The road less traveled

Okay, summer is here and for many of us it’s time to hit the beach, drive up to the mountains, or head out west.  All of these family adventures usually begin with…..”Where are we going?”  I personally like the mountains and the cooler air, the drives along winding roads that twist through the trees and overhanging rocks, but many of you prefer a trip down south to the beach.  Either way, its vacation time for you and your family.

I was recently eating lunch with a friend of mine and he had just returned from a road trip out west where he and his nephew rented a convertible Mustang and traveled along parts of the old historic Route 66 highway that was once so popular with travelers.  He told of the many stops they made and how much fun it was to just cruise the back roads with the top down and their hair blowing in the wind.  They saw the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, and many sights that I’ve never seen.  As we continued to talk it got me to thinking that I need to plan a trip like this with my family.  Now before you can say it, yes, I’ve seen the movie “RV” with Robin Williams and that’s not the kind of road trip/vacation I want to go on. (But a funny movie if you have not seen it)  I’m talking about a trip that takes you back into American history and travels to areas of our county that are dying off so fast that soon no one will even remember them anymore.  It’s sad to say this, but I’m just as guilty of planning our travels with one thing in mind, what route are we taking that can get us there the fastest and stay on the bigger highways and interstates.  It’s just the way our society has changed-we plan a trip and it’s more about the place we are going than the journey getting there.  Back in the old days we use to take our time as we traveled and part of the vacation itself was the things we would do along the way. 

George Strait had a song in 2001 named “The Road Less Traveled” and the lyrics said this; “There’s a road, a winding road that never ends, full of curves lessons learned at every bend…….for the road less traveled ain’t for the faint of heart, for those who choose to play it safe and never stray too far, me I want to live my life and one day leave my mark”

I’m going to do my best to plan a road trip with my family that includes taking “the road less traveled” and see part of this awesome country we live in and just enjoy the ride wherever it takes us!  Who’s going to join me as we take a road trip this summer?

Reasons you might be a Mustang Fanatic!

It’s the age-old dual of Ford vs. Chevy that all car guys love to argue about and most folks don’t even know why they argue about it.  You may have been born into a Ford, Chevy or Mopar family and the only reason you are passionate about that brand of car is because that’s what your daddy drove, therefore that’s what you have always driven!  I understand that completely and there’s a certain amount of family tradition that goes with the type of car you drive or the manufacturer you are loyal to, but when you declare your allegiance, you better get ready for the rivalry that comes with it.  Most of the time it’s all in fun, but some folks are very serious about it and you would think their last names were Hatfield or McCoy.  I have even heard the saying before: “That boy is into his Mustang so much, he bleeds Ford blue”!  I’m sure that the Chevy guys are just as crazy about their Impalas, Malibu’s, or Bel-Air’s, but it seems the Ford guys are the more loyal to the Blue Oval.

I’ve been to the local drag strip many times and without fail, if there is a classic Ford and Chevy staged in the lanes next to each other, you watch the crowds rise up and take notice as they cheer their favorite toward the finish line.  People love their Mustangs, Camaros, or Chargers and they take pride and ownership in that particular brand more than any other.  But when you drive a Ford Mustang it seems you instantly become part of a large family of loyal fans and you are accepted just because you drive a Mustang.  There are car shows/cruise-in’s/meetings/clubs/and even a song or two dedicated to the Mustang, so I’d say it’s become kind of a cult-like following.  The online Webster dictionary defines a Fanatic as “marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion”; I think I resemble that remark, do you?

Maybe we should review some of the signs that you may have this condition.

Let’s look at the top 5 reasons you might be a Mustang Fanatic:

1. You already subscribe to more than one monthly mustang publication.
2. Your screensaver album has more photos of Mustangs than family.
3. Any of your children or family pets are named Shelby.
4. You own more than four shirts with a Mustang on it.
5. You can tell anyone who asked you what happened on April 17^th, 1964.

I’m sure you could add a few of your own to this list but it’s all just part of the passion and devotion that defines who a Mustang owner is!  The Mustang nation of fanatics grows more every year and as we approach the 50^th anniversary I’m excited to say that it’s only going to get bigger!