Small Chairs - June 5, 2009

Today we traveled from my sister's home west of St. Louis to just past Oklahoma City. Mostly it was putting miles on the road but we did make a few stops.

Around Springfield, MO., we stopped for lunch and talked with Dave who worked for a medical supply company. He was delivering new Chevy Savannahs to the other branches replacing older Savannahs that they used for deliveries. This was very heartening. Talking about his personal cars, Dave owned a GMC Yukon and a Mitsubishi. Referring to the Mitsubishi, Dave said “Your cars are too expensive. They have stuff on them I don't need.” Then Dave asked the other Dave if he thought that American auto workers were overpaid and lazy. Dave replied “They make a lot more money than we do!” Dave said that the recession has had an affect in Springfield but that his business was more or less recession proof. Looking at the vehicles in the parking lot of the restaurant, almost all of them were full size pick up trucks. They may not be buying new full size trucks in the Midwest but it is obvious that they both need and prefer them.

We stopped for an hour at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. I had known that there were chairs for every victim of the bombing but I didn't realize the effect that it would have. As you approach the memorial, it is framed by the black monolith of both the east and west gates. The gates frame the reflecting pool conveying a deep sense of peace as you enter the memorial. Along the south side of the memorial, occupying the footprint of the former Murrah building is the field of chairs. 19 of the 168 chairs are small chairs. They are at about ½ scale to the other chairs representing the babies and children that died in the bombing. We were overpowered with sadness which set the tone for the whole day. We have only posted a couple of photos from the memorial because no matter how many photos we post, the only way to understand the emotional impact is to visit the memorial.

We closed out the day setting up our tent for the first time. Winds on the plains turned our tent into a sail but after buying tent stakes, which I left behind, and staking it down, it went well. Not being entirely true to camping, we ate buffalo burgers at a restaurant. They were way overkill in size which will provide us with lunch or dinner tomorrow. It's a small world, camping next to us was a family who used to live a couple of blocks from where Dave now resides in Ohio. We went to bed to the sound of cicadas and thunder rumbling in the distance.

Next: A washout? Rolling across the southwest.

The Gateway to the West June 4, 2009.

Dave and I spent the evening with my sister looking at photos that had been passed down to me that my father had taken in the 1940's and that my grandfather made in 1910 through 1915, many of which my sister had not seen before. The next day we visited the Arch in downtown St. Louis with my sister and my niece's family. Dave who had attended the dedication of the Arch in 1967 with his father, went on the tramway to the top of the Arch for the first time. It was a beautiful day allowing us spectacular views of the city and plains both east and west from St. Louis.

Even more impressive was the wonderfully put together museum of Western expansion at the base of the Arch with everything from written history to live interpreters depicting pioneer life in the West. This is a great place to visit with children.

We had dinner that evening with my other niece's family. We would like to thank them all for a wonderful time in St. Louis. The meals, beds and fellowship that they provided. And the photographic expertise that my brother-in-law gave us. With a bacon and egg breakfast, lunch and dinner packed for the next day, off we went. Our next visit with you will be from Oklahoma.

Next: The Great Plains.

Indiana and Illinois

Hello, from the St. Louis, the Gateway to the West. Today we will stop at the Arch and the Museum of Western Expansion. Although we have not yet seen the Arch, we know we are in St. Louis because we saw Josey Wales.

Yesterday we traveled across southern Ohio, southern Indiana and southern Illinois. Some of the richest farmland in the world was still lying fallow after the harvesting of winter wheat and soybeans and before the planting of summer crops. In Indiana, the crossroads of America, there was in fact a cross at a crossroads shown in the picture.

In Illinois, about thirty miles northeast of Effingham, we took our first unscheduled detour to see the Lincoln Log Cabin state historical site. This is the site of Abraham Lincoln's father, Thomas Lincoln, last residence. A small family farm. The site also contains the Stewart farm, a neighbor of Thomas Lincoln who in 1845 ran his farm as part of the new market based economy in the United States. The site contrasts the operation of the two farms in 1845, Lincolns run to support his family (up to seventeen people at one time) with a small amount of crops used for barter at the local store while Stewart ran his farm for profit in a market based economy. During the “interpretive season” which is a little later in the year, volunteers play local characters from Illinois in 1845 and actually work both farms. Tools and the products that they produced are on display there including some beautiful quilt work. It was well worth the hour that we spent there.

Next: Arriving at my sister's. The Gateway to the West.

First Leg

The first leg of The Last American Road Trip is now complete. Both Dave and Tom are now set to turn west and head for St. Louis. As you can see from the photo, the G6 is the perfect size for two people and all their gear for a multi-week trip. I tried to capture some of the iconic sights along the road from Michigan to Ohio but handling the camera with one hand and driving with the other left something to be desired in terms of photography.

It is ironic that this trip will begin shortly after General Motors filed for bankruptcy. Even more disturbing is the number of plants that will close and jobs that will end. Two generations in my family were employed by GM as were many of my family and friends. As much as I and the folks in Michigan and Ohio are saddened by this development, it will be interesting to hear what folks in other western and midwestern states think about it. We will see.

Next: The Gateway to Western Expansion.

Road Trip Multimedia Contest

Do you have a favorite Road Trip themed movie?

What's you favorite song to listen to in the car on a long trip?

Have you ever read On The Road?

Submit you favorite road trip movie, music, and book suggestions (make a comment on this post with your suggestion). Later in the road trip we will let everyone vote on the best submissions. Check out the right hand column for the complete list - already on it "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson!

It's Official

GM officially announced it's going into a bankruptcy. An interesting note for the start of the Road Trip!