…was back in the day somewhat of a trial in and of itself. It was easy when you were younger and your parents would pack you and your siblings up in their oversized Olds; coolers filled with soda and a bag full of snacks that was the absolute opposite of healthy. Your mom would light a cigarette and crack a couple of the windows, the car still filling with smoke, as opposed to the Tahitian vanilla or whatever vape pens put out now.
However since time is always forward marching, so is the progress in which things change. And that was what crossed my mind earlier in the summer when I was taking a trip up from South Jersey to Massachusetts. Alone with my thoughts as I pursued a potential path for a creative project, I snacked on granola and dark chocolate (my standard pre-workout,) sung along to Country and Pop (poorly,) and found myself not necessarily homesick; but aware how far I was when my last radio preset either went to static or some drek they like up in North Jersey.
Now maybe this is just me, but when traveling out of state I tend to perk up a little, or at least note when I see another dreary yellow Jersey tag. It’s usually associated with tailgating the person in front of them, and or an all around annoyed energy due to being from a state with more Superfund sites than Chernobyl. I’ve learned that in my efforts to make time but not be a moron about it, there is a way to drive aggressively but not actually be aggressive about it; essentially a polite moron.
Though let’s be honest, with all states and their drivers up and down the east coast, especially from the mid Atlantic up through New England; they all have their “charm” when it comes to driving. I’ve found New York drivers are either attempting to give me a colonoscopy with how close they are behind me, or doing ten under the speed limit in the hammer lane. Connecticut drivers navigate their highways like they’re running the Indy, and do so with same familiarity they have with the back of their driving hand. I don’t really remember much about the drivers from Mass, but I’d still love to hear them say words with the letter R in them.
It’s good though, for any number of reasons, to take healthier snacks and drinks with you, so you don’t have to worry about that sugar crash later on. As I found out twice, once when my cell battery died and another time when I lost my GPS signal, you really need to be on your A game and Johnny on the spot. Believe me, you never want to see ‘GPS Signal Lost’ when you’re on the GW bridge to NYC.
You’ll also want to be well rested before a multi hour trip, because depending on how long it was and the traffic involved, by the time you get to your stop you’re definitely ready for it. At least I was at the Red Roof Inn Plus, which for the less than ten hours I was there, I can’t complain about. When I first got out my legs were naturally stiff, due in part to leg night being two nights before and the associated delayed achiness always holding off for two says for some reason.
Stretching and finally walking to the front desk, I found that not having spoken in hours left my voice oddly low key and hoarse. Now I’ve said before raspy voices are great, but when I sound that way it’s for a reason, not usually good though. Although I wanted to run on a treadmill to burn off that excess energy; I simply opted instead on getting a shower and going to sleep. Not that I actually slept comfortably in that bed, not for a while at least, but surprising this is not.
Either way, having found that antique shops are to Mass like diners are to Jersey, I began the next day with tired spirits but a good energy. Because traveling while healthy isn’t just about what you fuel your body with, but the positive or negative energy that goes along with you on the journey. And if getting stuck on the Jersey Turnpike teaches you anything; it’s better to just breathe fully, find your center, embrace the good, and laugh off the construction delay you’ll find yourself in once again.