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 Woolworth’s lunch counter (Smithsonian) I tried to build a coherent picture of my seatmate as I rode Amtrak from Cleveland to New York. The obvious stuff: 40-ish, black, heavyset, financially on the edge. I got the financial bit as he talked on the phone about his imminent move to a smaller apartment. He clicked away at… Continue reading The Other

This week I ride the rails south from New York City towards an America that is, in some ways, a foreign country to me. Each night I’ll sleep in a hotel, pausing in Washington, DC, and Charleston, SC. In Savannah, GA, a friend will join me for a couple days. This will be the first… Continue reading Iron Road to Dixie

A family sits around a breakfast table in a Cleveland Holiday Inn Express talking about family things. The teenager shrugs as Mom announces she’s going to redecorate his bedroom. The conversation pauses for a basketball segment on the local Fox affiliate. A rack of USA Todays announces the next war. I can’t say Americans are… Continue reading Breakfast Rooms

This week I head slowly to New York City by Amtrak. In Life, Phase 3, you don’t have to rush or be perturbed by inevitable delays. Each night I’ll be in a hotel rather than a train, which gives me a chance to go walkabout in Chicago and Cleveland. My partner will join my in… Continue reading Iron Road to Gotham

The best travel brings me face-to-face with the unexpected. I try to welcome the unexpected as part of the great adventure. Something to relish, a puzzle to solve, or an opportunity to practice wisdom and move on. With a bit of luck, I get to choose whether to make the unwelcome a positive experience, or… Continue reading Travel Gear: Eye-Fi Card

A couple months ago, my partner, Dwight, announced he had some spare vacation days. That was my cue to rush to the computer and put together a trip to the island of Kauai (Hawaii) based on previous visits: Kauai in a Box. How you approach Kauai depends on your definition of activity. The Kauai.com list of… Continue reading Kauai in a Box

I don’t give a toss about cars. I drive a 1997 Honda Civic as little as possible. It still hasn’t clocked 80,000 miles. In the 1980’s when Dwight and I were looking for our first car together, a salesman proudly led us outside. “I have just the car for you guys.” We couldn’t believe our… Continue reading Yellow Camaro in Paradise