April, I Hardly Knew Ye. May, I'll Come To Love Ye.

Forget taxes, rainy days, and practical jokes. This year, April is known for packing, traveling, and national parks. It is the perfect time for us to get away from the more visible aspects of the economic slide, and start enjoying something other than technological gadgets and high-end fashion. The snow is melting, the rain is falling, and the parks are gearing up for another summer season, with the promise of natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere.

For most of us, our seasonal endeavors will begin in early May. For others, a little later in the year. And for those who just couldn't wait, late April. We'll come by plane, by car, and maybe even by train. Some of us have done this before, and so of course know what to bring. For the rest of us... let's just hope that we don't bring our houses on the back of a few trucks.

I have everything ready to be packed. I have my packing list, my suitcase, and my three bins. To the North Rim I go this summer, but I'm not just thinking about the Grand Canyon. I'm also thinking about where I want to go for the winter season. I'd love Yosemite, or maybe someplace up in Idaho. I've lived in Georgia for the past seven years, and let's face it - as a northerner, I need snow in the winter!

So as I've mentioned, I'm also packing for the winter season. Not fully, but enough of the essentials. Warm clothing, a few more blankets, and extra antifreeze. But not only do I plan ahead for another season, I plan for unexpected recreation. Pool cue, baseball bat & glove, and swim trunks will certainly come in handy. Not to mention an extra gas can, for those of us traveling cross-country by car.

As this will be my first seasonal experience, I had to decide what to do about all this stuff I had. Easy answer: I became best friends with Goodwill. I'm leaving the bare minimum with my parents, and donating the rest. I'm young, and I'm single, and there's no way I'm not taking advantage of that. And since I'm a cook, work won't be too difficult to come by, no matter where I am.

So as I sit here watching the Travel Channel at nearly three in the morning, I once again go through everything I've done and still need to do. My departure is the last day of April. I intend to take my time getting from Middle Georgia to the North Rim, stopping along the way at any place that looks remotely interesting. And, of course, eating at as many greasy spoons as I can.

I obsess over food, over trivia, over sports (Go Cubs!), and now I think I may be able to expand these obsessions to include traveling, nature, and plenty of the middle of nowhere. My car is close to a quarter-million miles. Here's to a quarter-million more.