One of the great joys in my life is to hop into my little convertible, put the top down and drive.

I couldn’t begin to guess how many miles my wife and I have traveled that way — a favorite band playing on the stereo, me wearing a hat to protect my bald head and she with her hair tied up in a handkerchief.

Whenever we’re planning a road trip somewhere, the first question is always this: Will we be able to take the convertible? Since it’s a two-seater, the answer to that question depends upon just how carefully we can pack. W have the little Nissan and a four-door pickup with the big crew cab, so there really isn’t any in-between when it comes to packing for trips. Either we travel light, or we might as well pack up the house and bring it along.

Whether it’s in the convertible or the pickup truck, I love to drive. I have learned through the years that time spent behind the wheel exploring country roads is the best stress reliever around. And since the daily deadlines of a newspaper tend to pile stress upon stress, I often find myself headed out from the office or from home for an hour or so of exploration, sometimes with my wife and sometimes alone.

Annette has come to believe that there’s no road in Southeast Virginia I haven’t traveled, and I do everything I can to keep up the illusion. When I’m driving, there’s never a need to stop for directions.

“This road will get us there, honey,” I’ll say. “Just be patient; things will look familiar soon.”

As evidence that it’s true, I usually remind her that we’ve never been permanently lost. Sometimes, she doesn’t even roll her eyes at that remark.

On Saturday, though, I discovered that Suffolk still has its surprises, even for me, The Great Traveler.

Early Saturday afternoon, I left home to cover the Toys for Toys Fun Fly at Lone Star Lakes in Chuckatuck. Since I pass Lone Star Lakes twice a day and consider it a favorite place to spend a peaceful hour or two, especially in the spring and fall, I never doubted for a second that I knew where I was going or how to get there.

But after driving all along the length of the park behind the water treatment plant in Chuckatuck, I was stumped. I’d found nobody flying radio-controlled airplanes, nor any evidence that they had already come and gone.

After checking in by phone with my office, I learned there was another part of Lone Star Lakes down Pembroke Lane, across from Oakland Elementary School. That’s where the Nansemond Indian Tribe holds its annual powwow, which I must now admit never having attended, as it conflicts with an annual family commitment.

Once I had been properly redirected, I found the Hampton Roads Radio Control Club’s airfield packed with cars and trucks, along with hundreds of people who’d come to watch the event and help support Suffolk’s Toys for Tots program.

It was a fine event, and I met a bunch of interesting people with a passion for model airplanes.

But the best part was discovering a whole new part of Suffolk. Just don’t tell my wife that I had to ask for directions.