Goldi and I are blanketed in snow, doing what any sensible travelers do in winter: dreaming of our next great escape and wondering where we’ll wander next.
Lately, I’ve been making a map of places I want to visit. National parks are a must. So are visits to friends and family. I’m also trying to stay on top of various climate issues — I have zero interest in white-knuckling it or, worse, camping in sideways rain or surprise snowstorms. Hard pass!
The dream has always been to travel around and across the country and back again. That said, in 1997 I made a solemn vow that I would never drive across the country again. (Cue: ominous music.)
If you haven’t already heard this story, picture the Vanagon broken down just south of St. Louis with me, my 80-year-old mother-in-law, and my almost-3-year-old son.
The bathroom stops alone tested my sanity, but briefly losing track of #1 son at the Grand Canyon really took things to another level — and finally, the Vanagon gave out and staged a full mechanical protest.
On that fated journey, we were traveling along I-40 from California to the East Coast, passing through a parade of towns from one of my favorite songs, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” — but in reverse order.
The song was written in 1946 by Bobby Troup while he was driving to California to pursue a songwriting career. Since then, it’s been recorded hundreds of times.
So now I’m curious — what’s your favorite version?
Original 1946 Nat King Cole Trio
1961 Chuck Berry
1964 Rolling Stones
1981 Manhattan Transfer – Won a Grammy!
1988 Depeche Mode
2006 John Mayer – From the Pixar Film Cars
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