Tour America

This morning I drove to Hershey for CFF/EETT Boot Camp and I took a wrong turn, on purpose.  When I was a kid my dad called these "Tour America" trips.  I hated them.  I couldn't understand why anyone would want to get lost on purpose.  Now, I find myself taking these side trips every once in a while just because I can.

Today my trip took me through the small town of Coburn, PA.  I've never been there.  I didn't stop.  I just drove through.  In Coburn there is a very bright purple house with dark purple trim right next to a bright green house with pink trim.  Eye-catching.  All the houses are very close to the road - I'm guessing because it's an old town and it made access to each building readily available by horse and buggy - that and they are all built into the side of a hill.  In Coburn they have a camouflage bus and if you're not careful you'll miss the turn at the bridge that keeps you on the main road.  As I was leaving Coburn I passed several people walking, running, and biking along the road.  The natives were friendly - 5 of the 6 of them waved. 

Long story short, I learned a little bit about PA today.   All I did was wander around.  It reminded me of why I like Pennsylvania and why living in what has been deemed on of our country's most remote states is a good fit for me. 

Coincidentally, after I had already begun writing this post, the keynote speaker at the conference tonight talked about wandering.  In closing she said that when we wander, we don't really need to know where we are going or how to get there.  We just need to get in the boat and take a chance because sometimes the most valuable lessons are found in places we would never look for them. 

I don't disagree with the idea that wander-lust can be a valuable teacher through both discovery and experience but I also think that it's important to have a vision for where you are going and how you might get there.  These are two thoughts that on the surface seem quite contradictory yet, perhaps, are instead quite complimentary.