In the middle of nowhere lies an immense stretch of road
Some know it as ‘the highway’, others know it as ‘route P9’
There are so many connecting roads, pit stops, bars,
Sometimes just finding it is an accomplishment
Every distraction you can think of, lines the sides of this great road
But once you’ve found it, it is quite a sight to behold
The highway stretches and sprawls out as far as the eye can see
Miles and miles of untarnished, well kept asphalt glimmer in the sunlight
Everything about this highway demands your attention
There are three main reasons for awe and amazement
The first is the highway itself, the attractions that surround it,
The bright lights, the music, the very atmosphere of the place screams for your attention
The second is the cars...
One has never seen so many cars in one place before
They come in all sorts of colours, types, classes and sizes
There are luxury cars, built for the more financially endowed,
The sports cars for the speed enthusiasts, promising a fast, fun, ride
The SUV’s for those overly concerned with safety,
The minivans, the garbage trucks, the emergency vehicles, you name it
Millions and millions of vehicles line this majestic road
All going in the same direction
The last thing you can’t miss, are the people
They crawl everywhere like ants, each one somehow connected to this long route
To fully appreciate and understand the complex nature of this scene, one must move closer
Standing at the start of Route P9, one can get a better look at its complexity
I’m not quite sure who designed this road
Some say God did, others, that men did
What I do know is that its design is very peculiar.
Right near the beginning, the attractions line up as far as the eye can see
Every mile there is a new building, with new possibilities, and many people milling about
Every mile, a shining new gas station greets you, smiling attendants ready to fill your tank
The asphalt itself is a beautiful black colour, and completely flawless
It is here one finds the most activity
Millions of cars clog the highway at this point, people getting in, getting off...
Or some who just watch... It is quite an interesting place
People fill the bars, the clubs, the cafe’s the offices, the churches and everything else
They all have one thing in common...no matter what they’re busy doing,
They all eventually look out towards the highway, a slight longing in their eyes
Some keep their vehicles well kept, ready at a moment’s notice to spring to action
Others have left theirs to rust and break down
Even if one day they wanted to join the masses on the road, they couldn’t
I feel especially sorry for those people
I turn my attention from the sideliners as I like to call them, to the commuters
This scene is very familiar to most of us
Crowds of people all busily driving somewhere, lost in their own space
The people that fill the first 10 miles of road all look excited
Some pick out their cars, others who don’t like to drive, watch the road intently
Sooner or later, someone they want to drive with will turn up
Picking a car is a difficult task
The type of car a person picks, usually reflects their mental state...
Those people afraid of hurt and pain go for the safe, but boring cars
Others even buy motorcycles...a fun exciting ride guaranteed, pain and injury almost certain...
Some drivers just have more money than others,
So their vehicles are quite expensive and attractive
These drivers are usually the ones with the most passengers
Some of the uglier drivers buy their cars heavily tinted,
Their passenger forced to find out what they really look like only AFTER they get in
Others buy sensible cars, fuel efficient and affordable
These cars are less popular, but are somewhat attractive nonetheless
Some drive the cheap, beat up cars because they want to spend their money on other things
People that accept rides from those drivers usually don’t expect to go more than one or 2 miles
Some drive huge, flashy, attention seeking, over compensating cars,
Others drive the more conservative, classy ones
Some even drive mini-vans with child seats in the back but have no children
Those drivers usually drive solo, with hitchhikers looking the other way whenever they pass
A select few drive big rigs with driver controlled locks on the passenger doors and soundproof cabins
These drivers scare the poop out of everyone else
Some people don’t even look at the drivers, their only interest being in the car
At this point, sports cars rule the road.
These speed demons are almost always full of passengers
Some passengers sit in front, the more reluctant ones in the back
Some even hide in the trunk, while either the passenger or driver is unawares
These stowaways are almost always found out though
And are forced to walk back from wherever they were kicked out
Some find another car to stowaway in,
Others start their long, depressing journey back to where they started
Some even get mad and stay by the roadside just contemptuously yelling at other cars
The sports cars speed around the starting 10 miles like there’s no tomorrow
Some make it 7, even 8 miles up the road before they’re forced to turn around
The start of Route P9 looks like it was made especially for these cars
The flawlessness, the crowds of people looking for a quick ride...
This area doesn’t last very long however
After only 10 miles or so, the buildings start to disappear,
The people grow sparser; the road starts to lose its shine...
When you eventually reach 100 miles, you realize that the gas stations aren’t as frequent
The attendants aren’t as friendly, the traffic is much lighter
200 miles down the road you start seeing potholes
Abandoned cars litter the side of the road, garbage clogs the drains
This is where you first see the accidents
If you stayed within the first 10 miles of this road, you’d never think about them
Everything seems almost perfect back there
At this juncture however, there are mass numbers of accidents
Some are minor fender benders that delay the occupants for a short time
Others are full out wrecks, with messy fatalities
If you make it 300 miles, you start noticing alot of the cars are much emptier
Back at the start, it was common to see a driver with 4 or so passengers
Now, seeing just one passenger is surprising
Most of the drivers out here are going it alone
Another rare sight out here is hitchhikers
Back at the start, hitchhikers were everywhere
You couldn’t drive for more than a few minutes without seeing five
Now, the only people on the side of the road are those walking in the other direction
Out here, the dirty road grows more and more desolate
Gas stations are almost nonexistent, so drivers are forced to go VERY slowly
Fuel conservation is a huge priority
Many times, you’ll pass people whose cars have simply run out of gas
Those unfortunate souls have a long walk back to the start
There are absolutely no sports cars out here
The few cars that litter the roads are fuel efficient and small
No one really knows what happens after you get past 400 miles
Most people never reach there, and those that do, never return
It must be quite a sight though...
On this complicated stretch of road, where almost everything works against you,
I haven't yet decided who I want to be...
Am I a cautious driver, putting safety above everything else, fun included?
A reckless driver, whose only concern is the thrill of the ride?
A sideliner, who prefers to watch other people make the trip?
A passenger?
A stowaway?
Am I a cynic that stays on the sidewalk laughing at the failures of other drivers,
While not making an attempt myself?
Do I want to start my trip, only to go a few miles before losing my passenger,
And be forced to start over scouring the hitchhikers for good company?
Do I choose a passenger that's fun to talk to, but not to look at?
One that's fun to look at, but not to talk to?
Do i want to risk setting off in an inexpensive car,
Only to lose my passenger to a sports car driver?
Risk setting off in a sports car only to be forced to stop once the road gets bad?
The highway has many options, but very few guarantees.
I do know that I want to see what's past 400 miles....to finally see
Why everyone spends so much time and energy on this road...
I know that that's what I want...how to get there is another question entirely.
[February 21st 2010]
