Last weekend, Nancy and I went on a little Sunday Drive. We hopped in the car, drove down to Eltzroth & Thompson for some plants, then headed across the mountain via I-64 to Greenville and a visit to Springdale Gardens where we picked up a couple bullfrog tadpoles and some water garden accessories. On the way home, we took the long route along Rt. 250. We saw redbuds in bloom, pink and white dogwood blossoms and greener-than-green pastures. We saw gurgling streams and white fluffy clouds. We saw the views from both sides of Afton Mountain. It was a lovely three hours – far better than watching Corina Virus re-runs.
Years ago, a Sunday drive was a regular family activity. After church and a big Sunday. ”dinner”, the family hopped in the car, mom and dad in the front and the young’uns squeezed in the back. We rolled down the windows (there was no air conditioning) and went for a Sunday drive.
I remember that in Beckley, WV, we often drove to Grandview Park with a spectacular view of Raleigh County. It was also a preferred destination when we had relatives in from North Carolina – simply magnificent scenery. Sometimes we just drove around town with a hoped-for stop at the Dairy Queen for a couple nickel cones.
It didn’t make so much difference where we went, but that we went and we went as a family.
Families don’t often take Sunday drives anymore. In normal times, the TV has an NFL or basketball game playing while video games are underway in the kids’ rooms, and everyone fends for themselves at lunch time. Maybe this virus will help bring families back together. Maybe they’ll learn how to turn the TV off and be entertained by one another. Maybe they might even all pile into the car and go for a Sunday Drive.