As I've said before, my Daddy has always had a love affair with automobiles.
His idea of a vacation, when I was little, was to see how many miles he could put on the car in a week and a half LOL. It was nothing at all for him to drive from Alabama to Canada and back, so I saw a lot of the USA growing up. Most of the time I would beg to stop at the next Stuckey's, hoping for some pralines or maybe a souvenir, or at the least a bathroom stop, but sometimes I could beg him into a side trip to some cave or other local attraction I'd seen advertised along the way.
This was the time of REAL road trips. All two lane highways, and when it was time to bed down for the night, it was an adventure in itself to find a decent looking place to stay. No Holiday Inns back then. Just mom and pop motels, with maybe a dozen bungalows. There are a few times I remember we paid for a room and no sooner got in there than Mama would tell me to pack back up, and we'd drive on for many more miles. Bugs.
I learned a lot on those trips. Geography and history always came easy for me, because I had been to so many places, and I'd experienced being around people who were different from me. We always took my Grandparents along with us, something I took for granted. I realized after I was grown that taking them made the trip easier financially for my parents. I'm sure they would have preferred that some of those trips be by themselves.
We've had some good laughs over some of Daddy's "vacations" that seemed more like marathon contests to see how many miles he could put on the car. ROTFL But I wouldn't take anything for those trips and all the wonderful memories they hold for me.
nostalgia, childhood memories, family vacations, road trip
7 comments:
The trips my family took always had Burma Shave signs along the way. Several signs that had a little poem and ended with Burma Shave. In my part of the country, we also had signs, many of them painted on barns, "Would be a pity to miss Rock City." And "See seven states from the top of Rock City." Those were times when roadside signs were a fun part of the trips.
Jan, you stole my next post!! I loved those Burma Shave signs!!! And I remember riding in the back seat, fascinated by all the different places they seemed to find to write "See Rock City"
i can't imagine being on the road for so many hours. i can't do it..i would probably sleep for the first few but after i think i be hansy. i'm obviously not the type to drive for such long ways. it's not in me. it's much easier for Cuppajoe..i do better at snoring, lol. but i love seeing the new places and admiring natures beuty. i would love to travel much more and see more.
what a wonderful memory as they all really are. i'm glad that you have so many of them and that they include your grandparents.
Chana, I certainly wouldn't want to drive a long trip like that! Mama always went to sleep, but I stayed awake most of the time, and enjoyed the scenery.
I like road trips now, but, back then, we didn't own a car.
I wrote a series of posts some time back that were based on my 101 year old Daddy's memories. All of the important times in his life are dated in his mind by which car he was driving at the time! That's how important automobiles have always been to my Daddy.
He's long since quit driving, but his mint condition 1969 Chevrolet Caprice still sits in the garage, ready for a spin, if I so choose. He wiped down the engine, checked the oil and water before every drive he ever took in every car he ever had.
My Daddy literally loved his cars and babied every one! And he loved road trips, too!!
I've been meaning to tell you, anvilcloud, that you have the warmest smile! I particularly like the picture you are using for your profile page on your own blog.
PS How are the violin lessons coming??
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