I Like ...

Travel

I'm on my way to the North Carolina Quilt Symposium today

which is why I was inspired to tell you why I like to travel.

Blame it on The Folks.  My mother (The Mama) had taken a 6-week tour of the West in her best friend's Model A Ford in 1931.  They put over 10,000 miles on that brand new vehicle, visiting just about every National Park between Columbus, OH and the West Coast. 

Elizabeth (The Mama) and Ruth, August 1931

Our family relived that trip on two separate vacations in 1954 and 1955 and I was bitten by the travel bug big time.  I have visited every state except one or two in the north-center of the US, as well as several European countries.

I like visiting new places.  So many people around us growing up were content to go to the same places over and over. Whether it was to grandmother's farm or the Florida beach, it was the same thing year after year.   Not for us.  We did go to Florida one year to visit relatives in Orlando (pre-Disney World, made it to the beach only one day), but we also took extended vacations to New England and Canada.  This is not my first visit to NC Quilt Symposium, however.

I like family memories.  I established the travel routine with my own family, as well.  I'm not sure Son-1 and Son-2 always appreciated it, especially the "educational" elements I tried to include.  But for every cheese factory tour there was also a sports hall-of-fame visit to balance it.  We stopped at many overlooks, read markers, and hiked many trails in National Parks, but we also played animated board games by the campfire at night.  Lots of laughs, lots of memories!

I like to drive.  That's a good thing since it's over 500 miles to Raleigh!   I enjoy watching the scenery slide by, ever-changing with the lay of the land.  At least I've been able to split the trip each way with an overnight stay at SIL's cabin in Maggie Valley, NC. 

View from the deck

It's quite a haul up the hill to this cabin, but Mica (my new wheels) handled it like a trooper (though she was VERY hot by the time I got here!).

I like audiobooks.   I enjoy the solitude of driving alone with time to think or listen to a book.  I don't read much; I can't find a comfortable distance to focus on the page and it really tires my eyes.  But I DO enjoy being read to.  Back in my working days I would wish for traffic so I could listen to more of the current book.  I also would go out and drive around on my lunch hour just to listen to my book when it got to the exciting part!  I've gone through most of the Sue Grafton alphabet, the Ladies Murder Club mysteries, and Stephanie Plum adventures. 

My accompaniment on this trip is Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule (a/k/a Julia and Jule!) by Jennifer Chiaverini.  Yes, the same author who wrote the Elm Creek quilt books!  Her historical novels are very well researched and well written -- I say that based on the only one I've "read" so far, Mrs. Lincoln's Rival.  I'm finding this one just as engaging.

I like getting together with virtual friends.  I will be hooking up with The Joyful Quilter tomorrow.  We had so much fun together in Pigeon forge; I know this will be just as pleasant.  Her guild, the Durham Orange Quilters's Guild, is responsible for Symposium this year.  They have an excellent program of classes and lectures lined up. Perhaps I'll get to meet other bloggers face-to-face on this trip, like Patty D at Elm Street Quilts; I can always hope ...

Stay tuned for daily reports.

I'm posting this early while I have an internet connection.  Head over to Not Afraid of Color on Thursday to see what other quilters like.