dual personalities

at least not for a while. Son #2 is about to embark on an epic journey by car, planes, trains, and bus. Here’s what his route looks like plotted on Google Earth:

Next Thursday he and his girlfriend, N, load up her warhorse of a car, aptly named Mary Jane. She boasts over 200,000 miles on the odometer and no air-conditioning, but the mechanic swears she has another 125,000 miles in her yet — we’ll see. Leaving behind their beloved North Country, they will journey cross-country to New Mexico, where N will intern this summer at the beautiful Ghost Ranch.

But, wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. They have planned their itinerary to stay with friends and family and thus avoid unnecessary hotel bills. First, they visit some of N’s family in Allegany, NY, nestled in the Enchanted Mountains (?).

Then it’s on to Columbus, Ohio, where they will spend the weekend with friends, no doubt re-living their fondest college moments.

Onward, they will travel to the gateway to the West, where they will enjoy the famous hospitality of my dual personality, but without the snow.

I wish I could joint them for that stop! But I’d be happy to miss the next — flat — part of the journey, though it will eventually take them across the plains and into the mountains of Colorado, where they will visit family friends in Colorado Springs.

I believe they plan to take a break here for a day or two — I would, wouldn’t you? It looks beautiful. Assuming that Mary Jane is still running and the lack of air-conditioning hasn’t caused the travelers to overheat, they will only have a relatively easy (?) journey to Albuquerque left. After a couple of days rest and sight-seeing in the vicinity, our travelers part company, she to her internship and he to points east. From there my son flies to Washington DC (via Chicago), where he will arrive just after his brother’s 25th birthday, but in plenty of time to help him save the world.

A few days later, son #2 will board a plane to London, traveling via Reykjavik (alas, just a short layover). Once he’s finally in England, he will have to travel down to  Devon.

No doubt his grandmother will greet him with a cup of tea and loads of fabulous food. By this time, he will have earned a little rest before he embarks on his next adventure, whatever that turns out to be! I will miss him more than I can say, but I’m excited for him, too.

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole
creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go:

Preserve those who travel;

Surround them with your loving care;

Protect them from every danger;
and bring them in safety to their journey’s end;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Godspeed intrepid travelers!

*From the 1974 Episcopal prayer book and I’m not sure why the spacing turned out to be so strange…