by Linda Sunkle-Pierucki

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If you are of the right mind-set, and of the self-sufficient variety, then the benefits of driving far supersede most other methods of getting there'. Driving requires taking ample time to contend with traffic in metropolitan areas, planning the best or most scenic route and allowing for food, fuel and other necessary stops. But if you have the time and an adventurous attitude, driving is for you.

Air travel is far too hurried, requiring much pre-arrangement, hassles for Homeland Security impositions and inevitable waiting time-likely at both ends. Arranging for and fretting over tightly-scheduled flight changes and layovers leaves many in a foul mood to start either a new project or a vacation. You will also be forced to take potluck as to seatmates, refreshments and weather delays. Choosing a window seat gains you views of clouds and the occasional bird. Thrilling!

Bus travel includes all of the dubious benefits of air travel, only more so: the more common bus services tend to stand out only in their sameness.poor air quality, rough ride and a rest room that suffers from an overabundance of fragrance to cover up poor sanitation. It is usually my luck to schedule on the same bus with either a large extended family of non-English-speaking folk with unusual customs or a group of sports fans overcome with team spirit. Sightseeing via the window next to you never seems to be very satisfactory as mostly you will be viewing the side of some tractor-trailer as the bus careens wildly past in the left lane at well over the posted speed limit. Dizzying. And bus stations are a true study in humanity: most I have seen would have provided ample psych thesis material for any grad student brave enough to hang out there.

Train travel is somewhat better; in fact it can be downright enjoyable, if, however, you can actually find a train going where you need to go. Commuter trains on the East Coast cover the area very well and there are trains to nearly everywhere, at least with connecting bus service. But for the rest of the nation, there are few trains and one must route from Cleveland to Dallas by way of, say, Atlanta? At least the train stations where you will be waiting during layovers are usually safer than most bus stations. Even if they don't offer any more in the way of food or amenities, you probably won't find yourself the subject of a territorial dispute over choice bench space with a semi-permanent 'resident'. However, for a beautiful and comfortable cross-country trip in decent weather, train travel will afford you lovely vistas and food service can be very good depending on your budget.

Driving avoids all this. Once out of the metro areas, you can settle comfortably into your familiar seat, slip off your shoes, position a few snacks and a drink or bottled water in the holder, set the radio (preferably satellite) on a suitable station and join the rest of the travelers, each in their own cocoon, heading down the open road. If you're stressed or rehearsing the BIG presentation, the solitude of your personal vehicle allows you the space to decompress, plan, sing off-key, scratch where it itches and generally chill out. On a long haul-a couple of states or so, you can indulge in a side-trip or two, visit the hokey tourist trap if you wish, stop to admire a field of spectacular wildflowers or study a particularly interesting herd of cows.

A veteran traveler will invest in a large-format trucker's map such as Rand McNally's Large-Scale Motor Carrier Atlas: with large-type individual state maps and a healthy selection of city and special-interest-area blow-ups, these maps provide very useful detail for finding the road less traveled', main city arteries and bypasses for congested areas. The laminated pages wipe clean if you happen to park your Qwickie-Burger' on them and the spiral binding allows them to lie flat in the passenger seat-or have your passenger navigate for you. These maps last for years and are over $100 from Rand McNally, but can usually be found in larger truck stops for less than $50even cheaper if you wait to buy in the spring when they tend to go on sale. They also list toll-free numbers for hotel chains and weather and State Police contact information if needed.

Then, there is the GPS unit: probably less of a necessity and more of a man-toy. These range from a $35 USB receiver that interacts with a laptop mapping program such as Microsoft's Streets and Trips, or DeLorme's mapping program, to a full-fledged dash-mounted unit with full color touch screen and preloaded maps that will actually talk to you if you get into a tight spot (" ..at Conner Street....200 feet...turn left.."..). They certainly can help you out of a tough spot, however, particularly at night when street signs and landmarks are harder to see.

Driving has many joys not obvious to the uninitiated: it provides many opportunities for studying architecture (planning your next addition?) to speculating on topography and the earth forces that caused features such as hills, rock outcroppings and the salt flats. Ponds, lakes, streams along the way often offer small picnic areas where you can get out and stretch. The flyways across the Great Plains offer an opportunity to view flocks of familiar and unfamiliar birds and waterfowl in season. Many smaller villages have a local museum providing insight into the area and its past, giving you a history lesson at the same time. The smaller old two-lanes in summer become an amusement in and of themselves: flea markets, Bar B Q joints and Mom-and Pop restaurants and hotels where you can still get a blue-plate special, steak and egg breakfast or local cuisine for less than the price of five gallons of gas. Picking up a local weekly newspaper in these small towns provides interesting insight into local culture and mores and may provide some unintended moments of humor to the non-local. Some still even sport a local drive-in theater which, if you wander through on a Friday or Saturday night can provide an evening of time-travel back into the 50's while you watch a grad-B monster flick. It's an interesting experience.

Most of the Midwest is teeming with gas stations selling E85 ethanol blend but all grades of fuel are plentiful. And nearly every interstate exit sports a variety of fast-food choices. You are only as far from civilization and as alone as you choose to be. And if you plan for plenty of time to slow down and see the sights and smell the flowers, you will arrive far more rested and in better spirits than you would have been given alternate forms of transportation. Getting there is half the fun. And as in life, the journey is certainly as important as the destination.

Learn more about this author, Linda Sunkle-Pierucki.

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