This past weekend, Lynn and I drove to Shreveport La., to help our oldest son Jordan move back to Hartselle.

We left Hartselle last Thursday afternoon around 5 p.m. and all was well and traffic was kind of heavy but not unexpected for an upcoming holiday weekend. We had not quite reached Falkville on Interstate 65 when we had to come to an almost complete stop.

Apparently someone put out a yellow flag (lol) since there was no apparent reason for the traffic to have slowed down much less come to an almost complete halt.

We traveled through Birmingham and merged onto 20/59 and enjoyed very little traffic issues, especially as we moved further from metro Birmingham. We continued on and merged onto Interstate 20 and traveled to Jackson Miss., where we decided to spend the night.

The next morning, we left Jackson and traveled the rest of the way to Shreveport with very little traffic on Interstate 20 and traveled along at a steady pace. I usually drive around 75 mph on the interstate, and even passed several other vehicles at that speed. I do not recall traffic ever bunching up or slowing due to congestion as we continued to head west.

Saturday afternoon we started the trip back to Hartselle and experienced the same type of traffic flow and speed as we did on the trip Friday morning. The only incident was traffic stopped for an hour outside of Shreveport due to an over the road tractor-trailer on fire with blazing flames. Traffic was stalled, but as soon as the fire was put out, traffic was able to move on and separate with little congestion.

After spending Friday night in Jackson, we left for Hartselle again. Traffic continued to move fine at what seemed to be normal flow and speed through Tuscaloosa and even back into Interstate 20/59.

Then we arrive at malfunction junction and exit back onto Interstate 65 headed north. Well, as soon as you make that exit “it is, Katie, bar the door.”  Vehicles are passing you going at break neck speed even as you are traveling at 75 mph. You will move along for a few miles and apparently someone throws up a yellow flag and traffic slows and congestion follows again. You will travel a few more miles and get passed like you are sitting still by almost everyone else on the road. But don’t set your cruise- in just a few more miles you will be slowing to an almost stop, again, for no apparent reason.

We discuss this each time we leave the state and come back on 65 in Alabama; it seems to be the only time this occurs. Oh well, safe travels.

Randy Garrison is the president and publisher of the Hartselle Enquirer.