JULY 2010 TRUCKER TALK
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA
BY WRITER & DRIVER KIM GRIMM
As America celebrates her 234th birthday on July 4th, there is a lot for us to celebrate! The land that makes up our country is as diverse as the people who live here. There is something to see or celebrate anywhere you go! When the early immigrants got to America’s shores, they worked hard to live the American Dream. They held on to parts of their culture from wherever they had come from, but claimed America as their country, and helped make her strong.
Ellis Island was the entrance point for millions of these immigrants and the Statue of Liberty was the symbol of a new and better life in America. The Statue of Liberty was given to America from France in 1886. She became a national monument in 1924, with Ellis Island being added to the monument in 1965. “Lady Liberty” was refurbished before her centennial birthday in 1986.
America’s big cities are certainly worth visiting, but sometimes it’s the less-traveled roads that you will find the greatest treasures. Let’s take a little driving trip across this great land we are so fortunate to call home.
The east coast is rich with history. Narrow roads wind through the woods of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. The eastern seaboard has been home to fishermen for centuries. Have you ever hauled a load of fish out of Gloucester, Massachusetts? Well, it’s America’s oldest seaport (the settlement was first chartered in 1623). Then, further south, there’s Mystic, Connecticut – home of the world’s largest maritime museum, which has the first nuclear submarine and the last wooden whaling ship in existence, among other things.
Heading south to Florida, you’ll find the city of St. Augustine. Founded in 1565 by a Spanish explorer 55 years before the pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, it is the oldest continuously occupied city in the U.S. If you ever get a chance to visit St. Augustine, don’t miss it! The soft white sand beaches of Florida are unrivalled, and if you play your cards right, you can watch the sun come up out of the Atlantic, drive a few hours west, and then watch it set into the Gulf of Mexico – spectacular!
Going back north, take a trip in Michigan along highways 31 & 22 where elite families from Chicago built pastel Victorian mansions overlooking the gorgeous blue-green harbors of Lake Michigan. Wind through quaint lakeside communities, wineries, dunes, forests and orchards. On the other side of the lake, famous Door County, Wisconsin offers 250 lighthouses and 130 miles of rocky shores and limestone bluffs along Lake Michigan’s shoreline.
Another stunning lakeside drive is the North Shore National Scenic Byway on Lake Superior in Minnesota. Along the 154-mile drive, you’ll see rivers, old lighthouses, waterfalls, towering cliffs, tucked-away coves and fabulous views of the world’s largest freshwater lake (Lake Superior). Also, in Minnesota, is the beginning of the Mississippi River, which starts as a mere stream in Itasca State Park in northern Minnesota.
The “Mighty Mississippi” is the largest river system in North America. Draining all or parts of 31 U.S. states from the Appalachian Mountains to the east, the Rocky Mountains to the west, the Canadian/U.S. border to the north, and most of the Great Plains, it’s the fourth largest river in the world. Want to go back in time? Take a paddleboat ride offered at different locations along the river. I’ve taken several fun “dinner cruises” out of Dubuque, Iowa.
With over 31 covered bridges, Parke County, Indiana has more than any other area in the United States. About 67 miles west of Indianapolis, most of the old bridges are accessible by car. Comparing Parke County’s 31 bridges to the six remaining bridges that are left in Madison County, Iowa (made famous by the book “The Bridges of Madison County” and later the movie), and you can see why Parke County is now known as “The Covered Bridge Capital of the World.”
The Midwest is a patchwork of bean and corn fields, providing not only food, but fuel, as well. The Midwest is small town America, where people still know their neighbors. While there, you can say “good morning” to a stranger or wave at them without getting a funny look. In one line of the song “America the Beautiful” it mentions “amber waves of grain.” To imagine what the song is talking about, one needs only to visit Kansas and see all of the sprawling wheat fields. Some of the last tall prairie grass remains between Emporia and Florence, Kansas – and it still looks like the heartland used to.
Crossing the Rocky Mountains in Colorado is beautiful in the summer but treacherous in the winter. When you roll down the window and smell the fresh pine trees, it smells like pine should (they will never get it just right in a can of air freshener). Mount Evans Scenic Byway in Colorado claims to be the highest paved road in the country. Drive from 8,700 feet at Idaho Springs, where you turn off Interstate 70, up to the summit at 14,220 feet. Along the way, you’ll pass through three life zones including ancient trees, lakes and forests, and the land above the timberline.
Wyoming is home to some of the most stunning wilderness – Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone, established in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant, was the first national park in the world. Known for its wildlife and geothermal features like the Old Faithful Geyser, which erupts every 45-125 minutes and discharges anywhere from 3,700-8,400 gallons of water up to 185 feet in the air, Yellowstone is world famous. It is not known how long this geyser has been spouting off, but it’s cool when it does.
Framing views of Mount Rushmore is one of the nation’s most scenic roads (Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway). This 70-mile loop in the Black Hills of South Dakota delights visitors with granite spires, views of Mt. Rushmore, tunnels, old bridges and pristine lakes (and an occasional mountain goat).
Utah has many beautiful places (like Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park), but the Salt Flats are unique. Heading east from Wendover, Nevada on I-80 for the first time, the Salt Flats are a very impressive sight. It looks like miles and miles of snow – and in the winter, it just might be. But in the summer, make no mistake – the high heat can bake you. And the strange mirages that make the continuous mountains to the south look like they come and go, are haunting.
The Pacific Northwest has some beautiful drives, too. Following I-90 west through Montana, Idaho and then Washington, you will find some pretty scenery. Once in Washington, you’ll go through the apple country of Yakima and Wenatchee, and then end up in Seattle. Not only does Seattle have a stunning skyline, but it is also home to the famous Space Needle. And just east of Portland, Oregon is the Columbia River Gorge, another splendid piece of our country. And if you ever feel like taking a hike, stop and climb to the top of Multnomah Falls. I did it 14 years ago, but probably couldn’t today. But, like everyone kept telling us as we were going up, it is worth it when you get to the top.
California is home to the amazing Redwood trees that make you feel so small. It’s also home to the Golden Gate Bridge, the famous wine country of Napa and Sonoma, the San Joaquin Valley, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, beautiful beaches, Hollywood and the Mojave Desert. California has it all – including millions and millions of people!
Arizona gives us the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. And the last two states I’ll mention here, Alaska and Hawaii, couldn’t be more opposite (Alaska with its mountains and snow and Hawaii a tropical paradise). These two states are arguably the most scenic of them all, but a little harder to drive to (especially Hawaii).
This great country is sandwiched between two oceans, and in-between these two oceans there are mountains, plains, lakes, rivers, forests, big cities, small towns and deserts. America truly is a beautiful country. Like other times in our history, there have been difficult times, and I think we are in very trying times today. But we need to stand up and save our country, because she is worth saving. Happy Birthday America – and may you have plenty more. Now, get out there and go see her!