Since it worked so well last year, I decided to drive to Colorado again this year with a slight twist added to the mix. This year, I decided to take the scenic route on the outbound leg of the trip. Instead of heading north from Atlanta toward Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois like I did last year, I take a scenic drive along I-20 west from Atlanta through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. I've never been any further west than Douglasville, Georgia on I-20. Interstate 20 comes to an end in west Texas when it meets Interstate 10. From there, I could follow I-10 west to El Paso, Texas before turning north toward New Mexico and into Colorado.

Departure day began in much the same way as last year – with me putting my suitcases in the trunk of the car at sunrise. The first two hours of my adventure proceeded as expected. Traffic on the always miserable Georgia Route 316 became quite heavy near Lawrenceville. Route 316 has been under some form of construction in this area since I moved to Georgia back in 2009, and shows no signs of ending. Ever ! The pace picked up a bit once past Gwinnett College and onto Interstate 85. Another traffic jam near my exit for the I-285 Perimeter highway put an end to that. After the exit ramp delay, I made it onto the outer loop of I-285 on the northern side of the city. Travel was actually pretty smooth aside from a couple of construction zones and a traffic accident. Twenty-three miles later, I had arrived at the exit for Interstate 20, my home for the next 1,250 miles.

Passing by Douglasville, Georgia twenty miles later officially put me in uncharted territory. Best of all, I had also crossed over into a much less densely populated area. Even on a Friday morning, the crowd all but disappeared leaving me with a sparsely populated roadway. Not too long after crossing into Alabama, I noticed something rapidly approaching me from behind. The speed limit on I-20 in eastern Alabama is 70 mph in most places. A stunning black Porsche 911 passed me like I was out for a Sunday drive. But I could still make out the word "Turbo" on the deck lid. We both made a fuel stop near Lincoln, Alabama.

I actually saw this car earlier when he passed me on I-20 shortly before the exit.

If only it were a convertible ! I'd still take it anyways.

My ride for this trip is the 2005 BMW Z4 roadster I purchased back in February. I stopped at a rest area outside of Eutaw, Alabama to stretch my legs. So far, so good for the Z4. I've covered just over 300 miles without the slightest hint of drama.

Some fall colors were still present.

This rest area was larger than others I have seen in the past.

Along with the main building, several picnic shelters had been built throughout.

I got some exercise while snapping random pics here and there.

Westbound I-20 rest area near Eutaw, Alabama.

Walking trails had been incorporated into the rest area's design.

Large rest area along westbound I-20 near Eutaw, Alabama.

Large rest area along westbound I-20 near Eutaw, Alabama.

Two-picture panorama of the westbound rest area along I-20 near Eutaw, AL.

I tried to play with the macro settings on the camera. Attempt number one worked, but the camera focused on the wrong area of the faucet. What came out clear looked good, though.

The second attempt was much better. The camera focused on the rust.

I've traveled extensively by car in the eastern US. While the terrain in this part of the country may vary based on where you are in relation to the mountains, the scenery all looks very similar. I would best describe it by saying that someone took a giant mass of trees and carved a highway through the middle of it. It doesn't matter if I'm passing through the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, driving through the Low Country in South Carolina, or heading west on I-20 through Alabama like I was at that moment, the scenery looks very familiar to me.

I spotted an old shed across from the Love's travel plaza near Toomsuba, MS during a fuel stop.

The scenery along Interstate 20 through Alabama and Mississippi looks like what I'm used to seeing when traveling in the eastern US. This area near Chunky, MS could also be anywhere along Interstates 80 or 99 through Pennsylvania.

Honestly, this could also be anywhere along I-80 or I-99 in Pennsylvania. It brought back great memories of my daily commute to Bedford Ford in Bedford, PA.

Westbound I-20 near Chunky, MS.

Westbound I-20 near Chunky, MS.

Crossing over the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi took me into Louisiana.

The old Vicksburg Bridge.

Crossing the Mississippi River into Louisiana.

Crossing the Mississippi River into Louisiana.

Crossing the Mississippi River into Louisiana.

Until 1973, both vehicular and rail traffic crossed the river on the Old Vicksburg Bridge that dates from 1930. The new bridge now handles all of the vehicle traffic while the old bridge still carries the rail line.

Ameristar Casino, Vicksburg, MS.

Ameristar Casino, Vicksburg, MS.

The scenery changed somewhat when I crossed into Louisiana. Wide open spaces became the rule. I spotted a train near Delta, LA.

This region is part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, a large flat area that was created millions of years ago by deposits of sediment from the Mississippi River. The entire alluvial plain is huge, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to southern Illinois. Some of the most fertile farmland in the nation is contained herein, which explains the sudden change to wide open spaces similar to what is seen above near Mound, LA.

All I know is that the dense clusters of trees I had been seeing earlier disappeared.

Spotted a cool sky outside of Waverly, LA.

Cool sky near Waverly, LA.

Familiar scenery returned once past Monroe, Louisiana. I was able to snap a few pics of the sunset outside of Ruston, LA.

A beautiful sunset along I-20 near mile 84, Ruston, LA.

A beautiful sunset along I-20 near mile 84, Ruston, LA.

A beautiful sunset along I-20 near mile 84, Ruston, LA.

A beautiful sunset along I-20 near mile 84, Ruston, LA.

Another cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA courtesy of the perfect weather and beautiful sunset.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.

Cool sky, I-20 mile 56 near, Ada, LA.