When we lived in Southern California, or as it’s known to the locals “SoCal,” we were close enough to Sunshine and Mumbles that we were required to drive to their house two or three times per year for a visit. And it was one of the most boring commutes I’ve ever encountered.
I can’t remember the highway we took, but Toney never forgets these things. So, I’ll be right back… OK, it was Interstate 5, and we took it from the bottom of California, up to Sacramento or thereabouts, and cut across to Reno. And man, was it dull.
There were stretches that were so straight and uneventful, you could theoretically set your cruise control and take a nap. The steering wheel wasn’t even necessary, it could’ve been removed to free up space for the driver. I could’ve used my laptop, or set up a makeshift table and eaten a full Sunday dinner, at 75 mph.
And then there were the slaughterhouses…
There’s a long section of the journey where both sides of the road are lined with cattle, and cattle death camps. The stench is unbelievable. I grew up near Charleston, WV, surrounded by chemical plants, so I know strange stinks. Oh, I know ’em real good. But that slaughterhouse smell made me gag. It was just so… organic.
When we’d stop to buy gas there, the convenience stores all had a MASSIVE selection of beef jerky. Like, every flavor imaginable, sometimes an entire wall of the stuff. It was a jerky aficionado’s wet dream… And some of it still had hair on one side! Blecch.
Once we reached the Sierra Nevada mountains it turned really pretty (and kinda scary during winter), but before that… crushingly dull and disgustingly scented. I’d have to rank it near the top of my list of Most Unpleasant Stretches of Highway.
What about you? What would you rank at the top of your list? Tell us about it, won’t you?
And since we’re sort of on the subject, what’s the worst thing you’ve ever smelled? What stink really sticks out in your mind as especially bad? I’ve smelled plenty of disgusting things, like anyone else, but that slaughterhouse stink was a real standout for some reason. Do you have something like that? Use the comments link below.
And I hate to cut this one so short, but I’ve gotta deal with something before work. So, I’ll see you guys again tomorrow.
Have a great day, my friends.
Most desolute, depressing stretch of blah…I-40 from Kingman, AZ to Barstow, CA! Worst stench alson on I-40 outside of Amarillo, TX…thousands and thousands of cows stinking it up in cattle pens. Seriously, keep the windows closed!