Why Odysseus traveled without his wife and kid.

Yesterday, being the start of a 3 day weekend and full of sunshine, my family of 3 decided to go for a "little" road trip.

Let me take this opportunity to illustrate the differences between male and female perception. To me, a female, "little road trip" implies not more than 2 hours in the car to an interesting destination, some activities and food, and not more than 2 hours in the car on the return trip. To my husband, a male, "little road trip" implies not more than 6 inches away on the map in Rand McNally's American Road Atlas.

Not thinking to point up the differences in perception of the male and female minds, and blithely declaring the husband navigator and pilot resulted in 4 interminable hours to Fort Story in Virginia, where the main attraction seemed to be two lighthouses, built 100 years and 100 yards apart.

Ugh.

I will not declare the entire day a disaster, however, as there was also miles upon miles of beautiful beach, crisp February air, and an all-you-can eat seafood buffet with steamed crab legs. It was the general consensus that beach and endless plates of seafood were worth any drive. Not sure that the backs and backsides of everyone are feeling the same today. Especially since the euphoria derived from yesterday's seafood gluttony has worn off.

But the pictures of the beach stay with us (along with annoying bits of sand showing up in the wierdest places). We're a Northwest Pacific Coast family, and our idea of a day at the beach is inspecting tidal pools, collecting agates, and watching surfers bundle up like Artic explorers. So this notion of flat, white sandy beaches and gently lapping ocean is a bit strange. Not to mention the completely alien idea of a miles-long line of kitschy and asinine storefronts with a boardwalk in front and Trump hotels in back (Ocean City, Atlantic City, et. al).

Therefore the beautiful austerity of Fort Story's beachfront border appealed greatly to us. Giant boulder-built breakwaters, wild grass covered sand dunes and a vast, dark ocean untouched by commercialism. A short ways down the road, Virginia Beach opened up to a sort of classy version of an Atlantic beach boardwalk, with high-end store fronts, restaurants and hotels. But here, it was just the sea. I waved hello to my old friend; and that alone was worth any drive.