Driving East

By the time this posts today, I will be driving east, about four hours of road behind me, another ten-or so to go. Just me, my music, my podcasts, and my thoughts for the better part of a day-and-a-half to think about all the wonderful memories I had of my Dad.

So many of my memories of my father are centered around driving, from the hot, summer nights we would spend trying to cool off at the Tropic-Aire drive-in theatre on Bird Road, to the annual family road trip.

One of my earliest memories was of a road trip. One of our semi-annual vacation to Minnesota. On this particular trip, it was late at night and we had been driving all day and after a stop for A&W Root Beer Floats some where in Wisconsin, everyone in the car but Dad and I were happily snoozing. Even Shcatzi, was sleeping, chasing badgers or other evil-doers in her sleep.

The car was full of the sounds of snoring and the road noise of the tires. Dad was listening to the radio turned down low and there was one of those mystery-theatre programs playing that used to air late night on the AM stations - even this late into the sixties. I remember pretending to be asleep for a while, staring at the stars through the little clerestory window in the station wagon's roof, just where the back seat ended and the cargo area started. Eventually, I crawled to the front seat, snuggled under Dad's arm and we drove on in silence as the radio kept us entertained.

This gave me a love of driving and road trips that I still have to this day and very probably influenced my decision to start my broadcasting career.

Wherever you are today, I hope that you have happy memories that continue to influence your life!

Don Bergquist - June 15, 2013 - Lakewood, Colorado, USA