The Sunday Drive

[Mike K.]

Just curious as to whether anyone still partakes of this simple pleasure. Here is the thread to share your photos and experiences.

 

[John in Covina]

My mom and dad were very much subscribers to the Sunday drive when I was a kid. Even as a teenager when normally I'd be a bit sullen and rebelious, if invited to go on the Sunday Drive, I'd almost always opt in for the scenic ride and the posibility of treats like dining out (the rare fast food meal back then) or ice cream like at Carvel. Parks, the local Farmingdale Ag/Tech school, the bay beaches or docks with a run by the ocean sometimes. Occasionally it was way out east on Long Island.

These days in Southern California I tend to head over to Glendora's Grand Avenue and take it south thru Walnut to Chino where it becomes Edison and ride past the dairy farms. From there I head east and then back up north to wind up in Ontario Rancho Cucamonga area near the 15 and 210 interchange for a westward drive back on Route 66 thru the foothill cities. I may or may not bring Max the Wunderdog with me, however if Max goes he just loves the ride and enjoys barking at cows a lot.

My buddy Max

On the 15 North in the pass from a recent ride where I missed the 210 somehow.

 

[Chainsaw]

Ice Breaker

Eh what?

Was it the cars that made the memories? Was it the era? I suppose my fondest memories were always of winter. Jumping in the old gold Dodge Dart that was as big as a boat. The doors were so heavy, not even my brothers could close them.

When we all went on a trip together it was heaven. All the countryside so clean, and the air so fresh and crisp. With my father, mother, and my two brothers, we'd travel hours with the old roof rack on, and Skis strapped down.

We would spend all afternoon, cross country skiing, and sharing hot chocolate.

 

[Mike K.]

I don't believe it was either the cars or the era, but simply the experience itself.

There is one fond memory of a drive in the country back when I was much younger - the family headed out toward Leesburg, Virginia. I recall a warm sunny day and spring wildflowers in bloom. As we drove along a narrow road, alongside a rickety old farm fence, there was a sudden explosion of brilliant color as hundreds of Eastern Bluebirds took flight from the surrounding fields.

I also recall not-so-bygone times and leisurely travel along Skyline Drive during crisp autumn days...beautiful gal beside me, beautiful fall foliage on the mountainside, delicious blackberry cobbler at the roadside stop.

It is nice to know that others still enjoy this simple pleasure in life, rather than immediately racing off after church to catch the game or the sale at the mall. It's such a great way to unwind, to enjoy the company of others, and most of all...to enjoy the great outdoors!

 

[Chainsaw]

Here's a Sunday Drive in the Bahamas. Workman style!?

 

[chicanoir]

i have very fond memories of my pop taking us for sunday cones and a drive through the hollywood hills or sierra madre or griffith park or such scenic places on sundays after temple... i loved it. i admit that i myself don't do much of it now but i try to get OUT of the car and sunday drive with my feet as much as possible. cones are still welcome.

 

[John in Covina]

There are three versions of the Sunday drive:

First is a drive thru old familiar places as a ritual event.

Second can be selecting the totally new place with new adventures drive. (Which before GPS and talking directions often included interesting short cuts, long cuts and side trips.)

Third is more a point the car in a general direction and find new places to visit.

Each has it's own comfort zone and adventure zone mix.

 

[Chainsaw]

The Sunday drive, going to the farm with my Grandmother, in the old Aspen. The drive would take a couple hours, the route she took. We'd always start off by going to check on my grandfather at the cemetary. On his brass grave marker are inscribed the words "Old soldiers, never die, they just fade away" from an old song.

The drive was always pretty uneventful, we would never listen to the radio, except for the news. But in my mind i was always riding a dirt bike across the hills and trails along the side of the highway. So it was never that boring.[huh]

I still remember one of the first trips we took, it must have been after my Grandfather passed, and my grandmohter got the courage to get her drivers lisence. I found a pack of Colt tipped wine dips, that had fallen under the front bench seat. Must have been one of my strongest memories my grandfather, he would always give me the plastic tips. I used to love the taste of them.

After cutting the grass around the house on the farm, we'd drive the two hours back. We'd always stop for food though, whatever I wanted to eat. Which, was usually, almost always, Mcdonalds.

 

[Wire9Vintage]

I think it is to do with the cars...at least partly. Those old, heavy cars, with big bench seats certainly had a comfort level captain's chairs don't have...at least for kids. Of course, the lack of seatbelt laws helped (?!), too. Sprawling across the big back seat, or sitting up and looking out the back window are things our kids just can't do. And my heart aches every time I see a car/van/SUV in front of me on the road with the kids in the back seat watching videos. Taking a Sunday drive should feel different than sitting in your living room, is all I can say. When it doesn't, there's no sense in doing it.

 

[Smithy]

The problem with the Sunday Drive is all the ****** Sunday Drivers

 

[Tango Yankee]

For my wife and I a Sunday drive of just heading out with no particular place to go generally involves the Beemer, not a car. I think that would change if we were ever to get a vintage car.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Big Man]

The "Sunday drive" was a big part of my childhood. I remember well routinely heading out after Sunday dinner to visit great aunts or to visit the cemeteries or just to drive around and look at the "old places" where fond memories were related from times long past.

When I got older and began dating, the Sunday drive usually involved riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway for hours at a time. The Parkway is a great place to "spend quality time" with that special girlfriend.

After marriage and the children came along, we would still take an occasional Sunday drive to look at the scenery, take a picnic, or go hiking. But, once the children started to grow up, we just stopped the habit. Now that I'm retired and have time to be a bit more reflective (or nostalgic, maybe), I have decided to make a point to resurrect the tradition.

This past Sunday we took the '48 Plymouth out for an old fashioned "Sunday drive".

After church, we headed out along the country road that runs in front of the house. There are several good straightaways where you can really "let the old car out".

Six or seven miles from the house, the road passes the old Whippoorwill Dairy. When my Dad was a boy in the 1930's, the family would ride here on Sunday afternoons and get ice cream. The dairy has long been out of business, but the stories I heard about those trips for ice cream still remain vivid in my mind.

A few miles past the dairy the road turns to gravel. Several miles out the gravel road you cross Paddy's Creek. My Dad used to come here to swim in a big "swimming hole". I recall hearing that the field to the left in the picture below would be filled with cars of people swimming and picnicking along the creek. I remember my Dad telling me that the big flood of 1940 washed out the swimming hole and the creek was not any good for swimming after that time.

All in all we drove about 30 miles last Sunday. We visited a lot of the "old places" and remembered many good stories that were related to me years ago. It was especially good to take the drive in the '48 Plymouth. I'm going to try to make it a point to go on at least one Sunday drive a month. It's a great way to spend time together.

 

[Diamondback]

It's a great tradition--the problem in my case is, unless there's something keeping my brain engaged (like a book, or having one eye on the laptop's nav software--not necessarily to plot a route, just to keep track of where we are and where we've been) motion tends to put me out like a light* **--as a famously disturbing example of the few photos I've released for public view well illustrates.

*Normal people, as babies their parents rock them to sleep in cribs; for me, the "crib" was 727 and 737 airliners on transcon flights.

**Just hope it's not too deep--if I drop too far into REM I wake up screaming from the recurring nightmares. Ideally, you want me at a kind of "semiconscious"...

All that said, there are few places I'd rather be than the open road... as long as I'm not gonna be away from an Internet connection for more than about six hours.

 

[shopgirl61]

The sunday drive was the single most quintessential part of my childhood that brings back many, many memories.. the irony of it is perhaps that i carried on the tradition with my own kids.

I will add more later as time permits, to such a good topic.
who knows! mabe some of the resident night owls here in the lounge will join in

 

[StraightEight]

Saturday and Sunday drives are almost every weekend around here. Here are pics from various drives over the years. Wish I still had all of these cars...

Friends took this one of us in the DeSoto.

Boy, I miss my Espada! That was a hot car.

My pal Morgan's '67 Elan. Now gone...

Amphicar! It broke down shortly after this pic was taken, and fortunately after we reached dry land.

 

[Big Man]

We left out after church today for a ride in the old '48 Plymouth.

We headed out Hwy 126 from the house toward Shortoff Mountain (that big rock in the distance).

Rounded a couple more curves and crossed the Linville River.

Drove around the Linville side of Lake James. If you saw the move, "Last of the Mohicians", this island (known locally as "Grave Yard Island" because of the old cemetery that's there) was the back-drop for the part of the movie where the French and Indians attacked the fort. There was a lot of the movie shot locally.

We then passed through some very nice bottom land where the hay had just been put up. This bottom land was the sight of my great, great grandfather's farm.

We finally ended up back home, ready for the next adventure.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I love to go on Sunday drives, did today with my best friend. Not a fun vehicle, 92 Dodge Dakota, but a fun drive way into the middle of Nam. We DX while we're driving too and find stations we haven't heard before. Always interesting.

When I was a kid, we used to always go on drives, my earliest memories are in our 77 Ford LTD Wagon (which I located an identical one, and if my Buick sells, it'll be mine) we'd go out in the country and the radio would almost always be playing Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and all the other country greats. Mom and Dad's warm conversation and all the beautiful Wisconsin Farmland. I'll never forget it.

 

[Smithy]

My pal Morgan's '67 Elan. Now gone...

Great photo! Those Elans are great fun, handle like they're on rails. Shame your mate got rid of it.

Thanks once again for posting that.

 

[Big Man]

How about a "Monday drive" ...

After dinner today, I loaded the grandchildren up in the '48 Plymouth and took a drive. We headed out Paddy's Creek road, and took in this view. This is looking up the mouth of the Linville Gorge, with Shortoff, Table Rock, Hawksbill, and Sittin' Bear mountains all in one shot.

It's a great view and a great drive in the old Plymouth, but most important it was a great way to spend time with the grandchildren.

 

[StraightEight]

Great photo! Those Elans are great fun, handle like they're on rails. Shame your mate got rid of it.

Thanks once again for posting that.

Smithy, here's one for you and the Aussies. The car that pic of the Elan was taken from was my '72 Chrysler Valiant Charger 770. Imported it out of Sydney and owned it just for a couple of years. It went to Chicago, then back to Australia!