Road Trips

I have arrived safely back in Denver from my road trip. I actually got back a week ago. The trip went a lot better than I expected...the car made it the entire way without any problems, the dog slept the whole way, and we actually found our friend to stay with in Akron. It was actually really fun. I love road trips, I don't know why, but I always have. I think there are a couple of reasons. The first reason is that you are confined to a space and can't really do anything productive. Some people find that to be annoying, but I think it is very freeing. Even if you want to do something productive, you can't. It forces you to slow down and pause for a short time. Secondly, the scenery is constantly changing which I find to be very entertaining. I love driving past the little towns and wondering what it is like to live there. Road trips also make it acceptable to eat food that is delicious and terrible for you. There aren't many opportunities to eat healthily on the road and "road snacks" are essential. The glove box should have a constant stash of candy bars and snack foods in case that mid-afternoon lull kicks in. So, you sit and relax, listen to good music, and watch the changing scenery. I love how the inside of the car becomes your only reality, like the world is frozen and you are traveling across it. The only interruption to that solitude is the occasional call or message from the outside world. Other than that, it is as though the only world that exists is inside that car and at the gas station when you have to stop. I love that. Finally, there is such a feeling of accomplishment at every turn because you can physically see your progress as the mile markers count down the distance. It is like doing laundry...there is a sense of gratification from being able to see instant results.
Anyway, all these things combined make me always up for a road trip- especially if there is a giant ball of twine or largest frying pan involved....