Fall Road Trip Ironies and Adventures – Snakes in the Grass

The preeminent philosophical question goes something like this: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Today I present to you a corollary: “If a family reunion takes place but there are no pictures to document it, did it actually happen?”

Such is the case with my recent trip to see family in Michigan. We had such a good time that it never once occurred to any of us to snap a picture. Paul McCartney, who I’ve read no longer poses for selfies, I suspect would be most proud of us. Over the course of three separate days with my family — a cousin and his wife; a sister and brother-in-law who live in the western part of the state but traveled to join us; and my host Ann Arbor-based sister, who to her surprise is now the family matriarch — none of us had the wherewithal to remember to take a picture.

In fact, now that I think about it, I do recall Sir Paul joining us too. Recollections may vary.

We laughed, we commiserated, we gossiped, we spoke of bodies which no longer function as we’d like– often in fact. I just have no visual proof that any of this happened. Does it matter? Well, yes actually with my family anyway because we still have arguments about who skipped out on weddings and funerals from 30 years ago. So it would have been nice if someone (read: me) might have have thought of it.

Gorgeous fared much better. She has definitive proof that she did indeed met up with her own friends and family.

In all we spent 11 days on the road. Your humble blogger absolutely loves long car trips, his lovely wife not so much. But fortunately she does enjoy the stops and destinations. As always, there were a myriad of comical moments while driving. Such as with our GPS, which offers confusing directions like keeping to the left while at the same time admonishing to stay in the right lane. Ditto with billboards so awful that one can’t help but still admire their idiocy and audaciousness. We happened upon the one below after crossing the Indiana border. We came upon it too quickly to snap a picture, but I just knew that I’d find it in a Google search later that evening. And sure enough….

Speaking of the GPS, by now we’re all used to having some kind of electronic directional aid. I decided for this trip that I wanted to also go slightly nostalgic, and so I ordered from AAA one of their classic TripTiks. A folly if you will. I thought it might be fun to flip through each page and follow the route.

AAA makes it easy to order one on their member website by asking you to plug in your journey including overnight stops, which they’re happy to decide on your behalf or you can choose your own (I chose my own). After ordering it arrives via snail mail in about ten days. Presto chango, neato burrito! Except sadly, it’s no longer your father’s TipTik. AAA has changed the format from the previous easy flip-book with the simple highlighted route, to a spiral notebook chock full of Internet maps and dense turn-by-turn directions that go on for pages. Where one used to merely glance at it for quick guidance, it’s now something akin to an epic James Joyce-like travel guide. I ended up never using it.

On the other hand, I did enjoy listening to the nearly 3000 songs on my phone through the car’s sound system. I can remember my dad on road trips only ever wanting to listen to either news stations or Arthur Godfrey’s radio show. Gorgeous and I have vastly different music preferences, however. A stoic trooper, she only ever complained when a Paul McCartney song played. Ironic, given his later appearance at my sister’s home and all.

Our first major stop to see family was Chicago, where Gorgeous’ favorite daughter and boyfriend live (full disclosure: she only has one child). We spent two days there. We had a fabulous meal at Volare Ristorante in downtown, and also at George’s Deep Dish Pizza in the Edgewater neighborhood.

And of course, there just happen to be pictures to document. I smell a conspiracy.

Favorite daughter took us to her workplace at the Chicago Botanical Garden, where she introduced us to some of her colleagues and proudly showed us off. Well, to be clear she proudly showed off her workplace, which is indeed a beautiful and scenic spot. Highly recommended if you’re ever visiting Chicago. On the day that we were there, they had a pumpkin pie making demonstration. Pumpkins grow in gardens after all, so it all seemed perfectly appropriate to this dessert-eating boy. .

On our way home, we stopped in Nashville for an overnight visit designed to cram in as much as logistically possible. The wonderful D at one of my part-time job accounts is a native of Nashville, and she offered suggestions ahead of time that we never came close to fulfilling. But I still have her list and we’ll tackle it all again someday (thanks, D!). We did manage to visit tourist meccas such as the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman Auditorium, Broadway Street, and The Parthenon. A few small trinkets may have been purchased; one of us was a little more aggressive in the pursuit than the other.

If there was any disappointment in the trip, and this can’t be helped regardless, but it was that we had the misfortune of driving through Atlanta both times during their evening rush hour. I know of big city traffic only too well: DC and its infamous Capital Beltway, New York with the LIE and Belt Parkway, and LA’s I-5 and 405. But good lord, Atlanta, you managed to take the cake. 🎂

We had a great time and our wallets are still recovering. But a subtle reminder if you’re planning on a family reunion: don’t forget to snap pictures!

Blogger’s note: I’ve been MIA for the last many weeks, especially so in the important duty of supporting the work of fellow bloggers by reading and commenting on their great posts. I’ll rear my online head again more towards Thanksgiving.

Until next time…