Sat, Oct 24, 2020:  Murfreesboro, TN, to Atlanta, GA:  WE WILL NEVER COME THROUGH ATLANTA AGAIN!!!  We left Murfreesboro this morning at 9:00 with me behind the wheel.  Drove through the mountains of Tennessee which were beautiful, but really foggy.  At Chattanooga the highway was all torn up and was a hot mess.  As soon as we found a place to eat and switch, I gladly turned over the driving to Mike.  We ate at Wendy’s in Dahlonega and then continued south on I75.  Poor Mike.  I badgered him because he was driving too fast, too close to 18-wheelers, yada yada.  When we got closer to the 285 bypass around Atlanta, the traffic was even worse.  We finally got on the bypass and then the rain started.  I’m talking a deluge!  Mike said he could see okay, but I could hardly see anything.  Freaked me out!  The rain finally stopped and we got back on I75 south.  Stopped in McDonagh at a Holiday Inn Express, got set up in our room and relaxed.   This one is really nice.  The room cost $200 but they gave it to us for $159.  Didn’t matter. We weren’t going anywhere.  The HI Express in Murfreesboro wasn’t that great.  But the beds are really comfortable.  Even the pillows are great.  Getting a great night sleep is worth it.  Tomorrow we’re going to drive to somewhere south of Gainesville.  It’s 81 here now.  When we left Murfreesboro this morning it was 50 something.  I lived in Atlanta for 7-1/2 years.  The traffic is sure worse.  Would like to stop sometime and see friends. 

 

Traffic on I75 approaching the 285 bypass.

The northbound lanes were bumper-to-bumper.