Heading Across America

The journey across America, circa 2017.

The time for the big drive is approaching. Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina and return. A continental crossing. The American road dream. National parks, motels, diners.

Vickie and I are setting out to see the South, an area of the country that Vickie has seen very little of. The plus? It's severe weather season and maybe we'll spy a tornado, at a safe distance of course. The minus? Well, it;s the South, with all the humidity and racial baggage that you could ever want.

Sparks Lake Outside Bend, OR
Once we leave the confines of Oregon, we'll be deep into the Red States. Actually, as soon as we cross the cascades and pass Bend, Oregon we'll be in Conservative Country for most of trip.

Trump Land.

The plan is to see things. Recently, a Brit who was travelling the states remarked about the opioid epidemic, seen primarily by church reader boards offering access to drug counselling, treatment, or prayer groups. That really got my attention. Is that what most stands out to others? I guess we'll see.

We have two key activities that drove this trip. The first is the March for Science scheduled for Earth Day on April 22 in Washington DC. As soon as I heard about it I wanted to be there to stand for science against the forces of darkness. The other is the special election being held in the Georgia 6th Congressional District on April 18 to fill the seat vacated by Tom Price who became Secretary of Health & Human Services. A young Democrat, Jon Ossoff is running for the vacant seat; the seat that was held by Newt Gingrich for many years. The word is he has a fair chance. The top 2 go to a runoff, unless one gets 50%+1.

Anyhow, I'll use this blog to see what I can capture and relate, so stay tuned.

Here is our itinerary which is, of course, subject to change:

Boise. ID
Dinosaur National Monument
Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park
Lamar, CO where Vickie's dad Victor Hardin was born
Tulsa, OK
Little Rock, AR & Ozarks
Vicksburg & Jackson, MS
Demopolis, Selma & Montgomery, MS.
Jacksonville, FL
Savannah, GA
Charleston, SC
Atlanta/Alpharetta, GA
Smokey Mountains National Park, TN
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Bethesda,Md/Washington DC
Gettysburg National Military Park, PA
Charleston, WV
St. Louis, Mo
Mission, SD/Rosebud Reservation, where Vickie's mother Marge was born
Mt. Rushmore, SD
Helena, MT
Walla Wala, WA
... and home to Salem








Comments

  1. ElizabethMarch 31, 2017 at 6:36 PM

    Really looking forward to the travelogue. Have a great time, and be safe out there. Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownApril 2, 2017 at 1:23 PM

      Thanks "Big Liz". Looking forward to it and hoping we don't have to post bail anywhere.

      Delete

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