People travel in bunches, even when they are in their own vehicles

I noticed this several years ago when Rick and I were having to make two trips to Cody every week and a trip to Billings every few weeks for appointments with doctors. It seemed like when we saw vehicles they were always in bunches. Actually we had noticed it years ago when we lived in Missoula, driving Highway 93 north to Flathead or south to Hamilton. The cars we met always seemed to be in bunches of five to eight vehicles. I have always wondered why that happened. 

Then not too long ago I was going to Greybull, driving my usual 60 mph and I noticed cars gathering up behind me and suddenly I realized why cars are in bunches. It is because of people like me who drive slower than the speed limit, so the cars gather behind. Then when an opening comes along the cars all pass mostly at once and then the bunch is ahead of me instead of behind. Someone else meets them and wonders why there is a line of cars all bunched up. 

I don’t think that is all of it though, because I honestly think, especially during the summer, that there are people here who are uncomfortable with our open spaces, lack of people and traffic and solitude. They are more comfortable when there is a group of cars around them. All alone out there between here in Cody might be intimidating to some people who are used to 3-4 lanes wide and bumper-to-bumper traffic. It might actually seem like they are on another planet; they miss the safety of numbers.  For whatever reason, it is true that when driving the open roads of Wyoming, cars seem to clump together in bunches. 

In the Bible, God referred to people as sheep. I guess maybe that is why we actually have a bit of a herd mentality. Most mammals actually do enjoy herds or groups, so I don’t know why that would be so rare for humans either. We actually show that in so many ways. Groups of friends in school, our friends on Facebook, business associates, work colleagues and even our families. 

That last one is probably the one that is most desirable and is most fractured by our current culture: Family. Even up to and including the 1950s, the biggest social unit wasn’t work, it wasn’t even the church, it was the family. Young couples never had to worry about childcare, because there were always grandparents around to help care for the youngsters. Children grew up knowing their grandparents intimately, spending much time with them. My best memories come from my Friday night sleepovers at Grandma and Grandpa Scott’s. I know my brothers enjoyed fishing and hunting trips with them and garden gathering was always a wonderful time of work and play and laughter. 

It has always saddened me that the family nucleus has eroded. I feel like children today are missing much of what was good from years ago. The advice, the tender care, the laughter and yes the spoiling. 

Maybe it is that need for a nucleus, a need for a circle of colleagues, that drives people to drive in bunches. I guess unless some college can find funding for a study, we will never know. 

Great Grandmas Fresh Peach Pie

4 ounces butter softened

1 scant cup sugar

5 tablespoons flour

Cinnamon to taste

3½ medium peaches, peeled and halved, pits removed

Mix the first 4 ingredients into a crumb mixture. Place ½ of the crumb mixture in the bottom of the pie crust. Place peaches cut side down in a circle on the crumb mixture with a half peach in the center. Top with remaining mixture. Bake a 425º for 10 minutes, or until bubbly and crust is golden. If peaches are really juicy some tapioca can be added to help thicken the pie.