Response Questions

1. How did you experience the book? It's not always helpful to talk about whether or not you liked the book, but rather how you felt as you were reading it? Were you pulled effortlessly into the book...or did you have difficulty getting into it? Why? Overall, I enjoyed the book. Part of the time, though, Steinbeck would start thinking back in the past and I thought it slowed the process of his adventure as I was reading it. I also enjoyed Charley as his traveling buddy. It added a humorous side to the story. 

2. Were you happy about your book choice? Why or why not? Yes, because I liked Steinbeck's way of writing in the past and i thought this book would be a good choice.

3. Which place discussed in the book did you find the most intriguing? Why do you think that was the case? I think that the most intriguing place that my character went to was in Oregon and camping out in the redwood trees. I think this because I have never seen trees so big.

4. What central ideas might the author be exploring-the novel's themes? Consider ideas about the nature of love, the requirements of goodness, the meaning of justice, the burden of the past...basic human issues that are at stake in the book.The author wanted to experience the real America. He wanted to experience the various cultures of the different parts of America. He also wanted to know how different people thought and how they really lived.

5. What do you feel you learned from this project? Please consider the book, the technology involved with producing the project, or any other aspect regarding the project. I have learned how to set up a blog and embed videos, audio, and pictures into the blog using Quicktime pro software.

6. What was the most enjoyable part of the project? Please explain why you felt this way.I really enjoyed looking up videos and songs. It's amazing what is on the internet.

7. What was the most difficult part of the project? Please explain why you felt this way.The most difficult part of this project was time management. It took a lot longer than i expected.

Works Cited

Badlands National Park. Photograph. Www.members.virtualtourist.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/575c2/d405d/>.

 Brook Trout. Photograph. Www.fish.dnr.cornell.edu. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://fish.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/Salmonidae/brook_trout.html>.

Carmel Beach. Photograph. Www.wildnatureimages.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.wildnatureimages.com/Carmel%20Beach%204.htm>.

Columbia River Gorge. Photograph. Www.gonehiking.org. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.gonehiking.org/Photographs/tn/Columbia_River_Gorge,_Oregon.jpg.html>.

Contdivides. Photograph. Www.nationalatlas.gov. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/geology/a_continentaldiv.html>.

Deer Isle Bridge, Maine. Www.youtube.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PQ-FQ5U2OU>.

Deer Isle Bridge. Photograph. Www.google.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0000558>.

Fir Tree with Snow. Photograph. Www.treknature.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.treknature.com/gallery/North_America/United_States/photo8803.htm>.

Fishing Rod. Photograph. Www.pulanxin.en.made-in-china.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://pulanxin.en.made-in-china.com/product/KMSErtxbOAUX/China-Fishing-Rod-06AF001-.html>.

Freemont's Peak. Photograph. Www.thehalfmoonlodge.com/. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.thehalfmoonlodge.com/>.

Golden Sky at Sunset. Photograph. Www.musicaltales.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://musicaltales.com/fantasycommunity/photographerphotogallery/2010/01/11/golden-sky-sunset/>.

Heat Puddles. Photograph. Www.flickr.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/27124496@N08/2917182389>.

Illinios. Photograph. Www.averittexpress.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.averittexpress.com/aboutus/facilities/illinois.htm>.

Jagendorf, Bob. Old Diner and Staff. Photograph. Www.google.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://bad---blood.xanga.com/713447924/item/>.

Johnny Cash. "I've Been Everywhere." Ring of Fire: The Legend of Johnny Cash. Mercury. Www.youtube.com. 6 Jan. 2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4epAJRPMw>.

"Lafayette Lake Charles Monroe." Map. Www.google.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://louisiana.modularhomes.info/>.

"Maine Travel Guide." Map. Wwp.greenwichmeantime.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/usa/maine/>.

Maine-counties-map. Photograph. Www.teachingwithcontests.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://teachingwithcontests.com/?p=1293>.

Michigan. Photograph. Www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://reformimmigrationforamerica.org/blog/state/?state=Michigan>.

Missouri River. Photograph. Bismark. Www.google.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <www.google.com>.

"Montana." Map. Wwp.greenwichmeantime.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/usa/montana/>.

Niagara Falls 2. Www.youtube.com. 8 June 2006. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK56kAws5zU&feature=related>.

"Niagara Falls." Map. Www.world-guides.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.world-guides.com/images/niagara_falls/niagara_falls.jpg>.

Night Sky. Photograph. Www.startswithabang.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://startswithabang.com/?p=1057>.

Ohio. Photograph. Www.50states.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.50states.com/maps/ohio.htm>.

Old Fashion Hardware Store. Photograph. Www.handymanhowto.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.handymanhowto.com/2009/06/14/how-to-fix-a-leaky-shower-drain-part-3/>.

Original+Main+Street. Photograph. Www.soundofblackbirds.blogspot.com/. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://soundofblackbirds.blogspot.com/>.

Potato Farm. Photograph. Www.wrensnestonline.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <www.wrensnestonline.com>.

Redwood Trees. Photograph. Www.flickr.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/28425194@N00/980135858>.

Roadside Store. Photograph. Www.images.search.yahoo.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <www.yahoo.com>.

Rope. Photograph. Www.google.com. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/shop/survival-accessories/survival-accessories/15m-of-quality-green-muti-purpose-364194.html>.

Shotgun. Photograph. Www.google.com. 13 Mar. 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/phrase/2227/shotgun.html>.

Sunset Over Lake Ontario. Photograph. Www.thundafunda.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://thundafunda.com/2/traveling-pictures-tourism/tourism-nature-pictures214.php>.

"Sweetwater, Texas." Map. Www.city-data.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.city-data.com/city/Sweetwater-Texas.html>.

"Texas Map Travel Guide." Map. Wwp.greenwichmeantime.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/usa/texas/map.htm>.

US Highway 11. Photograph. Www.flickr.com. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/4120034192/>.

White Mountains. Photograph. White Mountains. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.steveshamesphotos.com/newengland07.htm>.

Willie Nelson. "On the Road Again." Super Hits. 1995. Www.youtube.com. 16 July 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TD_pSeNelU>.

So Close Yet So Far Away

I went through Virginia, which is where I really quit paying much attention to the scenery. I jumped over into West Virginia, then Pennsylvania, finally getting onto the New Jersey Turnpike. This was feeding me into New York, but there was a problem. A policeman stopped me and told me I could not go through the Holland Tunnel with the butane on my truck.

The policeman suggested I take either the George Washington Bridge or the Hoboken ferry. I fought the traffic of cars and people during the rush hour. I made wrong turns and finally pulled over laughing. I was so close to home, but I was lost! A policeman had to help me find my way home. It was a crazy journey with a crazy ending.

On the Way Home

I finally crossed into Louisiana. We drove through Lake Charles, La Fayette, and Morgan City. I drove all night, went through Houma, and continued on to New Orleans. I rested here for a while, thinking about the racial tensions going on. I stopped to see The Cheerleaders, a rally protesting the blacks going to schools with whites. That really upset me. 

I had to move on. I was anxious to get home. I stopped at a motel one night and then headed for Jackson, Mississippi and Montgomery, Alabama. Christmas is will be here soon.

The rest of my trip is a blur and I was getting tired of this. I drove as much as I could to get home, not noticing much of anything else along the way.

Happy Thanksgiving from Texas

I feel so much better now…I was able to take a bath. I was given a tour of the place. There was a barn kennels with pointer dogs for hunting, and a corral with quarter horses. There were dams that helped hold water for small ponds and the trout were splashing around. At one of the ponds were a herd of cattle. After dark I was lucky enough to see wild turkeys come in to roost around the trees.

I woke up early this morning. I saw a couple of trout rods with flies already on them so I walked down to one of the ponds and casted it onto the water. On the first cast I caught a fish.  Three more casts later I had caught had caught three more trout.  I took them back to the house where the cook battered and fried them for me. 

That afternoon we went quail hunting. Our host knew where to go and with the pointers with us we thought we would be successful. But no luck at all because the birds were gone. We ate Thanksgiving dinner that afternoon.  I made plans to pick up Charley from the vet and to continue on the rest of my journey.

As luck would have it an ice storm hit us. Roads were slippery and dangerous, especially in this truck. Texas is a big state. I thought we would never get out, going through Sweetwater and then Austin. We skipped Houston and went on through Beaumont. The weather was cold here, too! I drove as much as I could, sleeping very little. 

Everything is Bigger in Texas

I continued my journey through the Southwest, getting a little anxious to get back home. The nights were amazing. Stars lit up the skies and looked like they were close enough to touch them.

Charley and I continued on our journey and crossed the deserts of Arizona and into New Mexico.  Tonight I stopped and camped out on the Continental Divide and I decided this is better than the “north” version of it.  It was very dark outside. The stars were very bright and the air was very cold and dry.

I am tired and am getting anxious to get home.  I guess Texas will be the next big stop. It is like its own nation. It is the only state that joined the Union by a treaty. Each part of Texas has its own unique character; various climates, color, countryside and cityscapes. For example, the Rio Grande Valley has citrus orchards. The Gulf Coast is hot and humid, The Panhandle can be very cold and is flat land, and the Davis Mountains in west Texas have small hills and streams. Many cattle are raised in South Texas.

Here’s another slow-down to my trip. I had to spend a few days in Amarillo after a passing car threw up some rocks and broke out my windshield.  Charley wasn't doing to well again, so I took the time to find a vet. He wanted to keep Charley a few days treat him. It is almost Thanksgiving now and friends invited me to dinner on their ranch.

California Livin'

We drove into northern California today. I have lived here before, and this brings back memories. The roads have changed: from narrow mountain roads to four lane highways.

Mobil home villages are everywhere now. The hillsides were cut to make room for developments. We drove into San Francisco. I saw it across the bay. The sun shined on it and it reflected white and gold.

I drove on to Monterrey. I still have family there. Monterrey is a peninsula about 100 miles south of San Francisco. It has clean beaches, restaurants, and shopping. I also walked through Carmel and noticed that is mostly a place for wealthy retired people.

 Before leaving the area I drove to Fremont’s Peak, the highest peak around there. This is where General Fremont won a battle against a Mexican army. This peak overlooks Salinas Valley, which has several oak trees, streams, and fragrant flowers in the spring.

I left Salinas and drove through Fresno and Bakersfield.  Then I went over the pass and into the Mojave Desert. Even at this time of year it is very hot. Charley and I could see the false visions of water puddles on the pavement created by the heat. Charley was always thirsty.

On the Road Again

We got an early drive out this morning and the skies were clear. This was interesting. I crossed the Missouri River at Bismarck, North Dakota and the landscapes on each side of the river were completely different. Before crossing the river the grass was green and pretty, and the air smelled fresh and clean. On the other side, though, the grass was brown. It was like crossing into a different world. I crossed over into what is known as the Bad Lands. I took some of the back roads, which were horrible. The feeling in the air was not welcoming. The buttes were interesting though, and as the sun set they glowed yellow, brown and red.

 I was glad I didn’t rush out of there. I parked for the night and the looked at the skies. It was all lit up by the silver stars. It was very cold, though. I looked at my map and decided tomorrow I would go to Montana.

I liked Montana. It had a real slow easy-going feel to it. I drove slowly through the towns. The scenery was spectacular. There were big mountains, acres of grass and lots of colors. The people seemed to move slowly, too. No one was ever in a hurry. I stopped in various towns to pick up supplies. I went to Billings, Livingston, Butte, and Custer. In Custer I took a little side trip to where General Custer and Sitting Bull had memorials.

   

My next big stop was in Yellowstone National Park. A Park Ranger warned me of the bears and said I should keep Charley on a leash or in the truck. As we drove through the Park we saw a bear pretty quickly. Charley went crazy and started showing his fangs. I freaked out that he was acting like that and we left as quickly as we could, not seeing much at all, and then we spent the night at a motel.

My next big event was crossing the Great Divide.

I drove on through Idaho’s thumb and saw the first real big mountains of this trip. The grass was still very green from the summer. It started snowing but there were not many people on the road.

I decided to stop for the night and found a small gas station with a small restaurant attached to it, as well as a few cabins for rent.  Charley and I were hungry and he needed to rest more than I did.  We will get an early start in the morning so I can get him to a vet.

Charley is definitely sick.  Forget the countryside. I need to get to Spokane, Washington as soon as possible. That thought that would be the closest place to find a decent vet. We got pills for Charley and hit the road headed for the Pacific coast. I passed by the Columbia River, traveled by Lewis and Clark. As I got closer to the coast I could small the sea air and marine animals. I love that smell. 

My destination was Seattle. When I got there I saw 8-lane highways with traffic rushing everywhere. Tomorrow I want to go to an older part of Seattle where maybe the pace is a little slower. Charley and I stayed a little while in Seattle, then made our way down the coast. Charley was getting better. We stayed at motels each night we stopped.

In Oregon one of my tires blew out. Of course it was raining. I changed one tire, was covered in mud and realized another would blow out soon.

Traveling slowly and carefully for miles I pulled into a small service station. It did not have my size tire. Being Sunday, all the other ones that may have a tire for me were closed. It took several phone calls and about four hours, but I was finally on my way with two new heavy-duty tires.

Southern Oregon was the home of the big Redwood trees.

An Ordinary Day

Their mobile homes were as good as many permanent ones. I'm on the road again and over the past few days I have driven through Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois.  There was too much traffic going through parts of Ohio. But overall the people in these states were very friendly. They would actually speak first to say hello, unlike New England. The countryside was very nice. 

I continued on to Montana, enjoying all the people and their various local accents. I was lucky enough to avoid driving through or too near Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Pontiac, Flint, Michigan, and then to South Bend, and Gary, Indiana, which is at the very southern tip of Lake Michigan.  What I liked best was that I could drive through the chaos of a city if I wanted to, and then quickly get back to a country road with trees on both sides. Charley and I liked parking near a lake for a night. I watched geese fly overhead and Charley would explore the banks.

 Today was a nice October day and the fields were golden in color as the sun shined. For the night I stopped at a truckers place at the top of a hill. After parking the truck I walked around with Charley and looked down at the valley below. Something weird was happening. There were strange moving waves of some sort. I walked closer to find out what it was and it was turkeys.

My journey continued today and I drove through what is called the twin cities: Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.  My plan was to stay on Highway 10 into St. Paul, then cross the Mississippi River. There is an S-curve in the river there and I would get to cross the Mississippi in three places.

          

I actually was lost for a few hours trying to get out of there. I was finally able to stop at a small German roadside restaurant. I asked for directions to Sauk Centre because I just wanted to see where the famous author Sinclair Lewis was born. I was told to stay on Highway 52 and go through St. Cloud, and then I would not miss Sauk Centre. And there actually was a sign that read “Birthplace of Sinclair Lewis.” I decided to head north on Highway 71 to Wadena and then on to Detroit Lakes, still in Minnesota. I am here for the night.

Today was good. I passed through Moorhead, Minnesota, crossed the Red River, and drove into Fargo, North Dakota.  It was a nice fall day. I continued driving through Mapleton and stopped to rest under some trees near the Maples River. Charley liked wading in the stream. Charley and I agree that we should enjoy this afternoon and stay here for the night. I have parked away from the road so I can enjoy the quiet time. Charley is not comfortable and wants to leave, but we waited until the morning.

Just Another Day

After a sleepless night last night I finally got up and walked Charley down to the river. It was about 9:30 when I hit the road. It was a Sunday morning in Vermont and I decided to go to church, but didn’t know where one was. I came across a John Knox church and took my seat on the back row. I felt better after the service. I guess an attitude adjustment was necessary. This trip has been frustrating so far and I haven’t even been gone that long.

I always wanted to see Niagara Falls so traveling today I crossed into New York at Rouses Point, at the northern border of Vermont and New York. I continued driving along the northern border to see as much of Lake Ontario as I could.

It started raining and raining hard. I couldn’t see in front of me so I pulled off the main highway onto a smaller one. I thought about skipping the trip to Niagara, but after a while I continued on.

Niagara Falls was beautiful.

Today I thought I would save some time by crossing into Canada for just a short ride and then get back into the U.S. The problem with this was at the Canadian border they told me they would let Charlie into Canada, but the U.S would not let him back in unless he had vaccination papers, which I do not have with me. I had to backtrack about 20 miles and find a vet. We stayed the night at a motel.

I needed to make up time today so I reluctantly got on Interstate.90. Not so good for viewing the countryside, but at least I will get out of New England. The main view today, besides other cars and trucks on the road, was rest stops and roadside restaurants. I decided to stay on Interstate 90 and avoid Buffalo, NY, Erie, PA and on through Madison, OH. I got on U.S. 20 and I stayed south of Lake Erie to avoid Cleveland and Toledo, OH. This took me into Michigan. Traveling these roads I saw many mobile home parks, some very much like small villages. This was not what I had planed on seeing, but it was still interesting. For a small fee I could park and stay overnight. Charley really liked this because there were always other pet dogs at these little villages. Sometimes I would have dinner with someone who lived in one of these places. They were always friendly.

Potato Farms in Maine

One of my goals on this trip was to see Aroostook County in northern Maine, where potatoes are grown.

I heard that the potato crop there is often harvested by Canucks from Canada who come over the border when it is time to harvest.

 I drove through the small roads that took me through the woods whenever I could. This was slow driving, and tall dark trees were on both sides of the road. It was cloudy and rainy and I couldn’t tell which direction I was traveling most of the time.

After a night of rain the morning looked better. I drove past open fields under the blue sky and I even found a potato farm. I saw more potatoes than I thought I could ever see.

The Canadians traveled and camped in trucks with canvas tops or in trucks sort of like mine. Later in the afternoon I was sitting on the steps of my truck and a few of them came over. We talked for a while and the kids played with Charley. They said they travel into Maine each year for the potato harvest. They said it paid pretty well. I opened beers for the adults and sodas for the kids. They were very formal in the way they spoke and acted, but friendly, too. After a while we said goodnight. I had planned an early morning drive for the next day. 

Well, it is early morning now, and I really need to move on. I found myself on U.S Highway 1 toward Madawaska, and then turned south on US Highway 11.

I was getting impatient today, though I had to get out of Maine and move on, back down through the White Mountains. Leaves are falling from the trees now, and there is a lot more snow on the mountaintops.Charley wasn't too happy because I ignored most of his nagging to run around. My goal was to get near Lancaster, New Hampshire. Nothing could have stopped me. I needed a bath and a good night’s sleep.  This inn that i stopped by was near a big river with trees on its banks. It was really pretty, but I waited for hours for someone to be at the front desk. No one ever came, so I just slept in my truck. It was frustrating for both of us.

Early Breakfast and New Engand People

Charley woke me up too early this morning. But when he is traveling he likes to get started first thing. So now we are off to find breakfast.

Well that was interesting, or not. It seems New England people don’t speak much in the early morning. I stopped at a roadside restaurant and sat at the counter. Everyone was huddled around his or her cup of coffee. I could tell they were regular customers. One word questions from the waitress and one word answers from the customers.

Today I stopped at a few roadside stops. Each one had its own version of picnic tables, barbecue pits and painted 50-gallon drums for trash bins. A few were set near streams and small wooded areas. Of course I had to let Charley run around for exercise.

The mountains were beautiful, as were the fir trees dusted with snow. Some of the other trees were still bright with color. It is the exactly what you see in magazines. No words could describe how pretty they were.

At one of the rest stops I sat by a stream and watched the trout come to the surface. As peaceful and beautiful as my day has been so far, I finally decided to move on. I knew when I started this strip I would have to stop every few days at a motel to take a shower. A pot of hot water is ok for a quick wash, but real hot shower would very nice.

I had to cross over a very high iron bridge and then a low and winding stone bridge. I finally made it to Deer Isle. The house was located over a hill and down a narrow road covered with pine needles.

 The feeling I had while I stayed in Deer Isle is hard to describe. The water was dark; the wind blew cold and had a high pitch cry to it. The pine trees rustled. This should have been a typical small town in America, but the feeling here was more like England. The accents spoken were like that, and the architecture had the houses set up in layers all the way down to the bay. And what made it even weirder was that the people were secretive.

I went to Stonington Harbor this afternoon and saw all the lobster for sale and summer boats were being stored for the winter.

I went into a hardware store to buy a few supplies. I could never shake the creepy feeling of Deer Isle. It was a beautiful town, from the trees and houses to the people. It was just something about it that I can’t put into words. It has been fun, but it is time to move on.

I drove up the coast until there was no more coast, as Maine sticks up into Canada. Actually, Main’s northern border is farther north than Quebec, Canada. I also noticed how the houses had a weathered look to them, like the winters had worn them down.  There were few people around also. Very few towns showed much life at all.

                 

Here we go!

It’s just past Labor Day in Long Island and I will be leaving soon. Charlie, my dog, is excited to go. There should be less traffic with kids back in school. But to avoid the traffic that is always in NY I will take a couple of ferries and start my trip in Connecticut.

I finally found myself on a small highway headed north this afternoon. I pulled over to the side of the road to look at a map when I suddenly saw how much area I thought I wanted to travel around. When I thought about the whole trip I was overwhelmed. Once I recovered a little bit I continued north. Since my plan was to meet people along the way and invite them into my “home” I realized I might need to tempt them a little. It would be nice to be able to offer them a drink. So when I came across a small store selling liquor I stopped in. I bought a selection of liquors, like whiskey, gin, vodka, rum and beer.

Back on the road going north, I avoided large cities so I could enjoy the scenery. Spending so much time in New York and other large cities does not make we want to see skyscrapers, traffic or smokestacks. I drove up a mountain in Massachusetts and came across a dairy. I bought fresh milk and camped under an apple tree for the night.

Wow, I slept really well last night. Back on the road...north in Vermont and then east to New Hampshire in the White Mountains.

The trees were beautiful here, with it being autumn. Full of color, and orange pumpkins piled high and baskets of squash and red apples. But the weather is getting colder. I drove on up the mountain a little while and saw a sign advertising fresh eggs for sale. I asked the farmer if I could camp near the stream, and then invited him to come over for coffee later that evening. I could tell he was curious about my truck and was dying to know why I was on the road.

When the farmer came over I invited him in and shared my coffee with a little bit of whiskey. We didn’t ask each other’s names. We just talked about my trip a little and some current events, and whatever else came up. I was planning on leaving the next day.