Winter Wanderland

It is 52 degrees outside.  That means the dead of winter is upon us once again.  It is a dreadful period, and I find myself slipping into a dull state of monotony, looking for an escape from this grisly reality.  Normally, I wouldn’t be in such dire straits, but normally we wouldn’t be experiencing springtime in February, either.  Instead, we’d be basking in the wonder of winter and the sub-freezing temps that go along with it.

I happen to thrive in winter—a proper winter.  I much prefer going out into -5 degrees to the sweltering heat of 95 degrees.  I’ve always said “You can always add more layers to stay warm, but you can only take off so much before you’re arrested.”  (Sadly, I am always the only one listening to this endless wisdom and, frankly, find myself quite boring.)  You can imagine my dismay when faced with the timid, meek attitude displayed by this current winter–the seasonal equivalent of a Corolla driver.  So I find myself plotting an escape from this existence.

I tend to prefer fantasizing the old fashioned way.  None of this new electronic animated and easy scrolling stuff for me, thank you.  I like the old fashioned ink on paper media to escape my reality.  I go to the old standard:  road atlas*.  So, several times during every January and February I will dedicate a portion of the kitchen table, fix a beverage of my choice, grab a pencil, and open up my North American Atlas** to slip into a slow stupor of potential road trips. Read more