Memorial Day weekend is widely seen as the unofficial "Beginning of Summer" (the real beginning of summer is, of course, on or around the twentieth of June, the day of the Summer Solstice), so the media generally focuses on travel, which is, presumably, what you're supposed to do in the summer.  Why, is not entirely clear. 

It has something to do with the kids being out of school, although for those of us without that extra encumbrance, leaving cold climes for warmer in the winter months makes infinitely more sense than leaving hot climes for hotter in the summer.  But no one ever said mass hysteria has to make sense.  If the media says "get in your car and drive a couple hundred miles on Memorial Day" then you get in your car and drive a couple hundred miles. 

Vacation ain't what it used to be, that's for sure.  It started as far back as William The Conqueror, as a summer break to help facilitate the grape harvest.  Later it was the tendency of the leisure class to pack up and head for the summer estate, leaving their winter homes vacant.  Today, it seems like just another leg of the rat race. 

With gas prices set to top four bucks soon, you hear folks complaining about price-gouging by the oil companies.  But why shouldn't the oil companies gouge away?  I mean, sure it cramps your style, but if you don't see your role in the equation, you deserve to be gouged. 

Aside from gas prices, two things Americans never tire of kvetching about are global warming and the war in Iraq, both of which are connected to petroleum consumption, fueled by our chosen modes of transport.  The irony of anti-war bumper stickers seems to be lost on a good many liberals around town, I've noticed.

What I suppose I resent a little is that while I've only been in a car once so far this year (for real), and haven't even used the T since bringing my bike up from the basement some weeks ago, I'm still paying for gas.  The price of bread has nearly doubled in the last six months down the street where I get mine.

At some point we'll reach that old tipping point, where people really can't afford to travel, but we're obviously not there quite yet.  I know from my own experience that for the most part people don't change because they want to, they change because they have to, because they can't afford not to. 

Until we get there, I say, happy trails, and gouge away!  And if you're on the gouging end, look on the bright side:  the oil companies may actually be doing us all a big favor in the end, and reaping huge profits in the process.  And that's as American as foreign wars and road trips on Memorial Day Weekend.