“Around 20 years ago I was visiting relative in Mobile. 15 miles pas Citronelle ion US Highway 45, I rand into a ‘Road Closed’ sign, signaling the bridge was out and I had to detour on a county road, which I did. This was supposed to be three miles around the construction site. That detour took nearly 10 miles.
“I am not lying. this was scary. The road was narrow. All the vehicles travelling on 45 had to take that road. Narrow, curvy roads and lots of 18-wheelers are not great mix. And this was the deep woods, folks. I love in the woods myself, but at least there is space on the side of the road if you need to pull over. The trees were right near the edge of the road. There wasn’t even a ditch.
“This was Deliverance country. there were tons of fobbed-out trailers and shotgun houses everywhere. It was like these people living here were cut off from civilization for decades. And there were Confederate flags everywhere.
“And then the shit got real. When I reached the supposed three-mile point, there was a small neighborhood store at a crossroads. No detour signs. Somebody took down the detour signs. Drivers were confused on which way to go, but people were afraid to ask for directions. Neither did I.
“I told a couple of truckers ‘I’m going left, that should take us back to 45.’ One of them said ‘We’ll be right behind you, buddy. We got your back.’ And we headed down the road, with me, my brave but dumb self (for taking the lead in driving through “no-sensible-man’s land” in a blue ‘92 Geo Prizm with several 18-wheelers and other travelers, probably all scared of stopping for an emergency in the midst of these strange people staring as we drove by.
“I was right. Some seven miles later, we made it back to Highway 45. Everyone that followed me out were honking and waving as they passed by. I had stopped to get myself together after going through that hellhole.
“Since that day I always check the road conditions and detours before I travel. I do not want to experience this situation again.”