EPISODE 13: FINAL RANDOM THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS

It is now February and I have been home since November 17th but have not gotten around to record some of my final thoughts on my trip. I thought I better do this before I take off on another trip. Looking back, it was a fantastic experience. Almost 15,000 miles. 26 states and DC. I felt more disoriented coming home that I did after India for some reason. Maybe because I was on the go all the time and saw so many things – something new every day.


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There were many, many highlights. The farthest north I traveled was around Regina, the farthest east was either in upstate New York around Cooperstown or the motel where I stayed east of Philly in New Jersey, and the farthest south was Florida. It got into the nineties in Louisiana and down to 12 degrees in Great Basin National Park in Nevada – that was my last camping stop, frozen toothpaste was too much. I climbed to the highest point east of the Mississippi – Mt. Mitchell along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and down below ground in Carlsbad Caverns. I greatly enjoyed hanging out in Bob Dylan’s hometown of Hibbing, especially looking back after seeing Scorsese’s film that came out while I was gone.

Travels without Charlie. I actually crossed paths with Steinbeck and Charley very rarely (they spent a lot of time in New England and California where I did not go). The Canadians did not let him cross that little part of Ontario between Detroit and Niagara Falls because they thought the Americans would not let him back in with Charlie. It reminded me of the time I was able to talk my way into Canada with my dog after I convinced them that the Seattle License tag proved that she had had her rabies shots (she had the shots, but the license actually proved no such thing). One place were we did cross paths was Niagara Falls and we had very different takes on the place. Here is what he said: “Niagara Falls is very nice. It’s like a large version of the old Bond sign on Times Square. I am very glad I saw it, because from now on if I am asked whether I have seen Niagara Falls I can say yes, and be telling the truth for once.” My take was completely different as it was one of the big highlights of my trip. Maybe it is why I also seem to be attracted to disasters – I am in awe of the massive forces of the earth that, while usually benign, can have massive negative as well as positive effects.

Another place we crossed paths was New Orleans – but at very different times historically. Steinbeck went there in 1960 to see the “cheerleader”, the white woman who harangued little black kids who were integrating the schools. He was very disgusted, rightly so, and headed more or less straight home after that. When I was there the city was half deserted following Katrina. After I left I very much felt I was on my way home too.

In looking back at Travels with Charlie I noticed that it was Steinbeck that wrote about the new interstate system and said that “when we get these thruways across the whole country it will be possible to drive from New York to California without seeing a single thing.” I didn’t realize that he said that. I have quoted that thought so often that I thought I might have said it. And it is true that on the ubiquitous highway strips it is hard to tell where you are since all the franchises are the same. I read somewhere that there are more Subways than McDonalds and that seemed to be true. But more striking was the fact that wherever McDonalds went Subway was sure to go, usually within a block or two. They must have the same marketing algorithms. One franchise that I was actually glad to see was Pep Boys – I can’t recall the last time I saw one.

Some people I met. I probably don’t do as good job of meeting strangers as I could – I tend to keep to myself a lot when traveling. However, there were a few memorable people I met along the way. One theme seemed to be teeth, or the lack thereof.

I was having a hard time figuring out the addresses on the old land use maps in the Winnipeg Archives – trying to find the location of the house where my father was born. An unkempt man who seemed to be one of those strange people that hang around public libraries and county courthouses doing heavens-know-what-kind of “research” offered to help me out. He was missing a couple of front teeth and I tended to discount him at first. But, in fact, he was able to show me how to use the maps.

I met another guy, maybe 40 to 50 years old, who was missing a couple of teeth at Arlington National Cemetery. I spotted the word “paratrooper” on his T-shirt as he entered the Men’s room. I felt a little weird but I waited for him to come out to see what his shirt was all about. When he came out I asked him what his shirt said (“old paratroopers never die they just jump and regroup”) and, noticing the AA on his cap, asked him if he was in the 82nd. He said yes. I asked him what war he was in and he said that he was not in any war but served at some fort around 1958. I just said “Oh” and walked away not wanting to go any further into his history, or lack thereof.

Speaking of teeth, I met a male dental hygienist in a campground in Reston. Him home is actually in Richmond but he can’t get a job there because it is hard for a male to work as a dental hygienist in that town. It is easier in the Washington DC area where he works during the week and stays at this campground. He says it is a little boring in the evenings, with no TV and such. He plays poker on-line using his cell phone to entertain himself at night.

501st Paratroop Infantry Regiment. Of course, one of the major highlights of my trip were my visits with four of the men who served with my father. I was able to record some of their stories and am really grateful that I was able to do this as, unfortunately time is running out. In fact, I just learned recently that Fred Orlowski died at the end of December. He was a great character and I am sad that I will never be able to visit with him again. Don Kane has undergone cancer surgery and fell and broke his hip since I saw him but I think he is recovering.

Some somewhat random thoughts Here are some of the things that I noticed on the road. In the eastern part of the country I noticed there are more cemeteries and graves, but fewer fences, than on the west coast. Obviously there are more graves in the east because these areas have been settled longer and have had more people to be buried. I am not sure about the fences but I once knew someone from New England who told me that if people put fences around their house they would be considered weird and anti-social. This in spite of what Robert Frost said (good fences make good neighbors) or because of what he said (something there is that doesn’t like a wall).

In rural Pennsylvania I came across a house in a small town that must have had 100Teddy bears “playing” on kids’ toys in the front yard. I wondered if they took them in when it rained.

It was interesting to see how different states reacted to their football. While people in Minnesota clearly like their Vikings, it is not the same as in Wisconsin where the Packers seem to be a religion – and it is noticeable as soon as one crosses the state line. They may like the University of Wisconsin (they were happy when they upset Michigan – or was it Ohio State?) - this year. But it is not like how people feel about Green Bay.

Although I hate cell phones I had one temporarily for this trip. So I tended to notice the ugly cell phone towers even more than usual. Sometimes when I came across one in a rural area I would look at my cell phone and see the bars go way up and I would flip the tower the bird.

In rural North Carolina. I heard a radio advertisement promoting DNA paternity tests. “Are you sure you are the father?” It required a saliva sample. Geographically this was where there were a lot of Christian radio stations. One female disc jockey was going on about how wonderful it was to be a Christian with God looking down on her. For example, it turned out to be really hot this day in western Virginia or North Carolina and she was really thankful that she had got makeup on her sweater that morning so she was “forced” to change to a short sleeve blouse, which turned out to be more comfortable. Praise the lord.

In the Eastern Time zone it was strange listening to baseball games that took place in earlier time zones (like the central time zone). It was neat to actually listen to Fresh Air with Terry Gross on WHYY in Philly.

In crossing the Appalachia trail someplace in North Carolina, or Georgia, I meet two guys walking across the road who have been hiking portions of the trail for 40 years. They told me it was never too late to get started. I told them I would read the book (Bill
Bryson’s account.)

Nobody commented on the fact that I had a Cal license plate holder with Washington plates. One person honked at me in Reston, VA and yelled something that I could not understand at first – he gave me the thumbs up sign and repeated “Go Bears!” Several people upon noticing my plates did comment that they really like the state of Washington.

I felt like I was cheating a bit by going to the South during the fall. With all the Spanish Moss hanging from the beautiful trees in Savannah, for example, I felt that I should have been there during the humid time of year.

Remember when people at gas stations used to be a good source for directions to local places? Sometimes this is still true, but more often the workers are just shop clerks in mini-marts attached to gas stations, have only worked there a short time, and don’t know how to give directions anywhere.

There are Hispanic radio stations everywhere. And not just in urban areas. The one in Greenville, South Carolina especially impressed me.

In crossing a river on the way to my campground outside of Savannah I saw a sign that said Moon River. I did not know there was such a place but it appears that this is a case of life imitating art. Johnny Mercer was from Savannah and once lived right next to this little river that the City Council renamed in his honor. I thought this was rather nice, although silly, notwithstanding my dislike of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

I was impressed by the physical quality of schools, even in rural areas. So I wonder if our problems with education have to deal with our school systems, methods of education, and teachers rather than the physical plants, which we seem to have funded pretty well.

Meanwhile back at the manse. One last comment about houses. I saw a wide range of homes, from Bob Dylan’s little middle class home in Hibbing, Minnesota to the huge Biltmore mansion. The contrast was huge between the Biltmore mansion (symbol of political and economic power) to the humble beginnings of President Wilson’s birth place (his father’s manse in Staunton, VA), Clinton’s boyhood home in Hope, Arkansas. I pondered the fact that while some of our presidents came from rich families (early presidents, Roosevelts, Bushes, etc), the American political system does provide opportunities for politicians with more simple beginnings, for better or worse.