Me and Superman

I'm participating in the write 30 minutes a day challenge with the American Cancer Society. I generally write technical articles for work, job descriptions, etc. But today, while out on a walk with #TrvlPooch I was thinking, what type of travel do I enjoy? It didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that I enjoy traveling to explore. New places, no matter how cliché or weird. I have fun discovering what is unique about places and the people that support them.

Did you know that there is a large superman model in Metropolis, IL? I didn't until a few years ago when I was driving to Nashville and needed a stretch break. Something told me to stop and see what Metropolis was all about - they not only have a large statue, but the town looks like a comic book!

There's a pink elephant statue in De-Forest, WI. Just sitting there at a gas station waiting to be used in photo ops.

The rest stops in Ohio are the best, but Pennsylvania wins for the views from the highway! 

Art in the form of graffiti trains dot the countryside when you take the mother road west to California. Being able to appreciate the art is one thing, but then you have to remember the great risk the artist take to create it...how exactly do they get on the highway overpass signs and bridges to paint?

Travel doesn't have to be running from tourist attraction to tourist attraction. Excursions on cruises are nice, but next time just skip it and stay in the port town. Talk to people who live there, find out what makes it special besides the gift shops. Those are trinkets in your mind that you won't have to worry about dusting later.

The saying goes that no one ever died saying I wish I had saved more money...and it's true. But at the same time you don't have to be a millionaire to experience the world. Go out - take a look around. Be curious. Stop and ask the neighbor why they buried a car in their front yard (truth - check out lake drive in Cudahy). Find out why they collect old fast food signage. What possessed them to turn their porch into a beer garden style pantry?

Those are the types of things I like to find out - the types of trips I like to plan, or not plan depending on how you look at it.

My life isn't over, but if something were to happen I could honestly say that I've left my mark on many individuals.

I make sure to talk to local shop owners, people selling lemonade, souvenirs and snacks in the different cities I drive through. My children have experienced much of life do to my gift for conversation. 

Life is to be lived and shared - get out and do some living! And when you are ready to slow down at the end of your life, remember all of the world that you hold in your heart and mind.

That is worth more than all the money in the world.

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