Taking that road trip down memory lane

There really is nothing like the start of a road trip.

You’re excited, ready to get on the open road and the weather is usually pretty good. As I write this, I’ve just finished the first of a four-day venture throughout our great state.

Like all trips, there were hiccups, but the great thing about traveling is quite simply the opportunity to see something new.

I’ve never been to Grand Coulee Dam, but crossed that off my list this afternoon. Simply put, it lives up to its name. Grand.

Driving along Highway 2 shows just how great of a state Washington truly is. At one moment, you’re in the middle of a field of wheat, then suddenly it’s a desert. A few miles later and you’re passing through a forest then up a hill to hit a plateau. Although I’ve driven that route before, I never really noticed how stunning our state is. We’re lucky to live in such a diverse and varied landscape. It truly is a stark difference from taking Interstate 90, and the impressions will stick with me for quite some time.

While some find driving long distances stressful, it’s actually quite relaxing for me. Being on the open road, listening to a good audiobook or Hugh Laurie’s latest blues album “Didn’t It Rain” is rather soothing.  

But, we all know a road trip is nothing without the food along the way.

After hearing people rave about Billy Burger in Wilbur, I had to take the opportunity to savor what many say is the region’s best cylindrical bovine disc on a bun. The verdict? A good thumbs up.

The food while traveling is something that sticks with you for the rest of your life. It practically defines a city, and whether you’ll return in the future. A personal example would be a breakfast place in Gardiner, Mt., where the hashbrowns were perfect and the omelets were absolutely humongous. There’s a special place in my heart for Gardiner, even though its population is less than 1,000, because of the way one small family-run dive served breakfast.

Sure, there’s the occasional headache that comes along with road trips, namely traffic in busy cities, but as it’s often said, the journey is more important than the actual destination.

Some of the most memorable trips of my childhood were where our family just decided to hit the road, not knowing where we’d end up. As it’s often said, the important thing in our trips was the journey, not the destination. If only we could continue to live like that, making more of each day instead of focusing on where things will be next month or next year at the same time.

So, while the summer is still here, take a weekend and explore a nearby town in the Spokane area. Just a quick hour away are some incredible destinations that make our home worth bragging about.