Traffic Hell

I had just come around the slight bend at the stadium when I saw all the brake lights ahead of me. My first reaction was Shit! Why didn't those bastards on the radio say something about this on the traffic report. If I had known, I could have veered onto 41 and gone through the city. Instead I was with a lot of other vehicles bunched up at a stop.

I thought back to a month or so ago when the same thing happened. In that incident, a truck had crashed and gone over the median, thus blocking both eastbound and westbound traffic on I-94. I wondered if the same was true.

It was roughly at this time that I noticed there was no eastbound traffic. None. It was an eerie site. Those lanes should be packed with vehicles but it stood empty.

I went through the radio dial hoping to hear what the problem was. Should I get off the freeway or will traffic clear up as they get around a fender bender. Then I heard the news.

Jackknifed semi.

Apparently a truck heading eastbound had crashed into the median and bounced back into traffic. But the trailer went careening (word used by reporter) into the westbound traffic. Cars were scattered like bowling pins, lights knocked down, and the contents of the trailer tossed about.

Quite a mess. I hope no one was seriously hurt. It sounds like a scene from Twister. You minding your own business driving when suddenly a cow- or in this case a trailer- comes flying out of nowhere at you. That is not suppose to happen.

I quickly got off the freeway and made my way through the side streets and back onto the freeway. On the other side of the accident, the cars that were basically parked behind the accident were backing up trying to get to the exit. That was a strange site too, watching multiple vehicles backing up on a busy road.

Once I got to work I also realized it was the end of the month. 30 days since I abandoned my friend alcohol. I still couldn't give you a clear reason why. Yeah it was a Lent thing but being a non-practicing Catholic (except for Church festivals) it makes little sense to do this. It is something I did. Not the end of the world, just a little less fun.

I actually haven't had a drink for over a month. Last beer I had was on Feb. 26 at Hooters. Tits and taps. Today makes it 34 days. Just two more weekends to get through. I will be missing Opening Day because of this. And I won't be able to raise one to the Badgers in the Frozen Four. I picked a bad year to do this.

But thankfully, it is closer to being done.

So let me think about future drinking. Summerfest is looking to be blah so far. I wouldn't mind seeing Jackyl but they are on the last night and I will be in Vegas. Foreigner isn't bad. Styx? A couple of years ago it was good, but now just a maybe. I still recall the guy playing the organ to be a real cheeseball. Other than those 2 acts, there is nothing of interest to me yet. I wish the Def Leppard/Journey tour would make a stop. I always enjoy Def Leppard. They put on a good show musically. Plus the last time I saw them there was a big power failure and the show had to be cut short. I am holding out some better acts will be signed and not for the latter half of the fest.