Slight Detour – June 2026

The relationship between truckers and law enforcement can be a tricky one. On one hand, there are plenty of drivers out there who play by the rules, keep their equipment safe and are respectful to officers during traffic stops and inspections. On the other hand, there are truckers like this guy.

We start this Slight Detour in Goshen, N.Y., where police had a run-in for the ages.

“Nothing to see here … Just a driver leaving a traffic stop dragging a 20-foot trail of tickets behind him,” the Town of Goshen Police Department said in a Facebook post.

Officials said the driver was stopped with an “illegal and dangerous commercial vehicle.” After an “extensive” safety inspection, the driver was given a stack of tickets so long that the police said he and his co-workers played jump rope with it. Seriously, that thing was nearly as long as a CVS receipt.

“This commercial vehicle operator, who had no ties to Goshen, seemed to think it was a good idea to give our officers a hard time through the entire stop,” the department’s post read. “Not a good idea when you’re driving a hunk of junk and hauling a trailer full of crap through our town.”

Located about an hour and a half north of New York City, the Town of Goshen has a population of around 14,500. Now, it’s tough to say for sure, but it doesn’t feel like they take kindly to strangers. Maybe that’s just my impression.

To add insult to injury, the department said they impounded the vehicle “just to drive home the point that road safety isn’t exactly a punchline to your jokes.” I don’t know what this guy said to get under their skin, but it’s safe to say he didn’t make any friends while in Goshen.

While I certainly feel for the dude, the optics of seeing someone dragging a huge stack of tickets gave me a good laugh. So, just a heads up, mind your Ps and Qs while in Goshen.

Music to my ears

When it comes to hitting the open road, few things complement a nice stretch of highway like some good tunes. Whatever your musical taste, there’s just something about cranking it up and pressing the gas that scratches the itch.

The historic Route 66 has seen plenty of this. As the iconic highway celebrates its 100th birthday, the city of Tulsa, Okla., is giving the roadway a musical facelift. Recently, the city unveiled a “musical road” situated along Route 66 to commemorate the centennial celebration.

Located along the Southwest Boulevard Bridge near downtown Tulsa, the road features rumble strips spaced at varying intervals that create a melody when driven over at a specific speed. In this case, the road plays Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” when crossed at 35 miles per hour.

Any faster or slower will make the music sound out of time – so, essentially, Tulsa has created a road that turns your morning commute into a middle school band concert, something I have sat through plenty of times.

The musical road was funded with a $90,000 grant from the state and is part of a larger project to install musical roads in all eight states Route 66 runs through. That’s right… They spent $90K, so some dude in a Prius can butcher a classic folk song on a daily basis.

Either way, it’s a pretty cool and unique idea. For the first time, cruise control will now be less about fuel efficiency and more about nailing the chorus.

Form and function

Of course, summer is more than just road trips. With the season now in full swing, baseball stadiums across the country are filled with fans looking for a night out. As any baseball fan knows, enjoying the nation’s pastime is only part of the fun.

Recently, the Madison Mallards announced an interesting promotion to attract fans to the game. For the low price of $21, fans can get a ticket to the game and a fashionable “Wiener Wallet” to help hold their ballpark fare.

Ahh, Minor league baseball: where the promos are so good, you forget there’s a game happening.

Now, as much as I’d like to let your imagination run wild, I suppose I should explain. According to the team, the Wiener Wallet is the “hottest new item in wearable food fashion,” a category I had no idea existed. It’s a simple device, made up of a belt, a hot dog-shaped holster and an accessory pouch for condiments.

Of course, you might be asking, “Why?” I would ask, “Why not?” I mean, nothing says summer like carrying a snack like it’s a concealed weapon. And we all know that nothing pairs with a cold beer like a questionably warm hot dog strapped to your hip.

Finally, a wearable item that strikes the perfect balance between form and function. I certainly hope the fine folks of Madison, Wisc., get plenty of use out of these bad boys. It definitely puts a new spin on the tag line, “What’s in your wallet?”

George likes his chicken spicy

We round out this Slight Detour in familiar territory, with an overturned truck spilling something onto the roadway.

I know that you’re thinking, “What disgusting thing have you found for us this month in Slight Detour?” And I deserve that. I mean, last month it was a truckload of dead ducks, so I have kind of set myself up for it.

Recently, police in Alabama had to close down a portion of Interstate 65 after two tractor-trailers collided, causing one of the trucks to spill its load along the roadway. According to the state’s Department of Transportation, the truck was hauling spicy chicken wings, which took crews roughly four hours to clean up.

No injuries were reported, so it’s OK to have a bit of a laugh.

Officials advised motorists to use caution while passing through the delicious mess. Honestly, it’s the first time GPS has ever said, “Delay ahead… but it smells amazing.”

No word on what was in the other truck, but I’m just hoping it was blue cheese dressing. It wouldn’t hurt if there were some carrots and celery in there as well, but let’s be real, I’m fine without them. LL