"It's dark and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it."

Every road trip needs to have its own playlist and our trip South is no exception. Here is our playlist:
     106 miles to Chicago -The Blues Brothers
     Life in the fast lane -The Eagles
     My Minnesota home - Prairie Home Companion
     Running on empty -Jackson Browne
     Iowa -Dar Williams
     Kansas city - Wanda Jackson
     King of the road -Dean Martin
     Oklahoma Nights - Jimmy Webb
     On the road again -Willie Nelson
     Tulsa county -Son Volt
     He rode all the way to Texas -Dolly Parton
     The long and winding road -Ray Charles
     Hit the road Jack - Ray Charles
     Luckenbach Texas -Waylon Jennings
     500 miles -Roseanne Cash
     San Antonio rose -Patsy Cline
     Take it easy - The Eagles
     I've been everywhere -Johnny Cash
     Show me the way to go home -Emerson Lake Palmer
     One for my baby -Bette Midler


Great music that will carry us all the way from Minnesota to Texas. You may notice; however, that the first selection is not a song at all. Instead it is a clip from the "Blues Brothers" movie...


"It's 106 miles to Chicago. We have a full tank of gas, a half pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it."


A classic quote from a classic movie about a classic road trip. Every road trip needs a soundtrack and every road trip also has potential for the best conversations. Picture the Blues Brothers driving through the shopping mall and conversing all along about the sales in each store. Remember Pulp Fiction, and the classic conversation between John Travolta and Samuel Jackson about movie theaters and McDonalds in Europe. These conversations are about nothing at all but at the same time, can sometimes be the most interesting.


I read once that if you really wanted to talk with a teenager about something uncomfortable, the best place to talk is in a car. First of all, they are a captive audience but more importantly, there is something about the fact that you aren't looking face to face and have the distractions of the world going by that makes conversation flow and can make difficult conversations a bit less intimidating.


As we traveled more than 10 hours today, we had the opportunity for lots of conversation - about topics big and small, matters of importance and things that don't matter at all. We have had a moments of laughter, and moments of quiet - the kind that is never awkward and you can only enjoy with those you know well and love much.


The first day of our journey will soon be over. We have gone through 3 tanks of gas, no cigarettes, it's been sunny and we've had torential rain (but we wore our sunglasses). So we continue on, hit it...


Side note: In the final hours of our planning and preparation yesterday, our sister Deb had to make a very difficult decision. She recently welcomed a new grandson who was born more than 6 weeks early. He is 3 pounds of cuteness. He has been doing so good but suffered a bit of a setback on Sunday and Deb knew that she needed to stay home until he is better. We got good news today and are hoping that he will be much better very soon because then Deb will actually fly down to meet us in Texas. I think we will drive in and she will already be at the pool with a glass of wine in her hand. But until then, please keep baby Traigh (and all his family) in your thoughts and prayers. We miss you,Deb and will see you in Texas!