Many of the towns along the interstate highways, it seems to me, have lost most of their character as the big box retailers and fast food restaurants redefine the character of towns in America to seem just like any other town down the road.
I have traveled back and forth across the United States four times where I have also visited Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. I still have a number of other states to see but the west, with it’s spectacular beauty, has been a strong attraction to me.
Some of my poetry was inspired by the wide-open spaces as I was traveling across the vast expanse of plains that are the western US. Other of my poems were inspired by the wonderful people I’ve met in my travels.
One of the lessons I have learned in my travels is a deep appreciation of the great gifts God and Mother Nature have given us. Those of us living in the United States are particularly blessed as we have a country of great beauty and natural resources. It is incumbent upon us to respect and care for what we have been given and to help people all around the world to care for their gifts, for the earth is shared by us all.
I wish each of you a life journey of discovery.
My journey started in Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. From there I headed south through Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and down to Florida to enjoy the Sunshine State. With a fresh tan, I headed west through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada stopping for a while in California. I headed back East to visit the amazing landscapes of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.
My destinations have often been the National Parks but I also visit state parks, wildlife refuges, national forests and national seashores, places of great natural beauty set aside for us all by men and woman of extraordinary vision.
Generally, I stay off the interstate highways, traveling mostly the two lane roads stopping in small towns for my meals and places to stay. I’ve looked for the towns that still have their own unique small town feel and flavor.