Take the Back Roads

My father, like most, looked at the long Summer vacation drive as a quest. He monitored speed, distance, time, and gas mileage. He timed out “pit stops” for maximum efficiency and bellowed at me, my sister, and mom, like a drill sergeant, at roadside diners and gas stations.

 “Ok, ok, keep moving. We gotta stay on schedule.” 

In his mind, less time spent traveling meant more time for vacation. Time, my father taught me, is a precious commodity. He was not about “wasting time” in any way, shape, or form.

He used Rand McNally Maps, laid out like a blanket on the hood of the car. They never folded back up the way they were packaged, and this caused much consternation. The course to the destination was always pre-planned and highlighted on the accordion map. Dad was the pilot. Mom was the co-pilot, who never really figured out the concept of East and West, especially when traveling South.

We found ourselves often on the “back roads.” Dad was taking a “shortcut.” Mom said we were lost. I can’t help but think Dad would have loved Waze.

As a younger man, I was always in a rush to get there, just like my father. Since his passing, I’ve spent much more time traveling. I’ve now been to 39 out of 50 states, and hope to hit the rest someday. During Covid, I sailed my boat 1,137 miles from Urbanna, Virginia, to Fort Lauderdale on the Intracoastal Waterway. (You see a lot of small towns on back roads when you take 10 days driving to South Florida).

I’ve learned a lot by taking the back roads. For example, the best Prime Rib in the country is not in New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. It’s in tiny Coinjock, North Carolina (population 298). 

Directions: Take I-95 South of Petersburg, then go 460 East to I-64 and take the Chesapeake Toll Road. You’ll be there in 2 1/2 hours. Remember: the speed limit in Wakefield is 35 mph.

Pro tip: Coinjock Marina Restaurant doesn’t take reservations for tables, but you’ll need to “reserve” a prime rib, especially on a Friday or Saturday.