#490 Driving around with the windows down on late summer nights

Neil Pasricha

Kids cruise on wobbly bikes, toddlers race on tipsy trikes, and you drift deep into the hot summer night. Swerve and curve on windy roads as darkness slowly falls and stars pop out to reveal a twinkly twilight glow. As you hit the gas and drop your windows the warm beating rush of summer air makes you smile and makes everything else in the world just fade away… fade away… fade away… fade away… fade away…

AWESOME!

— Email message —

“Hi Neil, I just discovered 1000 Awesome Things and it made me incredibly happy. SO happy in fact that I wrote it down as #3274 in my Happy Book. For about a year and a half now, my friends, neighbors, strangers, and I have written down thousands of things that make us happy. Many are inside jokes but some are “whipping out something random from your memory” (#1694) or “sitting in the back seat of a car without the people in front knowing” (#2866). I have the authors sign and date their entries. We all have bad days but looking through my Happy Book reminds me of when we were feeling different and cheers me up. Thank you for the blog and The Book of Awesome!” – Hannah

Photo from: here

53 thoughts to “#490 Driving around with the windows down on late summer nights”

  1. Being from a small town, “driving around with the windows down on late summer nights” verbatim describes nearly every summer evening of my high school life. I have so many amazing summer-night-ride related memories. So, so many. My best friend and I still do this nostalgically when we’re both in town.

    I love the idea of a Happy Book! But I’ve already got a perfectly fitting and well-written Book of Awesome, so I guess I’m covered. Thanks for that, Neil! ;D

  2. Wotcher!

    <3 It!

    How did you do the fade away thing??? I'm always discovering new blogging secrets.

    Cheers,
    Sarah ( a true fan )

    1. The fade away bit is done simply with some HTML color codes. Some WYSIWYG editors will also allow you to highlight a chunk of text, and select a color for it, usually from a drop down menu.

      On an unrelated note, the picture used for this post seems strangely familiar.

  5. possibly one of the very most awesome of the awesome things. you’re doing the lord’s work here, sir.

  6. This was the one thing I really looked forward to when I first started driving. I could just see myself cuising down the road, hair blowing in the wind, radio cranked up and hangin with my friends. I still really love driving at night. Seeing all the lights lit up and almost an empty road always, always brings a huge smile on my face. Rolling the windows down and sticking a hand out while admiring the dark and warm air swirling around me……..awesome!

  7. I drove to my brother’s house late the other night to watch a good zombie flick with him (because, really, who doesn’t like a zombie movie?). He lives deep in a wooded area so the drive, while pretty creepy, especially after a horror movie, is always quiet and wonderful.

    However, there were a few times I got nervous and took my windows up. You know, just in case one of the infected decides to pull me straight out of the driver’s seat. I’ll have none of that.

    1. I’m so glad you had the cautious sense to selectively roll up your windows.

      See … I’m not that wise. The other night, I was driving home from the movies in my dusty, beat-up pickup truck and was suddenly being chased by zombies, #536 style. Only I didn’t find a secret stash of guns and ammo.

      Good thing I had my Party Save grappling hook sharpened and at the ready.

  8. Wow! this is a great site! it’s awesome to have seen something like this!. I’m also blogging about blessed and grateful moments each day ( though i can’t update it on a daily basis), and it feels grateful to have stumbled on your blog., and you made me more inspired of what i do on my blog. You’re such a blessing! More power to you Neil.

    Heaven bless you more!

  9. Even better – driving (or just riding) at night in a convertible with the top down. About ten times the exhilaration and ten times the stars.

    1. yes! night driving is my favorite! and you don’t get sunburned in a convertible at night!

  11. A few years ago I was at a wedding in New Hampshire that several New Yorkers were attending. I was driving some of them from the wedding reception to a lake for late night swimming and I got the question “can we roll down the windows AND open the sunroof?” Which of course we did.

    So AWESOME to watch them enjoy a rural night sky so much – and it added to my level of appreciation

  13. The best is hand-surfing with the window down. Nothing like catching a good wind with your hand outside the window!

    Gotta love the feeling outside on warm summer nights. Don’t get many of them in Canada!

  19. i’m feeling so happy today and this post is making me feel even better :D One of the most awesome things ever, I’m totally looking forward to driving again!

  20. Pingback: Weekend Links – 6.4.2010 « xoxo, tara.
  22. Pingback: #490 Driving around with the windows down on late summer nights (via 1000 Awesome Things) « Sheepless in Rhode Island

  26. I think that this might be my favorite awesome thing so far. I love summer nights. Where I live, everything is within walking distance, so most nights I’m out until curfew, just rambling on and on, not really doing anything except enjoying warm breeze, bright stars, and the fact that I don’t have to wake up at five the next morning.

  27. Seen as I live in Ireland this is a rare treat. This year we have been very lucky and we think we’ll get a nice warm summer. This place is paradise when we have the weather. The last few week’s it’s been bright and warm till around 10pm. Here’s hoping it lasts. Awesome.

  28. Just discovered your blog (thanks to WordPress Updates) and am loving it! I am thinking a little blurb about you on my blog is in order : ) How great that you created something awesome out of a tough time in your life. Big Congrats on your well deserved success!

  29. I live in Northwest Ohio, just tucked under Michigan, and near Lake Erie. Our winters are terribly cold and summers are freakishly hot, but I love summer here.
    And one thing that has to be, by far, by best therapy for when I just want to clear my head is doing exactly this. I love to drive around in my car, listen to music, bring along a close friend or my boyfriend to chat, usually I try to find a place to listen to nature or look at the stars. :] It’s so peaceful, it’s so relaxing.

    It really really is awesome. It totally made my day just to see this on the site today. Perhaps one of my favorites of all time!

  31. Driving around with the windows down on a late summer night is like THE ultimate way of life… unless – you haven’t got some music on. You totally need some cool music when you drive around, at night as well as during the day!

    P.S.: Thanks for bringing us 1000 Awesome Things. Almost every post makes me yell at the computer: “Yes, that’s so right, this is awesome!”

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  35. There is nothing better than this. When i visit the country in the summer and i’m the passenger, i got the window rolled out and my head sticking out the window while my dad goes a good speed limit! Man do i miss summer vacations….

  36. Big fan!! NEED to know why some of the words in the books are in bold lettering. Can’t find the answer anywhere!!!

  37. Pingback: 1000 Awesome Things - Evan's Blog

    1. I just realized this was written exactly one year ago in alignment with the Aurora awakening…you know what I’m talking about!!! Although “we hadn’t met”, I believe Awesome was filtering in here, then, to bless and save life/lives in these other ways!
      *God knows, I was “Living on a prayer!” and this is another confirmation, it is from God and of divine light. I’m going for it…”I’ll make it, I swear!”*
      :D

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  42. Hey I guy in my grade 7 classes mom knows u and our class has worked on creating awesome’s for a long time. I wrote about jumping over the little waves that wash up on the shore. AWESOME!!

  43. So glad that other people share the same passion for summer night driving.Best thing ever,it just takes me away…Empty roads,windows down feeling that warm summer breeze,vocal trance playing,getting those chills .FUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK!!!

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