Lincoln was not there in person at the Brewery Bar last night but had left a whole pile of leaflets with the bar staff in case I came in.  Suggesting all the roads I should travel on.  All of them back the way I had come and I just can't go backwards now.  Got talking with some people at the bar who turned out to be mother, daughter and daughter's boyfriend -Ellen, Ashley and Jake.  To my astonishment they had never heard of 'The Wire' which I have realised played its part in bringing me over here.  Were it not for its skillful and complex portrayal of Americans I might have stayed stuck with a negative stereotype of them.  Mind you some Americans are doing their level best to reinforce those stereotypes.  On the back of a pick-up truck today was a notice stating that the 'Founders of America created a Christian country (Not a Muslim one)'  Not only pig ignorant of the facts, the country was specifically founded on the basis of religious freedom and tolerance, but happily displaying that ignorance to all and sundry.

Sitting next to the mother of the group, we just started talking about politics and I had expressed the opinion that the Republicans were all, by and large, barking mad when she told me that she was one.  I was keen to follow this up and maybe, finally, have that elusive conversation with someone prepared to defend the US.  However I need to go to the 'bathroom' and when I returned they'd left.  They'd left me a note with their names and 'Bye. Nice to meet you! Enjoy!  There went the first opportunity; straight through my fingers.

Took non-Interstate roads eastwards for a hundred and fifty or so miles:

ONLY IN AMERICA (Should have taken this from dead in front; its an upside down house)

EASILY CAPPED BY THE TITANIC 400 yds DOWN THE ROAD

Don't you just love that little fountain playing on the bow

Again I went past houses varying from the palatial to the quite poverty stricken.  At least 3 if not 4 'Yard Sales' spotted as I motored by.  These appear to be people putting their possessions out in front of their house in the hope somebody will buy some of them.

Ellen from last night, the mother who probably scribbled the note, had been 'let go' about 3 or 4 months ago from her real estate job.  In receipt of some kind of benefits, I didn't quite follow the details, she epitomised the contradictory nature of what I have found here.  She was firmly optimistic about the future in the face of all the objective evidence that its grim.  Its a real shame, for me, that I wasn't able to spend more time teasing out those contradictions.  Mind you they were out to enjoy themselves and by the sound of the ingredients of the Tennessee 'tea' they were drinking, at least 4 different spirits in it, I don't suppose in depth political discussion was topmost on their agenda.  Probably why they made a sharp exit.

Tomorrow I meet Amy, Linda and Hall for a lunchtime reunion.  Remember the 'Crazy Baker'?  Then its back to base at Stu and Jan's in Washington DC.  Good news is that their friend with a cottage on Cape Cod has resurfaced and it looks like I'll be able to stay there in the days leading up to the wedding.  Its only about 120 miles from the wedding venue in Worcester Mass.

Some reflection perhaps then, over the weekend.  I am a bit tired of motel/hotel hopping.  Not as weary as my plastic is; but that's another story and my business entirely.