Tuesday

Travel Tuesday.

I made the initial inquiry of Uncle Phil to check out the availability of the retro condo at Tahoe for some time in the latter half of July 2008. That condo, or something similar to it in Incline, should do the trick. Scheduling conflicts need to be voiced now.

Now that the BCS games have been set, I'm wondering if all the .500 and 7-5 teams are excited about their destinations. The upper tier teams who maybe didn't get their appropriate recognition, like Missouri and Georgia, at least get to go to decent bowling destinations. On the other hand, how high do you suppose that the enthusiasm is running for trips to Boise, Detroit, Shreveport and Birmingham?

My most memorable travel experiences, not necessarily in order of enjoyment:

1. 1973 USAF to Korea.
2. Tahoe. Any year.
3. Cabo. Any year, although 1999 was a real hoot.
4. First airplane ride, circa 1968. ND to Omaha. Via C-town.
5. Family vacation to the 4 Heads (Rushmore, to the world), circa 1989.
6. The trip from my HS g/f's house to the farm to make curfew.
7. Washington DC, circa 1962 with Mother, Rosie and Marg.
8. C-town commuting 1976-1980.
9. Fishing in Canada, circa 1990.
10. RAGBRAI. Good and bad days abound.

It is interesting that travel tends to be a memory maker almost all the time. Perhaps it's the break from the routine that gives us the extra thrill. New experiences in unfamiliar places tend to take up a semi-permanent residence in the back of our minds. And if the experience is particularly good (like Tahoe) or bad (like my Canadian trip), the recollection is even more defined. I still can almost taste the shore lunches from that fishing trip (which was about the only good thing on that adventure).

Our extended family has been extremely fortunate to experience a wide range of travel. Here and abroad. The cousins generation has seen the world. Quite a contrast to myself and my siblings who saw little beyond the Midwest before college. Then again, Southwest Airlines didn't exist in 1950's and '60's. It might be worth the debate to consider where wealth comes into play with the ability or requirement to travel. Join the Army. See the world. Europe on $5 a day?

Travel tends to be a avocation of many, and a goal of many retirees. Personally, I don't mind staying closer to home. Security is a huge hassle. My back doesn't like hotel beds. There's the funkiness of the body clock and time zone changes. Then again, I do like the concierge floors at the nicer places (if Criterium can afford the freight). And I would be remiss if I didn't add that whenever my pal Roy needs a companion for a weekend in PHX, I can be had.

I can take the Winter in the Midwest. KC. The TC's. C-town. I can get into plenty of trouble there and not be that far from home.

Not all that eloquent here. Don't be afraid to share.

BCOT