The best use for me in transit has been a recent trip downstate in an area Hardi normally drives us. When my printed direx failed, I called him up and told him my location; he gave me perfect direx from that point, via an excellent alternate route.

Coming home from the same trip, I was quite light on cash and gas, and the workshop had run long past ending time so that we just missed dinner time at the facility. Well, I bought a dollar burger when I started to get dizzy, and then I had what I thought would be ample spare change left on board for the last push home over the mountains-- until traffic came to a creeping halt due to a road accident, and we were directed around via a hilly detour. I was very, very glad to be able to talk to Hardi as I headed up our mountains, knowing that if I ran dry he'd know right where I was in the dark. I mean, I was enjoying the extended length of the long drive-- it had been an intense event and the processing time was wonderful. But when the 4 hour drive became a 7 hour drive lacking food and gas-- I hadn't told him I'd gone so light on gas because it was my own dumb fault-- it was nice to be able to tell my honey I was almost there, and to hear his voice as I started that last, tricky hour. (I came home to find he'd gotten me a new gasoline card so it would never happen again, and that was nice too!) Next time, we've discussed, either of us could do some phoning from home base to find the traveler a friendly church along the way for a nap and a cup of coffee, if not a churchy bed.

~Susan