Driving AdventuresSidetracked Sisters

I pride myself on being great with directions. I can’t recall a single time I’ve been lost when I’m driving. (Now if Mom is driving – that’s an entirely different story). Even as a kid, I’ve always paid attention to things as we were traveling from one place to another.

Apparently, my good directional sense was known by my first coworkers because when we were in Atlanta (my first time ever being there), everyone I was with said “Michelle, you’re great with directions. You should drive.” So I did and I loved every minute of it.

I’ve always felt exhilarated driving through new and different places. For my job, I’ve had to travel quite a bit and I’ve had the opportunity to drive in Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Illinois, and California (when I was 16). Driving in new places is one of my favorite things to do.

As an example of my love of exploring was when I had to drive from Door County to school in Eau Claire. This was my first experience with having to find my own way. I had never driven this route before and this was before the days of cell phones and GPS devices. I actually had to rely on street signs and maps to find my way. As I drove along, I’d stop at Kwik Trips to check out the map and find the “You Are Here” sticker to make sure I was still heading in the right direction. It was an immense feeling of responsibility to be able to navigate my own path.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve continued to enjoy that feeling of accomplishment when traveling places and not needing to ask someone for directions. I absolutely HATE having to ask someone for directions, even if it’s just in a store trying to find something.

I figure, if I drive long enough or look long enough, I’ll find what I’m looking for.