I was looking at one of my pictures I took in Salem, Mass., on June 3 of last year and it brought everything back.
This wasn’t my first visit. I was with my parents when visiting Salem in June 1984, but this time, 39 years later, I was by myself.
The picture says more about me than anyone will ever know. A cool front moved in that evening, and it was raining. I was cold, wet and tired and all alone more than 1,700 miles from home. There are people on the right in the picture that have an umbrella.
I didn’t have an umbrella and the only thing I had that helped keep me from getting so wet was a 40-year-old University of Wyoming windbreaker I was wearing that was my father’s. I unbuttoned the lower buttons so I could drape it over my camera.
It was an imperfect moment for sure but that is for me what actually made it perfect. I was free to do whatever I wanted without any distractions at all other than stopping for a few photos on the trek back to the hotel.
The next morning, I got up early and walked numerous blocks before checking out of the hotel at about 11 a.m. I then went to nearby Concord where I walked even more.
I considered calling it quits then and starting the long drive home, however, Lexington was also on my list of places to visit so I went there promising myself it would be quick, but of course, I just kept walking and when I thought I was finished, I saw a sign for an old cemetery that I just had to visit. Even though my batteries were running low, it was well worth it.
I finally made it back to the car in the afternoon and after grabbing a slice of pizza, I got in the car and drove away. When I reached Connecticut, I encountered bumper-to-bumper traffic almost through the entire state.
I then entered New Jersey with the goal of making it to Pennsylvania. That didn’t happen because when I pulled off the highway into a parking lot to look at Google maps to see where I was, I quit when I noticed I had pulled into a motel parking lot.
I was sick of driving and didn’t feel like even looking for fast food so beef jerky and popcorn that I brought as road trip food was my supper that night.
The last thing on my mind was taking more pictures but then I saw a deer at the edge of the parking lot as I was about to enter my room.
I’m dreaming of hitting the road again with the mystery of what I will find and the unexpected challenges during the journey.
