Not All Who Wander are Lost

This past summer at the folk fest, one of the performer's was telling a story. I know what you are thinking, someone telling a story at a folk festival? Yup, it happens. Anyways, the story he was telling (I say he, because I can't remember his name) was about his time touring with Stompin' Tom Connors. For those of you who don't know, Stompin' Tom is a Canadian folk legend, whose most famous for "The Hockey Song". So, the story though was about the way Stompin' Tom toured. He told this guy who will remain nameless until my memory gets better, "If you want to see the real Canada on tour, stay away from the highways. Take the side roads through the small towns. No one ever saw Canada from a highway". Well, at least this is what I think he said, as I mentioned before, my memory is foggy at best.

Appropriately, Stompin' Tom's road is off the beaten path. 

This really resounded with me though. It's very true. I've driven all over this country, but most of it was from the view of the 400 series, and then the Cross Canada Highway. You really don't get to see the real Quebec when all you can see is giant moose fence.

So, I started venturing off my normal routes. I only live about an hour from home, and I make the drive a few times a month. It's gotten a bit mundane to take the same old route every time, even if it is the most efficient. One day when I was driving home, I thought, you know what, why don't I just drive in the right direction and see where I end up. It's surprising to see what you miss when you take the same route every time. There are amazing ranches that I had never seen before. All of this just beyond my sight from my normal route.

It's almost become a quest of mine now to get lost. Luckily I've been unsuccessful so far, but what I'm more surprised of is what I've found. Trips seem faster even though they take longer, simply because you can't believe what you have been missing. Even in my own neighborhood I've been surprised by how many amazing houses, and parks are around, that I would never have known about without bidding farewell to efficiency.

Next time you go to drive somewhere, why not turn on "avoid highways" on your GPS. Its amazing the number of lives you can drive by at high speed on the highway, but its even better how much you can learn by taking in the scenic route. Real life isn't lived on a highway.

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What I'm Listening to This Week:

Jamiroquai - Traveling Without Moving