Have a nice day....

One of the big differences between the US and UK is that Americans are unabashed at being consumers.  I think in the UK there is still a streak of puritanism which makes us a little guilty about getting pleasure from buying something.  In the US it is acknowledged as the raison d'etre of the economy and so the society.  We are more reluctant to acknowledge that our society is not based on higher principles.

As a result consuming is raised to an art form in the US and it is made very easy to do.  We went shopping with Jean for a new bed today.  "What's the availability on this one?", we asked.  "We can deliver this afternoon or tomorrow", came the reply.  This at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.  Irene and I were gobsmacked.  Ask that question in the UK and you are instantly in a negotiation where the buyer feels he is the supplicant, grateful for any little concession by the retailer.

We finished our day of consumption with one of the best steaks I have ever had.  Maybe I was just hungry.

I haven't seen much news since I've been in the US, despite watching so much television - TV news doesn't actually seem to contain news.  Most of the items are of purely local, and I mean Bay County, not even Florida, interest.  National items are scarce and the only foreign ones have been about Haiti and Iran.

I did, however, see a couple of items which saddened me.

Howard Zinn, a man who didn't believe that we should rely on the stories of victors for an accurate representation of history, has died.  The world, and the United States in particular, needs a few more thorns in the establishment's side like him.  Also, Kate McGarrigle has died.  With her sister Anna, she produced some lovely music in the 70s.  She also produced Rufus and Martha with her husband Loudon Wainwright III.  It is a sad fact of getting older that one's heroes and icons begin to disappear.  You don't tend to acquire many new ones either, so, when they are gone, so has your cultural compass.

The fun continues

Apparently Florida has had its coldest January on record.  Citrus growers have suffered terribly from consecutive days of freezing which have ruined the crops.  It has also been very wet while we've been here.  I don't really know what the weather is like in the UK, so I console myself with the thought that it is probably better here.  I'm not convinced though.

I've just checked the visitor stats to the blog and was astonished to find that someone from Mobile, Alabama has visited several times.  How on earth do people find it?  Anyway, now that I know I am writing for a world-wide audience I shall take more pains.

I had my first long run on the V-Star yesterday.  230 miles in a temperature of about 52F.  Definitely cool, but not in the style sense.  Of course, come May the temperature will be very different, but it is hard to understand that while it is like this.  At least it gave me pause to think of how many layers I could fit on to my body and still sit on the bike.  I think the key issue was the vent zips in my jacket, which let the wind through a bit even with the vents closed.  Since the air is cold this chills the body.  A light windproof over the jacket will make a huge difference, and since that's what my waterproofs are I will be OK with them if need be.

I haven't quite got a handle on the fuel consumption yet, but it seems to be very speed dependent.  The first tank was just general riding around and I got about 37 mpg (US).  The second had a longer run in it and I got 40.  The third was mainly at 90+mph and I got 30!  Well, the roads away from the beach were long, straight and empty.  The only fun was to wind it up and keep it there.  However, I don't think that is a sustainable strategy to cover the 6,000 miles to Anchorage.  I figure a cruising speed of 75-80 will be a good compromise on speed and economy.  I will just about squeeze 200 miles from a tankful at that I think, which is OKish.  I have bought a can for a spare 1 gallon, which will fit in the pannier, and if I have to use that I will probably get 40 miles out of it as I would ride more cautiously.  Should be enough to make it between gas stations I think.  I will research this more carefully!

I do like the bike, though not quite as much as the first ride suggested I might.  It is a very easy bike to ride despite its size, so very good for tootling around.  On the highway there is quite a bit of wind noise.  Not surprising when a thing that size is being hurtled through the atmosphere I suppose.  There is also a bit of buffeting, especially from the waist down.  My legs were tingling from the material of my trousers being flapped against them.  Gaiters may be the answer.  For the highway it probably needs a few more horsepower to be right, but for sub-70mph it is really good.  I am glad I chose it for this journey as it is the right style of bike and the 1300 has enough power.  Thank goodness I didn't get the 950.  I think I would have struggled.  Overall though, I think the V-Strom would still be the bike of choice for a journey this length.  I might have a look at the new Thunderbird when I get home!

Irene and I have played some golf, which has varied from the quite good to the diabolical.  I think it was one of these days when I should just have stayed in bed.  I really don't like using a golf cart, especially when, because of the wet conditions, they are not allowed on the fairways.  You end up stopping and taking every conceivable club you might need to your ball on the other side of the fairway from the cart path, and then trudging back again because you need the inconceivable club.  Or more likely you use the wrong club, know it's the wrong club, and so hit it badly and you are in even more trouble.  As you can guess it was not a happy day.

We've also watched a lot of TV and the enigma that is America continues to baffle.  Some of the best TV in the world comes from the US, and some of the worst.  Unfortunately, in volume terms, the worst dominates by a ratio of about 95 to 5.  So, depite the many channels available it is often hard to find something worth watching.  And the adverts!  The volume and crassness drive me crazy, along with the sheer repitition.  Value the BBC while we have it.

The weather forecasting seems to be very accurate, even to the extent of at which hour events are due.  It may be because a lot of the weather comes here overland, so is easier to predict, but for whatever reason it is nice to have such reliable indication of what it will be like.  So, since it is going to stop raining by noon I will finish this and go see if the golf course is too wet or not.

The Day the Music Died

February 3rd, 1959 Buddy Holly died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. He had finished a concert at The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake and chartered a plane, named American Pie, to get home quickly.




When I was driving across the US in 2009 with a friend, Alan, we took a detour to visit Clear Lake. It is a small farming town in rural Iowa, and the Surf Ballroom is still there, almost as it was in the 50s. It seems to have been a Mecca for performers and fans alike and was host to many big names. Stepping into the ballroom is like visiting the set of Happy Days or other period TV piece. I found it surprising that a town like Clear Lake could boast something which attracted so many big names. The town seems to be literally in the middle of nowhere, just miles and miles of muddy farmland as far as you can see. Here are the pictures we took that day.

Someone has gone to a lot of trouble to locate and identify the crash site, which as you can see is in the middle of not very much. We drove along a lot of dirt roads before we found it. A touching memorial, but hardly adequate for what it commemorates. I will be visiting Lubbock, Holly’s birthplace, during my trip to Alaska. I believe much more is made of him there. However, they do still have a commemorative event in the Surf Ballroom every February. I had intended to make it some day, but Iowa in February????



Buddy Holly turned me on to music. I was 13 or 14 and an older friend was a big fan, introducing me to his records. I would probably have discovered pop anyway, but it seems fitting to have been introduced to it via one of the real founders of modern rock and roll, who inspired so many others. My tastes may have changed over the years, but I still get a thrill when I hear him on the radio, and his music still sounds incredibly contemporary. The more I learn about the development of the blues and early rock and roll the more I realise how much Buddy Holly is a huge part of the transition from one to the other. Even the country influences he introduced pre-dated the stuff the Byrds and Gram Parsons were doing 8 years later.

“We don't go anywhere. Going somewhere is for squares. We just go!” - Marlon Brando The Wild One (1954)

I guess I am a bit of a square because I am going somewhere. One of the reasons for this trip was to prepare for my next one. I am intending to go by bike to Alaska. I bought the bike when I was here in November, but it wasn’t delivered until after I had returned to the UK, so I haven’t ridden it yet. It is a 2007 Yamaha V-Star 1300cc Tourer - a classic American style cruiser, but modern in design and engineering. I have had it out a couple of times now and I am quite impressed. It is the bike the California should have been, and would have been if the engineering and material quality had been better. It rides very smoothly, with a good transmission and brakes as well as engine. Despite its formidable size, it is effortless to ride. At a standstill I can have both feet flat on the ground, so it is very stable at rest. Some pictures:

As you can see it is quite a big bike. It weighs more than 300Kg. However, the centre of gravity is very low, as is the seat, so it is quite manoeuvrable. It is not that powerful, having only about 72bhp, similar to the Bonneville, but it has lots of torque from that big V twin, so it pulls very well. It is ideal for American roads, those long straight highways, as it sits very solidly, even at 110mph, which is the fastest I have had it to, and probably as fast as it will go. It is surprisingly nimble on bends, but I doubt it would be any good on really twisty roads as I have grounded the footboards already, and I am not a very aggressive rider.



It has got highway pegs - those bits sticking out from the front crash bars - so I’ll be able to stretch my legs. I don’t know if that will be any good, but we’ll try. Graham wants them when I am finished with the bike. As well as the panniers you see in the picture I have a soft duffel bag type thing which sits across the rear seat. I’ve also got a tailpack which will sit on the back rack, so I’ll have plenty of luggage space for my trip. I may want to carry a spare can of petrol on the back rack. We’ll see what the range is like when I’ve used it a bit more. As long as petrol stations aren’t more than 200 miles apart I should be OK I think.



In the UK you have to be able to see over a bike screen or else fit windscreen wipers. That doesn’t seem to apply here as the top of the screen is way above my line of sight. Very good for wind protection, but I will need to keep the screen clean and slick so that rain runs off easily.



There is a lot of wind around the lower legs, even at lower speeds, so I am thinking that a pair of hiking gaiters might be sensible, especially in the rain.



It has only done 5,900 miles and everything is in really good shape. I will take it to the Yamaha dealer to discuss what he needs to do to ensure it will be capable of about 9,000 miles. I think an ordinary service will be all it needs. Then I would expect to change tyres and do one oil change on the journey. They will be highway miles, so not very demanding on brakes.



I am really looking forward to the trip now that I am comfortable the bike will be suitable and reliable. I just need to get down to some detailed planning and sort out dates and boring stuff like that.

“They’ve all come to look for America . . . . . “

There are few things in my life which produce such conflicting feelings. I love America dearly: and I dislike it, sometimes intensely.




When I was about 7 or 8 I had a quiz book which had a page for each different subject. I was very proud that I knew all the answers on the page on America. My favourite TV programmes were The Cisco Kid, Range Rider, The Lone Ranger, and Champion, The Wonder Horse. The myth of the West was deeply ingrained.



It was inevitable that I would go eventually, and when I was 21 I had the opportunity. I was able to get a work visa through a student exchange scheme and arranged to stay with my cousin Jean who lived just outside Detroit. My first plane flight; my first visit to another country. I don’t remember being too excited about it, just took it in my stride as youngsters do with new experiences. An Aer Lingus 707 took us from Prestwick to New York. We stopped at Shannon to refuel, which shows how long ago it was. I’ll never forget leaving the plane and descending to the tarmac at JFK. I had never experienced heat and humidity like it, and the sun seemed extra bright. I stayed one night in a hotel somewhere in New York to attend an orientation to the States to meet the requirements of the exchange programme, but I don’t remember if I learned anything.



The next day I caught a Greyhound bus (stuff of dreams) to go to Buffalo to meet Jean at her Mum’s house. Eight hours in a bus and still in the same state! My first experience of dramatic American weather when a rainstorm hit while we were on the Interstate. Traffic came to a standstill, and the poor guy in the convertible with the hood down struggled to put it up. I hadn’t seen Jean or her husband Les since I was 11, but she recognised me at the bus depot, so we did meet up, which was just as well, as I had no plan B. Les, meanwhile was approaching several young guys and asking if the were Richard. Bustling Buffalo, an old apartment in the Italian section, a visit to Niagara Falls, then a car journey through Canada to Detroit and my cousin’s place at Gibraltar, Michigan. Another welcoming rainstorm, complete with thunder and lightning of an intensity I had never seen.



I had a great summer, earning lots of cash as a human robot in the Ford Woodhaven Stamping Plant, which at the time was one of the largest factories in the world, or so Ford claimed. I had also tried my hand at working in a car wash and being an ice cream man. The cash was meant to fund a hitchhiking trip across the States. To start it I travelled with Jean and Les to Miami, driving down the I75. The intention was that I would then hitch to California and back to Michigan. I got to Fort Lauderdale. It was late. I was tired. I was hot. I was dispirited at having taken several hours to go such a short distance. I resigned myself to doing it the easy way by Greyhound, so hiked into town to find the depot, only to discover that the $99 rover ticket could only be bought outside the US. I staggered into town and found a cheap hotel where I stayed for two weeks before catching the Greyhound to Buffalo. Two and a half days on a bus! Jean and Les met me there and I went back to Detroit before coming home.



I was disappointed that I hadn’t been able to play the role of lonesome traveller and explore all I wanted to, but I had enjoyed what I did. I also learned that when you get to a place you haven’t been to before, you are still with yourself and your experiences there will be much the same as any other place you’ve been with yourself. So I learned that “It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”



I went back the next year, worked my ass off at Ford, gave hitchhiking a miss and took the less adventurous, but more certain, option of driving to California and back with Jean and Les. Nine thousand miles in three weeks - my introduction to the great American road trip.



I’ve been back many times, including an extended stay of more than four years when I worked in New York City and we lived in Connecticut. I’ve been all over the place and have now visited 47 states.



Physically it is an astounding place. Geographic features are on a scale unheard of in the UK, and in a variety which is unmatched in Europe. One cannot help but be captivated by the place. It’s the people that are beginning to piss me off.



My love of the place is of the place made real by Steinbeck, Kerouac, Bukowski and Woody Guthrie. The sort of place Tom Waits captures so well in songs like Burma Shave and Kentucky Avenue. The sort of place that no longer exists. Every time I come I feel that the American Dream (see book of same name by Norman Mailer) has become a little bit more of a nightmare. It is a place founded on an ideal, which over time has been traduced to a philosophy, or rubric, along the lines of “You are responsible for all that happens to you, and everyone can be a success. If they are not, it is their own fault.” It s a place where patriotism is almost a supreme value, but no value at all is put upon society. There is only the country as some sort of idealised state, and the individual as a part of that state., and his role is to be ideal too.



The frightening thing is that everyone seems to accept this as the way things should be, even those who are being royally screwed by it: those living in virtual poverty, with no security or health care, who still see it as “The American Way”, and so, by definition, the right way. The establishment must be rubbing their hands in glee at the malleability of the masses. You can picture G Dubya and his cronies sniggering behind their hands as they applaud the masses’ support for American ideals, which incidentally allows them to continue to plunder unhindered. There is a poverty of political thought because anything vaguely left of centre has been characterised as un-American for so long that it is simply beyond the pale for most people.



I remember once going through a fairly grim housing estate in Glasgow ( Hard to believe I know, but it is true. The rest are grim; this was just fairly grim.) I thought that if only the occupants could see what other options were available to them they would not accept being condemned to spend their lives in this environment. I realised that education is one of the biggest threats to the establishment of any country. If people have more knowledge and thinking power, they are less likely to accept the status quo. The establishment simply wishes to maintain the status quo. It has no interest in changing it. I don’t believe the status quo in America is sustainable in the long term, but there is such a universal commitment to it, that when change comes it is likely to be cataclysmic. It is a society divided in almost every way possible, except in the belief that this is the right way of doing things. I think that belief must shatter at some point, either when an outside agency calls time on living on other peoples’ money, or when the disadvantaged within the States realise they are being conned. I’d love to be around to see it.



Anyway, I’m here again. I am with Jean again. She now lives in Florida and was widowed when Les died two years ago. Irene and I are here to escape the UK winter and spend time with Jean. Contrary to what many may think, not all of Florida enjoys sunshine all the year round. We knew that it can get chilly where Jean lives in North West Florida, but we hadn’t expected it to be this cold! There has been a lot of frost and the days are staying cool. Still, I think it is worse in the UK. No snow here - yet.



We have enjoyed some of what America has to offer, having been out for both breakfast and dinner today. I swore off breakfast buffets some time ago as they seemed to be about quantity rather than quality. Last year, however, I discovered Golden Corral where there is quantity, but the quality and variety is excellent. So, we breakfasted (or brokefast) there today, and we breakfasted well. Pancakes, corned beef hash, ham steak, beef steak, Polish sausage, eggs, etc. I joked at the end that all I needed was some chocolate cake for dessert. I shouldn’t have joked. It was there. So I had some. About seven hours later we were hungry again and hadn’t done anything about making dinner, so we went to Longhorn. Guess what they serve. A small steak later and I was full again.



Golf in the morning to work some of it off.