Sunday 30 October 2011

Sunday Oct 30th - Homecoming

Since my last blog in LA Thurs 27th pm I did the following :-

Thurs 27th - returned to hotel after completing blogging. Stomach not good, so ate very lightly and drank water. Read "EON" by Greg Bear - an absorbing novel about an invasion into the Earth's history from a parallel universe. Some of the maths concepts are too complex for me; need to get William (my son) to read it to explain.

Fri 28th - had a very light breakfast. Stomach still not right. Packed up and checked out - my bag is just under the critical 23kg ! Drove through suburbs just south of Downtown LA, then onto Interstate 5. By sheer fluke Interstate 10 (which I was trying to find !) was the next turning, so headed down there to Santa Monica and up to a nearby beach. Sat at the edge of the beach killing time most pleasantly until going to the airport in the afternoon. People were playing frisbee football and doing workouts on the beach. Had a very light lunch, then drove to the airport. Some good Christian teaching on the radio while I was stuck in the traffic going south on Interstate 405. Reached the airport and found the drop-off point for the car, and then went via a free bus to Terminal 2. Upgraded to premium economy as not feeling too great with my stomach and had some spare dollars, so I could have a bit more comfort on the flight. Long wait as plane was delayed, which I passed by doing some Sudokus (couldn't find any Killer Sudoku books which are my preference - this is obviously not popular in the US), reading, and looking round the gift shops. Stomach started to get notably better - clearly some of the trouble was tension re wanting to get home (I had really had enough by the end of the final week). Found the novel a bit heavy for the situation, so bought a copy of Keith Richards' autobiograhpy and started reading that instead (a bit decadant as I have this on my Kindle, but the Kindle was packed). Really enjoyed it - it is very well written and Keith has fascinating insights on life in Dartford after the second world war. Eventually got on the plane at about 21:30 US time.

Sat 28th - took off from LA at 22:00 US time (or 6:00 AM in England). Flight was very smooth, and the upgrade to Economy Premium certainly paid off. There was lots more leg room, and the seat tilted right back so I could sleep quite well. Read a bit, then slept/dozed for a few hours. Then played music on my MP3 - "Exile On Main Street", "Green River", and "Cosmos Factory". These are all classics of American rock and roll. Then had a full english "breakfast" (it was about 14:00 English time by now) and read through the descent into Heathrow. Got off the plane at about 16:20, and was annoyed to find both sets of toilets closed during the long walk through to Passport Control. The Americans who were with me were not impressed ! Had quite a queue at Passport Control - we're getting almost as slow as the Americans at admitting people into the country. My baggage, however, popped up immediately I got to the reclaim area; this has never happened to me before ! So I was at the exit just before 17:00, and was met by my friend Anna Pisani who had kindly agreed to bring me home. Very thoughtfully she had bought me some basics - eggs, milk, bread, butter - that was great as it saved me having to go out again. Got home, and after an initial feeling of anti-climax at coming back to an empty flat after all that excitement I got cracking and did the unpacking, got the storage heater and the hot water going, and hung my new shirts away. I then stayed up reading as long as possible, put the clocks an hour back, and went to bed.

Sunday 29th - Slept about five hours. By 5:30 AM I was wide awake, so made tea and watched "Match Of The Day". I've really missed the Premiership ! Then went through my Sky Planner and recorded stuff for the next week - looking forward to watching the World Series Play-Off decider between Texas Rangers and St Louis. Loads to do today - store all my photos on the computer, do the washing, the accounts, and some shopping. Then get ready to go back to work tomorrow.

Overall I'm so thrilled that I managed to pack everything (and more) in to my journey. My planning really paid off, and nothing of note went wrong apart from the Travel Agent's mistake with my final hotel reservation in LA. Impressions of America :-

1.I love the place - it's so exciting and positive. There's a real pride for the country wherever you go.
2.The people are really friendly, especially in the South. I really enjoyed my week in Texas (Dallas / Austin / Lubbock); whenever I went to a museum or place of interest the people there were so pleased at my interest in and knowledge of their musical and political history.
3.The scenery can be monotonous but also amazing - the drive on highwary 71 from Austin to Llano and then Brady was very beautiful, especially the hills east of Austin. Then the drive West from Albuquerque through to the Grand Canyon and LA was very spectacular - huge sandy rocks and mountains. The Mojave desert was sparse and unforgiving.
4.I loved all the cities apart from LA. Admittedly I was road-weary by the time I got there and was also struggling with a cold and tummy bug, but LA just isn't that attractive a place. The downtown area is very impressive but has no patches of green to sit down in and have a read and a sandwich. Hollywood is exciting to visit but not very enticing architecturally, and Sunset Strip is a dump. Right by this decrepit area you get the plush exclusivity of Laurel Canyon and Beverley hills - plush mansions, high security, closely-cropped grass. The opulence of this area juxtaposed with all the poverty on its doorstep is revolting. LA is built totally around the needs of the automobile - you get a very narow window to cross these huge boulevards, and the "walk" sign starts counting down from 20 the minute it comes on. The drivers are very unforgiving and will never let you change lanes. They sit there in the traffic hooting pointlessly at no-one in particular.
5.The commercialisation of America is shoved right in your face - constant ads for medical insurance plans. It is clear how far Reaganomics has taken the country from the care and concern shown by Kennedy and Johnson in the sixties. But then it is the country that elected Richard Nixon and assassinated Martin Luther King and the two Kennedys.

I feel as if I really know a fair bit of America now. Obviously there's loads I still haven't seen yet, but I have covered all the bits I'm interested in. My lifetime ambition of drving right across the country has been fulfilled. I also had a great chance to think through my situation at home and decide how I want to move forward. So now I've got to face the great English winter, which is predicted to be as harsh as last winter. How tedious...   

Thursday 27 October 2011

Thursday 27th - LA (15:35)

I'm in a FEDEX office in downtown LA on the last afternoon of my trip. Since my last post I've done the following :-

Tues 25th - Walked down Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Strip. Sunset Strip is a dump now - why it was so legendary in the sixties I'll never know. Sat for a while and read, then caught the bus back. Had a stroke of luck - there was a guy on the bus with a bag from Amoeba Records, which I was hoping to find. Went to Amoeba - was not impressed that they didn't have a restroom as I was dying for a crap (there are no public toilets anywhere in LA). At any rate, looked round the shop, got some CDs, then got the bus back to the hotel.

Wed 26th - Had to change rooms today. Took the opportunity to fully pack my case, emptying the car. Discovered that I had to jettison one or two things in order to come in under the weight restriction. Moved into my new room, then drove up into Laurel Canyon. I don't know how all those druggy singer-songwriters in the sixties managed to live up there - nowadays you aren't even allowed to smoke a cigarette outside in the hills due to the fire risk ! LA is such a place of rapid contrasts - you drive straight up from a dump like the Strip into this exclusive area of mansions, close-cropped lawns etc. Had lunch at a viewpoint overlooking the city - very impressive. Then drove back via Beverley Hills and had a nap in the hotel as I was very tired - I think the effect of all the drving had caught up with me, plus I still had the after-effects of my cold. Went out for a walk; not very scenic but the exercise was good.

Thurs 27th - Came to the Downtown area. Huge skyscrapers, opulent shops, yet so close to areas of utter depravation. LA is exciting but it has no heart - a bit like London has become now. Cold has now gone although stomach is dodgy - must be all that Bud Light ! Went to the Grammy Museum, which wasn't up to much, although it had an interesting George Harrison "Living In The Material World" exhibition, plus a set of drum pads upon which I did my Ginger Baker bit ! Had a light lunch - tummy trouble as I said - and then went into the central area to read. Looked round the Macys Shopping Complex - was hoping to have a piss, but here you have to buy something before they let you use the loo. A cold, cynical, mercenary touch. Will sit and read for a bit before heading back.

Overall I'm very pleased to have had a good look at LA but can't say I have much affection for the place. It is built totally around the needs of the motorist - you only get very brief 20-second slots to cross these massive boulevards. There are no public parks, unlike all the other cities I've visited. The gap between poverty and decadant opulence is so glaring. I'll be glad to be out of the place tomorrow.      

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Tuesday 25th - LA

I'm writing this from an internet cafe on Hollywood Boulevard. Yesterday I drove from the Grand Canyon through western Arizona and the Mojave Desert, then on to San Bernadino and Pasadena and to my hotel at the eastern end of Sunset Boulevard. I had a hard time getting to the hotel; the route I had planned was working perfectly until I got to Echo Park, which is a right turn away from my destination. At that point the road I wanted was closed and there was a diversion. Typically, however, there were no further signs, so I found myself flailing about totally lost and with impatient drivers behind me ! Eventually I had to go back to the Freeway I came in on (through all the evening traffic) and try another route in, which worked. I have found finding my way around the US quite easy, but when you do make a mistake it's very difficult to correct it. That diversion cost me an hour at the end of a 450 mile drive.

I had a real stroke of luck. I was originally planning to arrive in LA on Wed 26th, and had pre-paid for the nights of the 26th and 27th through the travel agent prior to my flight on the 28th. However I ended up ahead of schedule, so rang the hotel yesterday lunchtime to (so I was expecting) make an additional booking for last night and tonight (the 25th). However I discovered that the travel agent had wrongly made my booking for the 24th and the 25th - fortunately they had a room for the 26th and the 27th, so no harm done. But had I not got ahead of schedule and decided to spend more time in LA, I would have turned up on Wed 26th with no room for my last two nights !

There was another twist to this when I arrived last night. The pre-booked reservation for the 24th and the 25th was paid for by the travel agent via a third party - however the hotel informed me that their credit card had been rejected ! So I had to pay for the 24th and 25th on my own card (in addition to the 26th and 27th which I had booked myself at lunchtime over the 'phone). This morning I contacted the travel agent and they are sorting out my refund for the 24th and the 25th. So my travel agent not only reserved the wrong dates but also failed to check that the payment (made through a third party) had worked ! The joys of outsourcing...wonder if they're using Aspire under the covers ? (N.B. For the benefit of non-VOA people reading this, Aspire are the main outsourcers we work with).

After that little hiccup I checked in and read in my room. This morning I sorted out the hiccup (hopefully) and caught the bus to Hollywood and Vine. There I saw the Capitol Records Tower, which is where the careers of the Beach Boys and the Beatles (in America) were launched. I am currently walking along the Walk of Fame and will be heading for Sunset Strip.

So my drive across the US is complete ! I have been very lucky with the weather; it has been hot and sunny throughout apart from a violent thunderstorm (it was raining cats and dogs out there) when I first arrived at Memphis. Here in LA it rained overnight, and it is cloudy today. It is refreshing to be in milder weather after the heat of Texas and New Mexico. I am looking forward to getting to know LA a bit better. Then it's back to the UK just in time for the clocks to go back for the English winter !   

Sunday 23 October 2011

Sunday 23rd - Grand Canyon

Spent today going round Grand Canyon Park. Drive to the Visitors' Centre, then took the bus on the Blue Route and then the Red Route. Stopped at a viewpoint called "The Abyss", which was stunning - you could see the Colorado River right at the bottom, and there were huge layered red rocks. Then I walked on the Green Trail to the next bus stop, pausing at various viewpoints. Popped into the food centre for lunch, then went back to the centre and took the Orange Route bus. This went East, and I looked at some more viewpoints there. Good thing I remembered to charge up my Panasonic last night ! Caught the bus back, then went to the Rim near the visitors centre and stood at a couple of outcrops there. Left at five and now I'm in this Internet Cafe writing this !

The views were certainly stunning as advertised, but after a while I found it a bit monotonous - to me one set of steep rocks starts to look very much like another after a while ! So the day was a welcome resting time for me after three days of hard driving, but I wouldn't want to come back. I'm just not that visual a person - I'm more exctied by cities and music/political history. Also the place is cynically exploited for tourism - my hotel is very expensive, yet doesn't have all the facilities that the cheaper motel chains have.

Just before writing this I checked the football results - amazing Man City performance ! Pleased to see that all the Man City players I've got in my fantasy side played and that Aguero (my captain) scored. I haven't touched the team since I left the UK and only made minor adjustments before that, so it will be interesting to see how I've done. Was worried when Aguero was injured the day before I left, but he seems to have been playing recently. With Chelsea losing, Man City look well set at the moment.

Tomorrow I leave here and have two days to get to LA. Not sure where I'm going to stop tomorrow as I need to get across the desert, but don't want to go into the Spaghetti Junction of LA freeways quite yet. My cold has been alive and well and bothered me a bit during the afternoon, but I feel better now. I'd like to throw it off before I hit LA as I want to check out loads of places there.   

Saturday 22 October 2011

Saturday 22nd - nr. Grand Canyon

Drove from Albuquerque to the Grand Canyon (mid-way through Arizona) today. This was the most scenic drive of the holiday - beautiful mountains, rocks, and a variety of trees. When I came off Interstate 40 at Flagstaff to head for the canyon the views were astonishing - forests, mountains, and clear blue sky. Naturally the battery on my Panasonic chose today to conk out, so once again my trusty Blackberry came to the rescue. It's a good thing I got that camera cheap.

Accompanying this I had on a 12-CD set of various Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young out-takes and  live takes given to me by my friend Jamie from The Embers (see my first post). This was the perfect accompaniment - their playing and harmonies are magnificent and their songs very hearfelt. I am increasingly coming to appreciate Graham Nash's songs - they are very genuine and straightforward and full of honesty and vulnerability. "Teach Your Children" is a very wise song, and "I Used To Be A King" and "Simple Man" are perfect fare for divorcees. Neil Young, of course, is out on his own; probably the very greatest talent in rock music, even eclypsing Dylan in my view.

To cap it all I got a text from my son saying that Palace won at Ipswich and are now third ! It is hard to capture my feelings about this day - it was so overwhelmingly amazing that I need to time take in what I've experienced. I did get a bit jaded in the afternoon with all the driving, so it will be great to spend tomorrow walking in Grand Canyon Park.

P.S. Still got the cold - the sore throat has eased off and now it's just a nose cold. Just a minor irritant, and nothing that a beer or two won't sort out.

Friday 21st - Albuquerque

Started this morning by visiting the Buddy Holly Centre in Lubbock. Some fascinating exhibits such as the acoustic guitar he recorded his final set of songs on in a New York Hotel room. The exhibition gave a detailed chronology of events in his life, and brought out really well his innovative approach to his music - he wrote, recorded, and played on all his records and the Crickets were probably the first modern rock'n'roll band. All the Liverpool bands such as the Beatles and the Searchers covered his material extensively, and the Stones, of course, broke through with their cover of "Not Fade Away". There would have been so much more from him had his plane not crashed in 1959. Had a very nice chat with the person in the gift shop, who came from near Austin and talked about my drive yesterday.

After that I drove the 400 miles to Albuquerque via Amarillo (no-one asked me the way). You don't want to do that too often - the drive was very demanding. The scenery was flat and bleak for the first couple of hours. Then I left Texas and got into New Mexico, which was full of red sand, cacti, and the occasional hill. The view coming into the City, however, was very spectacular - a bit like Matlock in the Peak District but with parched red sand. Having reached Albuquerque, I had quite a bit of trouble getting into the hotel. Also their PC crashed while I was writing this, so I had to finish it the next day in an Internet Cafe near Grand Canyon.

The music I played was a 2CD set of Buddy Holly which I'd got at the Centre. Then it was Johnny Cash ("American Recordings"), Doug Sahm (Mendocino), following by The Byrds live at the Fillmore West, "Hendrix In The West", and finally "Full Moon Fever" by Tom Petty. Particularly loved the Johnny Cash - he's becoming a keynote figure for this holiday. His mixture of dark American gothic, country themes, and gospel very much reflects my pre-occupations.

One slight downer - I have a slight cold. Just a head cold - nothing to hold me back - just makes me a bit more tired at the end of the driving than I would otherwise be.  

Thursday 20 October 2011

Thursday 20th - Lubbock

Drove down from Austin to Lubbock today. First part was on Highway 71, which took me through the hills west of Austin to the outskirts of San Angelo, where I got onto Highway 87 to come through to Lubbock. The first section of the drive was very scenic with quite a few hills. The mid-section was sandy but also had a few hills as well as lots of wind farms. The final part was all parched flat brown plain.

The hotel is right by Buddy Holly Street - he was born here. Buddy Holly was very influential because he combined rockabilly with a melodic approach which is more folk-based. This, in turn, was a major influence on many English performers, in particular Paul McCartney. Much of the melodicism of the early Beatles, then, derives from here !

Musically I had a strong selection of CDs on - the new Wilco album, "Perspex Island" by Robyn Hitchcock (great to finally get hold of that on CD), Johnny Cash's "Unchained" (one of the series of American Recordings), Wilco's "A Ghost Is Born", Emmylou Harris's "Elite Hotel", "Roadmaster" by Gene Clark, and then finally the new Wilco again. Hard to pick a highlight - the new Wilco is brilliant, and "Perspex Island" was a revelation to me as I'd never properly caught the lyrics before and had dismissed it as a lightweight, poppy, album, yet it is actually a pretty dark and serious work largely concerning how to cope with loss when you're an atheist. As a struggling Christian going through a divorce I really engaged with that. However the winner, once again, was Mr. Cash. His series of "American Recordings" begun in the 1990s with Rick Rubin are a very solemn, gripping, and yet humorous collection. He has amazing depth and authority in his voice, and the music is perfect.

Overall it was so refreshing to be driving on roads other than Interstates. Also I had a very nice lunch at a place called Eden, and the service was excellent. Texans seem to really like English people. I am now ahead of schedule - I'd only planned to reach San Angelo by now. Tomorrow I will be continuing north to Amarillo, where I pick up Interstate 40 and head west towards New Mexico. There's been a major drought round here and things are especially serious further south - Mexico has real problems now.    

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Wednesday 19th - Austin

Completed my visits to downtown Austin today. In the morning I went to the Jyndon Johnson Museum, which was fascinating. It showed just how under-rated his is as a US President; he introduced more bills than any other President, with ground-breaking reforms in Healthcare, Education, Housing, and the Civil Rights Act. He did far more than just carry on where Kennedy left off - he negotiated the country through some of the most tumultuous years in its history while producing much of the legislation which has taken the US away from the repressive era in the 50s (and which has survived the assaults of Reagan and Bush).

Unfortunately he is always associated with the Vietnam War, a war he neither initiated nor wanted to escalate. In 1968, following his decision not to stand for re-election, he started negotiations for a wind-down in hostilities. Unfortuntely the Nixon regime which succeeded him did not follow in this direction. Just goes to show how we tend to be remembered for our problems rather than our achievements.

After all that I sat outside and read for a while. I'm reading a classic novel called the "Illuminatus" trilogy - a sci-fi/conspiracy theory affair. A woman came up to me wanting to enlist my support in a demonstration happening elsewhere in the city, where apparently they were "talking about the Illuminati" (!). I tried to explain that the reall Illuminati was a German cult initiated in Bavaria in 1776 and behind the vile fascist philosophies expressed in Wagner and Nietsche (leading ultimately to the Nazis) - and that they had no relevance to the US. This seemed too tough for her to take in, so I moved on. After a brief trip round a couple of other areas I returned back. The hotel have finally found a bath plug for me !

Talking of Wagner reminds me of how class-ridden England still is. It's ok for a work to be full of evil and malevolence if it's deemed to be "high culture". But just imagine if a rock group came up with stuff about Aryan supremacy, elimination of racial "weaknesses" etc. They'd be piloried ! (remember the stick a drunken Eric Clapton got when he spoke in praise of Enoch Powell in 1976 ?). That's one reason I love the US - there are no cultural barriers.

Was amazed to see Palace up there in 5th place, having won on both Saturday and Tuesday. If this keeps up there could be a scenarion whereby Palace meet Brighton in the Play-Off final.  

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Tuesday 18th - Austin

Just had the most brilliant day in Austin. I discovered last night that there's a bus route which runs from behind the hotel, and it goes into the middle of town. So I got myself an all-day pass for $2 which lets you have unlimited rides. Took the 20 minute ride into town and went to the Visitors Information Office, where I got a really good map of the district - so I was armed and ready to go !

I went first along Capitol Avenue to the Capitol Centre and went round that. It was very grand with loads of monuments about the South and the Civil War. From there I went through the University area to the North. After lunch I went to a park. It was very parched - there's been a drought round here and the smaller rivers are all dried up. Then I walked back in the direction of town and found a large CD shop and a bookshop. The latter had a book about Doug Sahm, a great Texan musician. It was a hardback and therefore expensive, but it isn't available anywhere else, so I bought it !

Returned to the hotel and found that they hadn't fulfilled my request for a plug for the bath, despite me requesting one this morning. A further request brought no joy - it's amazing what can be a problem for a hotel. While the room in general is fine and good value, it would be nice to have a bath after a long day's walking. Hopefully they'll be able to come up with one. This is the second time on the trip I've come across this problem - maybe Americans never take baths.

As a University town, Austin is full of life and culture - a bit like 'Frisco. The one thing which isn't so relaxed is the driving - it's very aggressive. I was gestured at by a driver for taking too long to cross a boulevard; I'd been waiting ten minutes for my turn, and got across as quickly as I could, but the lights changed before I reached the other side. The poor fellow found the 5 second wait too much for him. This is one aspect where London scores over US cities; it has taken steps via the Congestion Charge to control traffic and is much more pedestrian-friendly. Just one small gripe; overall I love Austin and am enjoying being in Texas. The people seem to love my accent for some reason, and comment on it more than when I was in the North. I suppose people in Boston and Chicago are more used to having English people around.

Tomorrow I shall be going round Austin again. The bus service here is a real bonus - it means I don't have to drive anywhere, which is nice as on Thursday I head off for LA, 1,300 miles away.  

Monday 17 October 2011

Monday 17th pm - Austin

Drove down from Dallas to Austin today. Most of the scenery was very flat on the journey. Upon reaching Austin I got lost trying to find the hotel, and one or two of the drivers behind me got very impatient. Found the place in the end, and I am here for three nights. I'm about four miles away from the downtown area - will probably get a cab in tomorrow, and maybe drive around a bit the following day. Austin has a legendary reputation - if you like music, you're in for a treat here.

Musically the day started with a collection of Carl Perkins' Sun singles, before I then put on Stephen Stills' Manassas, the MC5, and then the Kooper-Bloomfield-Stills "Supersession" album. The MP3 player ran on into Miles Davis as I was approaching Austin, but I was too preoccupied with trying to find my way round to listen too much.

I am finding Texas to be a very polite and friendly place, although I must say that I'm laying off wearing my more obviously hippie-ish clothes such as the Jerry Garcia t-shirts. Very much God's Lightning territory for the most part - plenty of billboards on the Interstate asking me where I'm going to be spending eternity. As long as it's not that hotel in Memphis I don't mind ! Austin, though, is an exception to that as it's a University town with a thriving artistic and musical community. It has many links with San Francisco going back to the sixties, when musicians like Doug Sahm ("She's About a Mover") and the Thirteenth Floor Elevators ("You're Gonna Miss Me") started out here and then moved West - not too mention Janis Joplin, who grew up in Port Arthur (along the coast by Louisiana) but made her initial name in Austin. I look forward to picking up some of this magic tomorrow,   

Monday 17th AM

Drove from Texarkana to Dallas yesterday, reaching here just after lunch. After a few battles with the one-way system I found somewhere to park, and made my way towards the Dealy Plaza area, where John Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963. Saw the JFK memorial, the Plaza itself, and the notorious Grassy Knoll (from where it has been alleged that a fourth bullet was shot). The School Depository building (from the sixth floor of which Lee Harvey Oswald shot three bullets) is now a JFK museum, which I went round. It was very well presented.

JFK's shooting was the first political event which I remember (I was six at the time). The combination of his personal charisma and his idealism excited the world in a way no politician has managed since; unlike, say, Tony Blair, he was not a self-publicist but a genuine idealist committed to addressing the difficult issues in the US. He instituted programs on Healthcare, Workers Rights, and promoting economic growth. He also implemented Human Rights legislation and gave his support to the Civil Rights movement. It's the loss of that hope and optimism which I think many of us mourn for when we think of JFK; he was a million miles away from the free-market barbarity of Reagan/Thatcher/Bush/Blair. The music of the respective times reflects that well - the big icons at that time were Elvis, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Dylan. Compare their freshness, innovation, and creativity with the drivel we have to ensure today in the Simon Cowell era.

The film of the aftermath and the funeral brought home the incredible courage and dignity of Jackie Kennedy. We see her scrambling over the back of the car when John was shot, and then attending three separate funeral events, culminating with the state burial in Wilmington, Washington. She looks so devastated and yet so strong - having to carry that grief in public so soon after such an event must have been such an enormous strain.

As for what really happened, the jury is still out...maybe the photos of Oswald were faked. Was JFK shot from behind or from the front ? Could Oswald really have fired three bullets so accurately from that sixth-floor window ? Was there a fourth bullet fired ? All that seems certain is that there are still serious flaws and contradictions in all the official investigations which have been conducted since.

After that I checked into the Springhill Suites, which is extortionate but at least is within the city. I went out to a bar and had some Texan Beer, which was black and tasted a bit like Murphys. Watched the Chicago Bears give Minnesota a good roasting. The rules of American Football still puzzle me - at one point play was stopped and I asked myself "now why did the ref blow for offside ?". It became a bit clearer as the game progressed, but I will need to read up on it when I get back.

After an unsettled night I am writing this just after breakfast. It is 8:15 AM here. Today I drive down to Austin, where I will be staying for three nights. It's a legendary music town, so I'm expecting great things ! It will be hot, though..it was over 90 degrees here yesterday.  

Saturday 15 October 2011

15th October - Texarkana

Well, there was only ever going to be one outcome from that blog...

Saturday 15th - Taxarkana

Since my last blog in Nashville I've been doing the following :-

Wed 12th - drove from Nashville to Memphis. Listened to Reba McEntrye and two Gram Parsons CDs. Tired in the afternoon - had a brief nap in a rest area. Memphis greeted me with lightening bolts, claps of thunder, and a rainstorm. Hotel was dreadful - proprietor couldn't understand English and didn't seem to have heard of Elvis ! Room had loads wrong with it - bedside lamp wouldn't work, no plug for the bathroom, no shampoo, poor lighting. Power cut off briefly at one point as thunder clapped overhead, but it soon came back and the rain diminished. Room was actually quite comfortable but dismal. No breakfast facilities either.

Thurs 13th - Was pleased to find really good "Waffle House" breakfast cafe near the hotel. Rain had stopped too ! After bacon, eggs, and the most delicious orange juice it was off to Graceland. Did the full tourist bit - taken round the mansion and the grounds and did all the other exhibits. Spent considerable time at Elvis' grave; during part of this I was thinking of the scene in Spinal Tap and the "too much f****n reality" quote, but also it gave me great pause to reflect on my own life, of which Elvis has been such a large part. Battery in Digital Camera conked out in the middle, so I had to resort to the Blackberry. Stayed there all day, then got some grub and went back to the hotel.

Fri 14th - After another lovely breakfast I drove into Memphis and after a false start found a multi-storey car park in a reasonable spot. Price for all-day parking was $6 - that's less then Horsham, and this was the middle of town. Walked down Union Avenue to the original Sun Studios, where Elvis recorded his very first single. Guided tour was very well done by a very knowledgeable lady. Was photographed holding his original mike in the place where Elvis stood (between Bill Black and Scotty Moore) to record "That's All Right Mama" in 1954. Was so astonishing to be in the actual studio, seeing the original equipment ! Then caught a bus back into the centre and had lunch on Beale Street. In the afternoon I went to the Rock'n'Soul Museum, which had some fascinating exhibits showing what life was like for rural people in the South in the early 20th century. After that I walked to the banks of the Missisippi and read for an hour, then returned to the car. I then drove out to McLemore Avenue looking for the original Stax Studios. I found the street but not the studio, and so made my way back for the evening. Then found to my frustration that the fridge in my room had frozen some of my beers solid ! Oh well, good for me I suppose (and, as I was to find out, an omen of things to come !).

Sat 15th - drove from Memphis to Little Rock and then Texarkana listening mainly to Elvis but also a Johnny Cash CD called "American Recordings" which I really enjoyed. Stopped at a lakeside park about half an hour west of Little Rock and it was really beautiful. Treated myself to a Marriott Hotel in Texarkana after the two grotty hotels in Nashville and Memphis. The hotel is just into the Texas border, and I discovered that Texas is dry ! I'd bought a couple of beers in Arkansas, so I'm stocked up for tonight, after which I'll be dry for a week (I imagine you can get get beer or wine in a restaurant, though) - good for me I suppose. Had a swim in the outdoor pool here, and now I'm writing this !

It has been a magical time in Nashville and Memphis, and I've managed to see all the sights I wanted to. For the rest of the trip I have far fewer specific goals, so it'll be more a case of driving, relaxing, and checking things out as I go. I am sleeping very well here, better than in my flat (I never refer to it as "home", since it is merely a stopping-off point). Life on the road seems to suit me - maybe I should have been in a Rock and Roll band after all !      

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Tuesday 11th Nashville

What a day ! Spent all day in Nashville, and had a fascinating three hours in the "Country Music Hall of Fame". It's cooking on gas ! Learned all about the history of Country Music, saw one of Elvis' Cadillacs plus loads about Hank Williams etc. Discovered a great singer I'd never heard of before - Reba McEntire. Bought loads of CDs and a book, plus t-shirts for me and one for my daughter. What an amazing place ! This is why I came to America and travelled this way.

Tried to walk back to the hotel but realised there was no walkway over the interstate. So had to call a cab, which arrived within minutes. Things work in America - if you did that in Horsham you'd be lucky to get one at all. Had real southern Fried Chicken for lunch - delicious, and a nice change from the usual on-the-road burger. Nashville is very quiet - there wasn't much traffic or many commuters around. A pleasant change from the battering you get in London. Also Tennessee people are very polite and friendly. 

Tomorrow is another driving day, when I head for Memphis. I stay there three nights and will be soaking up all the Elvis stuff. Then I head for Austrin (Texas) and another three nights in what is a legendary music town. Janis Joplin came from there along with the 13th Floor Elevators, Doug Sahm, and others. After that I'll have c. a week to drive the 1300 miles to LA !

Monday 10 October 2011

Monday 10th October - Nashville

Writing this shortly after having arrived in my hotel just outside Nashville. Left Louisville c. 9:00 in a bit of a foul mood due to a text I received from England. While recovering from that I made a very English mistake at the petrol station. I had to go inside to "pre-pay", but then drove off without actually filling the tank ! Realised this about 15 mins down the road, then turned back and got the petrol. Just shows how ingrained some habits are - in England you always fill up before you pay. The guy at the petrol station was very pleasant - we discussed the economies of England and Detroit.

I lunch about 30 miles North of Nashville and had a brief chat with a group of Christians - baptists from Texas. Again this was largely on the economy and the fact that neither England nor America manufactures anything anymore. I then reached Nashville and realised that I'd totally misinterpreted the map showing where the hotel is - I'd gone way down Interstate 24 to the South East. I eventually managed to find the place, despite an interesting litle drive (totally lost) through the middle of the downtown district before I eventually found the place. The hotel is a bit shabby - you know I fully expected a better hotel from Nashville - but it will do for the next couple of days, and it's within my budget !

Musically I started with The Kinks singles - I often resort to these when I need cheering up as they are wall-to-wall classics. "Waterloo Sunset" and "See My Friends" are both favourites of mine. Then I heard some Johnny Winter - mainly for a couple of his 12-bar blues. He is probably the very best player of a straight 12-bar in rock music - his playing is astonishingly fast and full of feeling. Then it was a bit of the J. Geils Band (a bit knowing and arch for my taste), following by Wilco's "Yankee Foxtrot Hotel". This is a muted, pained, and wierd album which suited my mood well. Finally I played "River" and "Seed Of Memory" by Terry Reid. He is a remarkable singer and songwriter, and the latter album in particular is yet another of those "forgotten classics".

This is the first time I've ever kept any sort of holiday diary - if it wasn't for technology I wouldn't be bothering as I tend to remember chronological events very clearly. My old family holidays were all documented by my "ex" in her diaries - these entries (the ones I was allowed to hear read out) consisted mainly of observations about what she'd eaten plus the scenery. Mine consists mainly of musical musings as that's what I think about most of the time. That's why I'm here in Nashville. I'm in the mood for some classic "tears in my beer" country weepies. While I do like the independence of being on my own, some female company would be nice....Oh well. Paul McCartney is getting married again, so there's hope for us oldies yet !

  

Sunday 9 October 2011

Monday 9th Oct - Louisville, Kentucky

Today I drove from Chicago south on Intersate 65 through Indianapolis to Louisville. My room for the night is quite pleasant, but the hotel is a bit formal - e.g. I can't get a drink at the "nightclub" since I only have T-Shirts with me ! The drive was not spectacular scenically - long, flat, dry plains. The bridge in the middle of Louisville was impressive though. Lunch was at a Burger King in the middle of nowhere. No restaurant in this hotel, so I had to nip out to a local supermarket.   

Musically it was a varied day - two hours of the great Van Morrison and "The Story Of Them" for starters. There is some great obscure material on this compilation, including songs like "Friday's Child" which point towards his solo career. Then I had a bit of Tim Buckley - a bit quiet and drifty for bombing down the freeway ! After lunch I had the radio on for a bit - gospel music (well it is a Sunday !), before opting for some rock'n'roll with the Tom Robinson Band. "2-4-6-8 Motorway" is a great driving song, and the political protest material is still relevant today. Shows that the big issues just don't get resolved. Finally I just went with whatever was next on the MP3 player, which was Traffic. Steve Winwood's blasting guitar solo on "Dear Mr. Fantasy" lit up my afternoon. What a genius he is as a singer/guitarist/piano player.

My mood was a bit down today - lots of "where has it all gone wrong ?"-type musings. That was part of the idea of this trip - to get my head straight after a pretty lousy year - but hopefully there won't be much more of it as you don't want to do that too often ! Tomorrow I hit Nashville, where I stop for a day. Then it's Memphis, where it all began - what would my life have been like if Elvis hadn't walked into Sun Studios that day in 1954 ? Can't wait.      

Saturday 8 October 2011

October 8th - Chicago

Had another beautiful day in Chicago today. After an unsettled night with a couple of nightmares, I had a good lie-in and a late breakfast. Then I went back into town and walked round the "Magnificent Mile". Was delighted to stumble across a really good bookshop - even better, I found a copy of the "Illuminatus Trilogy" - one of my favourite books which had got lost in the move to my flat. So now I can re-read that as I'm travelling along, which will be a great boon.

Following lunch (burger again I'm afraid !) I went for a walk down the Chicago River Walkway and ended up at the Harbour area there. I sat and read for some time, and it was very relaxing in the shade. You walk besides all these massive skyscrapers and then all of a sudden you're by Lake Michigan. Then it was back via the Red and Blue lines and here I am in the hotel again.

I see that England were knocked out by France in the rugby. I'm not surprised as France have very strong three-quarters, and I always say that wingplay makes the difference in a game. We just scraped by in the football (or "soccer" as I should call it out here), so that's something.

I've just started a book on Gram Parsons, which is very promsing and a true American tragedy if there ever was one. Parsons is one of the giants of American music, and at least two of his albums - "The Gilded Palace of Sin" and "Grievous Angel" - are masterpieces of the form. He had so much talent, yet was destroyed by his privileged Southern background and all the problems in his family. He really had everything - even The Rolling Stones looked up to him - yet couldn't keep himself together. A great, great, musician though.

After two days going round the city I'm getting hungry for the road now. Tomorrow I head for St. Louis, then two nights in Nashville, followed by three in Memphis. This will be the real heart of the journey - a voyage right to the centre of where it all began that day in 1954 when Elvis Presley walked into Sun Studios in Memphis. I've dreamed of going to Memphis since my teens, and now I'm going to get to do it !

Off now for a swim and a beer. They do a lovely tap version of Newcastkle Brown here which I think is nicer than the original. Might not blog tomorrow as I'll just be stopping over in St Louis in as cheap a place as I can find.

Friday 7 October 2011

Friday 7th Chicago

Spent the day walking round Chicago. Started with a good hearty breakfast, then caught the Blue Line train into the downtown area called "The Loop". I got a card for $14 which gives me unlimited rides on the bus and subway for three days. My impression of the Chicago suburbs riding in was that they looked very much like London - they didn't have the "shanty town" feel of the New York suburbs, nor the elegant architecture of San Francisco.

Once I got off I was immediately latched onto by someone who wanted to give me directions but also clearly wanted money. After a few mins I managed to shake him off for $5 (he asked for $20, but I'm nothing if not a businessman !). I didn't stop for any other beggars, of whom there were many. As I went along I noticed that Ray Davies is playing here in November - would have been great to have caught him as the Kinks are big favourites of mine.

I wandered down to the Grant Park area and the harbourside, and then came back and had a delicious "Chicago Hot Dog" for lunch. I sat right in the corner of the bar. I then went in search of Rob's Chicago Bulls shirt, which I found in the second shop I asked in. I then took the Red Line out to Clark/Division and from there made my way to Lincoln Park. Once there I took pictures of the statue of Abraham Lincoln and then carried on to First Avenue Beach. Since it's over 80 degrees today there were plenty of people on the beach - had I bought my shorts I would have swam in Lake Michigan. Instead I sat down in the shade and read for a bit, and then returned back. Bought a "Rolling Stone" and a Beatles mag in the supermarket on the way back to the hotel.

Chicago's skyscapers are every bit as imposing as Manhattan's, albeit it's nothing like as crowded. Oh yes...last night in the bar I got into the typical "Englishman Abroad" bit of trying to explain cricket to an American ! I attempted to use as many Baseball parallels as possible, and I think he got the idea ! I do enjoy watching American sports on the telly, especially when I'm over here. Once I'm back in the cold of an English November I shall be relying upon ESPN America to keep me warm at night !

Overall it's totally thrilling to be in one of the great American cities. Tomorrow I will go to the 'magnificant mile" area, which looks interesting. One disappointment - I haven't found a decent bookshop yet. I do like to look round a good bookshop, but since Borders and Barnes and Noble closed the US appears to be bereft of them. Maybe everyone uses Kindles now..now that's a depressing thought (although I must admit I have one myself !).     

Thursday 6 October 2011

Thursday 6th Chicago

Well I'm here in my hotel in Chicago, and it's lovely ! I've just been in the pool, there's a bar and steakhouse next door, and there's a station up the road with trains into the middle of the town every 50 mins. I'm also within my accomodation budget of $100 a night, thanks to two very cheap nights at Super8 motels in the past two nights. I'm here for three nights and am really going to luxuriate prior to hitting the road again on Sunday and heading to St. Louis.

The drive today was really beautiful - over 80 degrees ! Ohio was a bit flat and dull, but Indiana was really lovely with views of lakes and woodlands. I stopped at a few places for a 'rest' (I love the term "restroom" !) and the people were really friendly. Then I came into Chicago and drove over this massive bridge - it was well wide ! Interstate 90 runs right through the middle of the town, so I saw all the skyscrapers and caught the mid-afternoon traffic. I then had a few interesting "diversions" around side roads trying to find the entrance to the hotel - sometimes Google Maps just doesn't quite match up to reality ! But it didn't cost me any time, since I gained an hour in moving into Central Time, so I'm now six hours behind the UK.

One of my main reasons for visiting Chicago is that I want to go to Lincoln Park, which is where Mayor Daley set his stormtroopers on demonstrating hippies outside the Democratic Convention in 1968. This was one of the most notorious episodes in sixties generational politics - for me the significance is that, when I followed this on the news at the age of 11, this was when I realised that all policemen were not wonderful and you couldn't always believe the Government. Then in November 1968 the US elected Richard Milhous Nixon as President, and the carnage in South-East Asia escalated further. Musically the mood of those times is best captured by the MC5's "Kick Out The Jams" album and also "Chicago" by Graham Nash and "Ohio" (which I drove through today) by Neil Young. Most people use Altamont as a symbol of the death of the sixties, but it really started right here in Chicago. From Mayor Daley to Nixon to Reagan and Thatcher.....oh what an ageing hippie I am ! 

Musically today was ace - I started with some blues by Canned Heat, including "On The Road Again" - one of my favourite songs ever. Then it was into Chicago's first album (before they became simpering wimp MOR drips), some Chuck Berry, and then Nils Lofgren's first album which is a forgotten gem. Finally, all through the centre of Chicago. it was the Paul Butterfield Blues Band - their anthem, of course, is "Born In Chicago" ! This music made me very sad - Mike Bloomfield plays some of the most adventurous guitar ever on "East-West" and, what with being Bob Dylan's guitarist at the time too (listen to his playing on "Like A Rolling Stone"), he was right there in the forefront of rock musicians. But after 1967 he could never find the right platform for his remarkable talents, and he eventually fell victim to drugs and died in the late 1970s a largely forgotten man. But true admirers of innovative rock guitar haven't forgotten you Mike - you were a trailblazer, one of many great musicians who have lit up my life over the years.

Off to the bar now for a nice relaxing evening. Then it's into the town tomorrow ! Will write again soon.    

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Wednesday October 5th - Sandusky

It's 18:30 and I am in a Super8 Motel in Sandusky, which is about 60 miles west of Cleveland on Interstate 90 on the way to Chicago. These motels are brilliant - under $50 per night and really nice rooms. The weather is really hot at the moment, and I'm ahead of schedule. The fireworks have started and I'm not even warmed up. Tomorrow I arrive in Chicago, where I am staying for three nights. Although I am enjoying the driving, I am looking forward to having a couple of days to just stroll round the city, browse the shops, and generally not drive ! This was always going to be the longest part of continuous driving in the whole trek.

Musically I have been treating myself to an extended session of The Band - prompted by "Look Out Cleveland" (which I drove through this afternoon). You couldn't wish for a better soundtrack to a drive through America near the Canadian border (four of the group, of course, were Canadians). "Northern Lights Southern Cross" is a late-period gem - a much under-rated record. "Acadian Driftwood" and "It Makes No Difference" are up there with Robbie Robertson's finest. I might be highly literal tomorrow and play "Chicago Transit Authority" on the way to Chicago. From there it will be Chuck Berry and Elvis all the way as I head south !

Off to the bar now - next entry will be from Chicago.

Tuesday 4 October 2011

The Driving Starts Today

Tuesday 4th Boston - had a great day yesterday walking round Boston. I went to Bunker Hill and climbed up the monument - 294 steps ! Sadly the windows at the top were all dirty, so the photos didn't come out to well. Went downtown and was sad to see that the massive Borders that was there three years ago was now closed. There was always a danger that that would happen, since the internet has robbed town centres of their soul - no bookshops or record shops anywhere now. Came back to the hotel via the subway.

Today I check out of here and go to collect my car. Hopefully they've remembered to give me one with an MP3 adaptor ! Then I've got three days to get down Interstate 90 to Chicago. I expect to have reached Albany tonight and Cleveland tomorrow night, and should arrive in my hotel (pre-booked) in Chicago on Thursday evening. I'll have two days driving c. 400 miles per day - these should be the longest drives of the trip. I'll probably blog again from Chicago as it'll be full ahead down the freeway for the next three days. 

P.S. Reading "Schrodinger's Cat" by Robert Anton Wilson. It's hilarious !

Saturday 1 October 2011

The Day Before

Well it's Saturday evening and I've just about got everything sorted out now. I still can't quite believe that I'm going to do this ! However if there was ever a time for me to do something like this then that time is now.

I'm off out tonight to see the remarkable Embers (see http://www.theembers.co.uk/), who have been such an important part of the "adventure" this year. They have great taste in covers - Tom Petty's "American Girl" is a special favourite of mine - and they also write very melodic songs with evocative lyrics which are easy to relate to. Ants is a brilliant frontman and strong singer, and Steve's guitar work is very shillful and varied. Feel sorry for him when he plays acoustic solos on Hendrix songs though ! It will be great to see them tonight on my last night in the UK for a month.

Tomorrow it's the bustle of the airport and then the eight-hour flight to Boston. I love airports, even more since I've been living alone - the excitement and enthusiasm is infectious. Hopefully I won't catch any infections myself - I've been dosing myself up with Vit "C" for the last few weeks in a (hopefully successful) attempt to ward off the office bug. Three of my team had chronic colds a week or so ago, but I seem to have survived unscathed. The flight will be very relaxing - I've a good book and an aisle seat. Couldn't be better (apart from the appaling food) !

The plan is to rest up for a day in Boston and then hit the road on Tuesday. I don't know what car I'm getting yet - I had enough trouble getting the travel agent to commit to them supplying a car with an MP3 adaptor ! I've been to Boston before and it's not a typical American city - it has more of an English feel to it. As well as the American history there, it was also a key growing point for the folk movement in the early sixties which (when fused with rock via Bob Dylan and the Byrds) propelled late sixties' music to glorious heights  Then on Tuesday I head off in the direction  of Chicago, where the real action starts. 

OK, I'll sign off now to make final preparations, have a shower, and then go out.