As you’re probably aware (unless you live in some sort of cave with no calendar), the Thanksgiving holiday is coming up this week (although it’s hard to tell between all of the Christmas carols on the radio and decorations on sale at the store).

Traditionally one of the most crowded travel weekends of the year, AAA predicts that more than 54,000,000 people will be on the road during this year’s holiday – a 4.8% increase over 2017 and the highest levels since 2005[1].

54 million people.

AAA predicts over 48.5 million of those travelers will be out on the roads.  The worst traffic times are expected on Tuesday evening and Wednesday (prior to the holiday) and on Sunday following the holiday (as people travel home in time for a Monday morning date with the work week).  The travel gurus at AAA state that travelers should allow for plenty of extra time for their planned commutes, as road times are going to be brutal, especially in metropolitan areas that are already notorious for traffic (like Washington D.C., New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, etc.).

Joy.

Airports are expecting over 4.2 million travelers during the holiday weekend, and even trains, buses and cruise ships are expecting larger than normal crowds.

AAA also states that even though gas prices are higher this year as to compared to last year ($0.31 cents higher, on average), that’s not stopping folks from getting out on the roadways this holiday season.

So, if you’re planning on being out and about during the Thanksgiving weekend (as I am), start early, stay calm, and be prepared for the worst.

Just think, you’ll have something to say at the dinner table when someone in your family asks “what are you thankful for this year?”

“I’m just glad we made it!” you’ll say through gritted teeth and a forced smile, hands shaking from the thought of the return trip home in just a few days.  On the bright side, there’s pumpkin pie at the end of the meal.

I wish all of you the happiest and safest of Thanksgiving holidays!

FYI – I’ll be taking next week off (as I celebrate the holiday with my family), but will be back with new thoughts and musings the week of December 3^rd).

 

 

[1] AAA Website article, “AAA: More Than 54 Million Americans to Travel this Thanksgiving, the Most Since 2005”, https://newsroom.aaa.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-travel-forecast-2018/?sf94563144=1, published 11/8/18, accessed 11/14/18