John Vining

In North Carolina, we don’t look for the first robin or the dogwood blossoms to tell us it’s spring. No, the real sign of the season is the overnight "migration" of the High-Vis Orange Pine. One day you’re cruising down I-40 or I-85 with a clear view, and the next, the NCDOT has planted a bumper crop of traffic cones that stretches from the Blue Ridge to the Outer Banks. It’s the only species in the state that grows faster than a Raleigh subdivision. Forget the pollen—the real North Carolina spring fever is just 15 miles of "Merge Left" signs and the rhythmic thumping of tires on temporary pavement. Winter is officially over; the barrels are in bloom. #NorthCarolina #OnlyInNC #NCDOT #ConstructionSeason #NCVibes