Story by Jon Stalnaker AKA The Studebaker Dude
Time to get ready for some traveling: we’ve got a first birthday, 50th birthday and a 75th birthday, great-grandchildren to see, an International Meet of the Studebaker Drivers Club (SDC), and an anniversary, just to name but a few.
I’ve also got eye surgery and I’m contemplating getting my involutional Dupuytren’s Contracture taken care of before it gets any worse. I’m also considering hearing aids. The 75th birthday is mine and I need to stop procrastinating on all these issues that pop up when you get this old. I need to stop telling myself that I don’t need to address these issues, but I’m coming around to face these unpleasant issues head on. Friends tell me they put off these kinds of old folk issues and wish they had gotten theirs done earlier. They swear that life will be better after I get these things done. OKAY, OKAY, I’ll do it – geez…
Before I start “traveling on down” the roads, I need to have the car serviced. I’ve learned the hard way, in my youth, that you should not ignore regular service of your automobiles. I don’t drive as much as I used to but am starting to do longer trips now that I’m involved in the SDC and we have become great grandparents. Now, more than ever, is not the time to experience vehicle breakdowns in the middle of nowhere.
My dad taught me when I was a youngster that servicing the car before a long trip was important. Even though automobile technology is far more advanced than it was in the 1950s, it is still important in this day and age. Funny how I remember this lesson from my dad but didn’t listen to this advice when I was young and free with cars of my own. I didn’t do what my dad had taught me during those days partly because of the “I’m invincible” mentality that many young people seem to believe. After several catastrophic breakdowns that cost way more than a regular oil change and tune up, the fatherly wisdom managed to seep into my knuckle head.
So, I have much to do before we hit the road, such as preparing for my pending health and well-being issues, and making sure the car is healthy and happy, too. I’ve come a long way from the 18-year-old me to today. At 18, I couldn’t wait to hit the road; the farther the better. I had never been outside of California, and I wanted to see the world. I chose a tech school in Chicago as my first destination and loved the experience. Then, Uncle Sam got my attention and soon I was on a bus, a plane, and another bus that dropped me off at Basic Military Training in Texas. Uncle Sam gave me lots of opportunities to see the world and even though I wanted to be discharged as soon as I could, I had a great time.
I got my dream job at the Post Office and thought my traveling days were over. I think I traveled more in the Postal Service than I did in the military. Lots of special assignments and that was very fulfilling as well. I still like going to other locations. It’s fun but the traveling part from here to there is just not as enjoyable. But I still have a few more bucket list destinations that I would like to see, so I guess I’m not really done, yet.
I must say that moving to Oklahoma was a big plus. I always wanted to go to New England, but it was such a long drive from the West Coast. Not many states but they are all huge. Now I can start from the center of the United States. That’s much better. Maybe my old Bucket list item of seeing all 50 states is still doable. I just have to suck it up and Git-R-Done. We can do this, Carlene’s on board.
