2014 - Day 202/163 Monday...

My modus operandi today was to go just as fast as I possibly could, and then slam on the brakes.  Time after time after time I did that today, starting with this turtle that almost caused me to be arrested. I was hauling as* down CR 972 this morning and saw a blob in the road up ahead.  As I passed by it, I realized that it was a turtle.  SLAM ON BRAKES HERE!  Put car in reverse, leave road temporarily while going backwards, apply emergency flashers, get phone so you can document the event, wave at people behind you, put turtle on steep decline towards ditch (in the direction he was heading), avoid losing finger to turtle, realize your hands are now covered with mud, find Dairy Queen napkins in car to wipe hands, realize County Sheriff has pulled up along side you (oncoming), explain it was a turtle, get lecture that gravel trucks go fast on this road, pis* off Sheriff with explanation that gravel trucks should be able to see a red car in the middle of the road with the emergency flashers on, avoid getting frisked and going to jail by giving Sheriff a sheepish acknowledgement (fingers crossed) that he MAY BE right, I should be more careful, then drive away.  Take a drink of my coffee and wonder what happened to all the rest of my coffee.  Take another sip and realize that coffee (an object in motion) spewed itself all over the front of the car (tends to stay in motion).  Much of the rest of the day was spent trying to absorb coffee from the carpet in the car.  Mission almost accomplished.

Other parts of the day were spent playing catch-up from being out of the office for three days last week.

On the way home, this is one of the more interesting causes for a wreck and the accompanying traffic congestion.  If I did not know better, I would swear I was back in New Orleans and that this had happened while approaching or cresting the High Rise bridge.  But nope, it was here in Austin (maybe Round Rock but I am pretty sure I was still in Austin).  I am not sure of the actual events of this, but here are some choices:  1).  This light plane landed on IH-35 and ALMOST made it, and this photo is after it had been scooped p and placed on the flat-bed trailer to be hauled off.  2).  This trailer that was hauling the small plane came loose from the truck that was hauling it (see evidence of this by the guy under the hitch on the truck, careened across several lanes of traffic (back and forth) and caused the wreck that I have documented but believe those photos pale when you see this one, or 3).  Kind of similar to #2 except in this scenario the plane was travelling on the trailer and actually got lift from the speed that it was being hauled at (commonly referred to as hauling as*) but that lift was interrupted when the haulee determined that the trailer and the plane were about eight feet off the ground and was listing the back end of the pick-up off the ground, at which time momentum was interrupted, and the driver went in search of a clean pair of underwear.  Again, if I were still in New Orleans, I would automatically go with #3 because I saw that happen on many occasions, not with a light plane but with washers, dryers and boats.

Have a good evening.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, WIERDNESS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!