I'VE been blessed in my life to be able to travel. Going new places feeds my curiosity to travel even more, but also reinforces my sense of "home."
In short, the more I go away, the happier I am to get back.
My wife and I are just back from a driving trip through Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine.
It was our first time to most of the stops along the way and the postcard pictures are accurate.
The northeastern coast has dramatic natural beauty and picturesque towns.
In Camden, Maine, you can eat affordable fresh lobster on the deck of a restaurant overlooking a small harbor filled with sailboats.
The experience matched the expectation, except in one key area: Space.
I need room, room to move around, whether walking, dining, driving or just everyday living. And in New England, especially along the wildly popular coastal communities, there just isn't as much room, at least not as much as I'm used to in West Virginia.
The idyllic small towns hug the harbors in ways that add to the charm, but I felt cramped.
One evening we went out on a sailboat with about a dozen other people.
Boats, by necessity, are tight spaces.
The experience had its memorable moments, but after sitting on a bobbing boat for two hours surrounded by water I was anxious to get to shore and walk around.
Our hosts for the sail boat trip were a couple who, some years earlier, had actually done what I imagine many people dream about: They quit their jobs, sold their home, bought a 37 foot sail boat, and lived on it with their four children for four years while sailing around the Caribbean.
I'VE been blessed in my life to be able to travel. Going new places feeds my curiosity to travel even more, but also reinforces my sense of "home."
In short, the more I go away, the happier I am to get back.
My wife and I are just back from a driving trip through Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine.
It was our first time to most of the stops along the way and the postcard pictures are accurate.
The northeastern coast has dramatic natural beauty and picturesque towns.
In Camden, Maine, you can eat affordable fresh lobster on the deck of a restaurant overlooking a small harbor filled with sailboats.
The experience matched the expectation, except in one key area: Space.
I need room, room to move around, whether walking, dining, driving or just everyday living. And in New England, especially along the wildly popular coastal communities, there just isn't as much room, at least not as much as I'm used to in West Virginia.
The idyllic small towns hug the harbors in ways that add to the charm, but I felt cramped.
One evening we went out on a sailboat with about a dozen other people.
Boats, by necessity, are tight spaces.
The experience had its memorable moments, but after sitting on a bobbing boat for two hours surrounded by water I was anxious to get to shore and walk around.
Our hosts for the sail boat trip were a couple who, some years earlier, had actually done what I imagine many people dream about: They quit their jobs, sold their home, bought a 37 foot sail boat, and lived on it with their four children for four years while sailing around the Caribbean.
Once I get past the romanticism of it all, that idea terrifies me.
I know enough about myself to understand that I want - no, I require - my place and my space, all connected with the roots that I have put down over time.
And that brings me back home, back to West Virginia.
Maybe it's because I grew up on a farm where there was nothing but space, where the nearest community - Summit Point - had a couple of stop signs, two general stores and a post office.
Perhaps it's because I've lived all of my life in parts of West Virginia where I can still say that - despite some of the worsening traffic - I live in the "country."
Or it could be because I'm just hard wired a certain way.
Whatever the reasons, coming back to West Virginia this weekend gave me a great sense of relief.
While some crave the vast beauty of the seas, I want the security and splendor of the mountains.
Where many enjoy the excitement and opportunities of the city, I want the pace and style of the country.
Years of travel have helped educate me and give me experiences I could not have had just by reading or dreaming. Each time I travel, it makes me wonder about other places that I want to see.
But I have yet to find another place I'd rather be than here.
It's good to be home.
Kercheval is host of TalkLine, broadcast by the MetroNews Statewide Radio Network from 10 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. The show can be heard locally on WCHS 580 AM.
