On the road again

Years ago, there was a TV show called "Trapper John MD." It was a sort-of spinoff from M*A*S*H, involving one of the doctors from that show. One of the characters in the spinoff--a hotshot young doctor named Gonzo--lived in an RV in the hospital.

The show came to mind yesterday afternoon as I was on the road yesterday. I was maneuvering through traffic, and came upon an RV, with a small car in tow. The car was absolutely caked in snow and salt from its travels. The license plate, with a familiar tagline--"Je me souviens"--told me where the pair began its journey. Where could these people--you hardly ever travel alone with an RV--be going?

A little further down the road, the picture became a little clearer. Up ahead, there was an identical RV, towing a shed on wheels, also from Quebec. The plot thickens. Here's my guess--the pair probably left from there yesterday morning (from around Montreal, maybe?), slogging through snow, down the Northway and eventually onto the Garden State Parkway. The last I saw of them, they were heading for the New Jersey Turnpike. That would put their trip to that point at about seven hours or so.

Where next? Hmm. They might have stopped in Maryland overnight (a shopping center parking lot would suffice). This morning, a good stick-to-your-ribs breakfast early, then back down I-95 for a day's drive. My bet? They are snowbirds heading for Florida for Christmas and New Years. By now, they ought to be in South Carolina or Georgia, in search of another parking lot or truck stop to bed down for the night. The RVs probably have satellite TV, so they'll fire up the kitchen and cook a nice meal, and relax. Tomorrow, the final push to the holiday destination. And, in a couple of weeks, reverse the process back home.

Safe travels.