Because I Can… the random thoughts of Marc Scott

Last night when I went to bed, I did so still trying to decide what I was going to do today.  I’m not always the greatest at making decisions when it comes to my days off.  Often I come up with brilliant ideas, and many times, they remain in my head while I remain in bed… late… till noon… or sometimes… well… I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me.  Lets just assume I never stay in bed past noon on my days off.

As it turned out, this morning I was jolted awake by my fire department pager.  I believe it was just after 8a.  To be honest, when it wakes me up, unless it’s still dark out, I never really bother to pay much attention to the time.  If the sun is shining, I just assume it’s sometime during the day.

When I got back from the call it was a little after 9a.  Part of me, I will not say whether it was large or small, really wanted to climb back into bed.  As one who suffers from bouts of insomnia, I just try and take sleep whenever I can get it.  It has nothing to do with being lazy.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

As I stood in my room, feeling almost magnetically or cosmically or, perhaps just willingly, drawn to my bed, I made a decision.  I was already up, it was my day off, so why not do something random and fun.  I do enjoy doing such things from time to time, though I confess, I don’t do them as often as a single guy as I did when I had someone to share my adventures with.  Nevertheless, my mind was made up that an adventure was in order.  I grabbed my camera, I grabbed my iPod, and I went to my truck.

Huntsville, and the area around it, is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places in Ontario.  I spent many summer vacations camping there.  I also know all the good spots to hit!  If you want ice cream… I’ve got a place.  If you’re into baked goods… I’ve got a place.  Looking for a little Christmas spirit on a sunny summer day… I’ve got a place.  Looking for a hike in the wilderness… I’ve got all kinds of places!  Huntsville ended up being my destination for a spontaneous road trip.

The toughest part of my random road trip was deciding which places I would hit.  With only a day at my disposal, I wouldn’t be able to take in everything I enjoy doing there.  I was going to have to be selective.  I had a near 4 hour drive to figure it out as well.

Once I got there, I stopped into a few shops I like to browse in.  I hit the bakery, one of the greatest I’ve ever experienced and bought a number of various and assorted treats.  I also went to Ragged Falls, which is one of my favorite sights to see.  When I was done, I turned around, detoured through Shelburne to drop off some baked goods for my dad, who was spending his weekend there, and then I made my way home.

I really needed to get away today.  I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.  Some pretty big things.  Life altering things.  Ideas and dreams and questions.  When I need to do some serious thinking, I always enjoy a good drive.  There is nothing to distract me.  No fire calls.  No TV.  No computer.  It’s just me and the road and God in the passenger seat.  What could be better?  Well, maybe me and the road and the love of my life in the passenger seat, but there will still be room for God… my truck seats five!  That will come one day, or so I like to tell myself anyway.

All told, in just under 12 hours, I drove well over 700km’s and mostly, I did it for an amazing double chocolate cookie.  It seems ridiculous.  I mean, a full day, probably about $75 in gas, all those kilometers on my truck, and for what?  A double chocolate cookie and a little bit of thinking!

My truck turned over 222,222km’s on my road trip today.  I took a picture of this milestone and posted it on my Twitter page.  Not long after doing that one of my “Tweeps” sent me the following reply… “222 – This is a sign of confirmation that you are on the right path, doing the right thing and going in the right direction.” When I read that, I had to smile.  What a timely and relevant word, considering the reason for my spontaneous road trip in the first place.

I’m not a guy that’s big into superstitions and hocus pocus and all that jazz.  I don’t know if the “222″ thing is numerology or fortune cookie or an entirely random and imagined fact said in the moment for the sake of having something to say.  Honestly though, it doesn’t matter.  My spontaneous road trip wasn’t just about a journey to a destination, it was about a journey for confirmation; confirmation that I may have found when the odometer hit 222,222.