Road Trip

I don't like driving. I don't dislike it, but I don't get pleasure from being behind the wheel. Driving is just a necessary way of getting somewhere. It's like if someone asked you if you like walking from the living room to the bathroom, you'd think it was a crazy question. Of course you don't "like" it, you just do it. Same with driving.

I do, however, love to travel. And I like road trips.

I like the anticipation. Cleaning/vacuuming the van so we're starting fresh is important to me. I dislike packing (or more accurately, waiting for Cristina to pack most of the stuff) but I enjoy getting everything into the van and (our wisest investment ever) our Yakima cargo carrier.

I like leaving our house, unless we leave it dirty. I remember one trip where we were so frantic getting everything packed in time that we left dirty dishes in the sink. That's bad. But there's something about prepping the house for departure--cleaning out the fridge, arranging for someone to pick up the mail, etc.--that sparks those exciting feelings of travel.

I like the splurges that are allowed on road trips: the big Coke from the gas station that I justify as "keeping me awake." The bag of Oreos or stash of chocolate candies that would never accompany a routine drive to, say, the post office. Then there are the roadside treats that are a requirement for road trips in the south. Boiled peanuts. Fresh peaches so juicy you have to lay a bunch of napkins in your lap.

We've had plenty of road trips where we pre-made sandwiches to eat on the road as a means of saving money. As our family has grown, we're less inclined to do that for two reasons. First, everyone needs a break from being cooped up in the car, and a meal stop is a good excuse for a stretch and a break. Second, it's a chance to experience one of the best parts of travel: the cultural idiosyncrasies of what we call the "little mom-and-pop joint."

Some families rely on the comfort and familiarity of fast food chains while traveling. We're the opposite. We'll go out of our way to eat somewhere that we've never heard of, and likely will never eat at again. It's hit-or-miss. Sometimes the choice is weak. I'm thinking of a country cookin' type place whose buffet consisted of already-overcooked canned vegetables and mysterious meats cloaked in thick white gravy that had been sitting under a heat lamp way too long...two tips learned from that experience: if there are few cars/customers, keep looking. And as much as I'm into diversity, when a Southern country-type establishment is run by Asians, or Middle Easterns, that might be a red flag. Just sayin'.

Sometimes the choice is delightful. We ate at a place near Nantahala that didn't have a license to sell food, so they had a big sign with some kind of legal loophole that you had to agree to (I think you agreed to buy the paper plate and the food was free, or something silly like that.) It was cash-only too (big surprise). But they had one of the best burgers I've ever eaten in my life. I wonder if that place still exists...

Yes, we occasionally do fast food. Sometimes that's the only option. But that holds no joy for me. No surprise.

I love that website that sells restaurant coupons (I'm purposefully not listing the address to prevent spam comments) because I can plan ahead and find a place that's on our path and fits our goal. Case in point, I just bought a gift certificate for Joe Bear's & Sons Texas Style BBQ in Macon, Georgia. Why would I want to eat Texas BBQ in Georgia? Because it sounds fun. It's different. I've never heard of them before. And their motto is "You Don't Need No Teeth to Eat Joe Bear's BBQ." YES! I'm there!

I love how they appear to have bars in the windows, though I think they're actually vertical blinds.

So we leave tomorrow for North Carolina. We'll leave Gainesville as soon as I'm done teaching summer school (around noon). We'll head up to Atlanta (after dinner in Macon, of course) and spend the night with Lisa. Friday, we'll get to my parents' house before dinner.

I'm looking forward to spending time in the mountains with my family, but I'm also looking forward to the drive up. And that says a lot for a guy who doesn't like to drive.