Road Trippin'
It’s only in this last year I became aware of the fact that there are people who don’t have a “bucket list” and don’t plan on making one. I had three patients with cancer and suggested the idea to each of them, but none of them did it. Despite my being a therapist for 20 years and knowing so much about human behavior, I still get shocked at times.
Anyway, one of the items on my bucket list is to experience all 50 states before I die, and I got eleven left if you go by my definition of what “visiting” a state means. I decided that a layover at an airport or simply driving through is not enough; you need to stop for a meal or a drink for it to count—i.e., an opportunity to interact with locals. My goal is to knock eight off the list this summer (AK, KS, and RI will have to wait). Last night I spent hours figuring out my route, and I’m excited about my tentative plan:
May 3-6 - Metropolis, IL
May 6-12 - Shipshewana, IN
May 12-18 - McGregor, IA
May 18-24 - Trempealeau, WI
May 24-29 - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
May 29 - June 1 - Jamestown, ND
June 1-6 - Medora, ND
June 6-10 - Badlands National Park, SD
June 10-12 - Deadwood, SD
June 12-17 - Red Lodge, MT
June 17-20 - Salmon, ID
June 20-25 - Moab, UT
June 25-30 - Weaverville, CA
June 30 - July 4 - Buffer / flexible days
July 4 - Arrive Castro Valley, CA
I used AI to help me plan out my journey. The priorities were “cute small towns,” and “countryside nearby,” as well as “dog-friendly.” Also, I didn’t want to drive more than 6 hours in one day or to stress me or my dogs out. Deepseek came up with the “buffer days” idea, which I wouldn’t have thought of. The rationale was good—unexpected issues might arise, so build in time for it.
Despite the fact that I have a history of anxiety, I really don’t live my life like an anxious person anymore and haven’t for a long time. I don’t assume things will go wrong, and am not plagued by “what if?” thinking. Most of the time, I believe things are going to turn out just fine, and if they don’t, I’ll figure it out. I’m a master at winging it.
How many hours of your life have you spent worrying about stuff that never happened? I used to do that in the past and gave it up, realizing how pointless it is.
Of course, the non-worrying approach can cause problems sometimes. Like this past winter when I assumed Winter Storm Fern was a bunch of hype, and I didn’t even buy bottled water. Even though I’m glad I don’t stress about such things, I’m pretty sure I’m going to die in a natural disaster one day. When I used to live in Hawaii, I was awakened one morning by a tsunami siren blaring up the mountain. I didn’t know what all the ruckus was and didn’t bother to check. I just put in earplugs and went back to sleep.
Photo credit: Susan Mah