Holiday in Green Hollow - 2. Travel

Two days after Christmas Sam and Fred were packing camping equipment into Fred's SUV. He had discovered that Green Hollow had some nice campgrounds. If the mild weather kept up they would have an excuse to stay in town for several days. They were both secretly looking for reasons to prolong the trip.

"I think that's it," said Fred as he went through a mental checklist of camping supplies.

"Alright, let's hit the road," said Sam with a big smile.

Fred backed the SUV out of his driveway and they were on their way. It was a warm day for the middle of winter and a sense of optimism seemed to permeate the air. With many people still resting form the mad rush of the holiday season, the streets were less hazardous. Even the people on their way to work appeared calm. They seemed relieved to have survived to fight traffic for another day. Sam and Fred were giddy with hope. They turned on the radio and sang along as the car flew down the highway.

By noon they were taking in the sights of Green Hollow. The trees were now bare but beautiful. Their thin smooth branched reached for the sun casting long shadows on the road. The quaint houses looked fresh and clean despite the lack of flowers in the gardens. Curious chickens raised their little heads as the SUV navigated the pothole-ridden terrain.

Finally they reached the commercial district of the little town. They went into the diner and noticed that it was much more busy than the last time they had been there. Fred commented on the change and a smiling waitress explained their popularity. Thirty miles away a ski resort had closed about ten years ago. It had recently been bought and reopened. Green Hollow was the last stop on the way. The local businesses were getting more customers now. Unless the warm spell melted away all the snow from the last storm the town would likely stay busy.