it's in the blood

[whitereflection]

visited 27 states (54%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

And damned near all of it by car, because my Dad was and is severely phobic about flying and was a fiend for roadtrips. Roadtrips for vacations, roadrips for taking Mom to different hospitals when her health was bad, roadtrips for moving (and moving back again). I've flown only a little in comparison. To be honest, I miss roadtripping. I miss interstates and highways and the scenery of America along the way. I miss motels and American food chain restaurants and tourist trap gift shops. But I'm a passenger, not a driver, and the husband isn't any better (also, he hates traveling :/ ).

Dad doesn't drive so much anymore--back and neck problems, but when he and my stepmother do take trips, that's how they do it. But he used to be such a freaking maniac for driving. He could go and go and go, like a vehicular marathoner. Sometimes we didn't even do motels--we'd just sleep as he drove until we got there (Omaha to Seattle or vice versa's 36 hours, I'm just sayin'.) All he needed was Coca Cola, someone to read the maps, and the radio. (Though I do remember one trip he needed a brief recharge, and we slept in the car at a rest stop.) In comparison, the bits of driving I've done? Hour trips to Lincoln, or the hour and a half trips to Seward or Audubon, a few hours to Kansas City. I think the longest I've ever driven was about 6 hours to Witchita, and that was too long for me. At least it was back when I tried it.

Sometimes I want to roadtrip again so much it's like an itch under my skin. What was the old slogan in that one car commercial, "Drivers wanted"? Yeah.

Comments

[chez-amanda.livejournal.com]

When I was about four or five, my mom, dad and I drove all the way out to Monterey, CA to visit my brother's family. His wife had just had their first baby and I guess my parents hated flying or just couldn't afford a plane ticket, I dunno, but we drove all the way out there from Ohio. We stopped in Salt Lake City to visit my uncle and his family for a bit along the way. Also, I used to get carsick like crazy as a kid, so the trip wasn't full of good memories along the way. Aside from throwing up most of the time, I remember laying in the backseat and seeing stars one night. Not sure why that memory sticks in my mind, but it does :) Even though it takes forever, I'd much rather drive than fly.

[cherie-morte.livejournal.com]

I hope you know that I intend to pick your brain when I'm writing my giant Wincest 50 states story over the summer. You have no choice. That's what you get for being unfairly well traveled.

[keerawa.livejournal.com]

I've been on four big roadtrips in my life. I like to do them completely unplanned. "Hey, let's go south today!" "Oooh, what's a jackolope? Let's go find out!" I've hit every state but California. That's on the menu for this summer.

The last time we had a GPS (man it makes everything easier) and an iPod hooked up to the car speakers. Gotta tell you, after 6 hours of pretty scenery and NC-17 podfic, you are READY to hit a motel room ...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_amalthea/]

I just counted mine and I was surprised that I have actually visited 15 states, even though I only lived in the states for a year.

Me and my friend who also went to USA for her exchange year have been dreaming about going back some day and taking a roadtrip from coast to coast. And I think I could actually manage to drive long hours because I'm so used to driving long distances all the time.

I wonder if Hawaii and Alaska are the only states the Winchester haven't visited? :D Or have they been to Alaska? I have no idea...

[joseishijin.livejournal.com]

I love your post! We took so many road trips when I was younger...and your whole post made me all misty remembering the good times and the bad times and the hilarity that always ensued when my whole family was trapped in a car for copious amounts of time. LOL!