I’ve Been Everywhere, Man, by Mary Simonsen

I’ve Been Everywhere, Man

Crossed the deserts bare, man, I’ve breathed the mountain air, man,

 Of travel I’ve had my share, man, I’ve been everywhere!”

The above is Johnny’s Cash’s ode to travel. In May and June, I think my husband and I gave Johnny a run for his money when we traveled from Arizona to New York to Virginia to Texas and back home.

After traveling through the Navajo nation of Northern Arizona, we drove Route 66 and stayed the night at a vintage hotel in Tucumcari, New Mexico with a prop airplane plunked out on the front lawn. (Why not!) After passing an enormous wind farm near Amarillo, Texas that went on for miles, we headed north to Oklahoma City where we viewed the memorial for the victims of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building. (It will be 20 years in 2015.) The memorial is stunning. A wall displays the time of 9:01 when all was well. A second wall shows the time as 9:03 when everything was rubble and America had changed forever. The victims are memorialized by lighted chairs representing a time when they would have sat down with their families for a meal together. Heartbreaking.

Ok City Memorial Chair

Oklahoma City Memorial Chair

Kansas City was a nice surprise. The parking garage for the main downtown library has a mural of some of the world’s most influential books. It is also the site of America’s only WWI museum where I found my great grandfather’s WWI and WWII draft registration cards in its archives. The main railroad station has been restored to its former glory and now acts as a science center where we saw a King Tut exhibit.

After stopping at a prairie-restoration project in the Flint Hills of Kansas, we toured the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH. Three enormous hangars house planes from Wilbur and Orville’s time through Viet Nam and the missiles of the Cold War. I saw my favorite WWII plane, the B-17 Flying Fortress, and my husband climbed into the cockpit of a jet and pretended he was a fighter pilot.

Library Mural KC

Main Library Kansas City

Oh, how I wish the Pittsburgh Pirates had been in town when we visited their ballpark. Absolutely the best ballpark in the country! (I thought Camden Yards in Baltimore was until I saw Three Rivers Stadium.)

I returned to the family “homeplace” of Minooka, PA (now a part of Scranton) where my parents grew up and where I am researching a non-fiction book. We inched our way across my home state of New Jersey so that we could go into New York City to see the 9-11 Museum and Liberty Tower. From there, we headed out to Long Island and a visit with my husband’s brothers. On Fire Island, if you can ignore the surfers and beachball players nearby, you can almost picture what it was like before the Long Island Expressway opened up the island from Queens to Montauk to millions of commuters and vacationers.

We arrived in Virginia’s Piedmont area in time to see my granddaughter receive a medal to commemorate her first season as an outfielder for the Duffield Eagles. My daughter lives 20 minutes from the nearest grocery store, and if you want to do some serious shopping, you have to drive to Kingsport, Tennessee (an hour away) and listen to people from Virginia complain about Tennessee sales taxes!

Pitts Bridges and Ferry

Three Rivers Stadium Pittsburgh

We spent the next day in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with my daughter, son-in-law, and two grandkids, going to Ripley’s Aquarium where Kaelyn and I got to pet Noel, a South African penguin. The feathers on its wings are so dense, they feel like paddles! This may have been the highlight of my trip.

After saying goodbye to Meg and family, with my granddaughter in tow, we headed to Texas to visit my sisters in Dallas and Austin (by way of a stop the National Park museum dedicated to the Little Rock 9, those young black teenagers who spearheaded the desegregation of Central High School in 1957). Twenty-four days and more than six-thousand miles later, we pulled into our driveway.

Kae and Sky in tank

My grandkids at Tennessee Aquarium

You are probably asking, what does all this have to do with an Austen blog? Here’s the answer: While I was traveling through all these cities and states, I thought about all the friends I have made because of Jane Austen. Although this trip did not allow time for “visiting,” I thought about Kara Louise in Kansas, Billie in Illinois, Jakki and Angie in Ohio, Lucy in Oklahoma, Anna in Maryland, and Janet in Texas, and so many, many more. I kept saying, “I know someone who lives in ________” so often to my husband that it became a running joke between us. (We were in the teeniest town in Arkansas, and my husband asked if I knew anyone there. For once, I didn’t.)

Because of our dear Jane, I have friends all over the United States. It was a great road trip, made all the more enjoyable because I felt good vibrations from Austen fans all along the trail.

To paraphrase Johnny Cash, Austen is everywhere, man!

Jane Austen on horse

Jane Austen trying to keep up

How’s your summer going? I would love to read your comments.

 

31 comments

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  1. I really enjoyed reading your travel ‘diary’, Mary! What a trip! How lovely you were able to share special moments with family, too.

    I love how you were thinking of the people you had made friends with through a shared love of Jane Austen. I must admit, one of my very best friends came to mind part way through, who lives in Scranton PA – we stayed a night there last year on our US trip – and whom I met through Jane Austen.

    We managed to visit quite a lot of States when we lived in the USA, but many more we never got to and you have just whet my appetite for several of them!

    1. It’s wonderful that you were able to visit all the different states. I would love to do the same thing in England. Hopefully, after my husband retires, we can do that.

    • Anji on July 31, 2014 at 8:20 am
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    What a fantastic trip, Mary. I’ve been to very few of the places you mention, sadly, having only been to the US twice in my life. We have been to Arizona (Grand Canyon of course, which was amazing) and New York, both in 2008, when the 9/11 site was still huge holes in the ground. The Tribute Centre was a very moving place to visit and we were very glad of the boxes of tissues placed all around.

    Thanks so mich for sharing your experiences with us.

      • Anji on July 31, 2014 at 8:22 am
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      Of course, I mean “Thanks so MUCH”. Virtual keyboard strikes again and I’m on my lunch break at work so I didn’t proof read properly!

    1. I have a house in Flagstaff not far from the Grand Canyon. We took family there this summer. I am always amazed by the vastness of it all and that it was carved by a river. I didn’t actually go into the museum in NY because I didn’t realize that you had to buy a timed ticket. The next ticket was four hours after we arrived. From peeking in the windows, we know that we definitely have to go back.

        • Anji on August 2, 2014 at 1:25 pm
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        Mary, it was, admittedly, six years ago when we were in NY and I don’t think we had to buy a timed ticket in those days.

        I do agree with you about the Grand Canyon. It’s amazing to think all that was done by water.

  2. What a great summer, Mary! =) I am so glad you were able to visit so many fun and interesting places and, of course, get to spend time with Kaelyn! Is she back home now? I am sure she just *loved* spending her summer with you! 🙂
    I am ready for school to start. Summer is such a crazy time.
    I think we all can thank Jane for bringing us new friends not only across the US but the world as well! 🙂

    1. I wish you didn’t live so far north. It would have been great to see you. Kaelyn leaves on Wednesday. 🙁 But it’s been a wonderful eight weeks.

  3. Someday you’ll have to go the other direction! The Pacific Northwest is beautiful!

    1. I second that motion, Susan! Love to have you visit us too, Mary!

    2. I’ve been to the Pacific NW twice, and it was GORGEOUS! If I get back there, I’ll definitely let you know.

    • Stephanie L on July 31, 2014 at 10:26 am
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    That was quite a trip!! I love road trips and this one sounds like so much fun. Someday when I grow up…hubby and I want to travel across the country and visit everyone we know spread across this nation. =D

    I’m glad you got to come to OKC! The Memorial is an integral part of who we all are now. It’s like the Kennedy Assassination. I can tell you where I was and what I was doing. My mother was supposed to be there giving a presentation. I think it’s the only time in my life I’ve been thrilled my mother is late to EVERYTHING. I run in the Memorial Marathon every year but still can not bring myself to go down to the chairs. I knew way too many people. It’s gut wrenching. So glad you got to see it though!

    1. Stephanie, I can understand why you can’t go to the OK City memorial, esp. considering your mom was supposed to be there. I had the same thing with the Twin Towers. I grew up in northern NJ, and the best view of NYC is from Jersey, and that skyline was a part of my life. My father once worked across the street from one of the towers, and the building was destroyed. I just couldn’t look at a hole in the ground. Now the footprints are a waterfall with the name of those killed on the four sides of the two memorials. Very touching.

  4. I’m quite envious of your trip, Mary. I plan to go to London with my friend earlier this year but it was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. And then I got a new job and will be starting work soon so no vacation until next year. 🙁

    Anyway, I love reading about your road trip because I feel like I was there with you. Your grandkids are adorable too!

    1. Thanks, Sylvia. I hope you get to London. It’s a fantastic place to visit.

    • Sheila L. M. on July 31, 2014 at 3:11 pm
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    Well, it seems we don’t live that far away from each other. I am just outside Bethlehem PA and often go to visit my son, D-I-L and grandson in Belford NJ. We have lived in Pittsburgh and in Killeen TX plus my husband took AIT training at Ft. Sill OK. We knew a young lady killed in the towers and her family also has a marathon/fundraiser for her every September. I would definitely use the tissues. Have never visited the museum but have been to the site in the times after the tragedy. I am waiting for my grandchildren to get old enough so I can plan trips together. In 1996 my family took a train trip to Flagstaff, Arizona and spent 2 weeks touring the state. All the roadside stands selling Native American crafts, silver jewelry remain in my memory. I wish I could have afforded one of the “Storytelling” ceramic figurines. They were gorgeous. Thanks for sharing and glad you made it home safely.

    1. Thanks, Sheila. I love road trips, but wasn’t able to do it until my husband could string 3 weeks together. He keeps talking about being semi-retired. Once that happens, we’ll be off and running.

  5. What a fantastic road trip, Mary! Driving across the country and seeing so many places, happy times at some, sad times at others, but making memories either way…sounds like a marvelous journey.

    I’m honored to be counted among your friends because of Jane Austen. Isn’t it an amazing thing how many of us have an acquaintance/friendship because of her and her writings.

    Thanks for sharing your summer vacation. I do believe ‘you’ve been everywhere, man’! 🙂

    1. Janet, I look at your calendar every day. I hope one day that we’ll get to meet. I have two sisters in Austin.

      1. I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying the calendar. I too, hope that we can meet some day! Wouldn’t that be fun. Maybe we will.

        I love your books but haven’t had a chance to read the last one. I’m hoping to start reading soon. I’m having withdrawals! lol

    • Julia M. Traver on July 31, 2014 at 3:29 pm
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    What a lovely trip! And to top it off, you were only a few miles from me across the Long Island Sound from Montauk (New London/Groton, CT, area). Maybe someday you can stop by and we can do tea.

    1. Tea would be lovely. I actually want to drive to Nova Scotia. But that’s a ways in the future.

    • Deborah on July 31, 2014 at 7:59 pm
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    I loved your roadtrip. I’m not far from NYC, but it is so funny about what you said about travelling and saying someone loves here or there, because after my road trips, I became a member of the JAFF community and can say the same thing about places I have traveled. this past year I realized you’re from Flagstaff and in 2011 I went to the Grand Canyon and Lowell Observatoryand thought if only I had known marry (Mary) then ( sorry speech to text). My husband is from Marblehead mass (Massachusetts), we don’t get there often, but Abigail is nearby. In 2011 we also visited my sister in Texas & I believe we passed near Maria Grace’s. It’s fun knowing people with the same interests are all over and how close I came to them without knowing they were there. Some day perhaps.

    Thank you for sharing your travels Mary. It was great. I love the Navaho Nation area and find the desert absolutely beautiful!

    1. The New Mexico/Arizona border has some gorgeous scenery, and my husband and I hit it at the right time–sunset. It was glowing!

      If you ever get to Flagstaff, let me know. We can do “tea.”

        • Deborah on August 1, 2014 at 8:38 pm
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        I certainly will. Whenever you get back to NYC I invite you to do the same.

  6. I love trips like that! So amazing! I’m so glad you were able to go! 🙂

    1. I had to drag Paul away from the computer, and he was really good about only answering emergency client questions. He really, really enjoyed not working for 3 weeks.

    • Maggie Griscom on August 1, 2014 at 9:42 am
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    Mary, what a wonderful trip. You are right Kansas City is a suprise. I grew up there and spent many, many hours in the main library. It was a bus ride, but well worth the trip. Did you go to the Plaza, or Turman Library or Bryants for BBQ? All wonderful places and now I am homesick. My father’s name is at the WWI memorial also. This is the 100th anniversary year of the beginning of WWI and I think often about my 18 year old father and all of his friends and went to France. Also, if you went to one of the smallest towns in Arkansas you could have said you knew my daughter…I will give your permission. I know you have wonderful memories of all of those places and what a joy.

    1. Hi Maggie. This town had a gas station/store across from a defunct gas station/store. I could see a steeple in the distance, but I think that was it!

      The only thing I knew about KC was the song. We did go to the Plaza and the Truman Library on a previous trip. We didn’t get to Bryant’s, but we had really good pizza downtown.

    • Carole in Canada on August 1, 2014 at 4:32 pm
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    That is some road trip! I’ll be driving down to Roslyn Harbour, Long Island with my sister in a couple of weeks to attend my aunt’s 100th birthday party! She says, “The first 100 years are the hardest!”!!!!

    1. Carole, Enjoy Long Island. When we were there, we had perfect weather and walked the beaches of Fire Island. “The first hundred years…” What a hoot!

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