I've always been a fan of taking the back ways -- but one who almost never actually does so. Back in the mists of time, that was because I was involved with someone who always felt like he had to be in a hurry (and, as a result, was always late and/or forgetting something); more recently, out of habit, or guilt, or the (unfortunate) feeling of being in a hurry, myself.
The idea's stuck with me, though. It's one of the reasons I want to take to the road full-time as soon as I can manage it. I've taken a few spectacular side-trips (the one to the Grand Canyon was particularly memorable) but most of the time I find myself thinking 'I'll take that little side road...just as soon as I have the RV. But not yet.' And then hurrying along the main roads, taking the quickest way to wherever I'm going.
I broke out of that thinking a few days ago, though, on the way home from an event in western Maryland. I was taking the fastest way home -- I68 to 70 to 81 to 83 to the Turnpike -- and happened upon US 11. Which, as I know from other adventures, parallels I81 for nearly all of 81's length, but in a much more charming, roundabout fashion.
'But what about all the stuff you need to do when you get home?' asks my traitor mind. Except that, tired as I am after a weekend event, I know I won't do much more than pull the meltable stuff out of the car, stand under the shower until I'm clean-ish, and catch up on email.
'You're so tired...you've got to get home as quick as you can, before you fall asleep!' Only it's the highway that makes me drowsy, all the long featureless miles of it.
'You can't afford all the gas to go home the long way!' But avoiding the turnpike also avoids several dollars in tolls. And...aren't there things more important than a few bucks worth of gas, anyway?
Traitor mind vanquished, I proceeded up Route 11, and thence to Route 30, through Amish country, Gettysburg, and right past Dutch Wonderland, a real gem of backroads Pennsylvania kitch. I got home an hour later than I would have otherwise...and had a lovely time. I'll be doing this again.
How do you take a little time from your busy life, and take the slow way home? How could you add a little of this to your life?
This is great stuff - for me it's about taking myself home, literally - I've been working out of a studio away from home and I'm moving everything home. So then my path is within my home and also launching a dream of moving to a new place, far from where I am. It's not so much about life on the slow road, as it is about using a slow life to plan slowly for a big change. I love the idea of taking it slowly, step by step, mile by mile, and keeping it simple - those to-do lists can shout loudly but may not be the real thing calling for attention...
ReplyDeleteYes. YES. Exactly -- it's not just about how one _drives_, but about how one _lives_.
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