In which Mike wonders why the trip back was so much smoother

I wonder why the trip back was so much smoother. Seriously, I've had longer delays getting from Springfield to Stafford. I guess one reason is there's much less sense of urgency (i.e. no massive storms people are looking to escape from). Or maybe it's because the public officials had proposed a plan for people to stagger their returns based on where they lived. (Actually I doubt many people paid attention to that; hell, if we had followed that plan, we'd have been in Louisiana 'til Wednesday.) Honestly, I don't have a clue what made it quicker. But I'm glad.

We and the two families who had accompanied us caravanned back, with me driving the middle car. The only major delay we ran into was in Carrington, where they had cops directing the flow of traffic between US 59 and US 287. Two other times traffic slowed, but I'm pretty sure it was because there were state troopers by the side of the road. (I mean, seriously? When people are returning to an evacuated city even? Why don't you go, you know, catch criminals or something?) We made it back in 6 hours, which means in two trips we're averaging 14.5 hours between Houston and Shreveport. Fantastic!

So yeah, I'm back in Houston. For those who don't know, the storm turned east and followed us to Shreveport. We had a feeling it might - it's just been that kind of year. If we had simply stayed in Houston, no doubt the hurricane would have maintained its course. To the residents of Shreveport and all the other Louisiana towns Rita pummelled along the way, I apologize; I didn't mean to drag the storm to your neck of the woods. You'll be in what for me passes for my prayers.

Song lyric of the day:
"Let me enlighten you
This is the way I pray
Living just isn't hard enough"
- Disturbed, Prayer