The Homogenization Of America

The Homogenization Of America

On the first of this month, Deb and I reached the sixth month point of living the full-time RV lifestyle. Over that time we have traveled through fifteen states and stayed in as many campgrounds - both public and private. Our travels have ranged from the starting point in S. Florida to as far North as Boston, then West to Indiana and finally back South to our current stop in Greenville, SC. Along the way we have seen vast and rugged natural wonders, become friends with local residents, enjoyed local cuisines and been blessed through being able to spend quality time with family. It's been a good journey so far and one that we want to continue as long as the fates allow.

But in looking back, there is one aspect of our travels that stands out in my mind: the homogenization of America's shopping corridors. No matter which state we have visited, all major population areas are dominated by the same fast food chains, big box retailers and almost clone-like shopping plazas. They all look and feel the same whether you're in the Deep South, New England or the Midwest. The local lay of the land may be different, but the overall view of this country along any major traffic route has become eerily similar.

This insight really came to light after our trip to the local WalMart a few days ago. Somehow, our conversation later turned to the various items we have purchased at WalMarts along the way. The surprising thing is that we both had to stop and think hard about which state we were in when we made the purchases. The sameness of the stores lay-outs and the sameness of the surrounding businesses blended into one big blur.

Before anyone chastises me about evils of corporate chains, understand that I am realistic enough to know they are now permanent fixtures of our society. They would not be as dominate throughout all portions of our country if they are not making big profits; and they are because the majority of our population chooses to spend money with them. Deb and I are no different. We shop at WalMart because of the prices, enjoy a hot cup of McDonald's coffee while on the road and purchase other supplies at major retailers. We know that in doing so the majority of our money will not stay in the local area, but at the same time these chains employee people, pay local taxes and provide necessary services to the community.

However, that being said, we have also made it a point along our journey to seek out the lesser known places to shop and eat - the Mom & Pop operations that are unique to an area. These have been the experiences we remember the most. We have created superb meals from purchases at Miller Meats in York, PA and Prevites Market in Weymouth, MA; we discovered the best bread-and-butter pickles since our Grandmothers made at a small fruit stand in Cave City, KY; we have enjoyed breakfasts at local, family-owned diners and devoured the best bar-b-que you will ever find at Bucky's right here in Greenville. They are all special and, at the core, the places that drive our economic engine.

We would encourage you to take the path less traveled and visit more of the lesser known places to eat and shop along the way. It makes life much richer and more directly supports people in the community.

copyright 2009 Lane A Geyer

photo by Jim Geyer

Going Underground

Diamond Caverns

There is one word that best describes our time in Kentucky - gray! Whether we were underground exploring the local caves or riding out the cloudy, damp days it was a solid two weeks of gray tones. But in spite of the weather, our time there was both comfortable and very informative.

Our stay was at the Singing Hills RV Park & Campground, located approx. 2.5 miles West of I-65 in Cave City and can best be described as basic. The grounds are a converted 40 acre farm that still contains a large 1900's farmhouse (now an antique/craft store) and a weathered wood barn. There are ample pull-through sites and a small pond. Other small farms surrounding the property contained a small herd of Angus cattle and a flock of chickens with roosters that crowed loudly each morning. The sites were muddy during rains and the buildings a bit dated, yet extremely clean. It's not a place for people seeking alot of activity, but for all it lacks in extras it was constantly filled to capacity and convenient to shopping areas and numerous cave systems. The owners, Beth and Eldon, were two of the nicest people we have ever met and have done an admirable job in making constant improvements to the property since they purchased it two years ago. A word of thanks to our gracious hosts for their genuine hospitality.

A unique aspect of staying in the area is knowing that you are standing, parked or driving above the world's largest cave system. Millions of years ago the bluegrass landscape of Kentucky was covered by a shallow sea. Deposits of tiny marine animals and plants eventually formed thick layers of limestone that were later dissolved by water to form vast underground passages. To date, over 500 miles of cave passages have been mapped and geologists believe another 500 miles remain to be discovered.

Our first journey underground was at the Mammoth Cave National Park. Although best known for the caves, the park is over 3,000 acres in size and beautifully lush with forests, plants, rivers, hiking trails, a lodge and wildlife. On our drive to the Welcome Center we had to stop for a large flock of wild turkeys crossing the road and saw numerous deer. The area was authorized as a national park in 1926 and fully established in 1941. At that time just 40 miles of cave passageways had been mapped. Today, over 365 miles of passageways have been explored and the park experiences up to 3,000 visitors per day during peak periods.

The park offers a variety of cave tours that provide access to over ten miles of the system and range from 45 minutes to three hours in length. We chose to take the Violet City Lantern Tour. Designed to recreate the experiences of cave visitors during the 1800's, participants are given oil lanterns to carry on a three hour, very strenuous three mile hike through large passageways and chambers.

Because the system is a dry canyon, there are no massive stalagmites or stalactites that people normally associate with caves. Instead, what visitors experience is a journey through time in an overwhelmingly immense, gray atmosphere defined by boulder-lined paths that house a fascinating history. With the oil lanterns being our only source of light, the experience felt truly adventurous. Along the way two knowledgeable guides explained the use of the caves by early native Americans, a commercial saltpeter leaching factory established for the making of gunpowder during the War of 1812, an ill-fated tuberculosis hospital and the transition of the system from private ownership to a national park. Due to the consistently dry atmosphere, artifacts from all of the above influences are in amazingly good shape. We would highly recommend this tour, but with one warning - it is not for the faint of heart. There are sections of the trail that are very steep, slippery and require climbs up oversize rock stairs; it's a workout!

Later in the week we visited Diamond Caverns, the fourth oldest, private show cave in the country that has provided tours for over 145 years. Being a wet system only 1/2 mile in length, it was a much different and less strenuous experience than Mammoth Caves.

As shown in the pictures above, the cave is presented by a state-of-the-art lighting system that highlights numerous stalagmites, stalactites and calcite crystal formations along passage walls. It is a beautiful atmosphere with sparkling calcite formations resembling diamonds overhead and cut-away displays of mineral deposits. Our young, but informative guide did a good job of explaining the unique aspects of the system as well as sharing interesting stories of the cave wars undertaken by private owners during the turn of the century. It's well worth the visit if you are ever in the area.

We are currently in the Knoxville, TN area enjoying a colorful, fall atmosphere. Will update you later on our experiences here.

copyright 2009 Lane A Geyer

Photos by Deb