This commentary is by Bob Stannard of Manchester, an author, musician and former state legislator and lobbyist.
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again — Willie Nelson
As I’m writing this, I am one week into a three-week adventure of a lifetime. My wife, Alison, and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 26. We decided that, in lieu of getting each other some gift that in all likelihood we might lose in the next year, perhaps instead we might hop in my truck and drive west for a few weeks.
Initially, I had thought that we might just drive with no agenda. My bride is more inclined to plan out our trips. We’ve stayed married this long because I’m wise enough to give on things like planning a trip vs. not planning a trip.
Thus far we’ve made it to the North Shore of Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake (although I did hear today that there’s a lake in Egypt that might be bigger). The wind’s been howling and there were some pretty substantial waves crashing on the rock outcroppings and black sand beaches. I thought these waves were pretty big until I read a placard on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a tragedy made famous by singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot.
The Edmund Fitzgerald sank just north of the Split Rock Lighthouse where I was standing today thanks to 60 mph winds and near 30-foot-high waves. Ocean waves might get that high. I was intrigued to learn that waves could get that high on a lake, even a Great Lake. Knowing that would cause me to think twice before venturing out on this lake. However, the beauty might be worth the risk.
And isn’t that a metaphor for how we should live our lives? Most of us are born into a life of reasonable security. The idea of leaving that comfort zone might provide some angst. That’s why it’s called a “comfort zone.” We’re comfortable where we are and we don’t want to change anything or take the risk of having something awful happen to us. It’s only natural to feel this way, but think about
how limited our life experiences would be if we never ventured out of our comfort zone.
Mark Twain said it best: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
In a day when prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness seem to be winning the day, perhaps traveling is the answer that’s been right in front of us all along. There are a million reasons not to travel. It’s too risky. It’s too expensive. What happens if I have car trouble? How will I be perceived by strangers? Wouldn’t I be just better off staying home?
None of those reasons are good enough to keep you from leaving where you are and go exploring. You don’t have to drive to California, but how about Gettysburg? If you got in your car right first thing in the morning, you’d be in Gettysburg by the afternoon. Take another day and you might almost be to Memphis.
We’re taking our time, stopping and visiting family members we’ve not seen in a while and basically just kind of meandering our way west. We do have a goal of making it to Yellowstone National Park before heading back east.
A couple of things to note.
This is one HUGE country. We’ve driven around some, but when you just get in your car (or in our case my truck) and drive, you really get to see just how big this place is. The foliage in western Pennsylvania far exceeded what I saw of foliage in Vermont. The leaves there already made the trip worth it.
You also get to see firsthand our supply chain in action. There are a gazillion trucks on our freeways moving product from A to B. We’ve seen trains with too many cars to count. We’re a nation on the move.
Driving around today, you can see the results of the first real infrastructure bill passed in about three decades. Men and women are working hard rebuilding our roads and bridges, thanks to the efforts of our current president. You may recall his predecessor announced that “next week is going to be infrastructure week” every week for four years, only to do nothing. One of the best investments we can make with our hard-earned tax dollars is to reinvest in our country’s infrastructure.
We’ve seen miles of wind and solar farms, reaffirming that America is moving away from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources. It’s heartwarming to see how far we’ve come, knowing that we still have a long way to go. You’ve got to start somewhere and we’re starting now in a big way.
We’re only one week into this trip and have already seen more beauty than we could ever imagine. The one thing I’m keeping in mind is that it’s about the journey — not the destination.
Go for a ride. You’ll be glad you did.
