“Even after all of these years, I still enjoy taking road trips with you.” ~ Skip Shaw

October 29, 2016

I love quotes more than any “normal” person should, I just do. On a recent road trip to Lake George (aptly named for Skip “George” Shaw), Skip told me how much he enjoyed our road trips together. We were on an anniversary road trip to reward ourselves for coming back from a longer road trip from Boston to Raleigh helping our daughter Becca move.

On our honeymoon thirty-six years ago we took a road trip to the Lake George region, and Montreal, Quebec and Vermont. The main reason was this was what we could afford, secondly, my parents had taken a similar road trip for their honeymoon which I thought would be fun to recreate, and lastly, driving gives more of a sense of control than other means of transportation, you decide when you leave and what stops you take.

Thirty six years ago the digital age had not yet dawned and so with a new non auto-focus Pentax camera and a few rolls of film we took our first of many road trip adventures. My camera skills were limited and I was limited to the 36 or less negatives on the roll. Nonetheless here are a few memories.

“Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.”~ Colin Powell

All these years later, one of my favorite things is to go for a ride in spite of my anxiety that every other car on the road is going to do something stupid, going for a ride brings me usually to a peaceful place. The destination is always a bonus but the time together just “being” together or just talking is priceless. You learn a lot about a person and yourself being together in a car for several hours. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve probably experienced almost every emotion possible. The worst car rides were the ones after dropping off my kids at college and coming home without them. Poor Skip had to deal with a lot of ugly tears on those rides. Always keep your glove compartment well stocked with Dunkin Donuts napkins if you’re going on a ride with me.

Some of my favorite car rides were trips to Cape Cod. Sometimes, I had to put on my big girl pants and do the driving without Skip but with the kids. They had a spreadsheet before they were a thing to decide who got to sit in the front seat and be the navigator. Spending time with the front seat copilot was an invaluable learning about them experience for a solid four hours that I would not trade for all the riches in the world.

My little dog Teddy who was the best dog ever used to love car rides. Trips to Dunkin Donuts for the munchkins were among his favorites. Harry and Frankie also enjoy a car ride from their dog seats.

The miles we’ve spent on the road through the years are almost too many to remember. Sometimes, while riding with Skip, a memory will hit of a particular place and time and sucker punch me till the tears come full force. The bottom line I wouldn’t change a thing. All these years later, we have fancier cars, we’re different and yet the same inside. I still love taking pictures of fall foliage and cows. We have a lot of miles on us, and I pray we have many more to go.