The Bay Bridge didn't want me to

I have a beach house in Ocean City, MD. I mistakenly decided to take a mini vacation to said beach house this past holiday weekend. The main purpose of my road trip was to pick up a few books, jackets, and other random things that I left there. I also made a trip to visit my twin brother and my best friend in Salisbury.

I did pick up everything that I left at my beach house. I did visit my brother and my best friend in Salisbury. But the Bay Bridge didn't want me to!

A drive that normally takes me 2.5 hours took me over four hours on Saturday. I know, driving to Ocean City in the middle of Saturday during Labor Day Weekend? What was I thinking?! I guess I just really wanted to pick up my Sookie Stackhouse novels and my leather jacket. But that drive was insane. It took me over an hour just to cross the Bay Bridge! How???

The drive may have been excessively long, but it wasn't dull or boring. I had an endless supply of old mix CDs from high school to listen to (Miss New Booty? Really?) My ipod, along with its car adapter, provided updated tunes for my journey as well.

Lesson number 1: Don't drive to Ocean City on Labor Day weekend (unless you leave in the wee hours of the morning)

And obviously, the lesson of all road trips: ALWAYS BRING GOOD MUSIC!

Bilbo's advice

Bilbo Baggins was a wise hobbit. I'm a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, and I've read The Hobbit and am halfway through the first Lord of the Rings.

I read something in the Lord of the Rings that really resonated with me as a travel lover.

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door," he used to say. "You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."
~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

I completely agree with the wise little hobbit. Traveling is all about making the first step, going out of your front door and stepping into the road beyond. You can make all the plans you want, but there truly is no knowing where you may end up. Trust me, I know!

The Travel Bug

I love to travel. I spent four weeks backpacking Europe with my twin brother over summer vacation. I went to Rome and Florence for Spring Break. I've been all over the United States and I have adventured through Europe.

I'm not sure quite when it happened, but somewhere along the way I definitely caught the travel bug. It's a nasty little virus, one that eats you up inside. It slowly deteriorates your sanity and drives you mad. But it's a good madness. It's a madness rooted in memories of places, people, sunsets, train rides, backpacks and adventures. I've got the travel bug, and I doubt it will ever go away. Be careful, it's highly contagious!