Traveling with Mom

Next week Rick and I are taking our daughter, Shannon and her two kids to Washington, DC, and I can hardly wait. Getting ready to go has brought back memories of traveling with my mom and dad.  Both wanted me and my brother to see the country – which meant every National Park they could squeeze into two week vacations every summer.   It always involved a LONG drive.  We stopped for gas and a potty break.  We stopped for lunch, usually a picnic Mom made beside the road.  We stopped to camp.  It often took several days to reach our destination where we would stay for a day or two, and then turn around for the long drive home.

As a child, sitting in a hot car for hours on end was less than exciting.  No Nintendo DS’s or portable DVD players in those days.  No air conditioning either.  We kept the windows open and a bag of water hanging on the front of the car to keep the engine cool. 

Mom and Dad saw these trips as grand adventures.  Dad did all the driving while Mom sat in the front and wrote observations in a steno pad.  When she caught me or my brother sleeping, she’d reach over and pat us.  “Wake up!  Look out the window!  You may never have a chance to see all this again!”  Startled awake, I’d look out at the landscape flashing by and dream of someday staying in one place for an entire week. 

Now, I get this urge to jump in a car and drive!  Anywhere!  It could be a straight road across the state or a winding narrow road over the Sierra-Nevadas.  Mom said every place has its unique beauty, and I’ve been playing tourist everywhere Rick and I have lived.  When I’m restless, I’ll drive around the neighborhoods, and enjoy the different landscaping and styles of houses. 

Mini-adventures keep life interesting. 

Things to ponder:

Am I stuck in a rut? 

Is there a new route that will give me a fresh view of the world around me?