09.09.09
See America First
September 9, 2009
A little over two weeks ago I returned home to Philadelphia from an eight month stint in San Diego. A beautiful place, for those of you who have never been there, but a place I’m not sure I want to live permanently. I guess I’m just a dyed in the wool Easterner. It may not always be sunny in Philadelphia but it’s always sunny in San Diego. I miss the change of seasons especially these beautiful fall days and the marvelous colors that permeate the country side; nature at its’ best.
Did I say that we drove across country? Now many of you may be amazed at that but I want to tell you, before you book that flight out of the country or even in the country and have the pleasure of being hurdled in like cattle to a seat that only a stick model can comfortably fit into. Not to mention, suffer the indignity of a search all in the name of safety (and are we really any safer or is it just a false sense of security that the NSA has prevailed upon us.) I’d like to say, to paraphrase a slogan from the 50’s ……”See America First!”
Yes folks there is so much wonder and beauty in this country and most poor suckers have never ventured more than 50 miles from home. Believe it or not. Every trip I make across country I see something I haven’t seen before and yes I have done this trip so many times I have lost count. The unexpected places you come across and the people you meet along the way, I think it’s what travel is really all about.
This trip we stopped at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. What a place, I can’t even begin to describe it. If you have the time and the inclination look it up on the web. I’v been to several caverns here in Pennsylvania and in Virginia but there is nothing like this place in the world, truly amazing. I was fascinated by the many varied and huge (and I mean huge) formations and with the story of Jim White, who at age 16 was probably the first person to explore the caves.
Met some really nice folks in a town called Artesia and yes it is where they first drilled and came up with the Artesian well water. This little gem of a town, in the middle of no where and just 30 miles from the famed Area 59 in Roswell, NM was a wonderful find, We may never have found this town except for the fact that the only hotel room available close to the caverns was in Artesia. All over the town are these wonderful bronze sculptures and in the very center of town a huge drilling rig of bronze over a fountain depicting the discovery of the prized water. Sadly the waters have dried up but the oil hasn’t and this area supplies much of it for the entire state.
The many wonders in this country and our great National Parks are things that I think every American should see. Driving around the country isn’t for everyone but before booking that cruise or trip to the Bahamas and whether you choose to drive, fly or go by train think about exploring this great country first, you won’t regret it. Instead of making a second mortgage on your home to take your family to DisneyWorld or Sea World, think about taking them on a trip to to Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, any of the many fascinating and outstandingly beautiful places right here in America.
I’m recalling Dina Shore singing, “See the USA in your Chevrolet, America’s the greatest place of all.” Amen to that!