after travelling 2,000 miles across the country in 2.5 days, i've compiled a list of things i've noticed about this great country we live in:
- there isn't enough money in the world that could be offered to me to make me live in either oklahoma or the texas panhandle (and the majority of new mexico for that matter). even the "metropolitan" areas in these states were dumps. [from what i understand, the northern route, nebraska and iowa, isn't much better]
- whilst passing through missouri we stopped at some caves, for a tour. there were signs for said caves (that allegedly jesse james hid out in...) 100 miles before the actual caves. this proves that tourist traps exist all over the country -- more to come on this in new mexico
- i can't comment much on illinois, since i was sleeping the entire way across the bottom half of the state
- somewhere between illinois and missouri, bp oil stops existing. it falls off the face of the earth. only did i realize that it goes under another name out west (arco). this makes me happy, since i love bp gas
- i knew i wasn't in ohio anymore (oklahoma to be specific) when i started to see the roadkill change. i was used to the bunnies and squirrels, and the occasional raccoon. i saw armadillos. like, hard-shell, rat-tail, armadillo roadkill. i think i thew up in my mouth a little.
- it is amazing to me that there can be so much activity on the east and west coasts of our country, and absolutely nothing in between. how does this happen? people must have to travel hours to get to a target or a walmart, if they're lucky. i realize that the oceans provide a great port for shipping and importing, but certainly we can find something useful for the middle states? certainly we can find something useful for the desert??
- much like the missourians love to exploit their jesse james history, the states of new mexico and arizona like to exploit their native american-ness. this makes me sad. some might say it's a great opportunity for the native americans to be active participants in our economy. really, it's exploitation. (soap box: when i was in cherokee nation in georgia and talked with some native americans, they talked about how a lot of the natives on the reservation have drinking problems, depression issues, and the like. i can only imagine that this is caused by a) the memory of their ancestors past and b) the fact that the only way they can make a decent living is by selling their goods at exorbitantly high prices to whitefolk (probably the cause of their problems) who are willing to pay. now, do i have a solution for this problem, no. but when i do, i will let someone know. )
- no matter who you are with, the passenger in a car on a roadtrip is compelled 97% of the time to read the signs on the side of the road. "albuquerque, 35 miles," "dairy queen: hot eats, cool treats," "welcome to oklahoma!," etc. i don't know what it is about being in the passenger seat, but apparently it's a must.
ok, that's it for the minute. i'm enjoying what i've seen of the greater phoenix area. i went to tempe last night for dinner and really liked it. i'm sad that it's so far from my work. i do have a few observations regarding phoenixonaians ... which will be posted at a later date.
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