Welcome to Episode 18! Before I dive in I wanted to be sure and share the great news that Record of a Well Worn Pair of Travel Boots is now a part of The Cross Pods Tribe! I'm more excited about this collaboration than I can express. Be sure to check out The Cross Pods network for more of the same kind of podcasting you enjoy here. Thanks! And now...
I really only had a rough idea where I was going. This happens to me more often than not, though my wife would prefer I planned things better. The plan was simple; I was going to walk from Staunton, Illinois to Mt. Olive, and then maybe stay there, maybe not, before walking north along Route 66 to Carlinville to catch the train into Springfield, and then to Chicago. I planned enough to look at a map and see that it was possible and Google Maps marked it at a tick over two hours, heading north along Route 66. Other than that I was trusting the road, the universe, the will of Heaven, and my own two feet.
And maybe a kind driver or two who might take pity on a traveler and give me a lift.
Let me say that on this last point I was, admittedly, thoroughly naive. Because what I learned was that downstaters are, in general, a cautious bunch. And I can't say I blame them much. We do not live in idyllic times and me, a road dirty monkey that looks the exact opposite of a wide-eyed youth out to see America, doesn't engender much sympathy.
The short version: I'm probably too ugly to hitchhike.
And though I DO walk at a slower clip than Google Map insists I should … I've talked about that before, on “Episode 14: Beyond the Painted Falls” … I felt like I could certainly make it to Mount Olive in less than a day.
I ambled along, letting my mind wander. Cars rolled by, mostly not slowing down, and none even vaguely LOOKING like they're going to offer me a ride. But that was ok, really. I like to walk, and always have, even though I've had decades where it was incredibly painful to do so. My feet have given me problems since I was a kid, and since I spent most of my adult life without insurance of any kind, in 2012 they still did. They're better NOW, but they do still give me issues from time to time that additional insoles handle, more or less.
In a car, this stretch of road was a tick or two over 12 minutes; and so I wasn't all that worried. Everything was farm land, and every five acres or so, a farm house. Taking that little stretch of road at slower pace gave me the chance to pay attention to things. Like there's actually 2 stretches of Route 66, right next to each other...because it was laid out twice before the interstates took over and Route 66 was effectively written off the map, except for old ones that marked state routes with a blue line and in the imaginations of car enthusiasts all over the country. The original Route 66 was being broken up and swallowed by earth, grass and weeds growing through the cracks. It wasn't much wider than the edge of a modern interstate. The newer Route 66 was only in slightly better shape, mostly because it was still graded occasionally so locals could use it.I walked by what used to be a couple of motels. A few rooms, and what looked like a restaurant with a breakfast counter. One had a gas station. I was surprised the old Route 66 signage hadn't been stolen and sold on eBay, but had been allowed to stay posted: to rust and rot in place, continuing on its original purpose, guiding random wanderers along a crumbling path through a faded and nearly forgotten past.
We're still a car culture, but it's not the same. Things don't stay the same. There's nothing wrong with that; it's natural. Things are, fade, and then pass away. But not too fast.
Thanks so much for listening to Episode 18 of a Record of a Pair of Well-Worn Traveling boots. Please be sure to show some love by subscribing to this podcast on ITunes, Spotify, or whatever pod catcher you use. Check out the past episodes and look for Episode 18, Part 2 in two weeks.
If you really enjoy the podcast, please consider becoming a patron on our Patreon Page: www.patreon.com/wellwornboots. You get additional access, including special Patron Only Podcast Episodes, extra access, and goodies starting at $1 a month! That's right! For the cost of a cup of coffee in 1995, you can www.patreon.com/wellwornboots.
Thanks again for listening. May the road always rise to meet your feet.
I really only had a rough idea where I was going. This happens to me more often than not, though my wife would prefer I planned things better. The plan was simple; I was going to walk from Staunton, Illinois to Mt. Olive, and then maybe stay there, maybe not, before walking north along Route 66 to Carlinville to catch the train into Springfield, and then to Chicago. I planned enough to look at a map and see that it was possible and Google Maps marked it at a tick over two hours, heading north along Route 66. Other than that I was trusting the road, the universe, the will of Heaven, and my own two feet.
And maybe a kind driver or two who might take pity on a traveler and give me a lift.
Let me say that on this last point I was, admittedly, thoroughly naive. Because what I learned was that downstaters are, in general, a cautious bunch. And I can't say I blame them much. We do not live in idyllic times and me, a road dirty monkey that looks the exact opposite of a wide-eyed youth out to see America, doesn't engender much sympathy.
The short version: I'm probably too ugly to hitchhike.
And though I DO walk at a slower clip than Google Map insists I should … I've talked about that before, on “Episode 14: Beyond the Painted Falls” … I felt like I could certainly make it to Mount Olive in less than a day.
I ambled along, letting my mind wander. Cars rolled by, mostly not slowing down, and none even vaguely LOOKING like they're going to offer me a ride. But that was ok, really. I like to walk, and always have, even though I've had decades where it was incredibly painful to do so. My feet have given me problems since I was a kid, and since I spent most of my adult life without insurance of any kind, in 2012 they still did. They're better NOW, but they do still give me issues from time to time that additional insoles handle, more or less.
In a car, this stretch of road was a tick or two over 12 minutes; and so I wasn't all that worried. Everything was farm land, and every five acres or so, a farm house. Taking that little stretch of road at slower pace gave me the chance to pay attention to things. Like there's actually 2 stretches of Route 66, right next to each other...because it was laid out twice before the interstates took over and Route 66 was effectively written off the map, except for old ones that marked state routes with a blue line and in the imaginations of car enthusiasts all over the country. The original Route 66 was being broken up and swallowed by earth, grass and weeds growing through the cracks. It wasn't much wider than the edge of a modern interstate. The newer Route 66 was only in slightly better shape, mostly because it was still graded occasionally so locals could use it.I walked by what used to be a couple of motels. A few rooms, and what looked like a restaurant with a breakfast counter. One had a gas station. I was surprised the old Route 66 signage hadn't been stolen and sold on eBay, but had been allowed to stay posted: to rust and rot in place, continuing on its original purpose, guiding random wanderers along a crumbling path through a faded and nearly forgotten past.
We're still a car culture, but it's not the same. Things don't stay the same. There's nothing wrong with that; it's natural. Things are, fade, and then pass away. But not too fast.
Thanks so much for listening to Episode 18 of a Record of a Pair of Well-Worn Traveling boots. Please be sure to show some love by subscribing to this podcast on ITunes, Spotify, or whatever pod catcher you use. Check out the past episodes and look for Episode 18, Part 2 in two weeks.
If you really enjoy the podcast, please consider becoming a patron on our Patreon Page: www.patreon.com/wellwornboots. You get additional access, including special Patron Only Podcast Episodes, extra access, and goodies starting at $1 a month! That's right! For the cost of a cup of coffee in 1995, you can www.patreon.com/wellwornboots.
Thanks again for listening. May the road always rise to meet your feet.
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