antique stores that have something priceless that you have been looking for. There's so much away from the bustle of the Interstate that many people don't know exist.

So, my fellow travelers, if you're not in too much of a hurry and want to get off the beaten path for a while, try a State Road or U.S. Highway. While they may not all be perfect or the most direct, you can end up seeing a part of the country that you may have not known exists.

Safe Travels