The trip over the river and through the woods is going to be difficult for some folks this Thanksgiving weekend.
It’s never a good sign when the Today Show features a close-up shot of meteorologist Al Roker on the screen with the title ‘Thanksgiving Travel Trouble.’ One glimpse of the east coast radar a few seconds later tells the story as he pointed out travel trouble-spots.
For folks heading up and down the I-95 corridor for turkey day, it’s going to be a slog. Add that weather drama to the thousands of flights scheduled today, tonight and tomorrow and you just know it is going to be a harrowing commute for millions of folks who just want to be home for the holidays.
At least in the southwest, where Holly will be driving around this holiday weekend, the weather should be fairly temperate.
Paul came home from college and reported the traffic wasn’t too heavy considering the day. That was good news. Anyway, it’s nice to have him home for the weekend.
Speaking of holiday trips, Lisa and I have often commented about how lucky we are NOT to have to do the kind of travel scramble mentioned on this morning’s edition of Today. To have the vast majority of your loved ones in close proximity is a true blessing, especially this time of year.
It may not always be that way for us, but while it is, we’ll take it!
Still, we are mindful that for many families, it’s just not that way. With couples spread out around the nation, divided holidays are the norm. Her parents for Thanksgiving; his family at Christmas. It also means a full plate of holiday stress with a side of commuting kerfuffle.
I saw where a friend of mine, who lives in TX, posted online that he had arrived on the west coast for his Thanksgiving celebration. That’s quite a trip for some turkey.
His story reminded me of the young family we encountered when flying back from AZ in August.
We landed in Dallas and switched planes. When we did, we were seated behind a weary family – mom, dad and three kids (ranging in age from about 5 to about 9). They started early that morning in San Fran and made it to Nashville for a weekend family get-together.
To say they were wiped out is a tremendous understatement. And just think…that was August. Imagine how they feel this week.
From a little selective eavesdropping, I learned they were meeting up with the dad’s Nashville-based family. I also gathered none of them were native west coasters. Imagine what over the river and through the woods means for them each year.
Or for a young couple I know that is relocating cross-country for his new job.
His last day of work was today. Over the course of the next week, they’ll pack up their stuff and head to their new town with a stop-off at their respective parents, in the midst of the move, for a big meal with all the trimmings.
Intense.
For us, the ‘tale of two turkeys’ has meant very little stress by comparison. For years, we’ve started with a stop at my parents’ home for a very early lunch. Then, a few hours later, we go on to Lisa’s sister’s house a mere 50 miles away. That qualifies us for the annual AAA “travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving” without really exploring the full meaning of the survey question or experiencing an exhausting weekend.
By comparison, that’s not bad at all.
JG
Originally posted 11/26/2014
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