Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Road Trips

I remember traveling with my parents when I was a kid. We would pack the car to the limit and head cross country from Birmingham to Boston or LA or Denver or Florida. My father seemed to feel that on good day you had to make 600 miles. This was not 600 miles at 65 mph on the Interstate. This was 600 miles on US Highways, like US 66 and US 11. We loaded up the car with an ice chest, packed with Coca Colas. When the ice melted, we looked for an ice house, as each small town had one.

At the end of each day, we would stop at a motel. We didn’t make reservations; we just picked a decent looking place at the end of the day. The chains were too fancy and costly for us. Usually my parents got a room with a double bed and a rollaway for me. By today’s standards the places we stayed would be considered motels of “last resort.” But in those days they were clean and sometimes even air conditioned. Some even had a tv in the room and maybe even a swimming pool. Usually I think we paid about $10-$15 per night.

I learned to look out the window when traveling and the savor the joy of open windows in the sweltering summer heat. Even mile after mile of Kansas, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico wasn’t boring. I took imaginary photographs of scenes along the road, carefully framing each scene in my head.

When I was grown and married and the mother of an infant, we still had the travel cross country, as plane fare was too costly. With the freeways, travel was faster, so the 800 mile day became possible for us. Why not? We were young and full of energy! We opted for the major motel chains. Our son needed a crib and not every motel had one. We went from stopping when we were tired, to mapping out a route and making reservations well in advance. At that time we lived in southern California and our families were back East! You haven’t lived until you have traveled from California to New York to Alabama and back with a three month old in a two door ’71 Dodge Dart. When they dropped the speed limit from 70 to 55 mph it added a full day to our last trip!

I have now been in every state I think but North Dakota and Alaska and I’ve seen the countryside up close and personal. We now can afford to fly on vacation travel, especially since we have loads of frequent flyer miles. Still, however, sometimes it makes sense to drive.

I think I have driven the full width of Texas for the last time. But when we are headed for someplace along the East coast, the car is the way to go. I don’t mind sharing in the driving with my husband and we make enough rest stops and meal stops. Is the trip up the Jersey Turnpike boring? Or how about Virginia as seen from I-95 or I-81? These are long boring rides, but so is sitting for two hours in the Atlanta Airport.

A new kind of trip has entered my life in the last few years, and that is the “road trip with girlfriends.” I realize “girl” is perhaps not the best way to describe my friends, most of them 50+. But you get the idea! It is more the “spirit” of “girlhood.” We love the men in our lives deeply, but sometimes it is fun to just get away with the “girls.”

Women understand the “art” of shopping. My husband, on the other hand, wanted to buy two shirts in Gatlinburg at the Van Heusen outlet. He walked in; picked up two shirts in his size (all in less than a minute) and was quickly in line at the cashier. Had he been a woman, he would have first scoped out the whole store, zeroed in on about half dozen blouse candidates; felt the texture of each fabric; selected at least three for purchase and perhaps picked up a pair of coordinating slacks. Any self-respecting woman would then consider trying to pick up a matching purse and shoes, and maybe a sweater to match. This process could take up to two hours, finished up by a restroom break and lunch and a few more stores, just in case.

Women tour differently too. Men want to know all the facts – what happened when and to whom. If a war was involved, all the better, and who was the commanding general? On the other hand, we women want to know what was life really like in the historic place in question? What did they wear; how did they spend their days?

When looking for a hotel room, women want security, cleanliness, and convenience. Good food and a smoke-free bar are appreciated. But if there is a spa where you can get a massage – so much the better. Affordable is better than expensive, but scuzzy won’t cut it.

Women like to act on impulse! “I know we planned to do X, but, hey, here is Y and it seems like more fun! Let’s do it.” And if we can experience something of the local culture, that is a big plus!

So let’s face it, husbands and men friends are great, but to really enjoy travel, it is best to go with “girlfriends.” You laugh; you relax; you share memories and you build friendships.

I just returned from a five day road trip to Charleston with three fellow Facestwomen. Nancy Badertscher, Jane Tyson, and Barbara Polito and I had an incredible time. We squeezed every ounce we could out of our time in Charleston. In my next entry I will hit the highlights.

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