Going anywhere?

One of the guys is out at a friend’s birthday celebration, the other is watching Dazed and Confused, in which I have no interest, so I’ll just kill some time filling up this space with the answer to that there question.

It’s one I get a lot – I guess because I have the reputation of “That person who’s always going somewhere.” And now that travel is on more people’s plates, it seems to be a more frequent conversation starter – for me and for everyone.

Short answer?

Not sure.

Nothing huge, that’s for certain.

Not that we stayed put over the past fifteen months, of course. Some of you did, but we didn’t. We took two major trips since Covid, both out west – one, in August of 2020 to Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP, and then this past February to Arizona. With a few more local jaunts here and there.

But now things are “opening up,” so that’s the question….going anywhere?

A lot of you are! So many folks I know or sort-of-know, for example, have been…out West over the past month. It’s been great to see my Instagram feed be wall-to-wall Grand Canyon/Yellowstone/Zion…etc.

One of my sons did a college-related two week thing out in that part of the country in July, so that, along with the fact that a lot of folks are exploring the Wild West right now made it not a destination at the top of our list for this summer, at least.

And we’ve had some questions and some changes a-brewing that made it not make sense to go anywhere. College Guy is readying himself for school, preceded by some beach time, so he’ll have his share when that rolls around.

But what about us? The two left at home?

Well, as I’ve mentioned, Kid #5, whom, up to a few weeks ago, we though of as a high school junior, has transmogrified into a senior. So there will definitely be a strong academic – and arts – focus for the upcoming year. And because of his work (church organist), trips that include weekends must be carefully spaced. In other words – we can’t do a lot of them.

So while I had hoped to do another central American trip in August, I don’t think that’s going to happen. And once the first semester of academics ends in early November – well, then there are piano recitals and then Christmas church music…so….

And no, Europe is definitely not happening for us for at least another year, until all of this….situation…shakes itself out and travel of that sort can be relatively hassle-free. I’m just not going to bother with all that.

But I do have my eye on two less-than-a-week jaunts to take over the next few weeks, after College Guy leaves and before the senior’s co-op classes and recital schedule starts.

First would be the Smokies or the Blue Ridge Mountains – wandering, hiking and so on.

Second would take us in the other direction, towards the Mississippi Blues Trail, and probably tossing Oxford into the mix on the way over. We’ve been to Memphis a couple of times, been to New Orleans a lot, but never in between, so it’s time.

Sound good?

Yeah, sounds good.