As part of our usual routine, we took off for the gun show. The big story today wasn’t so much about the gun show, but about the 25 mile journey each way.
Normally, we get on the interstate and head towards the next county where the show is held. Today was no different until we spotted a column of smoke off in the distance. Something was fully engulfed in fire up ahead but we didn’t know what.
We continued down the interstate when it started to become apparent that the smoke was either right next to the road or maybe on it. Traffic started to back up and we eventually slowed to a stop. Stop we did and parked in that very spot for the next 20 to 25 minutes. We tuned to the radio to hear that a big rig and a motorist had been involved in a wreck. We also heard that it was mostly off to the side of the road but that the Highway Patrol was only letting traffic through in the left lane. Eventually, we crept past the incident where the fire department was foaming down the big rig. I got the top photo as we passed the scene. Click for bigger.
This part of the story is about the gun show. There are five buildings that are chock-full of everything from soup to nuts (literally) with the main theme being about guns and ammo. It takes us a couple of hours to browse through the exhibits and negotiate several purchases of targets, ammo and accessories. Our last stop is at the ammo concession since ammo is the heaviest stuff to carry around. We finished up the deal and headed out to pack the truck with our new goodies.
In the interest of getting home to start preparing dinner, we got on the interstate again and headed back. A couple of miles before we got to the place where the fire occurred, traffic again slowed down. Not because of any obstruction, but because everyone had to rubberneck to see the clean up operations still underway three or more hours after the time of the accident. The three right lanes on the interstate were still closed where a flatbed and a crane truck were getting the burned-up big rig ready to get it off the road.
I snapped this photo as we passed in the opposite direction. Click to enlarge the picture and notice the people gathered in the elevated walkway on the right to watch the clean up operation.
Traffic sped up to normal after we passed, but we saw that the opposite traffic was backed up along the interstate for over 17 miles.
Other than the inconvenience, it was a pretty good day.