Date: Tue, 8 Jul 1997 08:46:09 -0800
From: Charlie Ford <cford@mindspring.com>
Subject: Denver to Chicago, The long Way

I left Denver early in the morning on the first of July.  I drove along
Interstate or "slugslab" 70 toward Hays, Kansas.  It was there that I was
to meet Dan Kahl, a guy that sent me a message at the beginning of my
journey to stop in and visit.  I am very glad I did.  Pleasant is a good
word to describe our first meeting.

East Colorado is nothing but desert.  At least in Wyoming you could see a
prairie dog, or antelope every now and then, but in the region I was
presently in you could see nothing but desert.  I am sure that somewhere
out there life is abundant, but from where I was sitting you damn sure
couldn't tell it existed.  I just drove.

Daniel Kahl is not on the VW list, he is on the AmeriCorps list, and a
person of service he does appear to be.  He coordinates an AmeriCorps
program in hays that does many great things for the community.  I had
looked forward to meeting him because he had asked me to drop in and meet
with his students, and stay the night.  Plus he just seemed like a great
guy to get to know.

My expectations of "fine person" were exactly right.  I didn't get to speak
to his class of members, but I did get to meet him and his family.  I was
welcomed although they had recently been experiencing some dilemma.
Apparently someone had gotten hold of Dan's social security number and had
fraudulently ran up quite a debt on Dan's credit.  They had borrowed money
using his name and social, and when it came time for the payment to be
made, the bank called Dan catching him totally by surprise.  Thieves are
among us, that is for sure.

I spent the afternoon and next morning in Hays.  Dan explained that Hays,
Kansas is where Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, and Wild Bill Hickok use
to hang out.  We visited the original Boot Hill, and read of all the
murderers, cut-throats, and thieves that had been laid to rest.  The marker
on the site tells of the many that now rest here in this "outlaw" cemetery.
Interesting to say the least.

I left Hays the next morning and continued east.  I drove to Russell Kansas
and turned north.  for those of you that don't recognize that name, Russell
is the boyhood home of Bob Dole.  it is nothing more than a "heartland"
town.  I stopped in at the local Police station and spoke with an officer.
He told me that Dole hasn't lived here in years, and mostly during the
election he used it as a campaign punch rather than a home.

The officer did say that he comes to town every now and then and visits
some folks that live there, but not for very long at all.  Sometimes, he
explained, we don't even know he is here until he is about to leave.  Bob
just sort of sneaks in and sneaks out.  I guess most politicians are this
way.

>From Russell I took Highway 281 north.  I was on my way to Beatrice
Nebraska and wanted to take the back roads to get there.  I drove out of
town, increased my speed to 60 and leveled out.  Not only did my speed
level out but so did the and.  Except for a few rolling hills this land is
quite easy driving.  the farmland is full of green vegetation and the smell
of "good growth".  I drove along finding myself dropping into a sort of
hypnotic state.

I rolled along 281 until I reached Osborne, Kansas.  it was north of here a
few miles that I turned due east onto Highway 24.  I drove through much the
same type terrain as I had all day.  I eventually came to highway 128 where
once again I would turn north.

If you look at a map of Kansas, or any other midwest state you will see
that the roads and bi-ways are laid out pretty much in a grid of north and
south, east and west.  Not much confusion here.  Either you up, down, left,
or right.

I eased along 128 until I got to highway 36 where once again I turned east.
I drove it too Highway 81 and turned north.  I followed 81 into Nebraska,
and at Hebron, I turned east on 136 which would take me too Beatrice where
No Quarter lives.  I stayed in Beatrice two nights enjoying the hospitality
of Erin Lassley, a list member.  I am sure you guys read his post about my
visit.  Erin is a great guy and I enjoyed my visit with him and his family.
They are good people.

I left Beatrice and headed toward Fountain City, Wisconsin where I had
received an invitation from Lenny Alcamo.  I kind of felt like I would take
my time and camp somewhere in between Beatrice and Fountain City, but
things just didn't work out that way.  I had a clutch problem and felt like
I needed to get somewhere so I could diagnose the problem and fix it.
Fountain City seemed to be the best place to do that.  I drove all day and
arrived in Wisconsin that evening around 5:30.  Not much sight seeing that
day at all.

Lenny pretty much told me exactly what the problem was.  We decided to
tackle it the next morning rather than try and work on it that evening.
Janet, Lenny's wife cooked a great meal and we all sat around and talked
for a while.  these guys are great people.  Len is a jack of all trades,
master of none.  He is also an artist of stained glass.  You guys should
see his work, thats about all i can say.

Len gave me a special gift.  He made me the most fantastic window display.
He told me at first not to tell you guys, but then he changed his mind.
Len made a stained glass VW emblem for my back window.  It is done in
basically the same colors as the bus and just shines like a penny when the
light runs through it.  It looks great and would make a handsome gift for
your special VW enthusiast.  Every time I look at it I will think of len
and Janet and Fountain City, where the big muddy Mississippi makes it's way
to the south.

On the night before the fourth we went to a local park and I sat and
listened to an Accordion band.  I met so many people, all of which asked me
what I was doing in Fountain City.  Sometime I get so tired of telling the
story.  I finally just settled in and listened to the music.  Great music
it was.  Everyone kept asking me why I didn't join in, geez, how do you
join in on what is already as good as it gets.  these guys had been playing
together a long time, and me and my feeble attempts at song might disrupt
the balance of nature that had begun long before I ever came to town, so I
sat and listened.

Len and the others play a beautiful medley of tunes.  All of them seem to
have that midwest Polka flavor mixed with a little bluegrass.  I had a
great time and met some really good people.  Fountain City is a fine place.
Untouched by tourism and peaceful to boot.  This is my favorite Wisconsin
town so far.

On the 5th I left Len and Janet and headed down to Madison, Wisconsin.  I
met Bob Whitby there.  Bob is a newspaper editor for a local paper called
the Isthmus.  The paper is sort of the same style as "Creative Loafing", a
weekly dedicated to expression and real local matters that matter.

Bob and his wife, Peggy, daughter Cory, whos is a pistol ball, and Bob's
mother, who was visiting from Texas, made me fell right at home.  We
partied, ate, celebrated and talked on the fourth of July weekend.  This
fourth was I think the best I have ever had.  Most of the time in past
years I have worked through this holiday.  Thanks Bob for the words of
encouragement and the hospitality.  I think much of you, and hope we can
always be friends, and maybe one day colleagues.

I headed on down to Chicago this past Monday and I am now in the process of
looking for work.  I was supposed to lay carpet for a guy but that appears
to have fallen through.  I hope I can find something soon, money is getting
tight.  if anyone out there has suggestions please e mail me.

Thanks for tolerating my rambling's.

Charlie Ford


"79" Transporter, dressed for the road
The Mothership

 The"Turning 40 Nostalgic VW Service Tour, and
Search for the Beginning of Wind".

http://www.armory.com/~y21cvb/charlie/charlie.html

"Wider still and wider.....shall thy bounds be set"