Green Grow The Rushes

I come from a place where the hills turn brown in the summer and it can go for months without rain. It’s not a mythical land, it’s California.

I’m amazed to discover places that are very, very green. Dad sometimes complains about the humidity in the eastern U.S., but I think it’s beautiful. The color is restful to the eyes. Also, don’t forget that forests are the “lungs” of the planet.

I’ll Have Everything

It’s a rainy day on New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway. It’s very scenic as it winds through the White Mountains.

So, why not stop for coffee (just for Dad) and bagels? Mine was “everything” I hoped it would be (get it?).

High Points Galore

We “bagged” two state high points in as many days. The first was (appropriately named) High Point (1,804 ft.). The second was Mount Greylock (3,489 ft.). They are the highest points in New Jersey and Massachusetts, respectively. The Appalachian Trail crosses both, too. I now have a total of five state high points under my belt.

Full disclosure: you can drive a car to the top of both, which we did.

Alice’s Restaurant

You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant…

We made a pilgrimage to the former site of Alice’s Restaurant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It was made famous by a song written in 1967 by Arlo Guthrie, even though the song is not really about a restaurant. According to a newspaper clipping we saw in the window, 18 year-old Arlo was one of the “youths” arrested for illegally dumping garbage on Thanksgiving. The song tells the tale in a funny and exaggerated way. But really, it’s an anti-Vietnam War draft song.

It kind of made local restaurateur Alice Brock (1941-2024) famous. It’s also one of my stepmom Pam’s favorites.

Hospitality

I would like to thank Dad’s stepbrother Mike, his wife Dania, and their son Corey. We spent the night at their home in New Jersey and had some really great company (and pizza). I slept in Corey’s bedroom surrounded by Pokémon characters.

Thanks a million, you guys!

Jersey Shore

Did I mention that I like ferry rides? Did you know you can drive your car onto a ferry? I used to be scared of boats, but now I think they’re lots of fun.

We took a ferry from Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, New Jersey. It was a beautiful calm morning and I explored the entire watercraft (at least the parts where passengers are allowed). The most interesting thing for me was watching the seabirds following in the wake of the ship. I think they were feeding on fish that were being churned up by the motors.

When we arrived on dry land, we headed north through the pine barrens of southern New Jersey. It was a little bit spooky because, according to popular culture, this is the place where the mafia goes when they have a body disposal problem. Who knows, maybe it’s true. The biggest threat we faced were ticks. Dad flicked one off his leg as we were walking around.

Atlantic

Despite leaving on this trip from California, this is the first time we’ve seen an ocean so far. We camped at Cape Henlopen in Delaware and got up to see the sun rise over the water.

In case you were wondering, I’m more accustomed to ocean sunsets.

My Opening Farewell

I have spent a nice week at Dad and Pam’s new home in Silver Spring, Maryland and now it’s time to move on to new adventures.

To honor our departure, Pam put on a beautiful breakfast spread for me, Dad and some of my new family members. She sure is talented in the kitchen, and I do love food. I’m meeting these guys here for the first time. In the picture you’ll see my step cousin Aidan, step sister-in-law Erin, stepbrother Ethan, Pam, and me.

(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville

I spent a week with Dad and my stepmom Pam at their home in Silver Spring, Maryland. The idea was to take a break from camping and rest up for the return leg of our journey. However, there was a lot of stuff to take care of. One thing we did was to buy a new washing machine in Rockville, Maryland.

This may be unfair, but I came away with the impression that Rockville is one big ol’ strip mall. I’ll probably take R.E.M.’s advice and stay away.

The Walking

Despite the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene last September, Asheville, North Carolina is looking pretty good. We had lunch in the downtown area and walked around checking out the shops. We stopped by at the Blue Ridge Hiking Co. store. It was founded by Jennifer Pharr Davis, a woman who once held the record for the fastest time hiking the Appalachian Trail. Later, she went for a 600 mile hike during her third trimester of pregnancy, which I find to be much more badass.

Washout

Camping out is fun, but it’s not always fun and games. We spent most of our time in Great Smoky Mountains National Park drying out our gear after a torrential thunderstorm that lasted all night.

Not fun.

The Crooked Road

Southwest Virginia is a very special place because it’s a crucible of American music. Bluegrass music was born here, and some even say that country music itself originated here. The Carter Family and the Stanley Brothers came from these parts, to name a few. It’s not surprising that an identified “music trail” has been established to help tourists like us find our way around.

We visited the Ralph Stanley Museum in Clintwood, Virginia on a rainy day and enjoyed it very much. It told the story of the bluegrass legend who started playing with his brother Carter and continued for many decades as the leader of the Clinch Mountain Boys after his brother’s death in 1966. Ralph played banjo in the “clawhammer” style and was a great vocalist, achieving the “high lonesome” sound of traditional mountain music. He was greatly respected by musicians of all types.

This is just one of the stops on The Crooked Road. Check it out: https://thecrookedroadva.com/

New Morning

We camped at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia. I believe it’s the United States’ newest national park (it’s 27 years younger than me). That’s funny because judging from the depth of the gorge, I’ll bet that this river is geologically very old.

It’s very pretty here, but in the photo I’m wearing my “Dad woke me up at 6:00 AM” face.

Seneca Rocks

Seneca Rocks is probably the most famous landmark in West Virginia. It’s easily seen from the highway and they have a really good visitor center there. It’s known as the El Capitan of the East Coast due to the multitude of technical climbs people can do here on the cliffs.

One thing I’m confused about is how it was named after the Seneca people whose homeland is several hundred miles from here.

Be Kind

This is the name of a song written and recorded by my uncle.

I think it’s very good advice.

I Studied Juggling At MIT

For the 4th of July we went to Cambridge, Massachusetts to celebrate and watch fireworks from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus lawn. There was a whole scene of jugglers there, many of whom were Elena’s friends (she’s a juggler). Luckily, one of the old buildings was open to the public so I had a place to retreat to. You see, I’m very scared of fireworks, so Dad and I watched them from inside through large windows. That worked for me and I enjoyed the show. I also did a great job of riding on a crowded subway car.

MIT has a reputation for academic excellence. But do they offer a PhD in juggling?

More Family

We arrived in Massachusetts to be with family in the aftermath of Dad’s mother-in-law’s passing. I got the chance to meet new family members for the first time. Namely, my step-sister Elena and my step-aunt Elizabeth. They and my stepmom Pam have been very nice to me and Dad. I think they appreciate the effort we made to get here.

Basket Of Explorables

From the sacred to the profane, Newark, Ohio has it all.

We decided to check out the Longaberger Basket Building. It’s one of my favorite pieces of American roadside kitsch. It’s the former headquarters of a company that manufactures picnic baskets. It has the reputation of being the world’s largest basket (seven stories high). The building has apparently fallen on hard times. It’s uninhabited now and the parking lot is empty with weeds growing up through the pavement. I guess its future is unclear, so I’m glad we got to see it.

I’ve heard the phrase “He’s no picnic” before. I’m not sure what it means, but it doesn’t sound good. After much self-reflection, I have decided that despite my flaws, I am a picnic!

I Feel The Earth Move

Well, this is an interesting place. We stopped by the Newark Earthworks in Ohio to check it out. It’s part of a series of large scale earthen structures (mounds, moats, and the like) built by the Hopewell culture 2,000 years ago. It turns out these were for ceremonial purposes, not defensive or residential as some first thought. For a while, after European settlement, it became the local county fairgrounds.

Archaeology is controversial here. On the one hand, messing with sacred spaces is offensive to many folks, especially Indigenous people. On the other, it helps to understand and appreciate the past. As one person put it: “How would you like it if I took a backhoe to the wall of the Sistine Chapel to find out how old it is?”

Toto, Where The Heck Are We?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…

Welcome to Kansas.

Canyonlands

Maybe it’s because I don’t like to get up early in the morning. I’m not sure why I’m frowning in the face of this spectacular scenery. This is the point where you can overlook the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers. In my more ebullient moods I am amazed by the carving that wind and water can do.

Sadly, about a half hour after this photo was taken, we got the news that my grandmother-in-law (Pam’s mom) had passed away in Massachusetts. I never got the chance to meet her. We’re heading east now to be with family.