The Road Trip Test

Perspectives From The Highway

The first trip my husband and I went on together was a road trip. It was early in our dating relationship then, and that trip we took all those years ago was a test. We both, independently, thought that if the trip went well, we would probably get married.

It was the first time I had met any of his family except his 2 brothers. We drove from Denver to Omaha, Omaha to Iowa, where we picked up his youngest brother. From Iowa, we went to Ohio, near Cincinnati, where I met his mother’s parents, one of his aunts, and their family. From there, we drove to Holden Beach, North Carolina, where I met his mom and dad, and his dad’s parents. From there, we went to Raleigh, where I met his dad’s brothers and their families. All for the first time. We drove this all straight through. So by the time I met his dad’s family, we had been in the car together for about 35 hours. I was more than a little punchy. You may or may not believe this, but we didn’t have a single argument.

If you think this was a trial by fire for me, remind me to tell you some time about our first official “date”. It was to my grandmother’s funeral, the matriarch of our family and much beloved. Up to that point, he had only met my mother and father, and he walked into that funeral and met my entire extended family. But anyway…

As you might guess, our relationship passed the Road Trip Test. We travel together well. We have been on many road trips since then. One of my favorites was when we drove from Albuquerque to the Santa Monica Pier and back on Route 66. Our most recent one was from Denver to Ohio and back. I love watching the country go by on these road trips. I find the country in Nebraska much prettier than Kansas. It may be that the crops weren’t as high because the season has been so dry, but I love seeing the amber waves of grain, the corn, the crops, and the soybeans pass by. I love watching the old farmhouses with the trees surrounding them as windbreaks and wondering what stories they could tell. I want to know how long they have been there, who used to live there, who is there now, and how they handle the isolation. Does it bother them? Are they used to it, or do they absolutely love it?

I love the wind turbines in Kansas. Although I will admit it is a bit disconcerting to nod off when they’re far back from the road and open your eyes and they’re right up next to the highway. It’s like they moved, invaded, while you were sleeping. I felt like I fell asleep in Kansas and woke up in a Twilight Zone episode.

It seems we always hit the big cities at rush hour, and I think about the people going to work or from work, picking up kids, getting groceries, or going out to dinner. I want to know their stories. Do they see our license plate and wonder where we’re going?

I think of people who grew up in big cities like Chicago or New York and wonder what they would make of all this open space. Have they seen it? Have they traveled through it? Would they feel free? Would they feel lost? I don’t know. Will they be amazed at the space, or would it be expected?

I love being the information officer of the trip. I can find almost anything on my smartphone. You want to know about Fort Hayes, Kansas? I got you. You want to know when traffic clears up? I got that too. You feeling bored driving and you want some trivia? No problem. I love the conversations I have with my husband on this trip. I love my son’s Spotify playlist. I love the comfortable silences.

One year I spent a summer in Chicago with my sister. They have the Lincoln Park Zoo there, where they have cows, goats, and other domestic animals. At first, I thought it was kind of silly to have cows in a zoo, but then if you didn’t grow up around cows, as we did, then I guess it’s not so silly. It’s all a matter of perspective.

You see, everyone in this world has a different point of view on things, depending on where they’re standing now and where they used to stand before. Where they grew up, who their family was, what they’ve seen in their life, the choices they have made. It’s our differences in perspective that should make us strong, not divide us. Imagine how dull life would be if we all were the same.

You might not like to take road trips. That’s a matter of perspective too. It’s possible that you’ve never been on a road trip. I would recommend it. Start small. Maybe drive three or four hours, find a fun restaurant to go to, do something fun that maybe you have never done before, stay the night someplace, drive home. Take your time, notice the scenery, read a book, listen to music, have some conversations. Speculate on another perspective.

You never know what you will see out there on the open road. Just keep your eyes and your heart open. And don’t forget the snacks.