Today, knowing I had to visit the graves of my parents, grandparents and brother, I decided to take the paved county roads and two lane highways for the trip. It allowed me to take my time, think, and enjoy the view. What could have been a 163 mile round trip ended up being 181 miles and what might have taken (with stops at two different cemeteries) 3 1/2 hours at most took 7 hours (I stopped and watched a couple motocross races at my cousin's track.) A friend of mine says this is what his father called "shumpking." Another reason for my taking this route was for the memories. I can remember travelling the highways and back roads long before Interstate 80 cut Iowa across the middle. As I drove through Newton, Iowa where I attended elementary school, I was greeted on the west side by the drive-in movie theater. I can remember my parents taking us there to watch movies and us kids being in pajamas before we left the house. When I got to the roller rink, a construction company had replaced it. The electrical shop where Dad worked part time after he got off from his full time job at Maytag, an empty lot. Then passing through the center of town I see that the Ben Franklin 5 & Dime didn't make it across from the courthouse, but the Capitol theater where I saw Bambi, a ton of John Wayne movies, and others that today would bring social services down on the parents but we didn't have a rating system back then. On the other side of the square, the bank that had the Civil Defense Air Raid shelter is gone, replaced by a law office. As I went through the eastern half of Newton, I looked for the gas station where the police caught the two teenagers who jumped me while I was collecting for my paper route, it's now a Subway. I looked for the Kerr McGee Gas Station where I used to walk to get gas for the lawn mower, it's a bank. The A & W - gone. The numerous locally owned businesses that lined Hwy 6 either sitting abandoned, check cashing establishments, or replaced by national chain stores. As I approached the next town along Highway 6, Kellogg, I looked for the three skull and crossbones signs that used to indicate that there had been a traffic accident with three fatalities there - gone, probably not PC. On the other side of Kellogg where Sherm's Fish Hatchery used to be, nothing. The A & W in Grinnell - gone. Half the houses on Reed Street where my paternal Grandma lived - gone. When I got to Dad and Kenny Wayne's graves, the clouds opened up and soaked me, but I didn't mind, I was on a journey I promised my mother that I would carry out. I had promised that as long as I can I will ensure my brother Kenny's grave has flowers every Memorial Day. He passed away when he was 5 and I was 2. I think Mom never got past that day he died. After Grinnell, the church where my maternal Grandpa and Grandma had their 45th wedding anniversary - now someone's storage building. Then I got to Searsboro, the hometown of my mother and her parents, I went straight to the cemetery. As I got out of the car to put flowers on Mom's grave, the skies opened up and poured on me again, but again I didn't mind. I visited Mom's, Grandpa and Grandma's, and Great Grandpa and Grandma's graves that are all together there. I looked across the cemetery and see that my great grand parents' home has been torn down. I decide to drive through the town center where my great grandfather used to have a general store across from the café. Where the general store was, a grain elevator is. Where the café was, a pile of rubble. The post office is gone and so is everything else. What used to be a quiet little is pretty much gone. Where my grandparents’ house stood has been replaced by a single wide trailer. I leave town without looking back. I am only a few miles away from my cousin's motocross track and race ahead of the rain to get there. When I arrive I see the rain won the race. I sit with my cousins and catch up while we wait on the rain and then the track to be reconditioned. Afterwards I get the camera out to take pictures of these idiots scrambling through a sea of mud to win a plaque or a fist full of dollars. I left and came shumpking back home thinking about the landmarks that sparked memories for me mean nothing to someone else. I wonder if those memories are going to fade away into oblivion without the visual stimulation to spark them into the forefront. It sucks getting old. So, my question to you is: Do you ever go shumpking?
The Equinox is getting avg 32 on the hwy so the extra 18 miles cost me about $2.00 extra to do it my way.
Progress.... sad sometimes although inevitable. Watching "The Monuments Men" I find purpose in the preservation of effects whether personal or public as a marker or rather a time stamp if you will. Once lost I suspect only those involved could reflect on these things to reminisce about. The appeal of this in my view is the recognition of small American businesses that have suffered into extinction, the continual rain having little effect in disrupting the journey, great photos, and good gas mileage. Thanks for the read
I never heard the term before but yes...when I was younger it was one of our favorite things to do....many aimless miles...anymore life seems to get in the way....perhaps it's time to hop in the truck one day soon On a more important note I'd like to thank you for your posts lately.....you make the wheels turn in my head and help keep a lot of things in perspective....i hope you found peace this weekend
Memorial Day weekend seems to get more difficult each year as more and more comrades in arms and also family members have passed on. The prostitution of the holiday by businesses tends to bother me more and more as I get older. I heard one commercial today at least 4 times where the announcer said "In honor of our service men and women, this weekend only we'll give you 0% financing on a new Serta mattress and box springs." It has nothing to do with the many brave men and women who gave their lives for our freedom, but only how they will try and use those patriot's sacrifice to get the sales people's hands into your wallet. It makes me realize how far from morality we're sinking.
It started with "I do solemnly swear to uphold and defend the "Constitution" against ALL enemies foreign AND domestic" being bastardized to defending every pansy *** who stands in defiance of her, including our Communist leaning Commander in Chief.
Great post!!! Always enjoy doing this! Theres alot of times i find myself doing this in the work truck....LOL
Amen to that. Also illustrative of this trend is the hijacking of the celebration of Independence Day into the generic "July 4th." "July 4th" is a date. Independence Day is a holiday. Words matter - my wife, who has a masters degree in health care, did not know that the reason we celebrate "July 4th" was it was the day we declared our independence from England. She could not remember specifically ever having heard the term "Independence Day." She thought July 4th was "the day we won the Civil War." While I'm sure it had been briefly mentioned in some long forgotten grade school textbook, without consistent cultural contextual re-enforcement it just becomes another day off to grill, watch some fireworks and hang a flag if you're really feeling festive.
