Rediscovering the joy of a Sunday drive

I remember vividly the Sunday drives our family used to take when I was a kid. Windows down, stopping to pick wildflowers, looking for wildlife, dipping our toes in the Wisconsin River near my childhood home, and saying a quick hello to friends as we enjoyed a slow-paced, relaxing afternoon or evening, just literally doing a whole lot of nothing.
My mom and dad loved it, often holding hands in the front seat together.
Oftentimes, I would get bored and wonder what my friends were doing while I was stuck in the backseat, poking along a backroad.
But it was a beautiful way to wind down the weekend and appreciate the world around us and time together that I am now, as an adult, so very grateful to have had.
Its also why I tend to smile at those driving much slower than I do and give them the space and time to keep meandering along.
I would want that for my parents. And because we live in such a busy, hurried world these days, I often wonder as I drive around now on Sundays, gathering whats left of the stories yet to write just who else is still taking Sunday drives.
Its rare, but not unheard of, to see folks out cruising with seemingly no agenda and no timeframe to get wherever it is theyre going.
Primarily, thats on the main roads.
So, what a treat it was to be invited the other weekend to head out on the iced-over Big Sioux River with friends in their side-by-side for a Sunday drive and learn how many others make that same trek throughout the frigid winter.
I wasnt sure I had the time nor was I dressed appropriately. But Im so glad I went.
This past weekend, in fact, it was fun to just happen across a fairly large group friends who ride motorcycles together in the summer and, each winter, when the ice is right, head out along the windy river road to celebrate the season.
The Big Sioux is a beautiful, unique backroad that offers a perspective on an area we might all think we know because weve lived here for however long. Yet, its a vantage point and a scenic view that most of us have never seen.
Its also better than sitting home on a winter day doing nothing, said John Jackson of Dell Rapids. The group he was a part of came from Dell Rapids, Trent, Sioux Falls, Brookings, and Larchwood, Iowa.
The ride is all about the journey itself, they said, smiling in the sunshine and warmer temperatures, rather than the destination. It offers the chance to disconnect from daily pressures and reconnect with nature, loved ones, and even just our own thoughts.
Maybe the Sunday drive hasnt disappeared its just evolved, especially during this season. And its a reminder that with the right vehicle, sometimes its worth taking the long way and making time to enjoy the journey.