CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As Dorian started to slip away from the Southeast coast, thousands of people who had evacuated ahead of the storm started the long trek back home.
In many cases, they were unsure of what they would find -- but grateful that Dorian did not cause the damage it could have in many cases.
"We are happy, and we are lucky," said Dale Stauffer, who stopped at a rest area just over the South Carolina line on I-77.
Stauffer, his wife, and their dog, Valentine, had left their home in Hilton Head and road out the storm at a hotel in South Park.
When asked what he expected to find when he got home, Stauffer said, "From what our neighbors say just a few leaves and a few little limbs."
Even before sunup Friday morning, evacuees who camped out at the Charlotte Motor Speedway packed to hit the road.
Driving south on I-77, the chances were good that the car next to you or ahead of you was from any of the states Dorian had targeted. Traffic was a bit heavier than usual throughout much of Friday.
Laura Haley had packed her vehicle with snacks for the drive home. She was traveling from Boone -- where she stayed with her son -- to Melbourne, Florida, once thought to be a direct threat from Dorian.
She admitted being worried for a time, but now when she gets home to Melbourne she said, "I think it will all be good."
Almost everyone we talked to said they had no second thoughts about the decision to evacuate and said they would do it again.