|
  |
|
|
Happiness is a Full Tank of Gas
By Angela Johnson
When my car has a full tank of gas, I feel free. Whether I'm in the city or a small town, I love to get in the car and go! If I'm in a city or large town, I enjoy driving early on Saturday or Sunday because there aren't many people on road in the mornings. I can drive around looking at sights and buildings downtown, or drive through area neighborhoods and see different home styles and landscaping. I notice so much more when I don't have to totally concentrate on driving due to heavy traffic. It's peaceful and refreshes me. What I like the most, though, is to get out in the country and drive around in small towns and on rural roads. I've lately been visiting family in Southern Illinois and have spent a lot of time exploring the area. I have a cousin who loves to go on day trips with me. If she or no one else is available, I'll go alone. I fill a thermos with tea or water, or pack a few canned drinks in a small cooler, and bring along some snacks like peanuts, cheese, fruit, peanut butter sandwich, etc. I like to try out local restaurants, but sometimes you can't FIND a restaurant, especially if you're driving in a rural area. So I'm always prepared. If I don't start out with a full tank of gas, I keep an eye on my fuel gauge. it can be difficult to find a gas station out in the country. I also make sure I don't drink too much as I'm driving. It's awful to have to go to the bathroom and not be able to find a gas station or restaurant - especially for a woman! I carry a road map with me, but even better is my DeLorme Illinois Atlas & Gazetteer. I bought mine at Barnes and Noble. This is an oversized soft covered book which shows cemeteries, creeks, forests, waterfalls, swamps, quarries/mine shafts, public campgrounds, railroads, tunnels, and so much more. If you want one for a state you don't currently live in, you'd probably need to order one or buy one when you get there. When you're traveling between towns, you'll probably be on a two lane highway or maybe a smaller road that doesn't have lanes marked. Don't assume that people out in the country are good drivers. Slow down around curves and hilly areas. People coming from the other direction may not be staying in their own lane. Be on the defensive. Another thing to watch out for is the traffic behind you. I do not speed, but I also don't want to hold up a whole line of traffic. With only one lane going each way, drivers can get aggravated when they can't pass you. Country roads are often full of curves with many stretches having a solid yellow "do not pass" line. If you can, pull off onto another small road and let them speed up. I prefer not to have anyone driving behind me anyway. That way I can drive slower to see the scenery. You also may come up on a slow moving farm tractor. Most drivers will pull over as far as they can to let you pass and will wave at you when it's safe to go around. Go around and don't hang back. If I see something interesting, I like to pull over and take a picture. But I'm careful and make sure I'm not in danger of being hit by another car and I never park in someone's driveway, even for a minute. When you explore, take the side roads, but write down the names so you can retrace your way back. Some people might think as long as they have a GPS they won't get lost, but they're not always reliable. If you really get lost, follow power lines, look for a water tower, or look for a better paved road. For instance, if you're on a gravel road, turn onto a paved road. If all else fails, ask someone! I've been in some areas where there are no street signs. When I finally found someone to ask how to get back, they laughed and said kids steal the signs all the time! TRAVEL WITH A COMPANION If you're only going to explore for an hour or two, you can travel with just about any one. But if you plan to be gone all day, choose your companion wisely. You don't want to constantly hear, "are you ready to go home yet?" You need to travel with someone who enjoys the same things you do. TRAVEL ALONE I like to travel alone just as well as with a companion. I do my best thinking when I'm alone. I carry a small sized lined notebook, the kind with yellow paper and a hard cardboard back. It fits well on the steering wheel as I write down an idea. Of course, I'm careful to keep my eyes on the road. I write quickly and not too neatly, but I can always figure out what I wrote when I get home. I thought about getting a tape / digital recorder, but I'm nervous about pushing the wrong button and perhaps erasing what I already recorded. If I'm traveling for a long time, I may turn on the radio or play a CD for some music. I have recorded CDs with my favorite songs and sometimes I'll sing along - LOUDLY! I never listen to the news or a talk show. Why ruin my trip? HEADING HOME I always head back home while it's still light, giving myself plenty of time to get home. It is much darker in the country at night and almost impossible to read street signs. Plus, you run the danger of a deer running out in front of your car. I now have a blog based on my travels; Small Town and Rural Life - http://smalltownandrurallife.com/
|
Contributor's Note
I took all these photographs.
|
|
DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer web site
|
           
Baling Hay in East Tennessee
Bridge over the Mississippi at Chester
Cairo Library in Southern Illinois
Cows in the field in East Tennessee
Produce at a Farmers Market
Sign to Kaskaskia, Illinois
Magnolia Manor in Cairo, Illinois
Metropolis, Illinois, home of Superman
Old fence in the country
Popeye statue in Chester, Illinois
Welcome to Chester sign
Winding road in East Tennessee
PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
No reactions yet.
Please login or sign up to rate this intel.
Please login or sign up to add a comment.
Personally I dislike driving and my dream of winning the lottery involves having a chauffeur who would drive me everywhere. LOL Your pictures are beautiful.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
A chauffeur would be nice. I think I'd rather take a cruise, travel on a riverboat, or go on a train trip if I ever won the lottery. I'm glad you enjoyed my photos.
The copyright for this content entitled "Happiness is a Full Tank of Gas" has been specified by the contributor as:
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Details 
This content may be copied, distributed, and modified, as long as a) the original author is acknowledged with a link back to the content page, and b) if the work is modified, the result is distributed with this same license.
If you use this content according to the license specified, you must link to the following URL:
http://burntchestnut.qondio.com/
|
 |
May, 2012
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2011
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2012
January, February, March, April, May
|
|
Not a member yet?
Qondio is a powerful network for making it online. If you have a website to
promote, we can help.
Sign up and get in on the action.
|
|
Welcome to Qondio! Discover the awesome power this network can deliver by going to our About page. Or you could skip straight to the Sign Up form.
|
|
