What a different weekend it was for me. I took a road trip! I left early Friday morning to visit a friend in Jacksonville, Florida.
I enjoy road trips, taken alone and with others. They are different in the way I travel. When I am the sole driver I rarely stop. In fact, probably a total of 30 minutes during the 12 hour drive. It is usually an inspirational time of renewing and reviving for me…and that’s just the drive!
There was a wee incident that happened along the way (don’t read this Mom, and especially don’t tell Dad!!!) My last stop before reaching my friend’s house was at a rest area on I 10. I usually don’t do rest areas when driving alone because I usually just stop when I need gas. But I had only stopped twice, the gas tank was good and I just needed a stretch and a bathroom break.
When I came out I went to the car and poured more ionized water into my cup. Then grabbed some trash out of my car and walked down to the trash can. When I came back I took a couple of pictures of palm trees and was next to my car when a man with an open map approached me and asked me for help with the map. I said, “No can do. Gotta go” and got in my car, locked the door and left as he walked off, with his shoe flapping as he went. I’m thinking the man had no (good) reason to be at a rest area, and possibly didn’t even have a car. I wasn’t scared, just a little weirded out wondering what he was up to.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. I didn’t stop at any rest areas on the way home. Gone are the days when rest areas where a nice break in the drive. I will and do stop with the fam when we travel, but probably not by myself anymore.
And the pictures I took of the palms trees weren’t even worth saving. The one above is not the one I took at the rest area.
If you’re traveling alone, be safe!