WILKES-BARRE – This weekend we will turn our clocks back one hour again, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time.

Back to the daily routine of waking up in the dark, going to work and returning home after work – in the dark.

It’s always a blessing to gain an hour of sleep, but a terrible price to pay when darkness surrounds our days.

As people turn back their clocks this weekend to mark the end of Daylight Saving Time, the American Red Cross will once again urge us to test our smoke detectors too. House fires are the country’s most common disaster, tragically claiming seven lives every day in this country.

While we appreciate the extra hour of sleep, AAA Mid-Atlantic will also remind riders to be prepared for possible challenges, such as: B. Changes in sleep patterns, which can increase the risk of drowsy driving, and shorter days, which means driving home in the dark.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), sleep-deprived drivers cause more than 6,400 deaths and 50,000 serious injuries on American roads each year, reports AAA Mid-Atlantic.

This idea of ​​turning back the clock got me thinking: Wouldn’t it be great if we could turn back years instead of a measly hour?

I started the way-back machine and made several trips – the first of course being to go back to Reynolds Street in Plymouth and see my parents again. That would definitely be a great trip.

Another trip would be to Plymouth High School to walk the halls one more time and stop by Coach John “Snoggy” Mergo for a few laughs and life lessons.

And then I went to Coal Street, Blair Street and Turner Street to pick up my friends and go to the Jersey Shore.

We left early and went straight to the Premiere Motel, checked in, and then went across the street to Uncle Lou’s for breakfast. In the evening we went to Shamrock Bar for fun and drinks.

And we spent our days on the beach or by the rooftop pool at the Premier and walking the promenade – the shops, the games, the rides. The way back is salt water taffy and fudge.

Here my friends and I set out to explore life in a way we had little experience in, but we did it and had fun.

It was in 1969-70-71 when we were young lions, or at least we thought we were.

These were times when we knew so little where we were, let alone where we would end up.

My friends and I found our slice of paradise in Wildwood at the family-run Premiere Motel and its rooftop pool. It is still there and thriving.

Uncle Lou’s was demolished and the Shamrock Bar is also gone.

During those glorious days and nights of the ’60s and ’70s, we looked out from our little balcony in our room onto Wildwood Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Atlantic Avenue.

I just have that sentimental gene, I guess, that drives me to go back to those days when life was so much simpler and so much fun.

Our friends from high school and college were only in our lives for a short time, but we still seem to want to remember those formative years as much as possible. We have all walked different paths and taken different paths to very different goals.

But back then we were all largely the same – we had one common goal and that was to enjoy life while we could before the realities of life got to us.

And they actually arrived on our doorstep. There were good times in the decades that followed. And there were not so good times. We enjoy getting together and talking about where we’ve all traveled in life, but the stories aren’t nearly as exciting or fun to tell.

It’s hard to believe it’s been so long. I can still see the places. I can try Uncle Lou’s pancakes. I can see the crowds at Shamrock. I can see the lights of the boardwalk and hear the streetcar driver on the boardwalk saying, “Please watch the streetcar.”

We used to drive through Avalon, Stone Harbor, Wildwood Crest, and Cape May just to walk around and explore those places.

Yes, it would definitely be great to go back in time by a year rather than an hour. But unfortunately we can’t – at least not yet. Maybe a really smart technology company will develop a computer or device that will take us back in time – at least in our minds. You know, a virtual reality tour.

In Star Trek it always looked so easy when Captain Kirk said, “Beam me up, Scotty.”

Sign me up when this technology becomes available. There are so many virtual trips I want to take – to see family, friends, events, hometowns, small schools, sports rivalries, Sandy Beach dances, vintage cars, and so much more.

So much more than just gaining an hour of sleep.