Road Trip Planning – Fighting the FOMO and Shrinking My Radius

In a few weeks, following the Void Rally, I’ll once again set off on a week-long road trip. Already being away from home makes it easy to continue going further. From Fredericksburg, Virginia – I’ll be heading… south? West? This is my dilemma.

Since I’m closer than I would normally be, I’ve considered visiting the Wright Brothers Memorial on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. But, the facility is undergoing construction until fall of 2018, which could dampen the experience. And just up the road, is the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, which I’ve long wanted to visit. But, I’d really like it if my family were able to be there, too. I think I’ll end up passing on those this time around.

On the western side, I have a few places that I would like to visit, two of them in West Virginia and one in Ohio. And with a stretch, I wouldn’t be sad if I stopped by the SPAM Museum in Minnesota. I still lament missing it when Kenny and I were passing through a few years ago. But, that’s 1200 miles from my house on the slab and nearly the same distance from Fredericksburg. I think that’s something for another time.

My radius is shrinking.

For this rideabout, I’m going to be on the Bonnie. I don’t really want to pound out highway miles to get somewhere as I’ve done in the past. Really what I want is to meander and continue my exploration of small town America. There is a limitless education to be had there.

Ugh. What the hell am I doing? I’m over-thinking this. I should just stick a pin on the map for the three things I know that I want to see and let the ride plan itself. I’ve got to shake this FOMO that gets the better of me and makes me do stupid things. I get so wrapped up in having unfettered time that I try to cram a shit-ton of stuff into it because I get scared that I may never have the chance again.

Weird. I feel like I just cleared that up for myself. I’ve been going around in a circle on what to do with my time. But, now that I’ve typed this out – the dilemma no longer exists. I guess I just needed to clarify my expectations to myself. ::punches self in arm with a smile:: PSIAWAS. (That is a terrible acronym.)

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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6 Responses

  1. FOMO drips into everything. It’s best power — making us miserable as we try and pursue perfect consumption of experience. A perfect partner for people in a consumer culture.

    What jumped out to me in your post was the notion of unfettered time. THAT is a gift. Why contaminate it with goals and plans? Maybe the more frightening adventure is to just head out, swear off the superslab, and just see what happens.

    I don’t ride the distances you do but my most pleasurable trips, even short ones, are the ones where I just let the wind blow me along…

    Good luck on the VOID. Be sage.

    • I meant “be safe.” Sage is probably good too.

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      To some degree, i do float. i might pick a thing i want to see today, ride to that thing and then just wander around after that. that thing serves as a catalyst. i’m perfectly happy with operating this way.

      I’d be very sad if my aimless floating dropped me into congested areas or hot, boring, straight roads. which depending on where you live would be entirely possible – especially in the eastern portion of the states. so, i’ve got to have some semblance of an idea.

      but what i don’t need to do is be militant with my time. and i need to relax the idea that i need a million things to do. maybe just 1 a day is enough. sometimes that thing is a particular road, a mountain pass, a vista. sometimes it’s a muffler man.

  2. Chuck says:

    Starting in Wilkes Barre? I didn’t see your name on the rider list. Hope to see you before the start!

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      Starting? Yes, sort of. But, I think I mentioned previously that this year’s Void is a little different for me. I’ll be staffing. Perhaps I’ll see you at the scoring table. 😉

  3. Erin says:

    I think a meander down the Outer Banks would be very cool on a motorcycle. We’ve done it by car a couple times. The Kitty Hawk museum is very cool. (There’s another one of the early Weight brothers’ planes in the Franklin Institute in Philly.) Ocracoke is cool and you can catch a ferry there to continue on your trip.

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