459.84 Miles from Home

According to Yahoo Maps, my one way driving distance to the home where I grew up and my mom still lives is 459.84 miles.

This trip can take anywhere from 7 hrs flat to over 9 hours, depending upon the weather, traffic, and calls of nature along the way.

This is a trip that I have made many times during the last 6 years since I have moved to North Carolina. I have made this trip by myself, with my family, and my family has driven it without me on occasion as well.

The route is certainly very familiar at this point and there is no need for a GPS to tell us which way to go. Pretty much any where along the route I can tell you how much further to our next landmark (like the Golden Dome to mark the halfway point) and how far to arrive at our destination.

Spending all that time in a car (or van as the case may be) gives you plenty of opportunity to notice and discover things along the route:

Animals, Animals Everywhere!
A favorite way to pass the time is to be the first to spot the animals as we drive by. Michelle is exceptionally adept at this skill and usually is the first to spot the animals. We have seen all varieties of creatures. From the basic farm animals like: Cows, Horses, Sheep, Dogs, and Cats; to woodland creatures: Deer, Groundhogs, Squirrels, Fox, Hawks, Owls, Wild Turkeys, and Buzzards; to the not seen everyday roadside animals: Turtles, Llamas, Coyote, Pygmy Goats, and a Camel!

I’ve Gotta Go!
We certainly can tell you which exits have restrooms, which exits have clean restrooms, which Fast Food places have clean restrooms, and which gas stations we should never try to visit their restrooms again. There are literally very few exits along this route that we have not had to make a stop at during one of our many journeys. This has led to many close calls, but we have always been able to find some place just in the nick of time.

I’m Hungry!
I’m now convinced there is no surer way to upset the harmony of a car travelling family than to ask the question “Where would you like to eat?” It’s not like we haven’t spent any time together before. For some reason there will always be at least one stubborn dissenter who has chosen this opportune time to voice their newly found dislike for the eatery of choice. I’m sure that sometime in the future they will tell me that they have just been playing a trick on me and they just do this for the entertainment value.

Do you have the money ready?
Our favorite game along the way is called “exact change”. It is paramount that we gather the appropriate funds to pay our three $1.25 tolls each way. The money must be readied ahead of time and handed to the driver in a particular manner or you lose. It is a moral victory, if nothing else to be able to minimize stopping time by choosing the shortest toll lane and handing them the exact change so that we can zoom off towards our next checkpoint. It’s the little things in life that make me happy.

The Weather Forecast is ……
I have now made this trip in all kinds of weather, during the day and the night. I can honestly say that I enjoy the drive much better when the weather cooperates. There is nothing like driving 70 mph through the mountains of West Virginia during a 32 F freezing rain at night. Although the one that probably tops them all is the drive from Ohio to NC during a snow storm where I couldn’t see the road for a 150 mile stretch of snow covered, 1 lane, freeway driving.

Orange Barrels and Holiday Traffic
I’ve learned first hand why they say to avoid Holiday Traffic. It will suck the Holiday spirit out of you faster than you can say “Happy Thanksgiving to you too, buddy!” Construction barrels are like rabbits as they always seem to multiply. Traffic grinds to a halt as it tries to merge into a single lane usually combining with the “I gotta go now!” crew declaring that although they didn’t give me warning as we were passing all of those convenient exits, they really gotta go!

Achieving the Zen of the Long Drive
One of the best things about these mega-highway experiences is the opportunity to relax and reflect upon the world. While the kids are watching their movie and Michelle is looking for wildlife, I have the opportunity to relax, think, dream up new blog subjects, and unwind. There is certainly something to be said for having the ability to take some time to be alone with your thoughts in this busy, non-stop multi-tasking world.

Maybe those long drives aren’t so bad after all.