Further on up the road

The weather in Bluffton is, for the most part, one of the main attractions we had when we decided to move down. That said, there are some stretches where it really does give a very good insight into what it must feel like living on the surface of the sun.

Keeping that in mind, we have planned a major trip each summer to relieve some of the dripping sweat particles from our eyes. It is, for me, exactly the reverse of what, for decades, we did during the February break back in CT while we were teaching. We would always take advantage of my very good decision to buy into the Disney Vacation Club back in ‘96 and head off to their property in Vero Beach, Fl to escape the ice and snow that was particularly prevalent during that month.

There was a whole routine involved: We would pack up our summer wear and send it via FedEx ground so we would not have to deal with it on the plane. Additionally, we would also send a case of wine down ahead and as we were driving in from the airport we would call the hotel and have them put it all in the room so all we had to do was check in. When we returned home, the clothes would be packed up, dropped off at the front desk to be picked up and sent home the same way.

This is all by way of saying that when we make a trip, everything is planned to the smallest detail. This trip was no different. With Abbey THE dog having crossed the rainbow bridge back in January (you may have read about that in a prior piece), we had the new found experience of not having to rush so we decided that this trip would last almost three weeks, that we would drive instead of dealing with the mess that is air travel currently, and would try to enjoy the actual travel as much as the destinations.

The planning included a decision to avoid going straight up I-95 by taking a more relaxed route I had read much about through NC, VA, MD, PA and ultimately NY into CT where we would spend some time as well as in RI. We decided, since we were in no rush, not on a clock, and with only one or two things fully locked in up north, we would plan the trip to spend no more than 5 hours per day driving in either direction.

We got lucky with the weather only hitting a small amount of rain on the first leg, the first day, so things were going really smoothly. We had also never stopped at a Buc-ee’s but continued to read about and hear people raving about it as a “must stop,” so we did.

We kept seeing signs for a Buc-ee’s on I-81 in Virginia, it was about 2 hours into the second day’s drive, so like about 67% of the people driving in that direction (or so it seemed), we followed the signs into the parking lot. Just for reference, I grew up in NYC, learned to drive there, have also driven in Boston, Chicago, LA, San Fran, Atlanta as well as to and from airports in each of those locals, in and out of concert venues, sports venues as well but even with that I was not prepared for the maelstrom that was Buc-ee’s parking lot. It was, necessarily, as large as a small town, and with cars and pedestrians coming from all directions. I was very fortunate and saw a spot opening on my first pass, so taking pictures of where we were, off we went inside.

If, somehow, you could combine Grand Central Station in NYC at rush hour, with O’Hare airport in Chicago on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and stir in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, you would still be a bit short of the crowds that day. Simply moving in a straight line was a chore, let alone trying to get some food. Now, the good news is that the cleanliness and quantity of the facilities was everything they say, no line for those even with the crowds, it was as if they somehow disappeared into those rooms only to reappear after finishing.

Well, after taking the necessary break, and grabbing something quickly we went back to the car (we found it quickly), and after MUCH maneuvering we were back on the road. We agreed that we were happy to have made the stop, but we also agreed that such would never happen again, and it also gave us pause to worry, at least a little, about what would happen locally when the newest one is open for business in Hardeeville.

The remainder of the trip up was completely uneventful and while we had a fabulous time not being on the surface of the sun (the weather was perfect summer weather for the two weeks we were back north), it was also incredibly comforting to finish the last leg of the drive, unpack and breath deeply at the soft-landing home. Of course, I need to conclude with some appropriate lyrics…these from Karla Bonoff from her song “Home”

“And Home
Sings me of sweet things
My life there has its own wings
To fly over the mountains
Though I’m standing still”

Kevin Fitzpatrick is a retired teacher who, along with his wife Sue (also a retired teacher) is enjoying exploring life in the lowcountry and all it has to offer.