Many people of all generations face a long morning commute each day on the way to work. Buzz Feed ran a funny article in the fall featuring the bad things about commuting.
Not all of us are as lucky as the writer of that article. Not living where there's metro service, many of us have to rely on our radio for company on our solitary drive.
The Blue Ridge Parkway offers a scenic alternative commuting route for many people living in Virginia and North Carolina.
You may prefer going the shortest and most direct route from point A to point B in the darkness of your morning commute.
But, whatever the season, maybe you should get out of the rat race on your trip home from time to time and take the long way home.
Instead of complaining about the gridlock, the endless red lights and the people who cut you off in traffic only to turn at the next light, take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
Instead of driving the multi-lane, divided highway, opt for the scenic route on a two-lane winding country road out in the middle of nowhere.
Be at one with the fields and streams, the cattle and horses, the barns and old farmhouses as you slow down and enjoy the ride.
On a recent commute home, I left the rest of the world behind by replacing the highway for about half of my commute with the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Parkway offers spectacular views for 469 miles of roads from the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
For 100 of the miles in Virginia, the Parkway runs parallel to the Appalachian Trail, one of the most famous hiking trails in the country.
At many of the scenic overlooks, you can access the Appalachian Trail and really leave the world behind. There are also picnic areas at a lot of the overlook areas if you just want to stop and enjoy nature for a while.
What you won't see on the Blue Ridge Parkway and other scenic roads across the U.S. is bumper-to-bumper traffic, except maybe during peak leaf peeping season.
You won't find cars cutting you off on the 45 mph Parkway. You also won't see gas stations, convenience stores, malls or restaurants along the drive unless you exit into one of the towns.
Instead, you'll see switchback curves that wind through the mountains, an occasional rider on horseback, hawks circling overhead, patches of snow on the sides of the road, falling rocks, and sometimes a jogger or bicyclist.
Although the Parkway is at its finest during spring and fall, it's a beautiful drive no matter what the season, although the road sometimes closes in winter weather.
Even after I exited from the Parkway at Bedford, the views along the country roads on the long way home were much more enjoyable than the divided highway would have been.
Your drive home may take a little bit longer when you take the long way home, but the peace, serenity and beauty of nature along the way are priceless.
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