I’m not a spur-of-the-moment-road-trip-kind-of-girl. I require lots of research, pre-planning, and prep. Lots and lots of prep.
The worst part is sorting/packing my meds and preparing allergy-safe food to bring with me (in case restaurants cannot accommodate — and many cannot). It literally takes me hours and makes me very, very cranky. [If you need to get a better picture of what talking about, refer back to my Low-Key High-Maintenance post from a few weeks ago and you’ll see — it ain’t easy being me.]
Then there’s the issue of the drive itself.
I’m not good with long car rides. I require multiple pitstops to pee (I’ve been told I have a small bladder) and stretch (because my ass aches, my joints stiffen, and my legs swell), adding anywhere from 30-60 minutes to the journey.
To make matters worse, I’m admittedly not the best co-pilot. If I’m not driving, I fall asleep almost instantly. When I wake up, I have a kink in my neck, drool on my chin, and an urgent need to pee and stretch — which, of course, means another stop.
In other words, I’m a joy to travel with.
But despite all of this, here I am, on the road again for the fifth time in seven weeks.
Why? Because I’m a sports mom. More specifically, a college lacrosse mom.
My younger son is still in high school, so his football games and track meets are close to home. But my older son plays lacrosse at Middlebury College in Vermont — 7 hours away.
H is living out his dream and I’m here for it. I love watching him play in person, but playing in the NESCAC means all his games are up in New England. The closest school is five hours north of where we live; the furthest is almost 9. All require long car rides, many of which begin at sunrise.
During the regular season, we made two trips to Vermont and one to Connecticut to watch five games. And because the team keeps winning, we keep traveling.
Two weeks ago, it was Boston for the NESCAC semifinals and finals. Last weekend, it was Schenectady for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. The back-to-back long car rides really do suck, but I love my kid, so I do it.
This coming weekend, we’re on the road again for the NCAA quarterfinals and hopefully semifinals. Fingers crossed they make it all the way to the championship game in Philly — and not just because it’s in our backyard … although the thought of not having to drive further than 30 minutes is certainly exciting.
Go MIDD!
— LJDT
