When you drive rural roads as much as I get a chance to do, you see some very interesting sites and meet some incredible people. In driving through Pratt, KS I stopped when I saw this 60s neon sign for a local restaurant.
In nearby Mullinville, KS I was attracted by a half mile long series of sculptures, most with a political bent to them. When I stopped at M. T. Liggett’s nearby workshop, I quickly learned that I was meeting one of the most negative people that I’ve run into for quite some time.
It didn’t matter the subject; FEMA, national government, local government, internet, tourism, Greensburg’s tornado; M. T. was against it. Not that he had suggestions for improving any of those items, mind you. He was just against them.
It is a wonderful country in which we live. We’ve got all sorts of people. I’m blessed that I get to deal with some very positive ones as I travel around the country. It makes me appreciate them more after I spend a few minutes with people like Mr. Liggett.
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2 comments:
I envy you that you get to travel the country doing this--and getting paid to do it.
I travel the backroads of my home state (Maine) and like you, enjoy seeing some of the unique sites.
Just discovered your blog and am finding the reading interesting and provocative, particularly your thoughts on rural development.
I do workforce development and recognize the challenges facing our own rural areas in Maine--how to grow the economy, while preserving the unique features that make people want to visit Maine each year. Currently, there is a tension between "smart" growth (anti-sprawl and sustainable) and those that want to pave it all over and erect a big-box on every corner.
I look forward to continued reading.
I have to agree with you. It is hard to believe that I get paid to tour the country and I pinch myself at times at my luck. At my last count, I’ve gotten the chance to tour over 300 towns in 43 states and driven hundreds of thousands of miles in between those community tours in the past three years.
One of the biggest challenges I see in many towns is trying to balance the rural “feel” and changing that with unfettered growth. It is a decision that the local people in a community must consciously make or the growth can just overwhelm them. It is tough to try to recreate that unique “sense of place” once it is lost.
I hope that you continue reading and enjoy my journey. We also have a weekly ezine, called the Agurban, that you can sign up for on our website. It also is free. And, you can have the blogs sent to you each day via email by signing up to the FeedBlitz at the top of my blog.
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