Under the category of Use It or Lose It, I’ve decided to spend my Spring Break navigating my way from Atlanta, via the Blue Ridge Parkway, to Bethesda, Maryland to see my brother and his family and then up to Kutztown, Pennsylvania to visit my friend, Nancy, who professes at the college there.
The young people I teach, and teach with, are traveling to exotic and thrilling places like Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, and Costa Rica. But, for me at my advanced age and level of disrepair, Bethesda and Kutztown are about as exotic as I can stand, especially since just getting to and from work via I-75 has become a thrill ride for me every day .
My plan is to take two days to get to Bethesda and two days to get back from Kutztown, leaving on Monday and returning home on Friday and spending one night with my brother’s family and one night with Nancy. This is because, like seafood, I start to stink after about twelve hours, and also so I can stop and smell the diesel fumes along the way.
After spending many hours with the Google Maps people, I’m either almost ready to go or so stressed out I’m going to have a stroke before I get out of my parking lot. Then there’s the Tom-Tom my friend, Jeff, lent me. When he first asked if I wanted to borrow it, I thought he was referring to a small drum I could use should I need entertainment or to send an SOS when I become lost in the Nantahala National Forest or on the Capital Beltway. But no, it’s a GPS doodad, although I must say that, after messing with it for quite a while and having it talk to me in that fake Australian accent, I’m sort of wishing for the drum.
This is what I've packed so far:
- three 12-packs of Diet Coke (after all, I'll be gone for five whole days!)
- my Kindle
- the new cotton underwear I bought at Target. I got size 8, which is extra large. I could have probably done with just regular large but I wanted to be comfortable. I do hope my traveling pants don't fall down around my ankles when I step away from the Corolla to snap a photo. By the way, all five pairs are done up in spring colors, which I think adds a certain flair to my trip.
When I leave in the morning, I hope to have packed a few more things, including clothes, deodorant, shoes, my camera, and laptop. I plan to write an update each evening, based on my still being alive and internet access.
Speaking of planning, which the older I get the more I do, I asked my young Tom-Tom-less friend, Jeff, where he was going for spring break. He said he might or might not head to New Orleans, depending on whether or not something better came along. I spent a month planning a trip to Kutztown, Pennsylvania and Jeff hasn't decided yet if he will go to New Orleans tomorrow.
That's one of the many differences between Jeff and me.
21 comments:
Have a great trip! I'm sure you'll tackle the interstate system with the best of 'em. Once you get on the road, excitement will overtake anxiety and you'll love the spirit of adventure. That's how I am when I travel alone, anyway: I get myself into major state of anxiety, imagining everything that can go wrong, then I pull out onto the highway and wonder what all that fussing was about.
(I've been treating myself to new under linings lately, too. A strictly cotton gal for years, suddenly I've decided to glam it up a bit and go for the nylon, but solely from TJ Maxx. Such deals!
Okay, if I have leveled this accusation at you after an earlier post, please forgive me. . . or not, but if my laptop dies I may blame you. I am dripping tears on it. i can't say I am really laughing out loud, because I am at a very busy coffee shop right now. I am struggling NOT to laugh out loud. And after an inelegant snort, hubby asked what I was reading.
Sending good thoughts your way that the Target purchases will, indeed be comfortable, exciting and not turn into pastel ankle bracelets (not the kind of exciting I'm wishing for you)!.
You're doing fine; my planning takes up so much time that there isn't time left to actually travel in the end. But planning is fun too.
What's with the new undies craze, is it because it's spring?
I forgot to wish you a happy trip.
Have a happy trip, dear Marcia.
Have a great trip! I'm spending spring break going to Target a couple of times while all the guys are gone. Looking forward to your updates!
Marcia, you are just too funny! I laughed all the way through your story! More power to you.
And as an aside, a San Diego fellow who used to write a column for singles wrote one time that it is really important for single woman to buy lovely silky underwear instead of what he called "Utility" underwear - which of course was cotton, though he might have given a little leeway to pink cotton. So you might want to make a stop on your way out of town when your planning ends and follow his suggestion, just in case!
You are going on an adventure. You're and adventuress. How wonderful. Have a great time along the journey as well as your destinations. BTW, that Target just around your corner is one of my favorite spots in Atlanta.
Have fun.
Looking forward to reading your travel journal and your picture postings.
Paula, my underwear came from your Target - the one at Atlantic Station!
You are going on a trip – how exciting! To me any trip is exciting as you may get nicer memories from a local trip than one from a far away land. Being spring I think you will see some pretty scenery. Have a great time.
It sounds like a lovely adventure. Enjoy!
I actually threw away a perfectly decent pair of underwear last week because it was a bit too tight, even though it was the same size as all the other pairs I have. I feel liberated!
Have a great time, Marcia. I'm sure you will. The trip will be an adventure not a crisis. My vacation is wonderful - warm and sunny & no snow!
Mary B
I just got back from an adventure trip and it was great. Saving up for another. Will try to remember to get new undies,lol.
Have a good time, and enjoy yourself. That's what life trips are for.
Fun story! I look forward to reports from Marcia at large on spring break. Have a wonderful time on your adventuresome "undertaking" ;-)
New undies is exactly how I'd start a trip too! Have a great time and if the new things drop there's always another Target somewhere ;-)
Can't wait to see the undies. The fam was having dinner last night and twittering excitedly about your arrival. There was some confusion as to how you could be getting in in the afternoon after leaving Georgia in the morning, but this explains it. When we started discussing what we would do to entertain you, sightseeing, pedicures, etc, Dad shot it all down and said knowing Marcia, you'd probably just want to sit on the porch and drink.
Reading your posts is a lot like having a chat with a cousin. And I've got some great cousins.
May your trip more than justify the underwear purchase.
Too funny. Have a great adventure. I love the GPS myself. And having just spent three grueling days on the road, comfy underwear is an absolute necessity. Not sure about the three lifetime's supply of diet Coke??
I'm supposing spontaneity is not your middle name. I have done it both way, both have advantages.
Think you will enjoy Tom. I still use a map for back up but they are priceless getting you through large cities with 6 lane highways.
Have a wonderful and safe trip.
Have a wonderful time - I'm going off campervanning for a few days tomorrow. Spring Break has come to Scotland.
I get my never-you-mind-what-size cotton panties from the Vermont Country store, where I go for new curtains for the sitting room. I know you know the Parkway ends in VA, so I see a trip around THE Beltway in your future. Warning, VA is expanding the lanes and rebuilding the bridges.
Good luck. I've made this particular trip many many times, and have no wish to do it again, knowing I probably could not find my way out of NOVA. I used to drive from here to Smokies in the old days. Dianne
Thanks for this post. I'm so glad that such an independent and intelligent woman gets stressed out with plans to travel on her own!!!
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