Excerpt
Later diners included the slick, streamlined eateries of the 30s and the Colonial/Mediterranean restaurants in the 60s and 70s.
LIFE ON THE ROAD
Roadtrip Attitude
What is it that makes a roadtrip different from average, ordinary vacation? Like the car and open road, the roadtrip has acquired a specific meaning; the type of roadtrip ingrained in American tradition revolves around the journey and experience of travel itself. As Robert Pirsig, author of Zen and Motorcycle Maintenance mused "To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow."
At one extreme, a roadtrip can be a marathon, a test of endurance, a major undertaking. Visiting all of one sort of thing is a popular way of planning out a trip -- taking a tour of Americas mystery spots, hitting up all of the missions in California, or visiting all of the lighthouses on the East Coast, for example. Event-based trips are also popular -- baseball roadtrips from one stadium to the next are an American tradition, as are "follow your favorite band on tour" roadtrips. Every year people make pilgrimages to large gatherings such as Shakespeare festivals or to watch battles put on by the Society for Creative Anachronism. Fair game, too, are historical tours, such as the Lewis aid Clark Trail, and any sort of funky place-name themed trip, like setting out to see both Truth or Consequences, New Mexico and Love, Ohio.
At the other end of the spectrum, a roadtrip can evolve without a concrete goal, only a vague direction and desire for knowledge and experience. The exploration of a specific region or historic two-lane highway is a good way to start out, as is following one of the cardinal directions. This kind of trip, more digressive and languorous, revolves around discovering the lives and culture of the people who live along the way -- seeing every historical site, stopping at every diner, mingling at every bar. This is the sort of back-road wandering made famous by Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon. In Blue Highways: A Journey into America, Least Heat-Moon separates the classic roadtrip into two types of experience: the epic roadtrip and the lyrical roadtrip. An epic roadtrip embodies the spirit of adventure, while the a lyrical roadtrip is a journey of personal exploration, the best sort of trip for solo travelers.
Roadtrip Traditions
FRIENDS. From Bonnie and Clyde to Thelma and Louise, roadtrippers traditionally travel in pairs; roadtrip culture is oriented around the experience of a shared journey. Picking the right friend or friends to bring along requires care, but a trusty companion in the front seat makes the miles go by faster. Bringing a friend also means you have an extra navigator -- unless your travel companion of choice, like John Steinbeck's, happens to he a dog.
WHO TO TAKE ALONG:
The Adventurer: Adventurers are outgoing and are not afraid to deviate from prearranged plans to see a sight that a complete stranger recommended to them. They are not embarrassed to engage in long conversations with people they've never met before and find out where the locals hang out. The adventure's motto is: "Sure, sounds like fun."
The Navigator: These godsends couldn't get lost if you blindfolded them and left them the middle of the forest. They have lodestones in their foreheads, know how to read maps, and yet are not overconfident in their abilities; they know when to ask for directions. The navigators motto is: "Regardless of whether this feels like the right off-ramp let's make sure just in case."
The Optimist: These positive individuals somehow know how to make changing a tire in the snow on the New Jersey turnpike feel like a rousing good time. They take adversity with grain of salt and keep the big picture in mind. The optimist's motto is: "Good thing the radiator overheated, otherwise we would never have seen this sunrise."
RITUALS. Miles of uninterrupted cornfields have inspired an extensive collection of road games to eliminate that persistent "are we there yet?" Favorites include I Spy, Twenty Questions, Road Bingo, and the License Plate Game, in which the firstt player to identify license plates from all fifty states wins. For some ideas, check out
There is also a repertoire of roadtrip superstition . Details vary by region, but standards include holding your breath while driving past graveyards, across state lines, or through tunnels, making wishes when you see a haywagon or at the end of a tunnel, and raising your feet while crossing bridges or railroad tracks. Another common ritual is the "punchbuggy' game, in which the first person to see a Volkswagon Beetle shouts "punchbuggy!" and punches the ceiling or (in a more risky version) the arm of the person next to him or her. Variations of this classic, taken very seriously by the finest of roadtrippers, include shouting "p-diddle' or extending the ritual to include pink cars, limousines, or cars with one headlight.
ROAD ETIQUETTE
A growing concentration of rushed drivers on America's highways means road etiquette is increasingly important. Unfortunately, road rage incidents are no myth. Tailgating, gratuitous horn-honking, driving with high beams on when approaching other cars, eye contact with aggressive drivers, and obscene language and gestures are all road taboos. On highways with two or more lanes, the left-hand lane (the "fast lane") is for passing, and on any road, it is standard politeness to let faster cars pass. One of the most offensive gestures in the US is extending the middle finger of your left hand. Also known as "giving someone the finger," this gesture is considered not only rude, but obscene.
Because roadtrips mean long times in small spaces, certain standards of car etiquette should probably be established before you go. Communication is essential with getting along with people, as is flexibility. Share, because other people like candy too, and when all else fails, just chill out -- take a few breaths, close your eyes, lean back, and feel the wind in your hair.
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ROADFOOD
Today, most Interstates and many highways are lined with fast-food joints, but the real richness and variety of American roadfood can best be found at local, non-chain ice-cream parlors, hot dog stands, barbecue pits, delis, and diners.
Diners have historically been places where entire communities congregate to enjoy a homestyle meal in a comfortable atmosphere. The first roadside diner, however, was little more than a horse-drawn wagon in 1872. The classic diner, a modular, factory-made structure, still appears along many roadsides, and usually promises warm (if greasy) food, considerate service, and a piping hot cup of coffee.
Regional Treats
With a little extra attention and a discerning eye, a roadtripper can experience a variety of flavor, ranging from the spicy green chilies of New Mexico to the sweetness of New England maple syrup. Finding such regional delights at their peak quality can end up the highlight of any roadtrip.
NORTHEAST. America's English settlers first landed in the Northeast, combining their staples of meats and vegetables with uniquely American foodstuffs such as turkey, maple syrup, clams, lobster, cranberries, and corn. The results yielded such treasures as Boston brown bread, Indian pudding, New England clam chowder, and Maine boiled lobster. The shellfish are second to none.
SOUTHEAST. Be prepared for some good ol' down-home cookin'. Fried chicken, biscuits, grits, collard greens, and sweet potato pie are some of the highlights of Southeastern cuisine. Virginia ham is widely renowned, and ham biscuits provide a savory supplement to lunch and dinner dishes. In addition to the famed collection of animal by-products that make up "soul food" -- pig's knuckles and ears, hog maws, and chitterlings (boiled or fried pig intestines) among others -- Southern cuisine has a strong African and West Indian influence in its sauces and spices.
LOUISIANA. Chefs in New Orleans are among the country's best, and creole or Cajun cooking tantalizes the taste buds. Smothered crawfish, fried catfish, jambalaya (rice cooked with ham, sausage, shrimp, and herbs), and gumbo (a thick stew with okra, meat, and vegetables) are delicacies. The faint of taste buds beware: spicy Cajun and creole cooking can fry the mouth.
TEXAS. From juicy tenderloins to luscious baby back ribs to whole pig roasts, Texans like to slow cook their meats over an open fire, flavoring the meat with the smoke from the burning mesquite or hickory. Eat at any of the state's many BBQ joints, though, and they'll tell you that the real secrets in the tangy sauce. For those in the mood for something ethnic, enchiladas, burritos, and fajitas are scrumptious Tex-Mex options.
MIDWEST. Drawing on the Scandinavian and German roots of area settlers, Midwest cuisine is hearty, simple, and plentiful. The Scandinavian influence brings lefse (potato bread) and the indomitable lutefisk (fish jellied through a process of soaking in lye). Breads include German Stollen and Swedish Limpa Rye, complementing an assortment of meats, cheeses, soups, and relishes.
CALIFORNIA. Fresh fruits and vegetables are grown throughout California and the Central Valley; avocado and citrus fruits are trademark favorites. Southern California has more Mexican influences, while the long coastline allows for excellent seafood throughout the state. California is also home to the spiritual mother of all road stops, In-N-Out Burger, where you can get a simple and cheap 50s-style burger that has been nowhere near a microwave, heat lamp, or freezer. Do you want a malt with that double-double?
SOUTHWEST. The Mexican staples of corn, flour, and chilies are the basic components of Southwestern grub. Salsa made from tomatoes, chilies, and tomatillos adds a spicy note to nearly all dishes, especially cheese- and chicken-filled quesadillas and ground beef tacos. In most Southwest roadfood stops, you can get green chile, a spicy extra, on pretty much anything you want.
CANADA. Canadian specialties vary by region. Newfoundland boasts the food with rather unusual names, including bangbelly (salt pork in a spiced bun,) toutons (salt pork with white raisin bread), figgy duff (a raisin pudding), and Jigg's Dinner (a large meal prepared in a pot containing salt beef, cabbage, turnips, carrots and potatoes). Smoked salmon is a favorite in British Columbia, and Quebec is well known for its maple syrup (served on everything from pancakes to omelettes to meats) and varieties of poutine, a tasty combination of french fries, cheese curds, and a thick, dark gravy sauce.
MEXICO. Cuisine in the Puebla region is often topped by the regional specialty, mole Poblano, a thick, sweet chocolate sauce served over chicken and turkey. Along with this is served camotes, a sweet potato dessert. In Oaxaca, travelers drink coffee a la olla (slow cooked with sugar and cinnamon) alongside dishes topped with the local mole Oaxaqueno, another sweet mole variant cooked with bananas. Foods from the Yucatan are Mayan influenced and consist of meats baked in banana leaves covered by fruit-based sauces.
ROADTRIP CULTURE
Literature
"Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road . . . >From this hour, freedom!"
--Wait Whitman, 1856
The roadtrip that you are about to embark on is the stuff of poetry. The journey along the open road in search of a new life, new experiences, and a new understanding of America has fueled the creativity of authors before the first Model T rolled off the assembly line, and generations of writers and poets have found life on the road an incisive place to mount a critique against the fast-paced consumer culture of America. |
