Perhaps it is the fact that December is the last month of the year or the memories associated with the holiday season. Maybe its a dawning realization that a new year is about to begin. In either case there is something about the festive season between Thanksgiving and Christmas that seems to unleash a torrent of reflections and meditations, and a touch of eager anticipation.
This year the later is rather easy to explain. My dearest friend and I will be stepping way beyond our traditional realm of adventures that involve a Jeep laden with a staggering array of supplies and gear, and the road less traveled.
We will be stepping into the unfamiliar, and as a result frustrating and anxiety inducing world of the airport in January. As I am an explorer that carries gear and supplies for most any conceivable contingency, the concept of traveling with merely a suitcase is akin to setting out on a cross country adventure without pants.
Okay, January may not be an ideal time for the exploration of the Netherlands. Still, in spite of these obstacles we are eager to start a new year with an opportunity to visit with friends new and old, share the wonders of Route 66 with European enthusiasts, and explore places that ring with centuries of history.
That is the kick off for what promises to be a most exciting year. The work of the World monuments Fund and National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program facilitated steering community will most likely kick into high gear in 2015, and that in itself is reason to look toward next year with eager anticipation.
Added excitement is found in the ongoing development of the electric vehicle museum in Kingman, the surge in media interest in Route 66 as evidenced by this recent article in The Press Enterprise, the event in Edwardsville, meeting with tour groups, the Adventure Caravan Route 66 adventures, and a myriad of events and developments all along the double six, and in the Route 66 community.
As is usually the case, the reflections and meditations that fill thoughts during this season are sepia tinged and just a bit faded. They are also tempered with a sense of passing time, the brevity of life, and what memories are worth making.
Here is to a memory making holiday season, and a memorable 2015.
