Photo by Rebecca

An Ode to My Odometer

Tony Pretlow
2 min readMay 12, 2024

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Life’s final destination, death, is drawing closer. At 70 years old, I’m aware of the increasingly tenuous situation in which I find myself.

As a result, I don’t think about traveling very much anymore. Instead, I reflect and think about the places I have been.

When you reach a ripe old age, a trip down memory lane is probably a good idea. Making this list is a trip within itself.

My travels have never been documented. What better place is there to do that than here?

I didn’t serve in the military. The following is a list of the places I have been. Each has a story etched in my brain. I write it with the hope my kids might read it someday.

  • Budapest
  • Paris
  • Venice
  • Rome
  • The Vatican
  • Milan
  • Lahaina
  • Kona
  • Kauai
  • Kahalui
  • Waikiki
  • Honolulu
  • Vienna
  • Salzburg
  • Warsaw
  • Florence
  • Taxco
  • Merida
  • Acapulco
  • Mexico City
  • Puerto Rico
  • Martinique
  • St. Thomas
  • New Orleans
  • New York
  • Columbus
  • Cincinnati
  • Dayton
  • Atlanta
  • Charleston
  • Dallas
  • Denver
  • Las Vegas
  • Los Angeles
  • Lake Tahoe
  • Reno
  • Detroit
  • Ann Arbor
  • Toronto
  • Washington DC
  • Oklahoma City
  • Tulsa
  • St. Louis
  • St. Petersburg
  • Phoenix
  • Sedona
  • Flagstaff
  • Mesa
  • Scottsdale
  • Salt Lake City
  • Milwaukee
  • Missoula
  • Omaha
  • Yosemite
  • Richmond
  • Williamsburg
  • Virginia Beach
  • Norfolk
  • Chicago
  • Evanston
  • Sausalito
  • Orinda
  • San Francisco
  • Walnut Creek
  • Big Sur
  • Stinson Beach
  • Mendocino
  • Monterey
  • Carmel By the Sea
  • Half Moon Bay
  • Pebble Beach
  • Napa Valley
  • Sonoma
  • Mt. Shasta City
  • New York City
  • Philadelphia
  • #77

(With the exception of one, all places visited were for pleasure. My current residence is not listed.)

There you have it. What’s your odometer reading? Where have you been? How does your list compare to mine? I wish you happy trails down memory lane.

Thanks for reading my odometer.

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Tony Pretlow
Tony Pretlow

Written by Tony Pretlow

Dedicated reader and commenter. Occasional writer. I enjoy writing poetry and prose. Father of five. Happily married/retired. Northwestern U. Alumni.