May 20, 1972 - Just Such Driving

This gentle man, pleased for company, told how he'd been raised & lived most of his life here - within 7 miles - except for 15 yrs. in Ariz. & Calif.

I think about why I like to drive so - I love that starting out on a long trip - sort of an open-ended striking out. I believe I'm saved by there being a goal, a place I know I must go. Otherwise uncertainty would mar the going but here I had all those wonderful miles of road to travel with Doug for good company - hours & hours of open space & time - through quiet country mostly - lovely weather & the hours changing as the world turned and we could see and breathe & smell the country at early, misty morning through heat & buzz of noon to shadow & peace of late afternoon and cool promise of evening in strange places where I am me and here in such times I being me is enough. Doug had always been such a joy - a perfect companion - with no need to talk & yet at such times we have had marvelous, deep conversations - our best of all our times. I loved that day so coming back - the beauty, the tenderness of the air, the frangrances, the endlessness of the space & quiet, I felt heaven could be for me an eternity of just such driving - I could have gone on & on. Doug understood & agreed. After 8 hours of driving with stops, I am not weary of driving nor he weary of riding. (We were both sorry to near home.)