Road trip with Dad - Enjoy it while you can!

’There are 3 stages in a man’s life: ‘My Daddy can whip your Daddy.’  ’Aw, Dad, you don’t know anything.’  ’My father used to say . . .”‘

-Dwight McSmith

Not very many people get the opportunity to work for or with their parents, but I happen to be one of those who do. Some people might cringe at the thought of working with family, but in my honest opinion it has been one of the greatest blessings to be surrounded by people who love you day in and day out. Sure we don't always see eye to eye, but no one here is afraid to tell each other what we really think.

This week I have a great opportunity to get out on the road to go see some clients. Because I am  driving from my home town of Reno to Salt Lake City Utah, I opted to invite my dad to come with me and to relive one of my favorite road trips from my youth.

My dad is a huge rock hound who loves everything about the Nevada deserts, and many of my favorite memories of youth are traveling all over the state with my dad on hunting, hiking and outdoors adventures in the Silver State. This weekend we are traveling to SLC the long way around, rather than cruise up the I-80 ( which is the most boring road in the state) we have opted to take the Highway 50... also know as the loneliest highway in America. I have hundreds of memories traveling this road with my dad and brother, and it seems like all of them are very fond ones. It was this road on which I first heard the song "the Gambler", It was on this road that I heard my first sonic boom as Air-force Jets raced overhead. It was along this road that I visited Lehman's Caves and was inspired to explore the world.

Leahman's Caves

To some the desert might seem an isolated place, but to me an my dad its a world of adventure. The Nevada desert has been home to countless Indian wars, the pony express, outlaws, ghost towns, hidden caverns, snakes, and even the occasional Alien Abduction. On this trip we will be traveling over the same trail as famous mountain men like Kit Carson, Jacob Hamblin, and Jim Bridger. To some its just an ugly desert, but to me its a special place, even a holy place.

Nevada Pony Express Station

Besides all the adventure that this road has to offer, the thing I'm looking foreword to the most is simply spending some time with my dad. Any good route to travel will consist of three main ingredients: Adventure, Understanding and Friendship.

We never know when the time will come that we wont have our family there with us, when we will lose someone special, but the one thing within our control is the amount of time we choose to spend with those that we still have.

Happy Trails

- Gullible