Blog draft feb 6 26

Getting Around

OK. It’s winter. Getting around has some challenges at this time of year. Ice and snow on road surfaces is just one of the obstacles. The same on sidewalks is another. Getting in and out of the car is yet another. And the list can and does go on. Always has. It’s the basics of life, as it always has been.

More thought goes into getting around, however, as you age. Steps, stairs, surface conditions, temperatures, wind strength, and of course, all sorts of precipitation which have a nasty habit of changing with the temps.

With snow another dimension occurs. Depth and what is plowed and deposited elsewhere. Does entry to parking lots change? What about parking access as well as safety of moving from the car into a store or office to be visited?

If travel is being planned, where are winter conditions likely to last into later spring months, or early fall? Will roads be closed at such times? Will motel rooms be available when this happens? Will the bank account accommodate such delays and extra expenses? Yes, all sorts of things need to be thought about and prepared for.

And yet, this adds excitement to the prospect of getting around. It adds dimension to the efforts and changes to plans. It turns a simple road trip into an adventure of another sort. I came for the topography, perhaps, and encountered problems to be solved, surpassed and enjoyed in their own right. Life is challenging and ought to be. It engages the brain and demands responses. It is part of who we are.

Danger is always at hand. We just don’t know what it is and when it might happen to us. Most of the time it doesn’t occur and we continue merrily on our way. That’s good, of course, but does lead to boredom. Recalling the past, I always remember more vividly the times didn’t go as planned. It worked out just fine, after all, else I wouldn’t be here to remember it.

Adventure of the open road beckons. How to prepare for it is part of the adventure. Adjusting to what actually happens heightens the adventure. I rather look forward to that. Don’t you?

February 6, 2026

 

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