Road trips are good for many things – taking in new sights, enjoying new experiences, the joy of great company.  They typically happen because we have a destination in mind; somewhere we are looking forward to that perhaps has been on our ‘bucket list’ for a stretch and now we’re finally getting to experience it.  I’ve hit the road many times in my adult life, and as I type this, the memories are flooding back, full of highlights from the New Orleans Jazz Fest, lobster boils in Maine, late night poutine in Montreal, concert crawls in Nashville, and all kinds of backcountry discoveries in Algonquin.   There are many kilometres under our tires, though I would say that not every trip needs to take days to qualify for the title ‘road trip’.  I think more important than the distance would be the context for why the trip is taking place – the end goal is kind of what defines it for me, I suppose.  A trip to see an orthodontic specialist in Toronto?  Sorry, that doesn’t qualify.  A family outing to check out the ROM and a Jays Game taking the subway from Yorkdale?  Yeah, that totally counts.

Having said all of that, the destination is only part of the fun.  It’s definitely the motivating factor for getting into the car and spending what is likely a ton of money, but it’s not the be all, end all.  In fact, one of the highlights of the whole thing is planning what to do in the car and what stops to make along the way.  From selecting the perfect car snacks, to creating the perfect mix tape, there are many ways to make the time in the vehicle and on the road more than just a slog with a few gas top ups here and there.  Pre-kids, this part of the process was admittedly more fun and spontaneous than it is today, as we were not restricted to their flavours of food and music, and there are certainly far more bathroom breaks than when it was just the two of us.  It used to be that we would plan our journey with restaurants and food in mind along the way, picking out those places that looked most intriguing and unfamiliar (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives actually paved our entire way to New Orlean!).  Now – it’s McDonalds.  Where it was once we would hit up landmarks for as long we pleased.  Now – it’s McDonals playland.  Where we used to pickup little trinkets to remind of our adventures, typically in the form of Christmas tree decorations, now, It’s McDonalds happy meal toys.  Things have certainly evolved.

I will say, though, that while the food may not be as exciting, and it may take us longer now to get where we want/need to be, our kids have always impressed me with their ability to hang out in a car for prolonged periods.  The trip back from New Hampshire with Nora will always stay with me – we were certain we’d require an overnight rest stop, but, nope, she stayed awake and sang songs for 13 straight hours, no exaggeration!  Their presence in the car has also introduced us to landmarks of a different variety, as we tend to seek out new parks and play structures to explore as part of our pit stops; so while we may not be seeing the wonders of the world, we are taking in some pretty unique, fun and imaginative play as we stretch our legs, and I am not going to complain about that.

And, of course, the music is also different now.  We still have The Descendants soundtracks playing on repeat (there’s a new one out for those who may not be aware…) but the genius of my wife has moved those admittedly catchy tunes from the car speakers to the the kids new bluetooth headphones to at least allow us a little reprieve once in a while.  We don’t get to enjoy our podcasts, conversation or complete silence in quite the same capacity as we used to, but between Disney scores, I’ve actually found that I’m tuning in once again to what is new and popular on the charts and I’ll admit: I actually enjoy a fair bit of what we’re listening to and am not ashamed to admit I can jam along to Meghan Trainor and Dua Lipa with the best of them.

So, why am I writing about road trips in the first place?  Well, inspiration can come from the strangest of places,  and a few weeks ago while driving back from Bancroft, something happened that has stuck with me and I haven’t been able to shake it.  See, of all the things that take place on a road trip – the music, the conversation, the sights, the experience – perhaps the most exciting part comes down to the snacks.  We do our best to pack our own selection of munchies, both healthy and not, and yet despite preparing as much as we can ahead of time, the road trip is the time in which I indulge in something that I otherwise wouldn’t.  Be it a drive-through coffee and a pack of Timbits, or convenience store slushee, there is usually something special along the way that I look forward to treating myself to, and on this particular road trip I had already had my indulgence, so when we made our final pit stop and ventured into the gas station, I hadn’t considered that I may be tempted by another sweet treat.  But as we stood in line waiting for the restroom, there it was, sitting innocently on the shelf in front of me, teasing me, begging me to pick it up and investigate further.  Something that referred to itself as an “Ah, Louis’ – a combination, mash-up of two treats I haven’t had since before I was in high school; Ah, Caramel, and Joe Louis, in one decadent, over the top sweet, sugary, confection.  Of course these things should go together, it only makes sense, and I give a standing ovation to the genius who had the resolve to wait 40 years to market them, just so they could get their hooks back into a generation who forgot they existed.  I held onto this package for a few moments to try and wrap my head around its genius and why I had never seen it before.  Then, I placed it back on the shelf, walked away, and drove home.  It has been on my mind ever since.

Apparently these things came out a couple of years and, and I have no idea how I missed them, but the memories that each of these treats holds on their own are among the most powerful of my childhood.  Eating Joe Louis, fresh out of the freezer with my friend Crag M. after many hours of playing ‘manhunt’ around the neighbourhood, or carefully dissecting the components of an Ah, Caramel as I snuggled up on the couch with my mom watching TV as a kid; these lunch box classics have a hold on me and I am regretting not making the purchase when I had the chance, and that, my friends, is why I am feeling the need to take another road trip.  I need to find one of these things again!

Yes, inspiration can come from the strangest of places…