Homogenization of America
Greetings from Birmingham, Alabama!
I'm visiting my Mom and sister this week. Yes, another "Family Maintenance Tour". And we drive the 750 miles each way. My wife, Helaine, doesn't like to fly. There are some positives about driving. We get to see the country.
We stopped in Knoxville, TN, about 8 hours away, and caught 5 innings of a Knoxville Smokies game. The reason we left after 5 innings was because it was pretty hot and humid and I had become uncomfortably sticky. Nice ballpark though. I've stopped in Knoxville a few times and I like the city, you should visit if you get a chance.
From there, it's not quite a 4 hour drive to Birmingham, AL. My wife and I got to talking in the car about how everything is the same. Years ago, you'd take a road trip and you'd discover something new. I grew up on Long Island, so I remember when my family would drive down to Florida every summer to visit my grandparents. It was exciting to see "new" things. I used to be excited by Stuckeys because we didn't have them up north. We always bought a bag of pecans on the way home. My dad was a big fan on Aunt Sarah's Pancake house, although I was disappointed the last time I was in one, in Lexington, VA because they did not have REAL maple syrup.
But back to my point....the thrill of discovery is vanishing. Chains have taken over. I know that there is comfort in familiarity, but, as much as the family likes Cracker Barrel, I still prefer going a little out of the way for something local, something new to me. I love finding that "one of a kind" barbecue place or that restaurant with a view of the river that is killer. But how often do places like that exist off an interstate exit? Sometimes you just have to get off the interstate and look around.
About a year ago we were leaving Chattanooga and heading toward Birmingham. We took a detour. We went up Lookout Mountain, which was cool, and then we winded southwest down some 2 lane road. My son was complaining because he wanted to just get to Birmingham so that he could play with his cousins. We told him to relax, and enjoy the scenery. That didn't go over very well, until we stumbled upon Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding. Seeing someone jump off a cliff and float in the air was a captivating experience for a young man and as much as he begged his mother and me to go on a tandem ride with an instructor, we weren't allowing that, just yet.
This is my 16th trip to Birmingham since 2002 and I'm getting to know this place pretty well. Some of the "local" restaurants and attractions are very good. The bronze statue Vulcan stands over the city and there is a small but very interesting museum at the base of Vulcan which tells about the history of Birmingham. This used to be a "steel" town and of course, it played a big part in the advancement of Civil Rights in our country. I'll try to discover something new this week. (After 16 trips, it's getting hard.)
That's it for now. As much as I have proofread this entry, I'm sure my friend Mike Walter will find some mistake I have made in grammar or spelling and tell me about it.
I'm visiting my Mom and sister this week. Yes, another "Family Maintenance Tour". And we drive the 750 miles each way. My wife, Helaine, doesn't like to fly. There are some positives about driving. We get to see the country.
We stopped in Knoxville, TN, about 8 hours away, and caught 5 innings of a Knoxville Smokies game. The reason we left after 5 innings was because it was pretty hot and humid and I had become uncomfortably sticky. Nice ballpark though. I've stopped in Knoxville a few times and I like the city, you should visit if you get a chance.
From there, it's not quite a 4 hour drive to Birmingham, AL. My wife and I got to talking in the car about how everything is the same. Years ago, you'd take a road trip and you'd discover something new. I grew up on Long Island, so I remember when my family would drive down to Florida every summer to visit my grandparents. It was exciting to see "new" things. I used to be excited by Stuckeys because we didn't have them up north. We always bought a bag of pecans on the way home. My dad was a big fan on Aunt Sarah's Pancake house, although I was disappointed the last time I was in one, in Lexington, VA because they did not have REAL maple syrup.
But back to my point....the thrill of discovery is vanishing. Chains have taken over. I know that there is comfort in familiarity, but, as much as the family likes Cracker Barrel, I still prefer going a little out of the way for something local, something new to me. I love finding that "one of a kind" barbecue place or that restaurant with a view of the river that is killer. But how often do places like that exist off an interstate exit? Sometimes you just have to get off the interstate and look around.
About a year ago we were leaving Chattanooga and heading toward Birmingham. We took a detour. We went up Lookout Mountain, which was cool, and then we winded southwest down some 2 lane road. My son was complaining because he wanted to just get to Birmingham so that he could play with his cousins. We told him to relax, and enjoy the scenery. That didn't go over very well, until we stumbled upon Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding. Seeing someone jump off a cliff and float in the air was a captivating experience for a young man and as much as he begged his mother and me to go on a tandem ride with an instructor, we weren't allowing that, just yet.
This is my 16th trip to Birmingham since 2002 and I'm getting to know this place pretty well. Some of the "local" restaurants and attractions are very good. The bronze statue Vulcan stands over the city and there is a small but very interesting museum at the base of Vulcan which tells about the history of Birmingham. This used to be a "steel" town and of course, it played a big part in the advancement of Civil Rights in our country. I'll try to discover something new this week. (After 16 trips, it's getting hard.)
That's it for now. As much as I have proofread this entry, I'm sure my friend Mike Walter will find some mistake I have made in grammar or spelling and tell me about it.
posted by Howard Bernstein, 9 Weather Now at
7:44 AM
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