#50 ARIZONA

Hip Hip Hurray!!!! This is number fifty!!! My final state in the year long odyssey was Arizona. John accompanied me, completing his 28th state visit with me this year. Below is his narrative of our journey to the Grand Canyon State:

Sunday December 7, 2008

Place: SFO to PHX then Peoria and Scottsdale

Remarks: Elaine and I left home at 7 AM and left the truck at Park SFO. We boarded Southwest Airline 737 on time but due to leaking fuel in starboard engine, we were kept on the ground nearly an hour until maintenance could repair the problem. We took off and flew over the Pacific Ocean reentering the coast with a clear view of the Monterey peninsula on the right side of the aircraft where we sat. We were given plenty of snacks and drinks due to the delay. Of all our flights this year, this delay was the least possible disruption for us with no connection at our first and only destination. The plane will continue on to Buffalo. We picked up National rental car and drove straight away to Peoria to visit cousin Joanne. We met Jasper, her newly acquired long hair Chihuahua, a very cute, non yippy little dog pictured below. We went out to lunch at Dillon’s, a barbeque local favorite and it was very good. Afterward we walked her neighborhood with Jasper and enjoyed the Christmas decorations on most homes. After taking a few pictures of the two of them, we said goodbye and drove to Scottsdale to check into the Hampton Inn.

Monday December 8, 2008

Place: Scottsdale and Tucson

Remarks: We checked out at 8:30 and headed for a tour of the winter home of Frank Lloyd Wright for the last 22 years of his life (1867 – 1959) called Taliesin West. Ben, our tour guide for 90 minutes, was wonderful and both Elaine and I enjoyed the history and the sights. We headed south down highway 101 through Tempe and Chandler and farther south down I 10 to Casa Grande where we ate a Mexican lunch at Café De Manuel. Farther south, we stopped at Rooster Cogburn’s Ostrich Ranch where Elaine bought some feathers but we did not go beyond the gift shop. We checked the North Tucson Hampton Inn, called our friend Bob, and waited for him to pick us up at 4:30. We greeted warmly and drove to El Charro bar and restaurant for chatter while waiting for Mercy to join us. This is the oldest Mexican restaurant in Tucson and Mercy told us how she remembers her folks taking her there when she was a child. We had a great visit as evidenced below. We talked of other things present, past, and future. After dinner, we drove through the enormous campus of the University of Arizona where Mercy works and she pointed out the sights.

Wednesday December 9, 2008

Place: Tucson to Phoenix and on to SFO

Remarks: Up and out at 8:30 we drove west over Gates Pass to “Old Tucson” a fake town built in 1939 for movie making. There was an entry fee but the pseudo “western town” was not yet open. We drove to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and though the entry fee was $13 per person, we had not the time to spend there. We drove through a camping area but did not go west enough to see Saguaro National Park (Tucson Mtn District) but on our way back, stopped at Safari International Wild Animal Park. The fee there was only $7 per person but we had a flight to catch so could not spare the time. However, we were glad to have taken this excursion through a forest of cactus at the suggestion of Mercy. We rolled up I 10, returned the rental Pontiac, and checked in for our flight an hour early. We finished eating our dinner from last night and the hour wait passed quickly. We flew away on time aboard Southwest 737 and arrived SFO nearly twenty minutes early. We were saying hello to kitty Rusalka by 4 PM.

Elaine is a cactus & John is a rock

...

OK, I realize some may think its awful song but I had to go with Arizona by Mark Lindsay: I think it’s terrific:

Arizona take off your rainbow shades

Arizona have another look at the world

Arizona cut off your Indian braids

Arizona why dontcha go my way

Strip off your pride your acting like a teeny-bopper run away shy

Strip off the paint from the face of a little child saint

Arizona take off your hobo shoes

Arizona why dontcha go my way

Confess, you’re belting out the chorus as you read it, aren’t you?

My Arizona book selection is courtesy 50 States of Literature By Melanie Jones. She chose The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver and introduced the selection:

“Barbara Kingsolver, of The Poisonwood Bible fame, wrote The Bean Trees about finding salvation in an ostensibly barren situation—appropriately, this low-key debut novel is set in Arizona. Taylor Greer leaves rural Kentucky to find adventure out west, and by the time she hits Tucson, she’s achieved it, having mysteriously “inherited” a Native American toddler named Turtle. Taylor becomes involved with a sanctuary for Central American refugees run by Mattie, owner of “Jesus Is Lord Used Tires,” and soon finds herself struggling to understand the conflicts she must face head-on, from immigration and divorce to her newfound daughter’s unknown past. Kingsolver, as she does in all her novels, balances heady topics with quick-witted dialogue and her ever-present wry humor. “

So ends a fabulous year of travel! Thank you to all of you who helped me meet my goal.

Happy New Year!!!!

#49 SOUTH CAROLINA

Our Thanksgiving was going to be spent with family in Georgia, so I of course, felt it was a perfect opportunity to take a day trip to South Carolina to conquer my 49th state of 2008. John, Daniel & I headed northeast early in the morning towards the Palmetto state’s “Upcountry”. Upcountry is a six-county region in northwest South Carolina. We had a 150 mile drive to get to the state line.

Our destination was the World of Energy in Seneca. This is Duke Power Co.’s information center adjacent to the Oconee Nuclear Station. The exhibits illustrating the use of water, coal and uranium in creating energy were perfect for 8 year old Daniel and also detailed enough to elucidate us. A highlight was the fission chamber demonstrating atoms’ role in energy creation. There’s a nature trail, butterfly garden and picnic area but we stayed indoors on this November day.

We lingered for over an hour and then headed out in search of lunch. In the small town of Walhalla we drove by a decrepit looking building with what appeared to be torn sheets hanging as curtains in the windows. Block lettering proclaimed CAFÉ and the parking lot was packed. Hmmm…. A 30 second drive farther along the main street revealed no more welcoming options so we doubled back. It was good. Really! Walhalla is known for its German heritage and Oktoberfest celebration but our meal was traditional Southern. I love my onion rings!

The Palmetto State’s first public alligator hunt took place this September. About 1000 people won the rights to purchase a permit. Public hunting had been banned in 1964 as gator populations dropped. Now there are about 100,000 in SC. We saw no alligator but perhaps that because we were there in November, AFTER the big hunt.

The first European settlement in America wasn’t St. Augustine or Jamestown, but San Miguel de Guadalupe, on the coast near what is today the Ga.-S.C. border. Built in 1526, it failed after only six months.

Michael Martin Murphey’s Carolina in the Pines is a perfect song choice because we were definitely in the Carolina Pines. Watch his performance for Letterman on May 22, 2007. He did Wildfire live (which I LOVE!) and Carolina for the webcast. It’s great to see and hear him perform as well as the original recording in the mid-70’s.


http://www.duke-energy.com/visitor-centers/wolrd_of_energy.asp

#42 LOUISIANA

My much delayed post of our fabulous visit to New Orleans is an excerpt for John’s journal. Enjoy! (Thanks J!)

Wednesday October 1, 2008

Place: New Orleans, Louisiana

Remarks: Touch down in the Crescent City was 5:30 pm and we hailed a taxi to our downtown Hampton Inn. Room 701 overlooking the streetcar line on Carondelet Street was very comfortable. The 14 story building dates from 1903 when it was the tallest in the city. It was built as an office complex and known as “Hibernia Building” until 1921 when it was named “Carondelet Building”. It was converted to a Hilton property in 1994. We found a suitable restaurant from Elaine’s book called Road Food that we used on several other trips as well. Bon Ton was just three blocks away and offered Cajun cooking that we relished. The small but well appointed eatery was established over 100 years ago and has been under present ownership since 1953. We started with a secret ingredient rum cocktail followed by a shrimp, crab, and okra gumbo. Elaine’s entrée was a shrimp and crab salad and mine was a gulf fish (red drum) fillet with four small grilled oysters on top. Zucchini and squash casserole on the side was super delicious. We each had a glass of white wine and finished the meal with a shared whiskey drizzled bread pudding and black coffee for me. It was an enjoyable meal and a good introduction to world famous New Orleans fare. We walked the three blocks back to our room and settled in for the evening at 9 PM. We could have but did not walk Bourbon Street just east of our hotel. We will do that tomorrow but for now I was interested in exactly what happened to this city as a result of hurricane Katrina and read many accounts of the agony, death, and destruction from eye witness accounts. I learned that 80% of the city was flooded and I finally gave up the read at 10:30 for much needed sleep.

Thursday October 2, 2008

Place: New Orleans, Louisiana

Remarks: I started the day with coffee and the internet, surfing satellite imagery of a flooded city in late August 2005. After a quick breakfast in the hotel we hit the streets heading for the French Quarter and Jackson Square Park where we expected to join a historic walking tour at 10:30. But it was early so we continued along the Riverwalk heading up the Mississippi River to Canal Street. It was bright and warm so we stopped at our room for certain items and then hoofed it back to the park but could find no tour gathering. We checked at the Louisiana Tourism Office across the street but they were no help. So we decided to take the free ferry to Old Algiers and tour the Mardi Gras World where floats and props are built for the annual parades. It was great fun and we took many pictures. The river traffic was busy with ships and barges on both of our crossings. We ate a Po’ boy oyster sandwich at Pearl’s, just a block from our hotel and I downed a local beer called Dixie that said on the label it was being brewed elsewhere until the local brewery recovers from the damages caused by hurricane Katrina. Back in our room and after reading more about New Orleans, we headed to the French Quarter for a look at the Monteleone Hotel and the Carousel Bar. We enjoyed a local drink called Sazerac made with sugar, Peychaud’s bitters, a splash of absinthe, and lemon peel. It was very good. Next we walked to Napoleon House for their specialty of Pimm’s Cup. That one was too mild for me though I like ginger ale that is an ingredient in its makeup. Our final cocktail before dinner was at Lafitte in Exile on Bourbon Street where we imbibed on a single absinthe cocktail, known for its strength in putting some people “over the edge”. That is why we only shared one but chased it down with another local beer known affectionately and simply as “amber”. It is a sub type of Abita brand. Lafitte is purportedly the oldest bar in the “Big Easy”. We learned at the Carousel bar of a restaurant a long way west of downtown near the St. Charles Street trolley car line called Jacques-Imos on Oak Street. The Cajun food was exquisite and my entrée of blackened redfish was superb. Sides were wonderful too especially the shrimp and alligator cheesecake for appetizer. We skipped wine and dessert but drank two more amber beers each with dinner. The streetcar ride back was less crowded and quicker and we retired to our room at 9 PM.

Friday October 3, 2008

Place: New Orleans & areas south including Houma, Cocodrie and Grand Isle

Remarks: We reserved a car last night from Avis and left our hotel at 8 AM and walked a dozen or so blocks north on Canal Street to pick it up. As soon as we left the downtown area, we were amazed to see so much apparent damage from hurricane Katrina after a full three years since the event of August 29, 2005. Driving farther north then west on Tulane Street showed terrible destruction and put pangs in our hearts. With a bit of doubling back a couple of times and getting on the Earhart Expressway in the wrong direction for several miles, we finally found and crossed the Huey Long Bridge to the south side of the Mississippi River. We drove directly to Houma, a larger city than I expected, and found more recent damage from hurricane Gustav that struck this area just last month. We drove around the town but found no reason to stop except for sodas, restrooms, and junk snacks. Real large boats ply tiny waterways in the bayou and we were amazed to see a very large tug pushing a huge barge through the middle of town. We crossed a high and long bridge over that bayou and headed east on highway 24, or so we thought. We drove and drove and saw tremendous destruction to homes and businesses along the way. Suddenly, I asked Elaine if we were still on highway 24 and she said she thought so. Then a water tank appeared with the name Cocodrie. I joked that I hoped not to find it on some obscure corner of the swamp on the map but that is exactly what happened. Just as suddenly, a sign proclaimed “end of road ahead”. Obviously, we had missed a sign (not surprisingly since most were bent to the ground or gone) somewhere past Houma but were not dismayed since this was an interesting drive even though we had not expected to see buildings in ruins. We had heard of hurricanes Gustav, Ike, and others but did not realize we would drive directly up the course of one of them. We turned north to Chauvin then east through Montegut to Bourg, over to Larose, then south through Galliano and on to Grand Isle. Debris piles in front of every structure lay alongside the road through the entire region. Grand Isle was the worst with beach sand inundating every property both sides of the road and we were only able to pass due to recent bulldozing. All structures in this area are built on stilts evidently due to recurrent flooding but some structures were blown completely off their perches and most were without roofs. There is a state park at the end of the road and we had a wonderful conversation with a young lady who worked for the park service and who told us the park would be closed four to six months until contractors could clear mud, sand, and debris from the site. She gave us a wealth of information: she had evacuated to Shreveport for Gustav but no orders came to leave in the path of Ike since it was headed for Texas. The storm surge from the latter re-flooded the island and destroyed what the previous hurricane spared. What a mess. But she was chipper and was determined with most other residents to clean up and carry on. She said there were about 1500 permanent residents but the area swells to 20,000 people during high season. We turned around at the end of the road at the Coast Guard station, made a short detour to Port Fouchon, and headed north up Highway 1 through Lockport and into New Orleans over Business Highway 90 over the one dollar toll bridge. We turned our Mustang back to Avis at 5 PM, having driven 306 miles, and walked to our hotel for a change of clothes and attitude then hit the streets before 7 PM. There were many more people about on our walk back and we were cautious and thankful it was daylight since so many characters looked unsavory. We vacillated between Mother’s and Herbsaint as a choice for dinner and settled on the latter. We walked over to the French Quarter first for a sazerac at the Carousel Bar and stayed for two. Actually, I opted for a Vieux Carre for my second drink consisting of not only rye, but Benedictine and brandy. The place was packed but we found a small table in the rear, so no go-around for us. We walked across Canal and down St. Charles to Girod where we were comfortably seated at the restaurant named as an anagram of “absinthe” which, at one time, was an outlawed liqueur because it was originally made with wormwood, a poisonous substance. The food was very good but the menu not very extensive so we both enjoyed a shrimp dish for entrée with a duck terrine for Elaine and shrimp and tomato bisque for me as appetizers. They may be shrimp to the locals but I always knew these large crustaceans as prawns. We shared a bottle of Spanish white wine. Walking to our room, we encountered a jazz band on the steps of a white colonnaded building where very formally attired couples were entering over a red carpet. We guessed it was a benefit for the recovery of New Orleans. After enjoying the music briefly, we sauntered on down the street and retired to our room about 9 PM.

Saturday October 4, 2008

Place: New Orleans, Louisiana

Remarks: With our last full day in The Big Easy, we wanted to see and do as much as we could. We joined a history walking tour from 10 AM until noon narrated by Jim and Harriet, volunteers for the Louisiana State Museum. We learned a lot and enjoyed the tour of Jackson Square, Riverwalk, and the French Quarter. We celebrated our new knowledge with a ramos fizz at our favorite Monteleone Carousel Bar. We queued in line for lunch at Mother’s and I over-ate more seafood including shrimp, oysters, catfish, e’toufee, jambalaya, and French fries. Elaine was more sensible with a single serving of seafood gumbo. It was 1:30 when we finished and headed for a walk through the warehouse district. We did not get far when we stumbled upon the New Orleans Seafood Festival in the street with live band, grilled oysters (which we could not partake in due to full tummies) and beer (which we could because there is always room for beer). We hung around a bit then wandered back to the French Quarter where the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park was presenting New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra from 2 - 3:30 PM.

We listened a bit, bought a book, procured some brochures, and headed into the street crowd. We toured the 1850’s House which was part of our ticket from this morning. We were fatigued but stopped by Brennan’s to make a reservation for tonight’s dinner then crashed to our room for a cooling shower and rest. We were at the front door when they opened at 6 PM and seated at what they said was a romantic table but it was situated in a quasi hallway. It was fine and our waiter Alfredo was great. The atmosphere, menu, wine list, and pricing are more upscale than anywhere we went in New Orleans. I rate everything very high including our satisfaction for the 2 ½ hours we were there. We joined the crowd at Preservation Hall afterward and were thrilled with the seven piece band. When their set ended we moved to Maison on Bourbon St. That five piece jazz band was equally as good but had to compete with rock and roll blaring from neighboring venues. In fact, very little pure jazz is played in the Quarter compared to what I heard in 1983 and ‘84. We each drank an amber Abita and left when the set ended. “When the Saints Come Marching In” was a favorite. We wended our way through the throngs on Bourbon St. and bade farewell to New Orleans at 10:30. Good-night.

#48 KANSAS

There’s no place like Kansas. How can one contemplate Kansas without conjuring up images of Dorothy and Toto and friends? I’ve never read the L. Frank Baum book but I couldn’t begin to guess how many times I’ve seen the classic movie. As a child I used to run outside the room when the evil flying monkeys filled the screen. Coincidence that Miss Able, the first monkey in space, is from Independence , KS? I think not.

Entering the Sunflower State at Coffeyville, I was impressed by the wild west appearance of the small town. Indeed, there is true lore. The notorious Dalton gang botched a bank robbery here with only one of the three brothers surviving. The town looks to be about the same, sans outlaws (I presume).

My foray into southeastern Kansas then took on a distinctive literary slant. I’ve been having a difficult time locating my Kansas book. I really should have just ordered it and vowed to put Amazon.com through its paces after a quick scan in an Independence, KS bookstore. I was ruminating over this while cruising north along Highway 169 and what appears in the middle of an erstwhile cornfield? Amazon’s Kansas Distribution facility. Who knew? If only they had a retail outlet! Oh well, I took it as a sign and placed the order that evening.

Independence has several claims to fame aside from flying monkeys. Playwright William Inge hails from his small town and Laura Ingalls Wilder settled here and wrote of the area in Little House on the Prairie. I read the book as my South Dakota read, along with The Long Winter, not realizing I would actually visit the site of her little house in Independence. There is a display of Inge’s original manuscripts and memorabilia at the Independence Community College and they host an impressive William Inge Theatrical Festival annually. Inge is know for such classics as Come Back, Little Sheba; Picnic; Bus Stop and Splendor in the Grass. His small town roots came through in his writings and he is hailed as a local hero today. He died in 1973 and is buried in the local cemetery. I can’t help but wonder how his underlying themes of sexual repression went over in his hometown in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. Was he equally acclaimed in that era?

A few miles south of town is the where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived 1869-71. There’s a replica of the little house that I had a hard time imagining how her family and so many others like them managed to live together in.


After snapping a few pictures I made my way back to Oklahoma.

A few more Kansas items of note:

Hutchinson has an enormous grain elevator that is ½ mile long.

Kansas produced enough wheat for 33 billion loaves of bread in 1990.

An old law in Kansas made it illegal to serve ice cream on cherry pie. Desert lovers can relax, it has been repealed.

Susan Madora Salter was elected to office in Argonia in 1887, becoming the first female mayor in the US.

Dodge City has the blustery distinction of the windiest city in the nation.

The Kansas song just had to be Glenn Campbell’s Wichita Lineman "And I need you more than want you/ And I want you for all time." I must confess every time I hear this song I then want to listen to Rhinestone Cowboy “Like a rhinestone cowboy, riding on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo” How great is that?!

I mentioned to my Kansas book above. I’m really looking forward to reading Last Cattle Drive by Robert Day.

"Spangler Star Tukle is a Kansas cattleman with 6,000 acres and a low boiling point. (Tukle is so choleric that he empties a shotgun into a power mower that has offended him.) When the rancher decides to drive his 250 head of cattle to the Kansas City stockyards to save shipping costs, you can expect Murphy's Law to become 100 percent operative. . . . Atmospheric."--New York Times Book Review

http://www.gunslinger.com/dalton.html

#47 OKLAHOMA

On April 22, 1889, the first day homesteading was allowed in Oklahoma, 50,000 people swarmed into the territory. Those who tried to beat the noon starting gun were called “Sooners,” hence the nickname. In 1890 Oklahoma was divided into Indian Territory and the Oklahoma Territory. On November 16, 1907 the two territories were combined to create the state of Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma quarter features an image of the State bird, the Scissortail Flycatcher, soaring over the State wildflower, the Indian Blanket. I saw neither but maybe I just didn’t look in the right places. From the U.S. Mint description: “The depiction of Indian Blanket (or Gaillardia) symbolizes the State’s rich Native American heritage and native long grass prairies that are abundant in wildlife. Oklahoma was formed by the combination of the Oklahoma Territory and the Indian Territory of the Five Civilized Tribes – Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee. The State’s name is derived from the Choctaw words "okla" and "homma," meaning "red" and "people."

I traveled to Tulsa to participate in the Route 66 Marathon which was held on the 101st Anniversary of statehood – though none of my fellow marathoners that I spoke with seemed to know or care about the historical significance of the date. I opted for the half marathon but could have done the full or quarter. I’ve never heard of a quarter marathon before but think it’s a great idea. I really thought it was a fabulous idea when I realized that the Quarter Marathoners were finished and I was still slogging away.

The northeast section of Oklahoma is known as Green Country. I couldn’t fathom why but was told that the rolling hills and trees are markedly different from the rest of the state and precipitation is much greater in this region. Tulsa sits in the middle of Green Country and they use the moniker frequently. It is November, after all, and most of the green has turned brown for the season.

Tulsa was settled in the 1830’s by the Creek Native Americans. It was the discovery of oil nearby that propelled Tulsa to prominence. The city was known as the “Oil Capital of the World”. Today the city is sometimes referred to as the “Art Deco Capital of the World”. There are some spectacular examples of Art Deco architecture but I would go so far as to designate the city as ‘capital’ of anything.


Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper, The Price Tower, is in Bartlesville, OK. This National Historic Landmark stands 19 stories high above the prairie and has a definite Art Deco style. The design was conceived in 1929 and Wright finally found a home for his “tree that escaped a crowded forest” in 1956 for the H.C. Price Pipeline company, Oklahoma. Today you can spend the night in the hotel, dine at the Copper Restaurant, visit the arts center or conduct business in the offices. It truly is a must see. A visit to the Price Tower is worth a visit to Oklahoma in my opinion.


Driving the 40 miles from Tulsa to Bartlesville, I passed through Collinsville which proudly proclaims itself Home of the 2008 Miss Oklahoma with much fanfare. This community of about 4,000 has erected sign after sign boasting about their native daughter. Bartlesville, a comparatively big city of 35,000, is home to Phillips Petroleum, but apparently no beauty pageant winners .

There is a tremendous Native American heritage in Oklahoma. The “Trail of Tears”, the forced relocation of thousands to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. The Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole and Chickasaw tribes were all removed to this area from their native lands. Today more than 30 tribes are headquartered in Oklahoma.

Decades later destitute Dust Bowl farmers made their way to and in most cases beyond the state. John Steinbeck referred to Route 66 as “the mother road’ in his epic novel, The Grapes of Wrath, the too real account of thousands of Depression-era Okies who fled the Dust Bowl for California. Route 66 was championed by State Highway Commissioner Cyrus Avery in the 1920’s and is remarkably preserved in the state today. Route 66 and the Trail of Tears intersect in northeast Oklahoma bringing together over a century of historical significance. This truly is the heartland. It’s the heart of so much of our past.

Tulsa area links:

www.philbrook.org
http://www.okaquarium.org/
www.gilcrease.org
www.woolaroc.org
www.pricetower.org (Frank Lloyd Wright building)
www.uticasquare.com
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/research...ecointulsa.htm
http://www.theroadwanderer.net/66Oklahoma/artdeco.htm
http://www.mapleridgeneighborhood.com/index.html
http://www.tulsagardencenter.com/
www.visittulsa.com

There was no question in my mind that my Oklahoma song would be Get Your Kicks on Route 66 because I literally got my butt kicked on the Route 66 run. Scores of artists have recorded this song. There’s a quite good version on the Cars Soundtrack by John Mayer (this Disney movie is set on Route 66). The Rolling Stones and Depeche Mode recorded versions that I like but I had to download Chuck Berry classic for my playlist.

My book selection is Fire In Beulah by Rilla Askew
From the back cover:

Oil-boom opulence, fear, hate, and lynchings are the backdrop for Rilla Askew’s riveting novel, Fire in Beulah. Althea Whiteside, an oil wildcatter’s high-strung white wife, and her enigmatic black maid, Graceful, share a complex connection during the tense days of the Oklahoma oil rush. Their juxtaposing stories – and those of others close to them – unfold as tensions mount to a violent climax in the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, during which whites burned the city’s prosperous black neighborhood to the ground. The riot becomes the crucible that melds and tests each of the characters in this masterful exploration of the American race story and the ties that bind us irrevocably to one another.

It’s a good read that haunts. I’m only half way through and continue to wrestle with the racial violence portrayed. Fire in Beulah is another dose of serious Oklahoma history and I recommend it but it’s certainly not light reading.


http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/50sq_program/states/index.cfm?flash=no&state=OK

www.route66marathon.com

#46 HAWAII

Hawaii is far from everywhere: It’s 2390 miles from California, 4900 miles from China, 3850 miles from Japan, and 5280 from the Philippines.

When I’m asked what I did in Hawaii I pause and do my best to muster up a response that doesn’t portray me as a complete slug. I relaxed: lounged by the pool, read books and magazines, went for long walks, drank mai tais. Hmmm… that’s about it. Traveling to all 50 states is great fun and I may seem to be “on vacation” much of the time, but it’s exhausting. (OK – I’m really not expecting much sympathy here.) It was such a treat to not worry about where I need to be next.

The state of Hawaii encompasses 100’s of islands but the 8 main islands on the south eastern tip of the archipelago are what most of us think of when we picture the Aloha State. The capital, Honolulu, on O’ahu, is a booming metropolis where a million vacationers arrive each year. Many go on to visit the other islands but many remain and spend their time ensconced at a resort on Wakiki, as I did.







Everyone said “have a mai tai for me”, so I did my best but my mai tai consumption was held in check by the exorbitant price: $14 a piece at the Hilton. Prices are high at resorts. We all know that, but really now! Of all 5o states HI is the only one where coffee is grown. I kept my coffee consumption up - at least I could afford that!


I walked along the beach where possible to the base of Diamond Head. My destination was Diamond Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard and not open to the public but I could take a picture through the fence.

Our only dinner “out” was at John Dominis. This award-winning seafood restaurant is a long-time favorite of Vickie’s and I’m grateful that she introduced me to it.

Vickie also helped me with my state song selection. I’m going with Honolulu City Lights by The Brothers Cazimero for my playlist but I’ve including the YouTube link for The Carpenters version.

Here’s the Hawaii book slection from 50 States of Literature:

“Heads by Harry is one of the few novels about Hawaii that doesn’t mention surfing, tiki dancers, or anything else typically, and often wrongly, associated with the islands. Toni Yagyuu is the middle child and a consistent disappointment to her parents—her brother, Sheldon, is more interested in becoming a hairstylist than the man of the house, and her sister, Bunny, is fast becoming the family diva. Toni has two wishes—to be apprenticed by her father in his taxidermy shop called, of course, Heads by Harry; and to win the heart of Maverick Santos, resident heartthrob. Lois-ann Yamanaka is exceptionally gifted at making the unusual and unsavory seem exotic and entrancing—taxidermy is “true art, not a painting or poem, inaccurate and prone to interpretation, but breathing life into flesh drawing breath.” She also renders the Hawaiian landscape as something beyond simply lush. Instead, it is a land full of diverse elements and peoples. There are “the forests of Pana’ewa full of invisible tigers ... the smell of rock cookies and sweet potato manju ... the expanses of sugarcane fields and macadamia nut trees.” This landscape is populated with clueless haoles (white foreigners), immigrants, wily locals, and the local wildlife, which is far from isolated from its human cohorts. While boar-hunting, Toni spies someone “ravag[ing] the soft pubic earth of earthworms and slugs, the sandy sod caught in a delicate system of roots, a littoral memory.” Details like these are what make Yamanaka’s work not a typical story about a feisty girl striving to be accepted, but a story that could only take place in the land of kukui trees and the Mauna Loa mountains.”

I’m half way through the book and confess it’s not my favorite and I’ve bogged down. It is a very worthwhile selection because it reflects the real Hawaii where the people where really live but I just don’t like the characters. I could do a turn-around as I complete it, it’s happened

before.

http://www.johndominis.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUo1z-NoWRg

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/29453

#45 NEW JERSEY

OK…I must confess that I wasn’t too impressed on my visit to New Jersey.  I know that there are many positives about the state but I just didn’t see them.  In NJ an average of 1030 people live within each square mile.  That population density can foster a need to be brash and obnoxious to make yourself heard.  Maybe that explains it.

 

I arrived via ferry (www.CMLF.com) to Cape Elizabeth from Lewes, Delaware.  The ferry ride was terrific and the highlight of my visit.

 

I spent the night in Atlantic City.  If you’re considering going there, know what you’re getting into.  It’s depressed and depressing.  The streets are lined with “Cash for Gold” signs and more than the fair share of derelicts line the sidewalks.  The development there has been spearheaded by gambling interests.  There are nearly a dozen large casino-hotels which are predominantly along the Boardwalk.  I concede that it could be a terrific place when you’re with a group a friends and in the right frame of mind, but that’s a big “could be”.  

I did want to tour the Absecon Lighthouse but my timing was off, so I left the 228-step tower for another day. My photo was lousy – found this one at http://www.lighthousefriends.com/

In the morning when I stepped out for a run I was stopped by the bellman and advised not to venture farther than a point about ½ mile away if I insisted on going out alone.  I experienced no untowardly incident but wasn’t completely at ease and returned after my ½ mile down and back.

 

Obviously I need to return to New Jersey and challenge myself to a fabulous visit.  I suspect it’s possible…

 

Salt water candy, ubiquitous on all the boardwalks, is said to have been invented in Atlantic City.  According to the story, a candy shop was swamped by tidewater.  When the water receded the merchant found all of the taffy had been inundated with salt water, so he called it salt water taffy.  True or not?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Two of the original salt water taffy brands, James’ and Fralinger’s are still made in Atlantic City.

 

New Jersey trivia:

The largest seaport in the country is in Elizabeth.

Newark has more auto thefts than New York and Los Angeles combined.

New Jersey has more diners than any other state

The Historical Main Building at Ellis Island is the property of Manhattan, while the surrounding parts of the island are property of New Jersey.

In New Jersey (like Oregon) pumping your own gas is actually illegal.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Judy Blume, Allen Ginsberg, Frank Sinatra, Meryl Streep hails from the Garden State.My song is Tom Waits’ Jersey Girl.  He’s famous for his growl of a voice, and put it to good use here. This song about the sweet joy of being in love with a girl from New Jersey, and has been covered by Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi.

 

Book Club Classics steered me towards the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich for a New Jersey read.  I picked up the first one reluctantly.  I rarely read “trashy” novels, preferring something with a bit more substance.  Well, my snobby side has taken it on the chin.  These books are great!  The characterization and vivid description frequently has me chuckling and rolling my eyes.  I’ve always said that I could write a book I’d want to create romances like Nora Robert or Danielle Steel because they reach millions, and people chose to read them just for fun.  Now I’m also aspiring to be Janet Evanovich.  There are 14, plus a few novellas, in the series so far, starting with One for the Money.  It’s not necessary to read them order, but doing so lets the reader track Stephanie’s dysfunctional career and love life like an old friend.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WChWjGg1eOY 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_the_Money_(novel)

#44 DELAWARE

I had a rather ignominious start of my visit to Delaware, home of our (at that time) Democratic vice presidential candidate.  It was raining.  No, not raining… dumping sheets of water blasted by gusts which pushed vehicles skittering across the road.  Windshield wipers thawk, thawk, thawked on hyperspeed and I still couldn’t read the exit signs.  It was a dark and rainy night and I really wanted to survive to see the dawn so, chanting “please don’t hit, please don’t hit me”,  I eased onto what I assumed was an exit ramp and made my way.  Can you believe my hotel was winking its lights as me within ½ mile?  We won’t go into the difficulties I had figuring out where the driveway was.  I eventually parked.  I took a few deep breaths and sat in the vehicle 20 minutes awaiting a slight lessened of the firehose-type downpour.  Bored, I gave up and sprinted the 10 yards into the lobby.  I sloshed my way up to desk and dripped onto the paperwork as I registered. 

Once in my room I decided to stay in.  My purpose in visiting all 50 states is not to sit in a generic hotel room and watch bad television. Maybe someday I’ll get to explore the tantalizing RoadFood options of the Wilmington and Brandywine Valley area, but it wasn’t going to be that night.  My complimentary pack of Oreo’s accompanied by a cup of tea suited me just fine.

Sunshine greeted me the next day.  The glint off all of the puddles was a bit blinding but I enjoyed touring the area and catching glimpses of grand estates.  This is home to the du Pont family with several of their properties open for tours.  Regrettably, it was too early on a Sunday morning to partake.   The wealth of the past seems to continue: The state has a population of 864,764 with a median income of $52,833.  They’re doing pretty well with a foreclosure rate of only 1% and unemployment rate of 4.4%.  http://abcnews.go.com/politics/elections/?category=Delaware

Delaware, the first State to ratify the Federal Constitution, seems to be best known for it’s tax-free shopping with outlet malls blighting the landscape.  Antiquing and country auctions are also popular.  I passed many hand lettered signs urging me to stop and spend my money on a treasure of the past.  There are also numerous farm stores decorated in their fall glory.  If I could have figured out how to haul a trunk load of pumpkins and squash home on the plane you can be assured I would have done so.

Rehoboth Beach was founded in the late 1800’s as a Methodist camp meeting site, Rehoboth means “room for all”.  They took that to heart and the beach town is now a summer destination complete with a mile-long boardwalk with all of the requisite hawkers.  The bandstand was complete with a rockin’ band.  The carnival atmosphere is not my cup of tea and it was a bit chilly for a dip in the surf but I see the appeal.  Maybe I needed to try skimboarding, a local type of surfing as best I determine.  Looked like fun!  It had to be warmer out there than the frigid Northern California beaches.

I exited Delaware via the 17 mile Lewes ferry crossing.  Lewes is the “first Town in the first state”.  The city is situated at the point where the Delaware Bay meets that Atlantic Ocean and has miles of beaches.  I enjoyed a good view from afar of the area’s lighthouses. The Breakwater Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1994 but the Harbor of Refuge (quite the name for a lighthouse, isn’t it) still flashes its beacon.  Tours of the lighthouses are available in the summer.  (www.delawarebaylights.com)

Perry Como sings a corny play on state names in Delaware.  He croons “What did Della wear, boy?", "She wore a bran New Jersey."  It’s not bad but not a song choice for me.  Clive’s Delaware is more to my liking.  His folkish tribute of returning home is my Delaware song.

My Delaware book choice, Loved Walked In by Marisa de los Santos, kept me entertained from SFO to ORD on my journey east.  De los Santos teaches at University of Delaware and is a Delaware resident but this book was set in nearby Philadelphia.   Despite it’s unfortunate “Harlequin romance-esque” title I really enjoyed the book.  It’s a good read and all of the references to classic movies got me.  I do take issue with a few plot points but will make sure to see the movie version when it comes out.  Both Book Club Classics and Omnivoracious cite Loved Walked In. 

http://bookclubclassics.com/Blog/2008/05/25/sunday-salon-love-walked-in/   

http://bookclubclassics.com/Blog/2008/09/25/delawares-diva/ 

#43 ALASKA

I departed SFO in bright sunshine for my trip to Alaska.  It was forecast to be nearly 80 degrees in San Francisco and nearly 22 degrees in Anchorage.  Hmm…  something is wrong with this picture.  Russian naval Captain Alexei Chirikov and his Danish partner, Vitus Bering, landed in Alaska in 1741 and were greeted by a  native population of Eskimos and Aleuts.  In 1880 the population was 33,426 (all but 430 were natives.)  The gold rush of 1898 brought an additional 30,000 people to Alaska almost all at once.  The total population as of the 2000 census is still only 626,932.

In 1867, US Secretary of State William Seward bought the land from the Russians for $7.2 million.  So many Americans thought the acquisition was a mistake that it was known as “Seward’s Folly.” Seward had paid just 2 cents an acre which sounds like a sound real estate investment to me.  Unbeknownst to me, Alaska Day, a state holiday that commemorates this event is October 18.  It’s not as if I don’t do research but I was surprised to show up on a holiday weekend.  Um…Planned it all along! 

My original plan for this trip was to ride the ferry (Alaska’s Marine Highway) through the inside passage.  The more I learn and more people I talk with about the Alaska Ferries the more committed I am to this adventure but I reluctantly postponed my cruise in the rough due to a plethora of reasons and went in search of plan B.  My landlocked option: fly to Anchorage, spend two nights, take the Alaska Railroad to Fairbanks and spend two nights in the interior was just the ticket.  One of the difficulties with the ferry trip was timing.  I was trying to book for early September, not fully realizing September is the beginning of winter.  Well, trust me, by mid-October winter is firmly entrenched.   

Anchorage is an industrial city on an otherwise pristine coast.  The city is tucked in the Cook Inlet.  Whichever way I swivel my neck glacier-topped peaks loomed in the distance.  A few inches of snow dressed up the otherwise uninspiring heart of the city.  Almost half of the state’s residents reside here but you wouldn’t guess that by looking at the sidewalks of downtown.  Anchorage was established in 1915 as the construction headquarters for the Alaska Railroad and much of the downtown was destroyed by the 9.2 1964 Good Friday Earthquake.  The architecture reflects this tragedy.  Entire neighborhoods were rearranged and some slipped into the Cook Inlet making classic buildings few and far between. 

When you come to Alaska TAKE THE TRAIN!  I repeat… TAKE THE TRAIN!!!!  This was terrific!  The 12 hour Alaska Railway journey departs Anchorage in the pre-dawn 8:30 am.  I walked the minute and a half through a parking lot and down icy steps to the Train Station.  The operation is well run: I easily checked in and boarded a bus that shuttled us behind the building to the tracks.  The panoramic views captured me within minutes.  The cost was comparable to airfare, $150 Anchorage-Fairbanks, not inexpensive but well worth it.Our first stop was the Matanusksa (Mat-Su) Valley’s Wasilla, about an hour north.  I’ve never heard of Wasilla before August but now we all have.  Even the San Francisco Chronicle featured Wasilla as a travel destination (eerily on the on the day I passed through city limits).  It’s difficult to assess a location by looking out the window but it looked like a charming livable community.  The Mat-Su was settled by families from the mid-west as a part of a New-Deal relief program in 1935.  We were advised that the area is a prime moose hang out but someone forgot to tell the moose.  The town is home to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in addition the Palins. 

Chugging up the track I was entertained by the running commentary of Steve the conductor and slack-jawed at the scenery.  Moose oh moose, where for art thou?  My vigilance was rewarded with a wolf and two coyote sightings but it was the pristine terrain out the window that consoled me.  Pockets of cabins appeared sporadically but I would by no means describe the area as built up.  It’s important to remember that I was transiting through an area that is considered developed by Alaska standards.  The train offers a vital link to the residents along the tracks and a major highway also can whisk vehicular traffic north to Fairbanks.  The drive is a mere 6 ½ hours and the train and highway parallel each other for much of the journey.  I can’t even grapple with the open space of the rest of the state.  The very memorable film, Into the Wild kept flashing back to me.  I’ve not read the Jon Krakauer book but highly recommend the Sean Penn film version.

This train is also a flag train for locals.  Steve tossed papers to trackside cabins.  In Talkeetna, a staging town for climbers attempting Mt. McKinley, several people and dogs piled on with luggage that would give TSA palpitations.  I’m not certain of much of the contents but there were snowshoes, rifles and a mattress set that I easily identified.   We stopped as they disembarked one by one, frequently with a dog by their side.  Dogs are very popular here.  I wonder, does anyone have a cat?  Or are they just snacks to the local wildlife?

There were several fresh bear tracks sighted and one of the newspaper recipients had her bear spray at the ready but no bears were seen.  A news report this week told of a sow and her two cubs breaking into a garage, ripping the top off a chest freezer and proceeded to gorge on the icy goods within. A helpful hint:  people here frequently hang their doors so they swing out making it more difficult for bears to barge in.  Sadly the bears returned the next night and things escalated resulting in the bears being shot.  I can’t quite imagine how they escalated… I picture mercenary bears in camouflage armed and surrounding the garage, the homeowner inside with a bullhorn…  too many action movies, I know.

The weather was overcast and I felt so akin to many mountaineers to travel to Denali and was denied a glimpse of the highest peak in North America, Mt. McKinley from Talkeetna. 

We emerged from a pass of the Alaska Mountain Range and suddenly THERE WAS A MOOSE!!!!!   Oh, I was having fun now!   We had officially entered the “interior”.  This wasn’t a wimpy southern slope moose this was a let’s get serious about the wilderness moose.  You’d never see her wandering into town and lumbering into your swimming pool!  The weather here comes straight from Siberia, unlike the balmy(??!!) Pacific breezes that waft up from Anchorage so there probably are few swimming pools in the area for moose to frequent.

The train was uncrowded and part of the fun was the camaraderie with other passengers.  There were a few that could have used better social skills, but they probably don’t get much practice.  One particular cell phone screamer reinforced my objection to cell phone on airplanes.  Egads!  I do find it odd that cell phone reception was so strong for much of the day.  Steve the conductor answered my query “that while there are no electricity or phone lines, they have placed several communication towers along the tracks.”  Again I’m reminded this is civilization for Alaska.

We arrived in Fairbanks in darkness.  Steve had radioed ahead to the station to have them call our hotel shuttles.  There is a concentrated effort to minimize the chance of a tourist getting lost in the 6 degree (yelp!) darkness which I greatly appreciated.  Fairbanks is renowned for its annual ice sculpting contest: The World Ice Art Championships.  The average daily high in January  is -2F, that’s correct HIGH, as in that’s how warm is gets.  When you are living in a freezer, ice art makes perfect sense.

 The Museum of the North at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks is a neat iceburg shaped building.  They have several exhibits and presentations about the area and its people.  I considered renting a car to drive to North Pole about 15 miles out of town and venture a bit farther north to enter the Arctic Circle but felt there was plenty for me to see in Fairbank on my one day.  Frankly, I was a bit intimidated to drive the iced roads.  When I return I will most definitely venture out.  One thing I really regret was not booking a dog sled ride.  I looked into it and naively thought there wouldn’t be the minimum amount of snow required.  Dummy!

My Alaska song is Anchorage by Michelle Shocked.  My Alaska read was The Man Who Swam with Beavers by Nancy Lord, a collection of short stories inspired by Native legends and myths.  While I didn’t love, every story, I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of the collection and was grateful to be, once again, reading something that I probably wouldn’t have picked up if not for the recommendation from the Columbia Spectators 50 States of Literature series by Melanie Jones.

www.ferryalaska.com

http://www.dced.state.ak.us/oed/student_info/student.htm

http://fairbanks-alaska.com/september-fairbanks.htm

www.uaf.edu/museum

Flag train:   http://www.akrr.com/arrc18.html#51

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/

http://www.amazon.com/Man-Swam-Beavers-Nancy-Lord/dp/1566891108/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top/182-8142873-3696256

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/29255