Remember when you were a kid and took one of those long car rides with your family? The ones where your dad would never pull over to let you pee until you were going to explode and mom kept trying to get you to stop fighting with your siblings? My brother and I literally were drawing blood and I had given him a black eye, yet mom wanted to play Uno over the backseat.
Long car rides in Florida suck. Just to get out of the state is nearly 10 hours. Then you ride more flat land until you finally hit some mountains. We never went any further than Chimney Rock, North Carolina to get dropped off and picked up at camp. Our usual road trip was to Disney World. Four hours to Mickey.
When I got to college my road trips around the South opened my eyes to kudzu, road side stands of fried pies, fresh vegetables, barbecue, and lots and lots of churches. Outside Montgomery, Alabama there is some kind of freaky religious shrine with hundreds of crosses.
Long car trips teach you patience. You know when you get out of the car you know there will be something good, something fun or at least a bathroom to look forward to.
I'm reminded of that patience as I wait for college football season to begin. It's been months since the Crimson Tide won their national championship. And while being the big winner has been fun all this time, I'm ready for something good and fun. A Saturday afternoon of cheers and "Roll Tides." Proudly wearing my shirts, shorts, and hats. Tearing up as the announcer yells "Here comes the Alabama Crimson Tide!" as the team runs through the tunnel on to the field. High fives and hell yeahs. Homecoming with my friends. Face painting and shakers. Hanging out on the Quad. And Yellowhammers.
Thirty six days to go. Are we there yet?
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