I'm just not going to travel on the holidays anymore.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

My tale of woe.

Almost became a Pit thread, but I’m feeling more pathetic than angry. (Well, OK, a little angry.)

Subtitle: Happy Thanksgiving from Denny’s!

So, I had already pretty much decided not to fly over the holidays anymore … after years of doing the college-student-travelling-home-for-the-holidays things. I feel like I’ve paid my dues, and I’m just too old to put up with it anymore. Luckily, I now live about an hour from my parents’ house, so it’s a pretty easy trip for the day.

At least it was.

Does it seem to anyone else that the roads are getting eviller every year at the holidays? I leave my house around 11:30am on Thanksgiving and point my little yellow Jeep northward, giving my parents an ETA of about 1:00pm due to expected traffic delays. Well, 1:00 comes and goes, and I’m still on the outskirts of my hometown (Denver, btw) in completely stopped traffic. I had gotten about 10 miles from home. And people seemed to be losing their minds. Not only are they driving on the shoulder, but some others are driving AROUND the cars on the shoulder (achieving almost a 45-degree angle in the ditch). Aaand, when we get to an exit that hasn’t been finished yet, many cars exit there, weaving through the forest of orange cones and “road closed” signs (lord knows where they ended up, probably in a farmer’s field or swamp or cow paddy somewhere).

Finally, I called Mom and tearfully told her I was bailing out, which I did at the next actual exit. (Thank goodness she was cool about it.) Got home without much trouble and ate by myself at Denny’s. Though I have to admit the chicken fried steak dinner and pumpkin pie were very tasty, it was a very sad holiday. Especially because I am on my own this year with a husband deployed with the National Guard. snif At least when it was all over, I was able to go home at the end for some much-needed cuddling with my dog.

So, my point is … at this juncture I’m thinking of bagging the whole idea of travelling ANYWHERE on the holidays … road, plane, anything. If I can’t get there on my bike, I’m not going. Family can make one feel very guilty about this, but I think I will manage to stand firm on this. Aren’t holidays supposed to be fun and not a struggle? And people seem to be getting meaner every year. I have a theory that the more dead-set on “fun” they are, the more vicious they can be. I truly felt threatened out there - very bad vibes. And when people are intoxicated with too much heavy food and wine and family distractions … I’m sure the accidents will keep getting worse. I’m feeling like the whole thing is evil … thousands of families obligated to do the same things at the same time. Of course it’s a recipe for disaster.

Anyway, thanks for reading my tale of woe. And for Christmas, I am STAYING HOME. No more no more.

Who’s with me?

2

My daughter and I spent about 14 hours on I-95 south yesterday. It was a rather pleasant drive until we were in South Carolina. Traffic stopped. As in sitting still on the interstate. No apparent reason. No sirens. No broken glass on the road. No body bags in the medians. Just stopped.

I suspect the merchants along the interstate conspired and hired some ringers to drive r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w-l-y and clog up the road so frustrated travelers would hop off at a convenient exit to take a break, have a meal, fill the tank, and spend money rather than spending time on the road. That’s what I think.

Anyway, I told my daughter, who will be in college next fall, that if she wants to have Thanksgiving with us, she needs to book a flight. Or she can drive from Orlando to Ocala and dine with her grandparents. Or she can put a turkey pot pie in the oven. But she shouldn’t drive I-95 over that weekend.

We will be driving from Jax to Ocala for Christmas, but that’s an easy drive, mostly along US 301. Holiday driving sucks swampwater.

3

This was the first year I’ve ever not travelled to relatives for Thanksgiving and it was pure bliss.

My decision was reinforced during my drive home from work Wednesday as freakin’ idiots poured from the roadwork to speed, cut and weave their way to the Murderous Driver’s Hall Of Shame. As I watched these SOBs right and left throw decency to the wind in an effort to meet somewhere with other murderous drivers and give thanks that blinkers use is optional, I was so relieved to only have to deal with them on a 35 mph stretch and not on a packed highway.

4

I wouldn’t swear it off forever, I would just go a day ahead next time. I think your family would appreciate it.

5

It’s usually a 7-8 hour drive to get to my parents’ house. If I’m lucky, it’s merely long and tedious. If I’m unlucky, I get a snowstorm while it’s happening and I get to play a 14 hour long game of pinball.