Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136

Six Thousand Miles of Back Roads Part2

Above all traveling six thousand miles on backroads across 15 states in sixty days is a mega trip and I’ll tell you all about it in Part 2 of this series. Details in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136.

Florida

Firstly we’ll start in Florida.

Where the most compelling evidence for over crowding and over development is getting kicked out of a state park…

Of course not to mention the traffic…

And expense of the so called Sunshine State.

Secondly take Florida off your travel list in season.

Undoubtedly Florida is overdeveloped.

However there are less populated and more quaint parts of Florida worth visiting and spending time.

Georgia

Hence we move on to Georgia

Certainly the Saint Simons Cumberland national seashores are beautiful.

For example Jekyll Island, Saint Simons, and the rest of the Georgia Coast has a lot of history.

South Carolina

Then in South Carolina I discovered some great dusty beach towns.

But I am not going to name those towns because I don’t want to see them ruined.

Otherwise they are there.

North Carolina

Subsequently the North Carolina coastline was fantastic

For example highway 179…

and Ocean Isle Beach, Oak Island on out to the Carolina Beach.

Finally the Ferries are low cost and so much fun.

Thereafter-Emerald Island, Atlantic Beach and the rest of the Outer Banks.

Ocracoke Island

Especially Ocracoke Island.

In due time you get on Route 12 which goes all the way up to Kill Devil Hills.

All in all The national Seashores keep these areas from being over developed.

The Old Dominion

Afterward I headed to Virginia on some personal business.

Most importantly here is the fact that I lived in the Old Dominion State for ten years at one point.

And Virginia has some great back roads.

Eventually I left Richmond headed up 460 to Bristol, Virginia.

Tennessee

Presently I left Bristol for Tennessee. Details again in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136

By all means the best of the latter parts of this trip was the navigation.

Using GPS Doesn’t Make A Road Trip

It must be remembered that most people enter a location on their GPS.

Eventually hitting start and driving on the Interstate until the GPS tells them they have arrived.

All things considered using GPS on the Interstates just isn’t any way to travel for me.

Maps

To this end I love maps.

And navigating with maps.

Nashville

In short I navigated to the Nashville area without all the traffic.

Because Nashville is booming.

Civil War History

Equally important is the amount of Civil War history in this part of the country.

Death and Destruction Monuments

That is to say it is food for thought considering popular culture these days.

Kentucky Does Not Like Shoulders

Accordingly I moved onto Kentucky which does not like shoulders on its roads.

Illinois

Then Southern Illinois.

As an illustration of the superiority of maps over GPS it’s easier to make changes in your travel plans.

Because you pull out a map and look for a route to emerge to a new destination.

Thus I headed North to the Chicago area to see friends.

Navigation

At this point another tremendous feat of navigation coming up on 51.

Cairo

On this occasion I came across Cairo, Illinois.

To begin this town is so beat down it was actually shocking.

In fact there’s a reason. Listen to Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136.

(Editor’s Note: Some might blame flooding for the problems in Cairo but there’s more to the story.)

Neenah Wisconsin

In time I came straight up through Wisconsin to Neenah.

In conclusion much of this experience has been and is like a dream and now it is onto Western Wisconsin and rest!

And I wouldn’t have it any other way

Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136

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Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part1-Bob Davis Podcast-1135

Six Thousand Miles Backroads Part 1 Of A Series

I’ve traveled six thousand miles on the Backroads since I left Arizona in February. More than eleven states and many experiences. Details in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part1-Bob Davis Podcast-1135.

Arizona to Wisconsin

Firstly I talk about the routes I’ve taken from Arizona to Wisconsin by way of several states.

From the Southwest

Secondly it all started in Quartzsite Arizona.

To clarify I spend my winters in the Southwest.

To The South East

So a spring wedding scheduled for March 15th in Sarasota Florida was a great motivator and trip goal.

Therefore on about February 26th, 2024 I left Quartzsite to begin what would turn out to be a six thousand mile trip.

Experiences

Above all in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part1-Bob Davis Podcast-1135 I detail the routes and experiences along the way.

Backroads

In the same fashion I explain my motivation in staying to America’s BackRoads.

However every now and then I have to take an interstate.

But I try to keep that to a minimum.

Accordingly I headed out East along Interstate 8 in Southwestern Arizona.

Routes and Takeaways

Additionally I detail some takeaways from each state I traversed on my way to Florida.

One For The Books

All in all this trip through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and eventually Florida is one for the books.

Desert Border

For one thing the whole trip was either along the US-Mexico border

Gulf Coast

Or the Gulf Coast.

Including at length beach towns and shores along the Gulf Coast.

Series

In contrast this journey is a series because of my experiences in Florida and on up the East Coast.

Truck Stops To Parking Lots

From potential campgrounds to truck stops and parking lots it’s been quite an experience.

Overall deserts, mountains, beaches and swamps.

Small Towns

And some undeniably wonderful small towns along the way.

Low And Slow Travel

One of the points overlooked by many thinking about the nomad lifestyle is the fact that we travel low and slow.

That is to say that travel does not have to be compressed into a short period of time.

The Vast Nation

Even more the opportunity to observe and catalog vast swaths of the country seen from its back roads is key.

Media Disconnect

Most important is the country one sees from the back roads is not the country the media shows us.

Positive

In the positive side I saw a lot of development and activity this trip.

Negative

In a similar fashion I did not see mayhem on the US Border.

Conclusion

In conclusion aside from in season traffic and too much development in Florida…

There’s nothing like a long trip on the back roads.

Sponsored by Garden Gurus MN

Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part1-Bob Davis Podcast-1135

Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134

Birthplace Of Country Music Museum

Firstly this podcast is about music and specifically the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Bristol Virginia earned that title way back in 1927. Learn more in Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134

Walk and Talk

Secondly we’ll walk and talk through the Birthplace Of Country Music Museum.

Musical and Historical

Most importantly much of the museum is musical and historical.

And it is focused primarily on audio.

Featured Sounds Headphones On

So those sounds are featured in this podcast.

How Did Bristol Earn The Birthplace Of Country Music?

Undoubtedly Bristol earned this title in the summer of 1927 when record producer Ralph Peer arrived in town to record 19 artists from Appalachia.

Greater Impact

Equally important is the fact that the so called Bristol Sessions had an impact far greater than anyone could have predicted in 1927

This Museum Is A Gem

Thirdly my listeners know I like to roll through places rather than stop. But I made an exception for this. Above all this Smithsonian museum in Bristol is a gem.

Influential Recordings

Because recording what was called Hillbilly music then has proven influential in so many music genres today.

Arrived Through The Mist Of Time

Another key point is how this music made its way to these hills.

And the songs go back to the Lowlands of Scotland, Wales and England.

Bristol Boom

Significantly Bristol was booming back in 1927

It was unquestionably a very active town of railroads, new industry, agriculture, retail commerce and logging.

Big Bang

Scholars call the Bristol Sessions analogous to the Big Bang.

Johnny Cash

Accordingly Johnny Cash called the Bristol sessions the single most important event in the history of country music.

Resonates

With this mind this subject resonates with me because music, history, and radio are brought together here.

Carter Family

From the Carter family with their photographic memories and in effect revolutionary style of playing..

All The Original Stars Of Country

To the already reigning stars of the genre in 1927 such as Earnest Stoneman.

Radio History Too

Of course by 1927 The Big Barn Dance was already on WLS from Chicago…

And the Grand Old Opry on WSM aired regularly on WSM in Nashville.

Therefore a brand new radio and record industry were just beginning to change American Culture forever.

Time Changes Everything

Finally the small towns have become cities the enclaves have become suburbs.

On The Crooked Highway The Past Is Present

But every now and then the traveler can still see places that people back in 1927 might have called home.

Up to the present time the best place to see it is The Crooked Highway.

That is to say Highway 58 Virginia which takes the traveler to Bristol, Virginia…

But, we’re all lucky they made the trip in 1927.

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Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134