Dreams and Reality

“I soon discovered that if a wayfaring stranger wants to eavesdrop on a local population the places for him to slip in and hold his peace are bars and churches.” –Steinbeck

Well, firstly, there will be but one Sunday on my trip, and secondly, my basic unfamiliarity with churches makes me such a careful observer of ritual and protocol that I am apt to miss the human behavior. And, oh yeah, as most know, I happen to like bars. So it is in moments over pints, or bottles of Old Style, or even while guessing how a local brew got its name, that I most learn of people. Of course, them, like me, self-selected for this survey, and it may be skewed. I will try to do a church on Sunday…….

Well, there have been a few stops already, and I have learned of places through the people who go through life there. Not always what I hope to learned. One thing I currently realize is how little I know of agriculture. I watch things and cannot put real meaning to them. Yesterday morning I watched as an elevator of sorts was attached to the bottom of a silo, of sorts (not a classic missile shaped, curved top silo, but one of those must-be-good, must-be-cheap “BROCK” silos that dominate the edge of the heartland). It took the golden grain 20 feet high, and poured it hard and fast into an open semi-trailer. What was that grain? Was it this year’s grain? Did it belong to a local farmer or an agri-business giant? Later in the day, I saw several very cool crop dusters. Again, was today crop dusting day? Is July crop dusting month? Should I shut off the air input on my car? I got to Howard’s Tap in Albany, Illinois (more later on stolen place names) after 5 hours of driving and dreaming, and thinking through a lot of these questions. So I see a group that probably farm, or as least know of farming. But today, blood-sucking insects were all they wanted to talk about. Apparently this corner where Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois join is tick central, and two of the men both had Lyme Disease. I was glad I put the flea and tick repellent on Luci, and wondered my people didn’t wear it as well. I guess I’ll have more time to learn of farming as I cross Kansas and Nebraska.

I took a drive up to the set for “Field of Dreams” in Iowa. Smaller than it looks in the movie, but nice to see a group of kids playing ball on the field. Last night in a bar in Columbia, MO the movie was playing. What struck me the most was that the driveway was exactly the same. I know they keep the house and the field just so, but the dirt double driveway seemed strangely more authentic.

This drive took me through Galena, Il. A beautiful town, I would guess settled by the Irish 150 years ago. And I had the pleasure of getting stuck in their first ever traffic jam. Gave me a chance to see the town better! It is nestled in a valley along a river with dramatic hills and cliffs all around. Shockingly different, in a good way, from the stereotype of vast flat spaces that I held of this region.