People ask me why I get up at such an incredibly early hour in the morning. Part of it is that I live a ways out in the woods, and work kitty-corner from Safeco Field in downtown Seattle. Thirty-two miles each way, with no reasonable mass transit solutions that wouldn’t drive me utterly nuts.

In addition, traffic in Seattle sucks. If I left for work any later, I’d spend twice as long in traffic going the same distance, possibly three times as long. And arrive at work amazingly grumpy.

So I get up at 4:00AM and go. It is a lovely, pleasant drive at that time of morning. Still dark, and flowing, rather than bouncing in stop and go traffic with timid drivers. I get to work early, eat breakfast, have coffee, and then have a couple hours free time to write before I have to go to work.

There is another lovely benefit. I only turn the radio on at ten minutes to five to catch the financial news on NPR. The rest of the time is spent in silence. I use that time to think about the next chapter, the next scene, the next story. Fabulous Publisher Babe™ likes to go for a walk around the long block every hour or so when she writing and it serves the same purpose for her. That moment to refresh.

There is something about a long drive that just inspires me. During the recent total eclipse, we drove down to Oregon to visit a friend of mine who lived in the path of totality. (Traffic coming home horrible, but we got down a whole day early, stopped for brunch in a quaint little town, took backroads, etc. Relaxing.)

She and I also like to talk about the state of publishing, and writing, and things. Anyone who has gone spent any time with us can attest to that.

During the drive, we explored some of the new tools and software that was available recently. In the process, I came up with a new top secret writing project that will see the light of day next summer. Not something that probably would have come about, but we had five hours to just talk, isolated in the truck, and explore things.

I know others who walk, like she does, or hike. Perhaps they knit, or something else, but for me, it is that time that I get to drive.

What is the thing you do to recharge your batteries?