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Road Trip

The daily prompt has asked me to – Think back on your most memorable road trip.

Okay, I did that. What a time. Most details are classified as are most of my memorable road trips with friends. We were young, our early 20s. Maryland to Daytona Beach Florida in my 74 Camaro with stops in Greenville SC and Vienna Ga on the way down. What I can say is that trip was the week the movie Animal House was released in 1978, and we saw it on the way down near Clemson University on day 2 of our 11-day adventure. The rest of the trip was spent topping that.

Some of the simplest road trips are the most pleasurable. These are with my better half and are so enjoyable. We have taken many road trips to Western Maryland and some to the Eastern shore of Maryland. Both very beautiful places. Sometimes day trips sometimes overnight. Sometimes a few days trip to different spots.

I think back to the memories of taking our children on vacations, mostly to the beach. I still can’t figure out how I packed all that stuff and people into a small car. But if the kids had a good time, it made our trip.

If it’s up to me, I prefer a road trip, no planes, ships, buses or trains. I don’t mind trains but the other three I can leave. I love to drive so road trips are my favorite form of travel.

This year I’m going to make a lot of road trips in the Miata. Mostly pointed east towards the shore but many other destinations also.

If I may add one thing. Could we all just try to get along on the roads and stop trying to kill each other for a car length or two advantage.

Eating up some road. Photo by Mike Hartley


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Road Trip

Think back on your most memorable road trip. So ask the daily prompt today.

When I think of the term “Road Trip”, my mind flashes back to my youth. For those words were said with emphasis. Sometimes to a far away destination, sometimes to a local club. Driving was a huge part of our youth.

The best road trip was in my 74 Camaro from our home midway between DC and Baltimore to Daytona Beach Florida with one of my best friends, I think the year was 1978. With stops to see friends in South Carolina and his Grandparents in Georgia on the way down to the shores of Florida.

My 74 before modifications. Photo by Mike Hartley

I can’t remember the total days, but we had slow cruise on the way down, stayed several days in Daytona so about a 8-9 days debauchery had gone by. We called back home to rage from the beach and learned there was a big party that night at a friends house. Soon as we hung up we knew it was a road trip home to make it to the party. We were leaving the next day anyway.

Given the distance, 830 miles and time they would never expect us. But we drove the tires off this thing that day and made it. Switching drivers each time we got gas, barely missing getting locked up a few times. Two of us barely over 20 years old and playing Cannonball Run up the east coast. One of many, of not the smartest things I’ve ever done. But we survived. And it was a thrill and a half and a great trip overall.

My mid life therapist above. Photo by Mike Hartley

A close runner up though are days on the bike riding for 8-10 hours down to the ocean and just cruising that were great. Going up and down the Atlantic coast from Ocean City Maryland up to Bethany or Rehoboth Delaware and stopping at favorite dining and beverage spots and the occasional rest/nap on the beach. Then back home in the late evening crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and looking at the freighters lined up down the bay waiting there turn to unload.

I love to drive and sometimes spend days cruising now in my Miata convertible now with my better half. Days of speed and wheelies are long over. But road trips will always be part of me.