If you read this blog often, you know I like to drive. I’ll drive anywhere. Driving for me is a chance to listen to some music or a podcast. Usually, I will take a scenic backroad instead of a straight-ahead main drag. It gives me a chance to see something nicer.
This driving decision drives the children nuts. They have better things to do and none of those things involve being in the car. Taking the long way home gets in the way of their socializing and other leisurely activities, especially with The Boy and the Fruit Loops. I like to pass by some farms or maybe some historical sites. Routes will sometimes take me through old neighborhoods. If children are with me, I’ll pass a little lore on to them as long as the Statute of Limitations has run out.
Not only do I like to take the scenic route, but I also like to find new roads to take. One day I took a detour to avoid construction traffic on my way to work. I ended up finding a nice scenic route that I take every day going to and from work. It’s away from the beaten path, so I’m not competing with as many people jockeying for position so they’re not late for work.
The good people at WBSM told a story about the King’s Highway. It’s a road that starts in Boston and Cambridge and ends in South Carolina. The road is 1,300 miles long.
A road like this seems like something I would love to try out. I live in Massachusetts and have family in Maine. When I drive home from visits, I like to take Route 1 home. The view is nicer than driving interstate 95 home. In addition to the drive, I might stop somewhere for something to eat. Taking the back roads gives you a chance to see something you wouldn’t normally see if you buzzing along the interstate.
Riding your Bike can be Nice, too
Driving isn’t the only way to check things out. I ride my bike from time to time. Taking my bike means I’m getting exercise, but because I’m not going as fast, I’m able to notice things I wouldn’t if I was going faster in a car. Exercise combined with the chance to maybe notice things while riding at a slower pace is also nice. Fresh air and I’m saving gas for when I really need to get somewhere.
Walking is another way. Not as fast as a bike or a car, but it’s exercise. Doggie likes walking, and she gets excited when she gets outside for a walk. After eating as much as I did over the Holidays, it’s a great idea to get outside and stretch my legs.
Backroads Meant a Lesson in Tequila
I’m not sure if I would drive the entire length of the King’s Highway anytime soon, but it seems nice to be able to check out some parts of it. Like I said before, taking the back roads gives you a chance to see something you haven’t seen in a while. Back when I smoked, I would drive up to New Hampshire for my cigarettes (a common practice for Massachusetts smokers). One day I stopped for lunch at a Mexican cantina. The cantina was run by an American gentleman who lived in Mexico for a time. While he was there, he developed a taste for tequila. The cantina’s bar featured over 100 brands of tequila, which was advertised outside.
While I was enjoying my tortilla soup, the owner gave me a little lesson on tequila and what you need to know when you’re choosing one to sip on. The biggest lesson I got from that afternoon was higher-quality tequilas usually mean hangovers that won’t be as bad as it could be. In addition to the food and conversation, I also got to support a local business. Smaller Mom-and-Pop businesses can use all the support they can get.
Benefits of Finding Different Ways
My curiosity with different routes and lesser-traveled thoroughfares started when I was a teenager on my bike. I would wonder where roads led to and sometimes took different routes than the standard streets I took when I wanted to just “take a quick bike ride”. Doing this sometimes meant I would meet different people. Sometimes I would come out of a road and end up on a street I had always been on. This would lead me to say, “Oh, this is where this goes.” If I was lucky, sometimes this road would be a shortcut to somewhere I needed to be, and it would save me time in the future when I needed to drive.
Driving gives me the chance to talk to people and listen to the radio. Sometimes I can find out about a great song or learn about something in the news. Sometimes I can learn something new with a podcast. Taking a drive allows me to do all of these things. Sometimes, I will drive down streets I used to live or past places I used to work. I notice the changes that have taken place since I left there or since the last time I drove by.
I love to drive. Working in radio, I would take the van to different places, places I had never been to before. Wife will sometimes buy things online from second-hand sites. She will be at work, and I will go pick it up. Again, it gives me the chance to check out something new. There are a lot of reasons why I like to drive. Journeys mean seeing and learning things on your way, and it’s all about the journey.
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