I've got my eyes on the road and my hands on the wheel.
I'm encased in my solitude of plastic and steel...
--Arlee Bird
Driving on the open highways has been something I've always liked to do from the time I first got my license. Sometimes I dream about driving--in sleep dreams or otherwise. In my office I keep a road atlas to which I frequently refer. For me, a map can be as good as the Mona Lisa. Maybe better. I can look at a map much longer.
Maps trigger dreams of adventures to places away from home. My mind wanders along the colored lines as I visualize those places. Driving on those roads brings it all to reality. There are people in places most of us rarely dream about and those people have their own dreams. I am one of many.
What are my dreams? Certainly not to fade away into a complacency of retirement as I wait to leave this Earth one day--hopefully one day many more years into the future. I'm mostly dreaming and scheming. Talking about dreams can bore others or have them roll up their eyes and scrunch their mouths in expressions of doubt.
As I write my blog posts for my "This Is Me" theme I am likely creating some sort of impressionistic view into my dream mind without actually coming to any specific point. Perhaps I'm trying to avoid those chides that I'm too old to be planning for any future that includes dreaming about things I might yet achieve--or maybe won't.
Too old? Not me, not yet. I plan to drive a dream to its destination. And if I don't make it to that destination, hopefully I will have had a pleasant journey anyway. For now I'm behind the wheel with a tank full of gas.
Do you think you will ever stop dreaming? When you get tired or discouraged what do you do to re-energize? If you were going to take a long trip how would you prefer to travel?
Some people are dreamers while I prefer to dream and catch zzz's in my sleep. lol I prefer travelling by plane and staying in fancy hotels and eating petit dejeuners :) I hate long distance road trips by car yuck. Second choice would be either train or Greyhound bus.
ReplyDeleteJackie's Bookbytes Letter D
Jackie, I like fancy--or at least nice and clean--hotels too. If I could always first class and avoid all the boarding hassles flying would be nice. Greyhound bus sounds like kind of a nightmare, but I'm thinking back to bus travel I did in the early 1970's.
DeleteI do wish I could remember my night dreams more vividly.
Lee
I prefer short road trips and I immensely enjoy watching the changing terrain. For longer distances, aeroplane is preferred. The local history of the places, cuisine, monuments fascinate me.
ReplyDeleteKalpana Solsi
Gemini in the sky
Kalpana, the education one receives from travel can be immense. I try to plan as much as I can before I take a trip.
DeleteLee
I have a scratch map on my wall on which I can highlight the places across the world I've visited. I sit and stare at it and dream of my next destination. I'll fly there and then travel by train, trains, several trains. You've got me dreaming again!
ReplyDeleteMy A-Z of Children's Stories
Keith, I should get a large wall map of the U.S. to pinpoint all the places I performed with various tours. I think I'll do that!
DeleteLee
I've got to admit long drive are just too hard these days so those dream destinations will have to be reached by air. But just to drive around on a warm spring day with the top down and the music blaring...that's its own dream come true.
ReplyDeleteLD, when I lived in TN, driving the backroads was something we'd often do to pass the time. Love that.
DeleteLee
Since retirement I've learned to ride a motorcycle, and enjoy that immensely, taking back roads to anywhere. My ukulele arrives today. Haven't played one since I was a kid. Got one for my granddaughter - a plastic one for Christmas - and she's let me plunk around on it for a few minutes. Sometimes she says no. Thanks, I let you play on my iPad! But today, I get my own and I'm gonna learn to play it! Another dream! I am keeping on with life as full as I can make it every day. Here's to dreaming and DOING!
ReplyDeleteAtoZ Challenge
Maine Vanity Plate Poetry
Mainely Write
Donna, I bought a ukulele last year after my 10 year old granddaughter bought one for herself and learned to play it while singing. You can get pretty nice uke kits at an inexpensive price.
DeleteLee
I'm a daydream believer, Lee! I used to enjoy driving long distances, but lately my eyes tire and sometimes play tricks. I'd love to travel the country by rail again someday.
ReplyDeleteMyra, I don't do night driving as well anymore so we drive shorter days usually. It would be cool if there were still an extensive passenger rail system throughout the country and it didn't cost a fortune to use it.
DeleteLee
I'm not sure my comments to previous posts of yours are appearing Arlee - let's see if this does. Right now I'm doing a long road trip and thankfully I enjoy driving. It gives me time to day dream ...
ReplyDeleteSusan S, I remember seeing at least one comment from you so far and there's nothing in my spam folder. My long drives have been amazing times to daydream--while being a safe driver as well.
DeleteLee
My late husband used to love to taking driving trips and could drive about 20 hours at a stretch. Hope you get to follow your dreams.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, in my younger days I did some hellacious driving. I usually would stop for quick naps, but there would be some marathons. I'm chasing those dreams down--at a somewhat slow pace.
DeleteLee
I love driving. When I toodle down the open road with my tunes blaring away, I get lots of ideas and dreams. I call the car my "traveling think tank."
ReplyDeleteTrudy, I like "traveling think tank" as it is appropriate. All the passing stuff adds to the thought stimulation. The open road is one of my favorite places to be.
DeleteLee
You're never too old to dream. If and when driving becomes a problem, you ride, see more and dream more.
ReplyDeleteI love roadtrips - and maps! Flying is for the birds ;-)
Diedre, hopefully I'll never stop dreaming though I'm sure I'll see many dreams on hold as the years come and go. AS long as I can travel, give me the road any day. I like to stop when I feel like it and change my mind about where I'm going if the whim strikes.
DeleteLee
I don't know that I have "a dream" in that sense. I've always just made the best of each day. Or something akin to that. As for dreams and cars, they either end up lost, or with falling off wheels, or turn into bkies or toy cars (in the middle of traffic.) Once I couldn't find my car in a dream. I told myself, this is a dream, pick out the best car in the lot. I did, opened it with my fob, and away I went. Eventually it turned into a pickup, my daughter was driving, and we ended up in a flood.
ReplyDeleteCW, you and I have similar sorts of dream. I'm often trying to find my car or something in dreams.
DeleteLee
Since my husband is legally blind, I am the only driver now. I like driving. I can't say I love driving. I like being a passenger and seeing stuff along the way that I normally would miss because my eyes are on the road as a driver. And I am a knitter! I haven't figured out a way to knit and drive at the same time. hahaha! So when I am a passenger - I can knit - which is a BIG draw for me.
ReplyDeleteKnitter, I love driving! I'd be kind of sad if I couldn't drive anymore. Hopefully I'd have someone to drive for me. I guess my wife would though she doesn't seem to like to drive that much, but she does anyway since she has a long commute.
DeleteLee
Lee, we're not too old to dream and make plans until the brain and body make it impossible. I still plan to write, blog, read, review, and learn as long as possible. My next challenge is to learn to play the ukelele I bought. Just invested in a copy of Ukelele for Dummies to help me out. :D
ReplyDeletePatricia, so true! Last year I bought a nice ukulele package on Amazon and have learned to play it some. My granddaughter inspired me to get one after she bought one on her own--she was nine at the time! That kind of impressed and inspired me.
DeleteLee
I now only drive in my dreams - ever since I reversed at spped into a lamp post. And dreaming drives my writing.
ReplyDeleteRoland, I often drive in my dreams, but in them I'm usually kind of lost and trying to figure out where I'm going.
DeleteLee
Lost seems to be the key word for me too - mostly lost the car/forgot where I left it. Best dream was when I realised that I had the car in the pannier of my bicycle.
DeleteLove dreaming and love driving too. Used to take off in my TR7 and just drive for a few hours to think. Ah, the days of youth.
ReplyDeleteJanet, I too would drive for hours in my younger days just to meander and dream. Now I only do it when I'm on a trip back east.
DeleteLee
One of the things that has made me feel "old" in the past few years has been the need for multiple trips to check on my mothers affairs...it's a 10 hour drive that makes my back issues flare up and I have basically given up all hope of vacations. Free time is spent this way.
ReplyDeleteRoad trips used to be fun! I hope that feeling comes back. In the meanwhile, I'm enjoying hearing about your relationship with the road. Nice post, Lee!
Cherdo, I visited my mother more often and for longer periods in her final years. I'm glad I did since that chance will never be available again--at least not in this world.
DeleteLee
Dreams are everything. From dreams we have created beautiful works of art and major technological advances. Funny, my brother and I were just talking about how much we like maps and I will go on google maps and even look at my own city. Give me a ticket to Europe any day and I always dreamed of walking in the mountains..not climbing but walking. My niece is doing this right now actually but closer to the Black Forest. Now, I would love to travel by car across country, here in Canuckland, but go to off beaten paths because I love that. If I were in the states, I do think of good ole Route 66 even though it doesn’t really exist now but I would want to try.
ReplyDeleteBirgit, Route 66 is actually pretty well marked and a lot of people still make that trek. I've traveled along much of the route in my adult years. When I was a kid we followed Rte 66 when we were moving to San Diego and when we returned back East 5 years later.
DeleteLee
Yes! That's the attitude I like! Drive baby! I LOVE the quote you put at the top. So visual I can feel the wind in my hair...
ReplyDeleteLisa, to be driving is a special personal zone that some love, same hate, and some just don't think about. Me, I think about driving a lot.
DeleteLee
I love maps. They hang all over my walls at home. Nautical charts as well. Barley a day goes by that I am not looking at Google Maps ......for anything. I drive in traffic to commute to work, so I try not to drive on vacation. If I'm in the car, I like to ride as a passenger so I can look all around; it's safer that way.
ReplyDeleteZD, I have several maps that I've been intending to put on the walls in my office. I keep a road atlas near my desk and refer to it often. It's fun for me to just look at those maps and imagine trips.
DeleteI don't drive that much when I just home and I don't work outside the home so when vacation comes I'm ready for a road trip and lot's of driving through wide open spaces. I can see plenty even while driving.
Lee