HOW FAR WILL YOU TRAVEL FOR A DIXIE CUP?

HOW FAR WILL YOU TRAVEL FOR A DIXIE CUP?

I was raised in a small town called Midland which was two miles west of the City of Drumheller, Alberta. As a child and youth, I was happy and didn’t know that I was underprivileged. All of my immediate needs - a Coke, a popsicle, bubble gum or a Dixie Cup of ice cream-were readily available at Steve’s Store, which provided the essentials for life to our village’s 500 residents. If we needed to find something more exotic, we had to make a two-mile trip to town in the car. Boy, have times changed!

Each summer my Mom and Dad and I would take a summer vacation trip to Calgary - 90 miles away. This was considered major travel and required considerable planning and preparation. Before we left, my Dad had the car serviced and filled with gas. Mom made a large lunch of sandwiches, fruit, dessert, coffee and pop for the journey. We had a rest stop at the 25 Mile Corner for our lunch break and to refill the car with gas. Three hours after departing Midland we arrived in Calgary, weary and worn, but elated at having completed a major travel challenge. Boy, have times changed!

Shopping trips no longer consist of a two-mile drive into town. They can now involve traveling miles for a grocery shopping expedition to the nearest Costco or Superstore, located up to a hundred miles away. For many young people living in small Canadian prairie towns, this is a reality that doesn’t phase them. Yikes! We have friends who will drive from one province to another one for a major grocery run.

Family vacations are also no match for the hectic 90-mile cross-country challenge of my youth. A vacation today can entail a 2000 mile road trip or a 12-hour airline flight to another hemisphere. Distance is no longer a significant factor in choosing a holiday destination. The world had indeed shrunk!

I know of Calgary residents who have season football tickets to the 8 or 9 home games of the Seattle Seahawks or the Dallas Cowboys. On a weekend, they will fly to either city, spend a night in a hotel, watch the game and fly back home. They will repeat this journey 8 or 9 times and think nothing of it. No small endeavor and no small expense. Not a common practice, but it does happen. Travel distance is not an impediment to even a weekend adventure.

I have learned over the years that residents of the Canadian prairies do not let distance become a factor in the things they choose to do or the events they attend. They are truly modern-day adventurers. On the other hand, I find that I am becoming more of a hermit. Before committing to some activity or venture, I measure the distance to the event in miles and hours. If the numbers are large, I chose to stay home. But then I was shaped by the two-mile shopping trip and the 90-mile summer vacation. What can you expect?

How far would you travel today for a Dixie Cup?