Well, there goes yet another year. And that’s kind of sad, if you think of your lifetime as a gas gauge that is counting down to empty, and there’s no gas station anywhere on your planned route. In fact, there’s not even a gas filler pipe on the whole car. You just drive it til it’s empty and that’s it. Off to the crusher.

But surely that’s not the right way to think about these things; instead, we’re advised to roll down the window, turn down the radio, and pay attention to all the cool things we’re seeing and doing as we drive our car along the unsigned and mysterious Highway of Life. And if we’re lucky, there’s still enough gas in the tank for some more adventures. As they say, life is a journey.

And speaking of journeys, I’ve got some good ones planned for 2025, including a winter trip to Needles, CA (pop: 4,800) to see one of the last remaining Harvey Houses, and a visit to Blob Fest in Phoenixville, PA in July.

I’m also planning a return to the town of Kingsburg, CA to witness the delivery of a century-old, 82-ton steam locomotive. The delivery has been delayed several times, but the current best guess is January or February.