We are indeed home. I never expected my travel recollections would begin with this image, but when I spotted it on a cafe wall, I laughed out loud.
On our journey home, we drove the beautiful State Hwy 155 to postpone getting on Hwy 5 as long as possible (Tyler is proving to be a great path finder!) At one point we noticed a sign for a cafe and market. I remarked that a cup of coffee and a bite to eat sounded good, so we pulled into the parking lot and went in. On the wall of the cafe were several advertisement posters from bygone years and this poster caught my eye.
After we ate and drank some of what was possibly the worst tasting coffee I ever have had, we walked back to the truck. There we were approached by a thin, straight-spined woman who had the appearance of one who worked outdoors for many years. I believe she was older than I, but not by much.
She asked me about our truck, and I explained some of its finer points, including the fact that we appreciate its smaller size. She responded in what I might call a rural accent and lamented that gas prices would probably continue to rise so a smaller truck is probably a good idea. She then added, "I believe we voted in the wrong man. I hope someone better comes along." Trying hard to avoid any snarkiness, I added that I hope he leaves sooner than later, and we said our good-byes.
As we continued our journey through that beautiful verdant land of rolling hills, I realized that we were probably traveling through DT country. In rural countries, higher gas and diesel prices are serious. Ranchers, and certainly farmers as well have animals to feed and transport, and equipment to maintain. I felt that woman's disappointment and wondered if she would ever vote for a Democrat. I also again wondered if our current color coded two party system has resulted in so much polarization that all of us risk not listening and thinking clearly as we cast our votes.
Yes, there are indeed some tunnels that lead us astray. May all of us have the courage to simply turn around and explore a new direction.
After we ate and drank some of what was possibly the worst tasting coffee I ever have had, we walked back to the truck. There we were approached by a thin, straight-spined woman who had the appearance of one who worked outdoors for many years. I believe she was older than I, but not by much.
She asked me about our truck, and I explained some of its finer points, including the fact that we appreciate its smaller size. She responded in what I might call a rural accent and lamented that gas prices would probably continue to rise so a smaller truck is probably a good idea. She then added, "I believe we voted in the wrong man. I hope someone better comes along." Trying hard to avoid any snarkiness, I added that I hope he leaves sooner than later, and we said our good-byes.
As we continued our journey through that beautiful verdant land of rolling hills, I realized that we were probably traveling through DT country. In rural countries, higher gas and diesel prices are serious. Ranchers, and certainly farmers as well have animals to feed and transport, and equipment to maintain. I felt that woman's disappointment and wondered if she would ever vote for a Democrat. I also again wondered if our current color coded two party system has resulted in so much polarization that all of us risk not listening and thinking clearly as we cast our votes.
Yes, there are indeed some tunnels that lead us astray. May all of us have the courage to simply turn around and explore a new direction.
Our trip was filled with wondrous sights, delicious foods, some new jewelry, and many good conversations. I will begin sharing some of my photographs and musings in the next few days. I also plan on exploring using Substack for my writing. If you have any thoughts or insights you would like to share about this idea, please let me know!
