Today I needed to kill some time and I rediscovered a passion from my teenage years, going for a drive. The wind blowing through your hair, the radio turned up, and nowhere to be except wherever you decide to go. True bliss.
Back in the 90s, before cell phones, the internet, streaming services, and 24 hour shipping, you would do just about anything to get away from your parents (I love you Mom and Dad). Gas was cheap and you could get multiple hours of enjoyment when less than $10 would fill your tank.
There were so many good reasons to go for a drive. Maybe you just had a fight and needed to cool down. Maybe you were a little short on cash and needed someplace to go on a date (hopefully you didn’t get caught parking, and if you did, hopefully your clothes were still on). Maybe you just love the thrill of driving with that new driver’s license you just scored.
No matter your reason for getting behind the wheel, endless opportunities would await. Before GPS, every road provided potential for new discoveries. I mean, sure, you could have used a map, but who sits down with a map? That’s like reading the instructions before you build the IKEA furniture. What could go wrong?
On my adventures, I would often discover a new route to one of your favorite parts of town. Sure, it may not be faster, but it might be more scenic or have less traffic. Occasionally, I would stumble upon a small town I didn’t know existed, or an abandoned cemetery or old mill. Someplace I would expect to see the Mystery Machine with Shaggy and Scooby running down the road.
Only on a few adventures did things turn out less than ideal. I think I ran out of gas once where I actually ran out of gas and was by myself because I know what you are thinking. There was also the time that I got lost in the middle of the night with one of my best friends from high school, and I’m pretty sure her parents didn’t take too kindly to her getting home at five in the morning (sorry Lisa).
These random drives likely fed into my desire to be an adventurer, an explorer. I learned at a young age how to read a map by sitting in the back seat of the car on vacations and following along on our trip. I was kind enough to “inform” my dad about every city he would be passing next. Boy, that had to be somewhat annoying. A lot annoying. (Sorry again, Dad.)
When GPS units first arrived, I remember my disappointment. Suddenly, you had a map at your fingertips that not only told you where you were at any given time, but provided you with driving directions that needed no effort on your part other than to type in the location on a tiny keyboard. Where is the adventure? Where is the skill (other than trying to type while driving)?
GPS units likely contributed to my gradual decline of driving just for fun, but the biggest issue was the increasing price of gas. After the War on Terrorism started, gas prices quickly rose above $2.00 and they only recently have started to drop. Suddenly, going for a drive wasn’t quite so cost efficient. I also started finding less and less time in my life that wasn’t occupied. Once you start working over 40 hours a week, you start to get a bit more picky with your free time.
Today, with nothing better to do and time to kill, I decided I just couldn’t take the Interstate again. I truly despise driving on the Interstate. So, I decided to find a different way. Yes, I have a GPS in my car, but I decided not to use it. I knew which direction was north (a skill everyone should know) and I knew which direction I needed to go. So, I drove and just kept aiming in the right general direction.
As you probably guessed, I made it home, and I loved every minute of it. I discovered a few new roads, experienced less traffic (always a blessing), and enjoyed the smells of nature along the way. I am a huge sucker for fresh cut grass and the smell of a fire. I encountered both on this drive. So relaxing. True bliss.
When was the last time you went for a drive, just for fun? When was the last time you found a new route to one of your favorite destinations? Give it a try, and if you are really bold, turn the GPS off. If you need practice first, try turning it off on your way home, or changing the map to “North Up.” In this setting, North is always up and you will start to discover where your destinations lie in relation to your house.
No matter what path you choose or how you get there, remember to take a moment to enjoy the world around you and the feeling of driving. Drive with the windows down and the radio up. Just don’t forget to make a driving mix tape first…or Spotify play list.
Thanks for stopping by and tell me about your driving stories in the comments below.
Photograph provided by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash. See more of their work here.
You know you’re lost when your only hope is to drive to the top of the nearest hill and look down hoping to find lights of the nearest town. That was quite a drive! And I don’t think it was quite 5:00 am, but my dad sure didn’t look happy. He pretended that he believed my lie though. Good times. 🙂