Not The Road Trip I Had In Mind

 

It was late Sunday night, on the way home, when Sean looked at me with concern.

He couldn't find a trusted hoodie of his. He quickly figured out that he had left it in the visitor's radio booth at Heritage Financial Park after the Renegades/Braves game that afternoon.

We figured a quick text might resolve things but, alas, it brought silence.

Now, understand that Sunday games are tough, at least in my opinion, in that they're the end of the homestand often and, as such, everyone is just done.

Weird things tend to happen. Everyone is tired and, often, a little grumpy. Gremlins abound.

And stuff gets left behind.

Still, I took a shot and drove over to the stadium on our route home. The place was empty and dark.

We'd need to come back or Sean would have to wait until he worked again.

We took a ride up today. The contacts we both reached out to were in a meeting and couldn't be disturbed. Fortunately, I explained the situation to the person at the front desk, and she ushered us to the booth to retrieve the hoodie. 

We did some grocery shopping in Fishkill and grabbed lunch near Mahopac after that before returning home.

So it was a productive day, even if it could be viewed as a waste of gas. Sometimes an adventure is needed. It sort of breaks up the monotony of the day. Sure, I could have made him wait but why? So we took the ride, even if it was a ride we know too well.

But, at the same time, the drive had me thinking about our next adventure, which will be here before we know it. I won't give everything away except to say this will be a road trip and probably one unlike Sean has ever been a part of. I'll also add that it will include our annual visit to North Carolina.

I'm going to hold off until I book a few things but it will take us to some different places. Or, places that we've never been to and I've never been to and he's never been to and places I haven't been to in years. 

That makes no sense.

I'll dig deeper once the plans are firmer.

It reminds me of another travel idea I've had. You know those ads that would have flights at some really low price? I used to see them back in the days of reading a newspaper. I always thought it would be fun to sort of randomly pick a low-priced flight and go somewhere I've never been.

Maybe it would be St. Louis and I could go to a Cardinals game. Or a Royals game in Kansas City.

Or maybe somewhere without sports where I could just walk around and get the flavor of a place, spend a night, and head back home.

It was nothing I ever really pursued but I always thought it would be a fun way to see different places.

That's all part of what a road trip can do for me. Sometimes I'm content to buzz through on the interstate but, admittedly, I sometimes want to ride the side roads.

Of course, some of that joy has been taken away as roads are dotted with the same brands. I mean, every town seems to have a Dollar General and maybe a McDonald's. One thing I've always loved about traveling is seeing the things that are different. 

Stores and brands and local chains and other things that are unique to an area.

That's where a lot of the Waffle House and Wawa stuff comes from. What makes it great -- for me -- is that we have to take the step to go get these things. They're not 20 minutes away.

Or even back into the Hudson Valley.

Just wait. A longer drive will happen.

I just need to finalize it.