Collect Moments not Things!
My wife and I recently returned from a summer roadtrip. We left Arizona and drove to the border of Mexico on the coast. It was from there that we started our Pacific Coast Adventure heading north along California Highway 1. We wanted to drive the coast up through California, Oregon and Washington State. Then return by making our way through Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and then the Rocky Mountains on the return trip. That was the plan. It unfolded pretty close to that, but it was the smaller moments along the way that stand out to us as the real treasures found along our journey.
Road trips start out as the big picture idea. What places to see, points of interest to stop at, as well as things to do. These are usually the things that we plan for. What is not planned for, are the smaller moments of discovery, laughter and reflection. It’s in these smaller moments, that lives are lived and time is cherished.
Many of these moments we experienced will be locked away in our hearts and memories for years to come. It’s these memorable random moments that bring me back to smiling during the 4,049 miles of road travelled.
For instance, on the third day, we stopped in Pismo Beach and found a small salt water taffy store. We started out grabbing favorite flavors, but then for some weird reason we started grabbing 2 pieces each of random taffy flavors like Chicken and Waffles, Rasberry Chili Lime and Maple Bacon. After ten dollars and a bag filled with assorted taffy, we were back on the road with what developed into a new game. My wife would pick one piece of taffy out of the bag without looking. She then would split it in half and we would smell it and do a blind taste test. This was done throughout the trip at random times and places. Sometimes it was hard to tell flavors, other times easy. Every once in a while we got a taffy that actually was really gross tasting. We think it was either the Chicken and Waffles or Rasberry Chili Lime… Actually both were bad. We both loved Watermelon. These simple moments along the road acting like kids doing something so simple made us laugh and talk and tease our way across many mountain ranges and valleys of our trip.
Another moment I collected along the trip was simply being able to look to my right and see the woman who was just a girl when we married, sleeping peacefully with her sunglasses on, basking in the sun and wind of the road. Her hair whipping lightly across her face, dancing, but not waking her. This moment had me reflect quietly on all the amazing joy she has brought me in my life. From knowing when to scare me in a dark house, spit water on me when I have gone too far, and always supporting me to the ends of the earth on nothing more but her love. This is one of the moments I remember vividly traveling across 8 states.
Another moment was trying fresh clams for the first time. Our friends showed us how to dig up clams from their front yard on the beach. Within about 4 hours, we were eating clams outside from a bbq with the smell of the salty air wafing in the cool breeze as another fantastic day eased into night. Waves slowly crashing closer to us as the tide came in and covering the areas of our digging and exploring earlier. This moment of just simply soaking in the summer, slowly.
I also take with me the moment of stepping out of our car in front of the gigantic and “Grand” Teton Mountains. A thunderstorm was approaching, yet these magnificent mountains made us stand in awe of their sheer height and granduer. No photo or video would be able to do it justice. Standing quietly in western Wyoming, they made the storm seem small. The most impressive mountains I have ever seen.
Another moment was captured when out of nowhere, we were caught up in a rain downpour in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It will be remembered for years to come by us both. From a few warning drops of rain hitting us on the head in the hotel parking lot to an all out microburst of rain flooding the area and its streets which drenched us within 30 seconds. Being cold, wet and having nothing left but laughter for our current situation. We persisted. We rolled our eyes. We shrugged it off… But, mostly we laughed!
A bike ride downhill in Santa Barbara… Ice Cream in San Clemente… Portland Farmer’s Market…
A roadtrip can be planned out, but it may be the unplanned moments that will capture something deeper within you. These trips are more than the roads you travel. It is about exploring. It is about being a foot away from who you love, while driving down endless roads. It’s about the small awkward, funny and amazing moments sometimes, more than the planned stops. Truly another experience in making the dash count!
We collected these moments and many more…
Love hard, collect moments…not things.
Steve
