Slight Detour – November 2022
A lot of weird things have been going on since we last met, so let’s take a Slight Detour to tales of missing tigers to missing humans to fresh pasta sauce on the highways.
Tiger King 2.0?
If you drive in New Mexico, be on the lookout for a tiger. In September, two homes were raided by law enforcement in Albuquerque. Investigators found drugs, guns, money and an alligator. However, one item was missing – a young tiger.
According to The Associated Press, investigators believe the tiger is with someone in New Mexico or a nearby site. It is hard to believe that no one notices a tiger living with someone. If someone is at a truck stop selling an exotic kitty that looks eerily like a small tiger, call the authorities. Good chance it may actually be a tiger.
Not-so-awesome sauce
There were so many overturned tractor-trailers in the last edition of Slight Detour that there was an entire barbecue theme. Although there are fewer overturned trucks to report on in this issue, there were enough to come up with a small theme. Sauce!
Three different incidents involved pasta sauce, two of which involved tomatoes. In late August, more than 150,000 tomatoes spilled across Interstate 80 in California, causing quite a mess. In the same week in the same state, another tractor-trailer hauling tomatoes took a spill in California. No ketchup jokes will be necessary.
As if that was not strange enough, a tractor-trailer hauling alfredo sauce overturned while traveling on Interstate 55 near McLemore, Tenn. Needless to say, the incident caused quite a mess, with white sauce smearing the interstate.
It could be worse. A U-Haul transporting clothing dye through South Carolina spilled a bunch of pink and blue dye all over the interstate. It was a pretty scene unless you were part of the cleanup crew.
Don’t park near tailgating parties
It’s football season! That means plenty of gatherings and tailgate parties. The truck parking crisis puts a lot of truckers in a bind, but do not park anywhere near a grill.
During the Week 1 Patriots vs. Dolphins game, around eight cars burst into flames in the Miami stadium parking lot. Apparently, some not-so-smart person put a hot grill in the back of their car before heading inside. Consequently, that car burst into flames, causing nearby vehicles to also burst up in flames.
Most of the owners did not even know what had happened until they left the game. Imagine walking back to your vehicle and finding it completely charred. Saying you would be upset would be a major understatement.
Did you forget something at the reststop?
It’s easy to leave things behind when you are in a hurry. Worst case scenario, you might leave your dog at a truck stop. It has happened before. However, one family one-upped that scenario.
A family driving through New York had been driving for three hours before they realized they had forgotten something important: one of the family members.
The incident took place at Whitney Point Rest Area off Interstate 81. State police were called to check on an older man, only to find out his family had accidentally left him there. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the family figured the man was just sleeping in the back.
That’s more than a face-palm moment.
Truck stop slicing the competition
Not all truck stops are created equal – especially the one off Exit 19 on Interstate 90 in Haugan, Mont. It’s called the 50,000 Silver Dollar, and if you have never been there, you should check it out. Especially if you like battle gear.
Unlike other gift shops, the 50,000 Silver Dollar sells all types of swords, axes and other weaponry common hundreds of years ago. It sells standard gift shop items like electronics, gift items, and so forth, but what’s the fun in buying one when you can walk away with a sword?
The 50,000 Silver Dollar Inn offers special rates for truckers as an added bonus. Check it out the next time you are driving through Montana on I-90.
Vomit-induced side hustle
Times are tough for most people right now, with high inflation and whatnot. Many people are seeking part-time gigs to make ends meet. If you are looking for a part-time gig and can vomit on command, you are in luck.
Kindt Clinic in Amsterdam treats anxieties and phobias. Someone is needed to help treat people with a vomit phobia. Of course, that means being able to vomit on command. Vomit phobia is a real thing, and so is this part-time gig treating people with that phobia. It is as weird and bizarre as it sounds and could only show up in Slight Detour.
Way East Coast convoy
Since we’re on the other side of the pond, let’s venture over to Norwich, England. The United States is not the only place hosting truck convoys for children. Nearly 100 trucks participated in the East Coast Truckers’ Children’s Convoy in Norwich this year. More than 100 disabled and disadvantaged children were taken on a ride with a police escort. Children finished the day with VIP treatment at a theme park.
You love to see the trucking community come together to help children. As we now know, trucking is a global community – not just local or national. LL
Need more laughs? Check out more Slight Detours here.