Muffins with Mom - The Road Trip - Advice from a backseat driver

 

“Get on I-94 West for 10 miles, merge to the left lane, take the ramp, go South…” I attempted to lower the volume on my car GPS, but in reality it was my adult son spewing out directions to me from the backseat.

“Ma, why do you have a printed MapQuest? Just put the location in your phone.”

I could feel my sons contorted face looking at the back of my head. Glancing in the rearview mirror was confirmation of his antics.

Actually, the directions ARE programmed in my phone, the MapQuest is my back-up plan.”

“I’m surprised you don’t have one of those old Tom Tom systems.”

“It’s in the glove compartment, I couldn’t get it to work.”

Our overnight bags were secure in the trunk of the car and bags of snacks rode inside of the car like passengers. We settled into our ride, windows slightly open, letting in the damp morning air.

My mom was riding shotgun, in the passenger seat, but didn’t want to be in charge of the directions. She nibbled on the breakfast sandwich she grabbed at a restaurant drive-thru before we hit the road.

Both my sons popped their wireless earbuds in and slid into a comfortable recline. Well, as comfortable as one can be in a car when your knees are almost jabbing into the seat in front of you.

I listened to an audio book recording of one of my favorite authors. Not more than five minutes passed when I heard my son announce, “Ma, we just passed our exit.”

“I thought you were my GPS. That’s why I printed a MapQuest.”

“No Ma, we’re not using that MapQuest. We’d have to search the steps to see where we are. If we miss a step or there’s construction, we’d have to turn around, go home, and start over.”

His sarcasm wasn’t lost on me. “I stopped using paper checks…one technology change at a time is all I can handle.”

 After four hours in the car, we arrived at our destination, an all-star basketball game that my son was playing in. After the days excitement was complete, we headed to our hotel where the only directions needed were, “which way is the swimming pool?”

What has been your experience on a road trip?