On The Road Again

On The Road Again

My friend Steve has just compiled a list of his top 100 motorcycling songs. Willie’s great ballad only made it to #42. I suppose that is because it wasn’t written specifically for the riding as much as for the playing, that is, making music with his friends. But I’ve always liked the theme of the song, which celebrates hitting the road rather than bemoaning it like Leavin’ on a Jet Plane by John Denver (Also a nice song, but kinda wimpy sad). Well, no moss grows on this stone, so, Kim and I have decided to get on the road again, this time to go East and visit the family and friends we can along the way. About the only place we cannot justify reaching to is Florida. We have some dear friends down there and maybe some day we’ll do Florida, but not this time.

This time we are packing up the car and Blind Betty (who seems to be a good car traveler) and planning to go via Las Vegas (sister Barb et al), Salt Lake City (Deb/Melissa and Joni/Basil), Kansas City (Kate), Wabash (Pete & Susie), Ithaca for the Columbus Day Weekend (the Massicci’s and other friends and family), Woodstock, Vermont (Barb & Frank, Gator Bob, David & Sarah) and then down to NYC via Duchess County (Ann & Chris). With our prolonged stay in Ithaca, that will be ten days, four times the land-speed-record I set a few years ago crossing the country with Cecil.

We plan to stay three nights in NYC, which should be long enough to get us around to all the kids and the NYC friends that are still there in town. I’ve chosen the Hotel Brooklyn Bridge to stay at because it looks over at Southern Manhattan, where we lived for many years, and yet it is nearby all three of the kids (two in Brooklyn and one in Staten Island). I don’t know if three days is enough, but I would hate to leave ourselves too much time and then feel like we were so far out of the City life that we were running out of things to do and people to see. Better to be short on time and feel a bit rushed, I think.

We didn’t really have much of a plan for the return trip, but on a lark, I asked Gary and Oswaldo when they were plotting their move from Staten Island to West Hollywood. They said they planned to take a leisurely drive cross-country some time in October. One thing led to another and before we knew it, we had a plan to join forces for the trip West, leaving NYC (technically, Staten Island) on the morning of Saturday, October 17th and caravanning across Pennsylvania and West Virginia. This will require a replacement of my walkie-talkies since Frank never gave me back my matching one. No worries, I think I want to upgrade to rechargeable ones anyway. We will work our way down to Nashville, where we will see The Grand Old Opry and Gary can see his daughter.

The one bucket list item I have asked to do is to take the Natchez Trace from Nashville down through Tupelo and Jackson, Mississippi, ending in Natchez. This is supposed to be the classic southern route that has actually taken on National Park status as a trail more than a defined landmass. I have never done the southern U.S. and there is no time like the present. I will leave it to Kim to find interesting byways and sights along that route.

From Natchez we will cross the Old Miss and head up through Arkansas to Tulsa to see Gary’s son. From there its a long lonely road from Osage County to Amarillo and then into New Mexico, where we will stop in Albuquerque. One last stop to visit several more friends in Phoenix and we will be home in what will amount to just under three weeks. It’s an ambitious 6,800 mile trek, but most serious cross-country pros will shrug and say that there is nothing unusual or special about it. We are neither in a rush nor are we dawdling to go visit the world’s largest ball of twine or whatever roadside attractions still draw in wayward travelers.

This has all the right elements. We are planning it to go to the places that matter, as defined by people, not sights. And yet, along the way, we are leaving ourselves some freedom to see a few sights that we have missed in the past. Our two extended stays are in Ithaca and NYC, both important spots for us and one of which we own a home in and can stay cost-free. We are trying not to impose ourselves on anyone, especially since we will have Blind Betty with us. We are opting instead for pet-friendly hotels, which are relatively easy to find these days.

The other thing we have done is to time the trip so that we get it done well before the big election-year nonsense in early November, and yet after the various chores (like teaching my class at University of San Diego). Kim’s only requirement had to do with a fundraiser in NYC, which we have been able to plan for her to be physically present onsite.

As I write this, our pals Ann & Chris have suggested they join us in Vermont (we are all part of the same gang of friends) and we have, in turn, expanded that to include them coming up to Ithaca to start the Fall Foliage Caravan with us from there. It’s interesting to note that we all have fewer travel options than we used to so the willingness and flexibility all-around to arrange to do fun gatherings (all appropriately socially distant, of course) is at its maximum. I feel like family that has rediscovered board games by candlelight on a night when the lights have gone out. Getting back to simple pleasures has an enriching feeling that brings more than the usual pleasure because we all appreciate the opportunity to interact with one another more than we normally seem to have time to do.

So, going on the road again, is really less about getting away than it is getting back. Back to what matters most with family and friends. Getting back to peaceful drives in the country to be with satellite radio, audiobooks, nice driving music and the excitement of the next rest stop. This all feels more right by the moment and whether I’ll be making music with my friends or not, I’m just glad to be back on the road again.