Spring Break starts this week for my kids. For me, this means that it is final’s week at the local university and things like traffic lighten up a little bit for the next couple of weeks. Since I live on Main Street, I see a direct correlation between school being in session and traffic.

However, I know that it is going to be spring break when I look at the weather forecast. Growing up, we often took extended camping trips during this week. I can think of multiple times it rained like cats and dogs the entire trip. In college, I remember distinctly having an inch of water in my tent with wet sleeping bags, pillows and clothes.

Lately, it has been more often a beach house rental. At least we are sheltered from elements but it tends to keep us in the house and less out and about. I don’t want to say that every trip was wet. I had a rafting trip on the John Day river that was dry. Ironically, 2020 at the pandemic’s very beginning it was a beautiful week as well. In fact the entire spring was dry as I spent 90% of the time working on the house. Remember that we had huge wildfires that fall as well.

I also don’t want to sound like I am complaining because I am not. I am simply saying that I cannot count on consistently nice weather during spring break. Any plans are subject to a deluge. Of course that is relative to where the plans are as well I am mostly talking about reasonably distanced local trips that are 4-5 days long.

End Your Programming Routine: With risk comes reward. Sometimes playing it safe, you miss the best opportunities. I am simply saying, make seasonally appropriate plans and prepare for the what-ifs. This year I am saving my vacation but the family is going to spend four days at the coast. I will be home to take care of the animals and work, but I will get some free time as well.