Sunday Drive
Who among you remembers the “Sunday Drive?” This is a question that might be generational.
When I was growing up, the Sunday Drive was a popular family activity. Everyone piled into the car, and we just… drove. Where? I have no memories of a destination. We just drove, and then we came home.
I was curious about this memory so turned to Google and searched: “Why did families take Sunday Drives?” This is what Wikipedia had to say:
A Sunday drive is an automobile trip, primarily in the United States and Australia, typically taken for pleasure or leisure on a Sunday, usually in the afternoon. During the Sunday drive, there is typically no destination and no rush…The idea was that the automobile was not used for commuting or errands, but for pleasure.
So I was right. There WAS no destination in mind.
But last Sunday, when my friend Mary was visiting from Oklahoma, I found myself suggesting a Sunday Drive. I even used that phraseology, although those words hadn’t come to mind for decades. As I looked out the window at the beautiful blue sky and white fluffy clouds and felt the energy of Spring, it just seemed like the right thing to do. I, however, had a destination in mind.
The first 45 minutes of the drive to my son’s house is on a small, winding, 2-lane country road. It is a beautiful drive, showcasing rolling green pastures, and small creeks. It just goes on for miles and miles, with nothing but beauty on each side of the road. I wanted to share that with Mary, so we piled into the car and started driving. Halfway through the drive, I parked at the side of the road. We rolled our windows down and listened….and “heard” silence. Every now and then the song of a bird would break into the tranquility, but it was welcomed. It was just so very peaceful.
As a child, I think I would have remembered Sunday Drives like this.
We decided Sunday Drives called for no make-up and no hair-primping….
Did your family take Sunday Drives? Do you remember where you went? I’m curious. Please share your experiences in the Comment section!
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We almost always took a Sunday drive when I was a child! My favorite was the summer ones where Grandma would pack a picnic lunch and we would go up the north shore of Lake Superior and dip our toes in the very warm water, search for agates and picnic on the huge table-like stones.
Oh, yes – I do remember Sunday drives! I have three brothers, and we would all sit in the backseat of the ’48 Dodge (which is a story in itself!); but the best part was when it was my turn to ‘choose’! At every intersection or possible turn-off, we took turns choosing which direction to go. Much like a story told in that fashion, one person may have had one destination in mind, but the others who took turns could end up taking us all in an entirely different direction – what fun!!
Oh, how fun that would be!!!! Thanks, Anita!
Our childhood Sunday Drives happened from the May 24 weekend until early October, in southern Alberta. We lived in the big city so they were our chance to see “real nature” and have “real adventures”. A family with six kids in a sedan demanded a few breaks in the driving. We dug for dinosaur bones, swam in real creeks, and climbed mountains (little ones). The big threat was that if ANYONE misbehaved, we did not stop for ice cream on the way home.
ANOTHER memory to scrap. I hope I can find a photo or 2.
What a great memory, Joanne! I would LOVE to see this scrapped! What about my kit “Scenic Drive?”
Oh yes, the Sunday Drives!! My dad would do the driving at a leisurely pace, usually in around the mountains, especially after we moved to southern Oregon. When he grew tired of driving (or just finding a good spot), we would stop for a while and Mom would often bring out a nice picnic lunch…could have been cold chicken or even sandwiches. After resting a while Dad would pack us up in the car again and off we would go, eventually reaching home once again. Many times Dad would haul out his rock pick or shovel and dig for jade or agate which he would often cut and polish and eventually end up as a wonderful piece of jewelry in a setting he designed himself. It was all a part of the Sunday Drive. How I miss those times.