Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,Healthy, free, the world before me,The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
This is the first stanza of Walt Whitman’s poem, Song of the Open Road, from his book “Leaves of Grass”, originally published in 1855. *
The language of most of the poem is pretty archaic compared to what we use today; it does, however, capture the thrill and freedom of embarking on a road trip with no specific itinerary; the sense of casting off day-to-day busy-ness and routines. It’s an opportunity to live fully in the present, experiencing things as you go along, indulging in spontaneous side trips, or even digging in for a while in an unexpectedly intriguing spot.
It’s been almost three years since Henry and I have done so. Tomorrow we depart with the full complement of toys – the big truck, canoe, ATV, trailer and powered parachute – and head west and north. Again, we will be seeking cooler climates, exploring along the way….. ultimately planning to visit the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Two of Henry’s children and their families will meet us in Winnipeg on August 1 for an 8-day adventure that will take us to Churchill on Hudson Bay and then out into the arctic landscape to track polar bears. We will wander slowly south from there and do not expect to return home before September or October.
Mother Nature is putting on a very nice show in the yard to discourage us from leaving:
But preparations have been under way for some time and the heat index has climbed to the threshold of Intolerable.
The powered parachute has been inspected and fine-tuned…..
Provisions have been gathered and loaded, including some experiments with home-made freeze-dried dinners…
The onerous task of assembling the necessary charging cables and electronic devices (and deciding how many pairs of socks to take) is more or less complete.
We are ready! More from…… down the road.
* Whitman is considered one of the great American poets, and a bit of a maverick – the first to use “free verse” and very much a free-thinker. I’ve always had a connection with him as we share a birthday – May 31. I also admire his view of life. He would have been 200 years old last week….. I still have a ways to go.
The “stupid and crazy” part is hard to support, but the rest sounds pretty good!
Emerald Isle to the Norse Lands 
Sounds like fun. Have a great time and enjoy.
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Happy trails!
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I’m excited for you two–sounds like a real adventure. Your trip reminds us of flying into Winnipeg and flying out to Nueltin Lake Lodge in northern Manitoba. It is open a few months a year and has always been a catch and release lake. Native Indians are the fishing guides. Every day they cook a shore lunch on an island and you are allowed to keep a fish for lunch. The “no see ums’ COULD EAT YOU UP. We haven’t made any travel plans for summer this year.
Robbie, sorry we missed your birthday; had a special card for you this year–will save for next year. Today is Ede & Wm’s Anniversary (same as Holly & Matt’s). We will be following your adventures. Drive safely and have fun. love, A & J
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