On the road again

Gas prices here currently stand at $3.30/gallon, and I'll be burning a bit of it this week.

We're deep into the fall sports playoffs now, and I have a pair of long drives ahead.

Today (Tuesday), I'm crossing the U.P. (about 235 miles) to St. Ignace, on the north end of the Mackinac Bridge, for the girls volleyball state quarterfinals. Our team won the regional championship on Saturday. If they win at St. Ignace Tuesday night (and I think they will), they continue downstate to the state semifinals and finals in Battle Creek. Another 280 miles away.

They may go down there, but I'm not. I'm staying in St. Ignace Tuesday night and driving home Wednesday--won't be crossing the bridge, at least not this week. The reason: There is a very good chance I'll have to drive down to Detroit for Thanksgiving Day. Our football team won its regional championship at the Superior Dome in Marquette last Saturday, and they play in the state semifinal game at the dome this Saturday. If they win, they'll play at Ford Field on the day after Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23.

That would be my fourth consecutive Thanksgiving spent on the road because of high school football. So it goes. I've written about that. It's out of my hands.

Anyway, with the prospect of a very long drive next week, no drive to Battle Creek. Sorry, girls. The bottom line for me is that there is more interest in high school football than volleyball, plain and simple. I always try to give the girls strong coverage--and I'll follow the team across the peninsula today. But it's not as if the paper has a lot of money, or that the local economy (ad revenue) is strong. I'll do the best I can--get a batch of fresh photos from the quarterfinals and use them in next week's paper, win or lose.

At least I'll have some company today--my wife is coming along. On Saturday, both my wife and son will go to Marquette. (David came along last Saturday.) It's nice to have company. The trips can get long otherwise.

I've got more to say, but it can wait. Within an hour, I'll be on the road.