What happened to the Sunday drive?

[AlleyKat]

Eons ago, Sunday drives were a common "recreation". A slow moving vehicle filled with folks casually looking around while talking, was the norm. Perhaps the car's inhabitants had cabin fever or maybe they were headed to a relatives house a few towns away.

Shopping on Sundays was unheard of, that was the Lord's day.
Besides, the only stores open were small "mom and pop" places, where one usually purchased a gallon of milk, the paper or some goodies...after church.

When was the last time you went for a Sunday drive just for the sake of taking in unfamiliar scenery while relaxing?

 

[Magic Mom]

We did that when the kids were younger. And DH and I will go out for a drive once in a while.

 

[sunnyday123]

Inflated gas prices happened.

 

[Kathi OD]

Eons ago, Sunday drives were a common "recreation". A slow moving vehicle filled with folks casually looking around while talking, was the norm. Perhaps the car's inhabitants had cabin fever or maybe they were headed to a relatives house a few towns away.

Shopping on Sundays was unheard of, that was the Lord's day.
Besides, the only stores open were small "mom and pop" places, where one usually purchased a gallon of milk, the paper or some goodies...after church.

When was the last time you went for a Sunday drive just for the sake of taking in unfamiliar scenery while relaxing?

DH and I probably go for a ride about every 6 weeks. Sometimes we go on Sunday, sometimes on Saturday, and if I have off from work, sometimes we go during the week. We just get in the car and drive...no particular destination in mind.

Last time was at the end of January, drove across state to the Atlantic and then up the coast to Sandy Hook and back home. Took most of the day and we really enjoyed it. Better than sitting home watching some dumb show on TV.

 

[Emme]

Hubby and I did just that today!!! We packed some sandwiches, chips, and drinks and took a drive to the Hudson River about 30 minutes away. We went to spot American Eagles. We saw some beauties. Then we drove around some back roads and found Jackie Gleasons house when he vactioned in our area in the 50's...lovely.

So, no, in my home the Sunday drive is alive and well...lol. My hubby and I love to do old fashioned corny type stuff though

 

[golfgal]

We did that today and we happened to end up at the heated outdoor driving range .


Honestly, I think gas prices are a big reason why people don't do this much any more. We will do it in the summer every once in a while but never in the winter.

 

[tchrrx]

Of course, 20 years ago, we also rode around in the back of pick-up trucks. I remember my parents would load us kids in the back in the evenings. We'd lay down & watch the stars while they had time to actually talk to each other in the cab.

 

[mtemm]

when I was a kid (back in the 70s) I had a mickey mouse cartoon book that had this whole story about the evils of joyriding. I remember being facinated because I didn't know what joyriding was! lol. I just remember the characters were scandalized about the waste of it. I think it was an older book, and wonder if it was from the 40s when gas was in short supply.

honestly we occasionally went for drives, but then the 70s gas shortage happened and while we still went on roadtrips, we didn't do the drives for drives sakes as much any more.

 

[C.Ann]

Boy - does that ever bring back memories.. When I was a kid, my aunt would pick up my grandmother and then come to pick up me and my mom for the "every" Sunday drive.. We would just go off - in any direction - and end up "wherever" - sometimes a couple of hundred miles from home.. Never worried about "getting lost" because my aunt's theory was "every road comes out somewhere".. Grandma would have her tea in a mason jar - along with Windmill Cookies to share.. There was always a bag of those orange "circus peanuts" for everyone to snack on - along with a bottle of Tru Ade soda for me (the only "non-carbonated" soda available back then).. We never missed a Sunday - unless it happened to be Christmas or there was 2 feet of snow on the ground..

Long after Grandma passed away and I was married, my aunt continued to pick up my mom every single Sunday - until my aunt passed away rather quickly from stomach cancer.. Mom was never the same after that.. My dad had already passed away by then and she really missed her Sunday's with her sister.. We tried to make up for it, but rides with "us" just weren't the same..

Up to the lake, I try to take my DGD for rides whenever I can, but because Sunday's are the day they're rushing around to head back down here we usually have to make our rides "Saturday rides".. Sometimes my DD comes along too and we just head off on the back roads - still so many areas to explore up there in the mountains.. My Dson-in-law definitely doesn't understand the concept of "going for a ride" though.. If you don't have a specific destination (with NO stops along the way) he sees absolutely no logical reason for "taking a ride".. Needless to say, he was raised in a family where "Sunday rides" were a foreign concept..

I miss the Sunday rides from my youth.. Just another one of those lost treasures - replaced with people rushing here and there; shopping; working; being obligated to do household chores that there's not enough time for during the week; etc.. Seems kind of sad, doesn't it?

Thanks for reminding me of a fond memory though..

 

[diznygirl]

Eons ago, Sunday drives were a common "recreation". A slow moving vehicle filled with folks casually looking around while talking, was the norm. Perhaps the car's inhabitants had cabin fever or maybe they were headed to a relatives house a few towns away.

Shopping on Sundays was unheard of, that was the Lord's day.
Besides, the only stores open were small "mom and pop" places, where one usually purchased a gallon of milk, the paper or some goodies...after church.

When was the last time you went for a Sunday drive just for the sake of taking in unfamiliar scenery while relaxing?

They are alive and well here in Celebration. We call them tourists.

 

[AlleyKat]

DH and I probably go for a ride about every 6 weeks. Sometimes we go on Sunday, sometimes on Saturday, and if I have off from work, sometimes we go during the week. We just get in the car and drive...no particular destination in mind.

Last time was at the end of January, drove across state to the Atlantic and then up the coast to Sandy Hook and back home. Took most of the day and we really enjoyed it. Better than sitting home watching some dumb show on TV.

Hubby and I did just that today!!! We packed some sandwiches, chips, and drinks and took a drive to the Hudson River about 30 minutes away. We went to spot American Eagles. We saw some beauties. Then we drove around some back roads and found Jackie Gleasons house when he vactioned in our area in the 50's...lovely.

So, no, in my home the Sunday drive is alive and well...lol. My hubby and I love to do old fashioned corny type stuff though

Wow, sounds like you had a fantastic day!

We did that today and we happened to end up at the heated outdoor driving range .


Honestly, I think gas prices are a big reason why people don't do this much any more. We will do it in the summer every once in a while but never in the winter.

I go for recreational drives more in the winter, when cabin fever sets in.

Of course, 20 years ago, we also rode around in the back of pick-up trucks. I remember my parents would load us kids in the back in the evenings. We'd lay down & watch the stars while they had time to actually talk to each other in the cab.

I had a conversation several weeks ago about riding in the back of trucks years ago. Good times!!!

Boy - does that ever bring back memories.. When I was a kid, my aunt would pick up my grandmother and then come to pick up me and my mom for the "every" Sunday drive.. We would just go off - in any direction - and end up "wherever" - sometimes a couple of hundred miles from home.. Never worried about "getting lost" because my aunt's theory was "every road comes out somewhere".. Grandma would have her tea in a mason jar - along with Windmill Cookies to share.. There was always a bag of those orange "circus peanuts" for everyone to snack on - along with a bottle of Tru Ade soda for me (the only "non-carbonated" soda available back then).. We never missed a Sunday - unless it happened to be Christmas or there was 2 feet of snow on the ground..

Long after Grandma passed away and I was married, my aunt continued to pick up my mom every single Sunday - until my aunt passed away rather quickly from stomach cancer.. Mom was never the same after that.. My dad had already passed away by then and she really missed her Sunday's with her sister.. We tried to make up for it, but rides with "us" just weren't the same..

Up to the lake, I try to take my DGD for rides whenever I can, but because Sunday's are the day they're rushing around to head back down here we usually have to make our rides "Saturday rides".. Sometimes my DD comes along too and we just head off on the back roads - still so many areas to explore up there in the mountains.. My Dson-in-law definitely doesn't understand the concept of "going for a ride" though.. If you don't have a specific destination (with NO stops along the way) he sees absolutely no logical reason for "taking a ride".. Needless to say, he was raised in a family where "Sunday rides" were a foreign concept..

I miss the Sunday rides from my youth.. Just another one of those lost treasures - replaced with people rushing here and there; shopping; working; being obligated to do household chores that there's not enough time for during the week; etc.. Seems kind of sad, doesn't it?

Thanks for reminding me of a fond memory though..

You're quite welcome!

 

[ilovejack02]

I love Sunday drives, we do it a few times a year. Wander around with in about a 100 mile range, just checking new neighborhoods out, stopping in at open houses, finding new places to eat or picnic.
Gas prices dont help esp with a Expedition lol.
Good times.

 

[Sukie]

My DH and I were just talking about that same thing yesterday. Way back then (married 35yrs) when the kids were little that was all that we could afford to do. It seems it was so laid back then.

 

[AlleyKat]

I love Sunday drives, we do it a few times a year. Wander around with in about a 100 mile range, just checking new neighborhoods out, stopping in at open houses, finding new places to eat or picnic.
Gas prices dont help esp with a Expedition lol.
Good times.

I love coming upon old neighborhoods where none of the houses have been completely done over and there are no signs of McMansions anywhere!

My DH and I were just talking about that same thing yesterday. Way back then (married 35yrs) when the kids were little that was all that we could afford to do. It seems it was so laid back then.

It pales in comparison to what we deal with now!

 

[MushyMushy]

Gas prices!

We used to go on Sunday drives all over the place -- and we have a ton of back country roads to explore. In decent weather, different places would host road rallies too, but I haven't seen a road rally in probably 5 years.

 

[Folklore]

DH and I love Sunday drives. We have so much fun and some of our best coversations are during those drives.

 

[DarthKTrava]

Inflated gas prices happened.

This.

And the "invention" of things to do on Sunday when stuff started being open on Sunday.

 

[locolala]

Add to that people majorly overschedule their kids, and some work on weekends too.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't know what happened to the Sunday drive, but I miss it! We used to go every Sunday with my grandmother.

DH is a "destinatiomn" person....doesn't understand the beauty of just going.

 

[acejka]

We do it all the time!

We also really love roadtrips without schedules, we can meander our way to our destination and take in things we've never seen before. Last summer we got "lost" (well we had our trusty GPS, so we weren't really lost) in the mountains in Hot Springs Ark.-saw some beautiful landscapes! I wouldn't trade a single roadtrip I've been on for a "quick 3 hour flight." It also gives DH and I time to talk about anything and everything, I cherish these memories