Driving has always been a big part of my adult life. I went away to college a few hours north of home, so I would find myself making the drive down to see my friends and family every month or so. I looked forward to this time- it was a few hours I could just unplug, not think about school, and listen to all of the new bands I was discovering during those first few years up at NAU. I'd burn CDs in anticipation of having that time to myself (so precious when living with 75 sorority sisters) while I made the trek down the mountain and back home.
And then soon after college my relationship with Hank began, and I found myself on the road once again. He was on tour with his band when we met, and we started writing back and forth while he was out, him sending me little updates and flirtations as we started to figure out what exactly "this" was, all while I was sending him descriptions of my days at home. When he got back and started to actually date, we were still two hours apart so there was always one of us in the car, to and from, here to there, driving, driving, driving!
We joke that driving is in Hank's blood. Because he toured from the age of 15 to 25 or so (and still now and again when he's able), he says he gets an itch to get out on the road if he doesn't do it every so often. And luckily Henry and I love to get in the car and drive too. We've been all over- made the four hours to the houseboat on Lake Powell many times, all over Arizona, California, Nevada, and up and down the East Coast almost every summer. We go down to Phoenix often too, and sometimes I think there's nothing better than getting in the car with my guys with a cooler of snacks and drinks, good music on the stereo, and lots of time to talk the hours away, windows down and letting in that fresh mountain air.
It gets me excited about the future and taking Henry on road trips all over beautiful Arizona and beyond. I have dreams of driving up the California coast and camping in the northern part of the state, surrounded by huge Redwoods and the bluest sky. I can imagine how fun it will be to drive through the small towns we always fall in love with on the way to here or there, but this time with our whole family along for the ride.
Did you ever take road trips with your family growing up? Or do you take them now? I'd love to hear about your favorite places and trips you've taken. We're hoping to head up to Yosemite sometime this next year and I'm so excited to experience it, and I'd especially love to hear about any of your trips up that way!