Talk-About-Vermont-Bob Davis Podcast 1008

Let’s Talk About Vermont!

Talk about Vermont. Firstly I did not know what to expect when I crossed the state line. My reaction in Talk-About-Vermont-Bob Davis Podcast 1008

Purpose

Secondly there was a purpose to this Vermont tour.

Interested In Vermont

To clarify a family member is interested in Vermont.

Wisconsin To Burlington

Therefore my nephew flew out to Burlington from Wisconsin so we could take a tour.

The Green Mountain State

Navigating The Green Mountain State

Opportunity

Above all a great opportunity for me to drive while my nephew navigated and took us where we wanted to go.

Mountains, Lakes, Forests, Farms

You think Vermont’s landscape is photographed as much as Arizona’s? It ought to be.

No Bugs,Billboards And Not Too Many People

Most importantly no bugs to speak of. No billboards.

We Didn’t Even See A Walmart

Even more no shopping centers, malls or fast food to speak of either.

Rural Landscape

Because of this Vermont’s rural landscape is like a walk back in time.

Rich Greens

Likewise the the colors are spectacular and it’s not even fall.

Covered Bridges

And there are plenty of covered bridges, ski towns and leafy college towns.

Great Back Roads

We spent a lot of time on the back roads which is essentially the entire state.

Ski Towns and Bigger Towns

But we checked out the Capital in Montpelier and of course Burlington and Rutland.

Lake Champlain And Calvin Coolidge

Further there are all kinds of historical points of interest the traveler can’t miss.

Great State Parks

Moreover the Vermont State Parks are great.

Lean Tos and Guard Houses

We stayed in more than one and I even got a chance to nearly destroy one state park’s guardhouses.

Listen!

Find out what happened in Talk-About-Vermont-Bob Davis Podcast 1008.

Is This The Land Of Milk And Honey?

Finally are there problems in Vermont? Well it’s not all Milk and Honey.

Certainly there are problems.

One thing almost everyone said was, “It’s expensive to live here”.

Freedom and Unity

But I didn’t hear anyone saying, “I can’t wait to get out of here”.

Vermonters we talked to were pretty proud of their state which has Freedom and Unity as their motto.

In short I hear a lot from my friends in so called red states about how screwed up these ‘liberal’ states are.

But it’s pretty difficult to find something I didn’t like up here.

Didn’t Want To Leave

My nephew didn’t want to leave and I would sure love to come back sometime in the fall.

Back In The Fall…

However we’ll leave winter to the more adventurous.

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Talk-About-Vermont-Bob Davis Podcast 1008

 

 

 

 

 

Upstate-New-York-Great-Lakes-Bob Davis Podcast 1006

Upstate New York Great Lakes

First of all welcome to Upstate New York and the Great Lakes region. Above all the back roads on these shores are great. Learn more in Upstate-New-York-Great-Lakes-Bob Davis Podcast 1006.

Links For Travelers

Secondly while these are not purely travelogue podcasts I do make an effort on this blog to provide resources for travelers. Check out the links.

Heard The Stories

Above all I’ve heard all the stories about urban decay and the rust belt in Upstate New York.

Captivated

However as you drive along these lakes you’re captivated with the region.

History

Certainly the history. I’ll talk about some in Upstate-New-York-Great-Lakes-Bob Davis Podcast 1006.

In addition there’s a whole twentieth century story in this part of the Empire State.

Finally I am enjoying this ‘Industrial Revolution In Reverse’ part of the trip.

That is to say I am moving East against the path of the industrial revolution rather than west.

Small Towns and Lake Shores

But the small towns! Rivers! Lake Shores and more.

Moreover what happens when you get lost in cities like Rochester.

Getting The ‘Feel’

Meanwhile as I travel through this part of the country I can’t get over the feel of it.

Of course winter up here is cold. A lot of snow.

But in the summer and fall it comes alive.

History. Again.

Most importantly there’s so much history you could stop in almost any town.

Native American History. America’s Revolution. The war of 1812. Industrial development. Even more the growth of these great New York Cities.

To sum up I’d never been here before. I didn’t know what to expect.

From the wineries to the small towns Upstate is worth the trip.

Heading East

In conclusion I’m headed to the Adirondak Mountains and then east from there.

Three states I’ve Never Been

Vermont. New Hampshire. Maine.

Therefore I have a lot of driving to do and can’t stop at all these great places.

But I’ll Be Back!

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Upstate-New-York-Great-Lakes-Bob Davis Podcast 1006

 

 

Podcast 547-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-43

Podcast 547-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-43. Back after a Labor Day Week Hiatus with Podcast 547-Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-43, which puts the election of 2016 in context. The party system in the United States has changed several times since the ratification of the US Constitution and the establishment of the Republic. From the first election in 1796 to today. Left and Right in this country have changed poles, and political parties have come and gone. From the Federalists and Anti Federalists, to the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, to the Democrats under Jackson and the Whigs, to the Republicans and Democrats parties, and the issues they advocate for have shifted. Are we undergoing another one of those seminal shifts in American Politics, or is the election of 2016 going to result in a presidency without much long term impact? Polling suggests Americans have strong negative feelings about both mainline party candidates. It’s a ‘hold your nose and vote’ election, where voters try to make a choice that is ‘least bad’ for them. Meanwhile local, statewide and congressional candidates are left to fend for themselves. Moreover the things both parties advocate don’t seem to make much sense in terms of addressing the salient issues on the minds of voters, as well as the challenges of the future. Technology, the developing countries of the world, immigration and the borders, the economy, the changing demographic picture of the country and more. From a population of about 3 million in 1800 to a population of over 320 million today, the country’s demographics, occupations and output have changed frequently. What do we need from government given new tools and ideas? Do we need a government? As the country changes quickly, politics in 2016 hasn’t kept up. Sponsored by X Government Cars and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul.