Janet 5/16/12

We arrived in Las Vegas earlier today after travelling across the South and through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. What can I say? Although this was the destination Gus was most excited about, I had trepidation. I feared the glitz and gambling atmosphere would be interesting for a few minutes and then would just depress me. I was partially right. We walked through the casino with its acres of slots and video games and I was totally turned off. On the other hand it is 90 degrees here and the pool is great. The revelation is not in the destination but in the journey (that’s about as new age as I get). Crossing the desert landscapes over the past couple of days has been astonishing. In some places the environment seems so inhospitable and yet so weirdly familiar – probably from watching too many bad Westerns as a kid. I can envision riders on the ridges with the band of cavalry (or Indian warriors) storming towards them. But the rock formations, colors, changes in vegetation, occasional sightings of elk and just the vastness of the space are amazing and humbling. We have finally lost the rain and cold that has followed us from Vermont. A few observations about our travels so far. Martin and I were at the Statehouse with our friend Ed when the Civil Unions bill passed. Last Tuesday we were in North Carolina when the state passed an amendment to their constitution rejecting gay marriage. So much for progress. Although Martin and I lived in North Carolina for 4 years, I was not prepared for the aggressive proselytizing that was rampant throughout the south. At the same time, for every church, there was a pawn shop and a casino. Talk about mixed messages. And yet the people were friendly (special thanks to the guys outside of Marion, NC who helped us with the camper), the food was good and the hills were lush (why is Vermont the Green Mountain State???)
We whizzed through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.  A lot of abandoned local businesses, but lots of chains.  We were expecting to see lots of MacDonald’s, but I think Dollar General rules the world. I don’t think we have been through one town that doesn’t have one (even if they don’t have a MacDonalds). It doesn’t seem like a good thing. We have had lots of great Mexican food (green chili chicken enchiladas at Kelly’s in Corrizozo, NM were amazing). The Carlsbad Caverns were incredible. The story of how they were discovered and developed is almost as impressive as the caverns themselves. But the caverns are amazing. The scale is astonishing. The formations are beautiful .  The  space feels almost sacred. It reminded me very much of the ancient temples of Baalbek in Lebanon, where you could feel the presence of the gods and worshippers (I’m getting a little new agey again. Sorry).  Although we were chased out of the campground by tornado warnings, we had a great time. 
 It’s been a weird balance between getting to our destinations (and wanting to put the miles

behind us and taking time to stop at the interesting places along the way (eg Roswell, NM where they have clearly embraced the weird.) Which is why we stopped at the Smokey the Bear Museum and the Billy the Kid Monument. Overall I think we have done well. And are daily impressed by the natural wonders and interesting history of this country. We have another day here – wandering the strip – and then on to the Grand Canyon. We think of family, friends and home frequently but not enough to interfere with our enjoyment of our trip.