Go East Young Wonks

It's that time again. Each Christmas and summer, we travel from the WonksHome West, through Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Van Horn, Abilene, Dallas, Shreveport, Jackson, Birmingham, Atlanta, and finally, Tamassee, South Carolina. The WonksHome East is exactly 2164 miles away from our start-point, and is located on a lake in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The WonkFamily should be departing about 9:30 AM this morning.

Weather, health, and machinery permitting, the Wonks will be on the road for 36 hours straight, as we make the trans-continental passage for the 24th and 25th time. We travel nonstop as fast as steel, rubber, and gasoline will decently carry us. We only halt for food, and to fill and drain the various tanks.

Even though we have flown several times, for some reason that defies convention and all logic, the WonkWife and myself prefer to drive across the country. And the Christmas trip is so very pretty, with the whole country lit-up with festive decorations.

We think of the WonkHome East as a kind of hideaway nook. It's a place to recharge our batteries, and (during Christmas) engage in abundant juvenile behavior i.e. the "shooting off" of lots of fireworks. And South Carolina fireworks are neither safe, nor sane. But they are enormous fun. There will be several gigantic bonfires lighting up the night forest. And our daughter gets an opportunity to "catch-up" with her eastern friends.

I always hope that the journey does not turn into a real-life version of National Lampoon's Vacation. On the open road, surprises usually aren't pleasant.

God willing, I hope to have an update soon after our arrival.