There’s an old saying here in the north…we only have two seasons. Winter and construction. This point was literally driven home to me as my rig ever-so-slowly followed one of several detours along I-75. It was a late Friday afternoon. The line of cars stretched for miles, inching along past a parade of orange barrels, with no end in sight. What happened next was inevitable…a Ford F-150 pick up, which had been peeking in and out of traffic, finally decided enough was enough. It quickly darted out of line and sped along the shoulder, roaring its engine as it went. To add insult to injury, the driver “saluted” other commuters outside the driver’s side window.

I shook my head. I wish I could say this was an isolated case of misdirected road rage, but it wasn’t. According to AAA, almost 80% of drivers nationally experience significant anger or aggression behind the wheel at least once a year. I’m sure the added construction that’s happening around the country doesn’t help this statistic. In fact, in Michigan alone, our governor reports that during the 2025 summer—okay, construction season—24,500 lane miles of roads and 1,900 bridges will be repaired or replaced. That’s a lot of orange cones.

So whatever happened to the adventure of the open road? Whatever happened to the joy of watching the world and its many wonders whisk by our windshield? I know it’s still out there. It just requires a slight attitude adjustment. A “detour to decency”, if you will. If you find yourself getting frustrated, take a break. Pull over at the next rest area. Take a short walk. If you have to keep driving, play some music. Put in a podcast. Take your mind off the traffic. After all, getting to your destination should be half the fun.

Happy Camping (And traveling!)

Bob