It is always about this time in the summer when I get such a longing to take a road trip. In fact, exactly five years and one day ago, I wrote this on Popthomology (which was then charmingly known as "Diarrhea Island")
The best kind of roadtrip is taken with just two: two great friends or one harmonious couple. A convertible is the preferred vehicle to have, but not totally necessary. There is just something fabulous about saying "Where do you want to go?" and answering "I HAVE NO IDEA!" and giggling as you hit the interstate. You see the country from a whole different perspective when you are not traveling for any purpose other than to maybe see some new stuff and spend some time together. Your eyes open up to the small details, and the pressures of daily life fade away. You pull over and find somewhere to eat when you are hungry, find a motel to sleep at when you are tired. If some weird little shop looks cool you can check it out, you can even pull over and watch some local Little Leaguers battle it out in some tiny town. You can dip your toes in a clear cool river, watch a movie in some big city you've never been in before, and eat some really fabulous triple-berry pie in a diner run by the Amish. You can just keep riding down the road, listening to music, and talk and talk.Sigh.
My favorite song about the open-hearted joy of the road trip is "Anywhere," by Detroit's own garage lads The Hentchmen, on their 2004 album, "Form Follows Function." "Anywhere" is always the right answer to "where do you want to go?" when you are with someone you really like, right? I thought I would make a little video for this wonderful song using found 8mm road trip videos from a couple of cool '70s families. I hope they have fond memories of their vacations, and I hope you are inspired to make a few new memories this summer, too.
The Hentchmen, "Anywhere"
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman