Slow It Down

I had a wonderful conversation the other day with a friend who was sharing about his recent road trip he took with his family. He explained how he drove for several hours (8+) straight before they stopped overnight. They had plans to do some sightseeing and hiking at their stopover. But upon waking the next morning and speaking with family, they hurried themselves and set out to reach their final destination–essentially, “forgetting” about their plans to spend time in Grand Junction, CO. They were in such a hurry to reach their final destination, they missed those treasures in between.

We have been guilty of this same travel tactic. All of our years traveling via the road, we optimized our time by taking turns driving, napping at rest areas, and pushing through. It is usually driven by time constraints. You only have so much time off work or school, so you want to make the most of your time at your destination. I get it! It ends up being a ‘hurry-up and get there’ scenario as opposed to making the trip part of the vacation. Part of our decision to take this road trip was to slow down and really enjoy and experience those things along the way. If we see something that captures our attention, we can pull over or head a different direction. Needless-to-say, old habits die hard. We haven’t been quite as flexible in that regard as I would like.

How often have you pulled over to read the historic marker on the side of the road? Or better yet, take a four mile detour to read one? You learn about the history of the area and may discover a little town that once existed as I recently did: Polly, TX!

Have you ever stopped to visit one of the thousands of small and unique museums found in a local town? Like the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD or the Central Nevada Museum in Goldfield, NV or the Frontier Times Museum in Bandera, TX. Such a great way to learn something new and help support a local community.

Then there is the food my friend. What an excellent opportunity to try local cuisine and meet some great folks. Skip the drive-thru’s and chain restaurants. Find that hole-in-the-wall diner (they usually have the best food) and be open to new flavors and tastes. And the locals always know the best places to eat, so don’t be afraid to inquire. Recently, we discovered this neat antique store that also boasts a lovely bistro. Shopping and dinning all in one. You can’t beat that!

Of course, there is the opportunity to explore Mother Nature. This is always a win-win in my book. Check out the boutiques or farmer’s markets. Is there an annual festival being held in a city along your route? Take a tour through a factory or just stop and check out the World’s Largest Ball of Twine. It isn’t about the destination, but the journey.