--snip--
> Tennessee:  west of Knoxville to the I-75 South Interchange is always and
> has always been under re-construction since '99 when I first went thru
> there.  I think it's for long-term job security ;-)
--snip--

The I-40/I-75 interchange used to be called 'Malfunction Junction' locally-
they finally blew it up some time ago. The natives climbed every tall
structure with a view of the thing and cheered mightily when it went down. I
don't know what is there now but whatever it is, it's an improvement, even
if it's a dirt cart path.

--snip--
> California:  If you're re-fueling in Barstow
--snip--

You might want to check the online fuel-prices sites to verify this before
or during your trip, but I have always found the fuel to be substantially
cheaper in Kingman, AZ than anywhere else along the SoCal/Flagstaff route.
You should fuel up there if you can, and then the fuel stops at the
intersection of 395 and 58 about 50 miles west of Barstow have usually been
cheaper and easier to get to than those in Barstow in my experience. Look
carefully for the sign for 58 out of Barstow, it's easy to miss. Whatever
you do, do not travel this section of highway on a Sunday afternoon/evening.
You will be caught in an hours-long traffic jam with all the boneheads
trying to get back to LA from Laughlin and Vegas.

Cya,
Robert