Editor’s Note: Mark Bradford and his wife Wendy have rented out their Mishawaka home for the next six months and will travel the country during that period. Mark plans on sharing his thoughts on their adventure on moorandmore from time to time.
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The reality of what we have just started doing is settling in. A six-month hiatus from life started on Monday, June 26. On that day, my wife Wendy and I climbed into my 2020 Ford Taurus for the first of about 190 days “on the road.”
We have zero idea where we will go on most days. However, both of us are planners, so it won’t be a case of aimless wandering. When we put the car in drive each day, there will be a goal in mind, sort of.
Nearly all of our real-life friends think we are crazy. Many of our e-friends claim to be envious or are offering support. It is not like this has never been done before, nor is this as dangerous as sky-diving or even kite-surfing. Still, this adventure is outside the norm for middle class senior citizens. And so, it becomes something notable.
The thing is, our lives have become like doing laundry — a boring daily wash-rinse-repeat cycle of “just getting through it.” Sure, we were having some fun, but in our minds, we knew that life was slipping away and if we were going to “see the USA today in our Chevrolet” (those of us over 60 will recognize that jingle), we need to do it now.
I passed my 70th birthday in February and Wendy turned 66 on Flag Day. Age 70, for me, seems to be a turning point. You can still think you are young as long as the first digit in your age is six or less. Once you hit 70, you need to admit to being old. Time to check off your bucket list if that is in your life plan.
Not that it is all bad being 70. However, the frequency of “weird things” happening to your body increases as well as the number of people you recognize in the obituary section. On the positive side, Wendy and I planned well and between social security and 401Ks, we can afford to pretty much do whatever we wish, as long as we don’t go first class.
So, my intent is to write a few paragraphs every day and post them plus a few pics from Wendy on Facebook. In addition, I plan on printing out paper copies for my kids and grandkids. It is hoped that in 30 years or so, long after I am gone, my kids will read this to Wendy as she sits in her “old woman’s chair,” as I did for my own mom in her last weeks on earth. As I read her memoirs to her, my 96-year-old mother came alive and told me stories I had not heard about her childhood and the grandparents I never knew. I can only hope that scenario repeats itself with Wendy.
So with all that being said, Wendy and I approach this as we approach any adventure — with an equal measure of excitement and fear. We know that flat tires, bad hotel rooms, boring drives, bad choices and other unexpected things will happen. Que Cera, Cera. However, we are prepared for most eventualities. We are ready for life’s “stuff.”
I was never good at laundry anywa