It seems our current phone number is just a digit or two off from that of a local truck stop, given the number of calls we get for Travel America. Rather than finding the misdirected calls annoying, however, I find myself hit by a bit of wanderlust after each one. I wonder where the callers are coming from and where they are going. I wonder what they’re seeing on the road and what adventures they’re having, what music they’re enjoying in the car and who their traveling companions are. Sometimes I’m tempted to ask them these very questions.Road trips have become a part of our very fiber in the last decade; the sound of semi trucks idling at rest stops has become a familiar, almost comforting sound to me because hearing semis means I’m on the road to somewhere I want to be. I’ve fallen madly in love with America as a result of all these road trips, too: landscapes both familiar and new have populated my memories with their topography and flora. There is a peace in the quiet isolation of a road trip, encapsulated in a car, free for the time being of the ties of home and work. Traveling in the American West is particularly peaceful; empty roads and arid lands induce a liberating sensation of being able to breathe easier.
So, I’m thankful for these random calls from travelers trying to reach the truck stop. Their calls remind me of road trips past and help me remember that there are still more roads to explore. Even in the middle of the night, these wrong numbers are a wake-up call to remember the wider world beyond the place I currently call home.
What's your favorite way to travel? Favorite trips?
Photo of Coronoado Heights, Kansas is by my husband
7 comments:
I think we must be on the same wave length this week. :)
My favorite road tripping is through the mountains. We don't have to go far for a great pay off.
Though, our most frequent road trip is 11 hours long through Kansas or New Mexico to visit family in OK and TX.
I, too, have fallen in love with the landscape of this country. (Beautiful pic, BTW)
Bright Sadness is an Orthodox term. My brother in law has titled his latest album after the term because he is drawn to the idea of hope and truth beyond and deeper than the despair that we sometimes find ourselves in.
I'm sure he has a much more eloquent way of explaining his thoughts on Bright Sadness. One of the things he is doing for this album in particular is to get in touch with poets and artists and have them depict their thoughts on Bright Sadness. He will be cycling through these thoughts on his website as well as compiling a journal with thoughts and works of art that I'm sure will be available after the release of the album in August.
Thanks for visiting my blog. It's so nice to see your name in the comments. :)
Walking is my fav method...so the regular travel destinations are nothing amazing. The library. Grocery store (I can only carry 2 bags home at a time when I walk). Maybe Walgreens to pick up photos.
I have to say I'm thrilled to see a drop in the price of gasoline, I just saw it for $3.61/gallon!
Emily, your BIL's project sounds fascinating! Keep us posted.
Martha, how fortunate that you can walk to so many of your errands!
Walking and biking are my favourite ways of getting around, though a bit slow for a long trip! I love that photo, the road looks like it heads to forever. Thanks for dropping by Pebbledash so regularly. Diana x
I love that photo......the road appears to go on forever.....
Ah, Wanderlust, my familiar friend! I came by it naturally. I like to travel just about any which way. Car, train, airplane, bus, rickshaw, boat, camel, elephant, tuk-tuk, elephant. If it takes me somewhere then stop so I can get on!
Favorite trips? Hard question! I've fallen in love with just about every country I've been to. Since having kids travel doesn't happen quite as much, but we've been to Mexico the last two years with little ones and it's a whole different experience, fun in itself. I'd love to return to India and Nepal with my family.... someday!
I enjoyed hearing all about your different ways of traveling! Thanks for sharing.
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