'Tis the Season for Traveling

Spring has finally arrived. Even though we didn't have a harsh snow-filled winter here in Pennsylvania, spring is always so welcome to me. I love the colors of spring: the beautiful spring green of the fields that they only have for a short time each year, the redbud trees in full bloom as you travel along the road.

When I was a kid, this is the time of year when "going for a ride" on a Sunday afternoon was a pretty common occurance. After church and dinner at grandma's house, we'd all pile into the car and my dad would take us for a ride. I didn't know at the time how much of an impression it would make on me now that I'm all grown up. I still find myself eagerly looking for the landmarks that used to mark our various routes. Many of those landmarks are on the Lincoln Highway.

I remember the first time that I discovered the Lincoln Highway went across the country. We were living in Chambersburg where the Lincoln Highway name is still widely used. I asked my dad why that road was called the Lincoln Highway. I don't remember what he told me about the name, but I do remember that he told me that I could get on the highway and drive west and eventually I would reach California. I don't think I had much concept of how far that really was but it made me feel so connected to the rest of the country. I remember thinking that someday, I was going to get on that road and travel the whole way.

I guess I'm still planning that trip....someday. I just haven't had the time to do it yet. But I sure do take every opportunity to drive on sections of it when I can. This June, I will drive from Pennsylvania to Iowa for National Conference. I love looking at the maps that will take me there and planning little stops along the way; just like when dad took us all for our Sunday rides. I have to admit sometimes it takes me a while to get where I'm going. I don't hesitate to stop and take pictures of things I find interesting. Last year, my drive from Sacramento to Ely, Nevada for National Conference included quite a few stops. That section of the Lincoln is Highway 50. I took pictures and I visited shops in small towns. I talked to people about the highway and asked them what sites I shouldn't miss. Thanks to Brian Butko's Lincoln Highway book, I made a note not to miss this great neon sign. The hotel is gone but the sign is still there. But that might not be the case for long. These photographs that I gather on my travels are not just a memory of the "ride" for me but sometimes an archive to icons that are lost over time.

So spring is here and even though gas prices are out of control, I encourage you to take a little time and "go for a ride". You don't know what you might find.

Happy motoring!