Ready to hit the road!
The plans were in place, reservations being made. We were flying from Phoenix to Chicago to join the two parties in our Midwest group (SOAR*) on a road trip to Louisville and then on to Nashville. A brief stay in Louisville would allow us to sample the spirits of the distilleries nearby. Nashville’s music scene was the major draw for these music lovers.
Oops!
Then the Delta Covid surge hit. Hanging out in crowded Nashville bars to listen to great music appeared foolish.
Having visited New Orleans during the humidity of October, we had chosen dates to assure cooler weather. Those dates were inappropriate for an alternate trip to the north of Michigan.
Let’s try another tack
How difficult can it be for five retired adults, isolated and generally inactive during Covid, to coordinate dates for a brief trip?
Very difficult, as it turns out. Medical appointments, family get-togethers, museum tickets, theater tickets, and hiking plans filled our calendars. After much trial, error, Zoom, and Facetime, we settled upon the original dates and modified our expectations for our SOAR get-away.
Oh, well
I would like to rant and preach, bemoaning the ignorance of our nation in handling the virus which limits our opportunities and threatens our health. But I know that I am preaching to the choir, which I did for 20 years, literally. I stand back, though, and read this situation like a story, and marvel at the privilege.
My friends and I are all vaccinated and, at this time, healthy. Having lost one of our members to Covid earlier this year makes our friendship and love more precious. That we have the means to travel to the Midwest to spend time with this group marks our privilege. That we can afford a comfortable Airbnb in which to drive each other nuts is another mark of privilege. That we share a long history of family interaction and love each other to death is a blessing.
We look forward to planning our next big excursion when we meet in Michigan. The dream is Portugal. It may only be a dream. But dreaming together can be as rewarding as the actual journey.
Here’s to you, SOAR!
*SOAR is an acronym for Still On A Roll, commemorating the company that draped toilet paper over its members’ houses for various occasions back in the 80s and 90s. The history is complex, beginning with the unidentified viper surreptitiously delivering dark poetry to another member who responded as the mongoose. I think this requires a separate post to explain.