Miles: 14636.2
Gallons Burned: 481.4
Caffeinated Drinks: 86
Gigabytes of Pictures: 33.5

Well folks I made it back safe and mildly sound. How about I tell you all some more about my time in Tennessee and North Carolina.
I drove back to Knoxville with Josh during which we tried to sing along to Muse (impossible for anyone who is not an Italian trained Castrato). Apparently Tennessee boasts the best highways in the US, but after seeing a dozen towns ending in "ville" I decided that Tennesseans are not very creative folk.
Once back we joined Josh's friends and watched some pairs figure skating in the Olympics. Josh's roommates and I discussed an Ayn Rand book called the Fountainhead (a great read for those who love a good story and architecture). The whole experience of Tenn. was great made greater by the neat folks I spent time with. Josh I look forward to seeing you whenever you get back to Seattle.
I headed East on February 17th hoping to get an early start in case the weather became an issue. Turns out the weather was great, but my intelligence was lacking (NO!! My mental acumen was not lacking...rather my information about interstate 40...okay my decisions on the 17th do provide ample evidence for my lack of intelligence :) ).
As I headed East I noticed the lack of traffic on I-40, I didn't notice the big orange sign warning about a "DETOUR". I was too pleased to drive on such an open road to think that maybe it was empty for a reason...
I came to a road block about 25 miles into the Appalachians I misread a sign and started down a dirt track. It was lightly covered in snow with only a few sparse tire tracks. The snow became more pronounced as the road's grade increased. I passed a few shacks and some free ranging chickens. Only when I lost traction on a modest uphill and started to drift backwards and rightwards into a steep ditch did the thought "hey the highway construction crews usually don't detour an interstate's traffic onto dirt roads..."
I quickly flipped the wheel left and shifted into reverse, while giving the engine gas. I got traction and swung the car violently around while shifting into drive and straightening the wheel. I headed down back down the road without "ditching" the car. I want to try that trick again in less hazardous conditions (it sounds fun), so my sudden maneuver saved me a tow truck ride and another trip to the junk yard.
I read the sign before entering the interstate and understood it to mean that an 80 mile detour to the North was recommended due to construction/rebuilding of I-40 (following an avalanche/landslide).
I, not wanting to waste an opportunity, pulled onto the shoulder of the interstate and retrieved some of my fireworks to have some fun with the many icicles along the road. Using my tire iron and some M-200s from Alabama I blew up and shattered dozens of stalactites along the deserted interstate.
After all that fun, I headed back out to I-81 and then onto I-26. Little did I know that would soon be heading back that way for some more raucous winter-tainment.
I got into Asheville North Carolina at about 3:30pm and hit up Izzy's Coffee Den:

They were a typical Seattle style indie coffee shop with loud music and a fascinating clientele. I blogged a little and after dark drove South out of town to my aunt and uncle's house in the surrounding country side.
Next time I'll tell you all of water falls, smoky nights, and apologetics...