From the Editor: Time To Get Away!

This weekend is Twin Cities Pride. Next weekend is when we celebrate Independence Day. Somewhere in-between, we will start our vacation cycle.

For those of us who actually plan and go on vacations, I bet you’re ready to hit the road. You are eager to find time to wind down, relax, and soak in the sun somewhere.

Your luggage will be full of items that will go through security. I just hope you did not forget anything while hastily packing for your trip. Not a good look when you’re waiting to get through TSA that you forget to pack the wrong set of beachwear.

Or, your passport. That’s never a good look, folks…

As LGBTQ+ people, we love to travel. For decades, we found that our disposable income has been set aside for plane trips, hotels, transportation, amenities, and that special outfit for your date away from home.

As we have seen in the past year, the travel business has been returning towards pre-pandemic levels. Some services have either returned or expanded to those levels. Others are being retracted.

For example, Amtrak started running a second daily train between Saint Paul’s Union Depot to Milwaukee and Chicago. On the other hand, Sun Country Airlines are cutting routes that are not selling as well as they originally thought. These are just two instances of working through the laws of supply and demand in the travel business.

As I said in previous editorial pieces, I love to travel as much as you. Granted, there had been challenges lately that created some alterations to the way I travel, but the idea of going somewhere else is always a treat to enjoy.

So far this year, it has been the automobile that has been my means to “going somewhere.” I always argued that an automobile gives you the most freedom when traveling. You can stop anytime on the way somewhere…or, go the distance without stopping, Of course, there’s fuel to fill-up or batteries to recharge when you have to. It’s not a perfect mode of going somewhere, but if you do not encounter trouble along the way, you will get there on your own schedule.

One thing I must address is that not everyone travels like some people do. Not everyone can afford a flight across an ocean, a beachfront rental, and a convertible on a summer vacation. We sometimes have to jump in our vehicles just to go somewhere. We will take affordable means of transport to even go to another place. Your mode of travel is valid with me.

Getting there is indeed half the fun, especially these days. If you are going somewhere to vacation or just to get away from the stress of work, home life, and anything else – you are now free to roam the Earth!

Safe travels, folks!