A few days ago I had a couple of posts on the go, but the power went off here at the house and I lost them and just haven't had the time to write them again. When I return I will resume normal posting, and hopefully have an update on our plans.

Prayers for safe travel are appreciated, as well as that the Lord would make his leading clear.

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We just returned yesterday from ten days on the road. We traveled over 3,100 miles of Interstate and 400-series highways, both urban and rural. Highway driving is relatively easy and enjoyable (at least for me). But in traveling so far, you do encounter a lot of different types of drivers. Obviously, not everyone fits into a certain category; most are good, courteous drivers. But not all—I spent part of the time behind the wheel coming up with seven categories of drivers who are particularly annoying (you have to pass the time somehow, especially when your wife is sleeping):

1. The Vacillator. This guy is usually found on the empty stretches of rural highway. He cannot, to save his life, maintain a steady speed. You will pass him, only to have him pass you again ten minutes later. This cycle will repeat itself until he either gets off the highway, or you pass him at a high rate of speed and continue on until you have put enough distance between him and you that he likely won’t pass you again.
2. The Aggressive Tailgater. There are two varieties of tailgaters. The first is the guy who feels as if he owns the left-hand lane and will remain within inches of your bumper until you let him by. He usually drives a large SUV. You will often encounter him when you are passing someone, and although you are nearly around the other vehicle, he will nevertheless ride your bumper until you are back in the right-hand lane. He will then pass you at a much higher rate of speed to emphasize his frustration with you obstructing his path and reassert his supposed ownership of the left-hand lane.
3. The Enigmatic Tailgater. This is the second type of tailgater. This is the guy who will just tailgate you for no reason. He will come up behind you, usually on an empty stretch of road, but instead of passing you, will suddenly decide he likes the speed you are going and will follow you. Only, he will do so with no more than a couple of feet in between his bumper and yours. This will conclude with him finally deciding he wants to pass you, whereupon he will do so at a rapid rate of speed, only to commence following the next car he happens upon.
4. The Charger. This guy is hybrid of 1 and 3. Usually he will have a number of passengers in the car, who get far more attention than his driving does. He will come charging up behind you and, suddenly noticing he is about to rear-end you, will hammer on the brakes until he is several car-lengths back again. His attention will then be given back to his passengers, coinciding with increased pressure on the accelerator, until his windshield is once again full of the back of your car.
5. The Left-Lane Hog. You will usually find this guy in the busiest parts of urban areas where he will doggedly hold his position driving in the left lane, come hell or high water. He is usually older and driving a Buick or Cadillac. Nothing can budge him; not tailgating, honking, or aggressively swerving around him. To further annoy highway travelers, he will drive at or slightly under the speed limit.
6. The Cruise-Controller. This is the guy who will use his cruise control all the time. This is fine in and of itself, but not when you are traveling at 70mph and he is going 70.5mph. Not wanting to upset his perfectly set cruising speed, he will refuse to tap on the accelerator to move on past you, and so will take about 10 minutes to get around your car. If you are the only two cars on an empty stretch of rural highway, this is slightly irritating though inconsequential. But when you are approaching other cars and want to pass them yourself, you either need to brake to let him pass or accelerate to get in front of him.
7. The Pass-Going-Uphill Trucker. Loaded semis are often the slowest vehicles on the highway, and it can be a bit annoying when they pass each other. But nothing compares to the idiot trucker who decides to pass another truck while going up a hill when a number of cars are quickly approaching in the left lane. The driver gets a bit of a run on the other semi while going down the preceding hill, but can’t maintain that speed when going up the next. You get stuck behind him as his speed continues to drop, and can only hope that the next stretch of downhill is long enough for him to get around the other truck.

While these are all traits of bad drivers, a number of them are simply a result of drivers not paying enough attention to what they're doing. Anything you would add to the list? Are there any other types of bad drivers that I missed?

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This evening after work, Robin and I leave for our summer road trip. To the left is a map of the route we'll be taking. First, we'll be spending a few days with my parents in Hamilton, Ontario. Following that, we'll drive to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to spend a few days with Robin's parents, after which we'll head to St. Louis, Missouri, to spend a day with some good friends of ours.

All in all, we're looking at about 3,000 miles round trip. It will be great to see our families again, and to enjoy a nice road trip together around the eastern half of the country. This time around we won't be seeing too many of our friends, as we are only taking ten days for the trip. However, we do plan on going back up again for Christmas this year. I will also be going back to Ontario for a wedding in October, and will use that opportunity to spend time with some friends.

A few posts are scheduled to publish while we're away, and I'll have plenty of internet access so that I will still be able to interact with your comments. We'll be back in Florida July 12, by late evening.

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When we were on our Alaska cruise in 2005, one of the ports of call was Prince Rupert, BC. I remember sitting in one of the restaurants having breakfast, and as the ship docked, I noticed a little scooter rental place just down from the port. I said to Robin that we should rent one and ride around the area. Having not ridden a motorcycle before, she was hesitant at first. But once she got on it, she loved it. I remember riding along Yellowhead Highway just outside the city limits surrounded by some beautiful scenery, looking into the little rearview mirror, and seeing a huge smile on her face. Best $65 I've ever spent, hands down.

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P.S.: Merry Christmas!

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