Distance

I noticed something some time back and I have been thinking about it quite a lot lately. You know how the first time you go somewhere when the path is new to you, you set a time and distance measure in your mind. Then over time, as you travel that path more frequently, the distance seems to compress. It feels like it takes less time to travel the same path that once seemed so much longer.

I remember clearly the first time bwo and I drove out to look at the area where we ended up living in EDH. We were staying in the Residence Inn in Folsom. We dutifully drove east on 50 to the EDH turnoff and then up El Dorado Boulevard till Salmon Falls then onto Lakehills. We were going to see some apartments that we thought could be interesting for the short term till we bought a house. It seems so far away from everything familiar. After seeing the house twice, we decided it worked for us, but I was still a little worried about the distance to squint central.

It's been three years and in my mind the house moved closer to work. Each morning I rise in the dark, walk then feed the dog before setting off. It seems to take an instant. Even less when I have some wonderful book to listen to. In the evening home seems to have moved a little further away. Not as far as it was when we first moved, but further than in the morning. I do like the fact that I leave work, head to 50 which can be busy (nothing compared to Israel or London) but is usually flowing, then exit and travel north through EDH towards home with an ever decreasing number of fellow commuters. When I hit Salmon Falls typically there are only a few cars accompanying me, and by the time I get to Bonita I am alone. I park and step out into the quiet. It's lovely. It is interesting how the distance seems to have shrunk as I grew familiar with the road.

As for Sac airport, that path has not gotten any shorter. It still feels like it's hugely far away.