Roadtrippin'

Happy weekend! Welcome to Austin! I'm down for the week visiting Chris and the OTHER Chris, aka my brother... can you believe my boyfriend AND my brother are named Chris? You're probably thinking that could be confusing... yeah... it is! But how wonderful is it that I can drive 3 hours and be in one of the coolest cities in Texas and visit both of them?!

I like to travel, even if it is from Fort Worth to Austin and back. And I love being in the car for my travels. We live in a world based on speed; how fast can you get there, how quickly can you get it done, when are you moving on to the next thing? Most people would probably rather fly, especially when you take frequent trips to a place nearby. Not me! Give me my car! Because really, what's so wrong with taking some time to get somewhere? Why should everything I do be based on how fast I can do it? Why should I hop a plane and sit silently next to someone I don't know and more than likely, someone that doesn't want to know me because they're grumpy about the flight they're on? Something tells me there's many more friendly, interesting people to encounter along the road, especially in Texas!

There is no place I love to be more than my car! There is nothing better than a mix CD, windows down, sunroof open and an iced tea next to me as I fly down the Texas highways! Yes it's gas money and time and car maintenance, but it's also freedom! I suggest we all step back from life and take a minute to realize how fast we try to move through it... everything can slow down a little bit if you make an effort. Why not enjoy some quiet time to yourself instead of stressing yourself with making a flight on time, limiting the size of your luggage, throwing out all your liquids or putting them in individual bags, getting dressed just so you can strip in public and be searched for things you wouldn't even dream of bringing with you... why not put some effort into getting yourself where you need to go, maybe basing a decision on what you may get out of it, and not just how you can save some money and/or time?

Don't get me wrong, I know in a down economy every one must cut corners, everyone needs to think about time and money... but don't we all do that a little TOO much? Haven't we all forgotten that one amazing roadtrip memory we have? You know... like when you were in college and Jill's car started to overheat and smoke on the highway on a trip to Houston and you have to putt along until you make it to Wal-Mart for some anti-freeze! "Swing swing swing from the tangles of my heart"... yes that's actually one of my true college stories! Or the first roadtrip you took with your significant other, or the first roadtrip you took with your kids... I'm willing to bet every single person has at least one great memory of being in the car.  Now how many great memories do you have of being on a plane? Just sayin'...

I say we all step back a little from our crazy technological shortcut world, our apps to book flights and restaurant reservations, our text messages and tweets, and maybe we remember a time that was not that long ago... a time when adventure was not "checking-in" to the spot where everyone already is, but rather a time when we just jumped in our cars and went! That's my favorite thing about my roadtrips... I may not have a new destination every time, but you can bet the scenery along the way changes each time. I can choose a different route, I can choose a different rest stop, I'm in control and can change my path at any point and it's that freedom that never allows me to get sick of the I-35 drive. I could focus on the destination and getting there quickly, but I choose to enjoy the drive :-)