Indiana Wants Me

… Lord I can’t go back there.

I wish I had you, to talk to.

For those too young, or too cool, these are the words of Canadian singer/songwriter, R Dean Taylor in 1970. I think he gets caught by the police at the end - I hope that is not my fate!

And to be honest I probably won’t - go back there, I mean - unless chased by the Kentucky cops. But our route to Bowling Green, Kentucky, took us through the south western corner of Indiana, so that makes 45. Couldn't be avoided! Honest.

In fact, as we are now in Kentucky, that is 46! Only Tennessee to go on this trip but I have been there before, so for now I am stalled with 4 to go. This is not the whole purpose of these trips - I promise! Although I did look to see how far it was to the Iowa and Ohio borders!

Last night and today has brought us face to face with the (how to put this nicely?), range of opportunity in America (again, I am not holding up the UK as a beacon of equality). Last night in the positively charming college town of Bowling Green, home to Western Kentucky University, we were served in a lovely bar by a WKU graduate, travel and professional employment aspirant - who hopes to work in the remote economy allowing him to work from wherever in the world he wants. Son of graduate, middle class parents, he may be carrying debt but the world really is his oyster. Today, on the way back from Mammoth Cave we lunched at the Porky Pig Diner in, I kid you not, Pig. Only 20 miles from Bowling Green we might as well have been in a different universe. Our server looked worn out and disillusioned - at the age of perhaps 20. I am pretty sure she neither had the college education nor the opportunity. Her world appeared to be considerably narrower. I say this not to disparage her in any way, but to remind myself of the disparity of opportunity, which I believe is only growing, where neoliberal policies put so called economic growth and individual responsibility above all else. In our country too! According to this ideology, if you are poor it is your own fault. I believe a government spokesperson in the UK this week told those who could not afford their heating bills to go out and get a better job. He should be ashamed. But I bet he isn't.

And so to Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the world at well over 400 miles of underground (obvs!) tunnels. The main purpose of going to Kentucky (yes, it was!), and somewhere I have wanted to go for some time. Magnificent place, although I would have to admit to be a little disappointed with the "tour". Two hours of "difficult" access according to the brochure, but the only thing left available when we booked, was in reality a lot of stairs up and down, in the company of perhaps 100 other punters! Personal it wasn't.

For perhaps three quarters of the visit it was a procession and only at the end did we see some cave formations that raised the pulse rate a little. To be fair to Mammoth, it is known for its size rather than its stalactites or stalagmites, but, unless you are prepared to don the caving gear and go seriously off piste, you don't actually get a sense of its size underground. So I guess I will stick that in the "bucket list" fulfilled, but there are definitely much prettier caves.

The National Park that surrounds (covers?) the cave is as it happens rather beautiful and reminded me a little of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi. Quiet roads with trees either side just showing their fall colours, and commercial traffic banned. A speed limit of 50mph, makes for a relaxing drive. For anyone interested the Natchez Trace is also a National Park and is 444 miles long, from Natchez to Nashville. Most of it is only 100m wide! Unusual shape then! We rode it on the bikes about 5 years ago. I am rambling now!

As I write this I am sitting in a coffee bar on the campus of Western Kentucky University. It is a beautiful campus and I am at least 40 years older than anyone I can see. I hope nobody asks me what the hell I am doing here. Wonder how long I could get away with visiting professor of psychology? Something tells me, not long!

So before I sign off for now, I nearly forgot. Yesterday, (was it only yesterday?) before we left St Louis (we say it the French way, without sounding the S, but the locals call it St Lewis - it was named after a French king so we are of course correct and they are all wrong! 😉), we visited the Federal Reserve Museum. And rather excellent it was too. And free! Again, a testament to American ingenuity at times - the whole decentralised structure of the Federal Reserve system (12 federal reserve banks around the country and a board of governors in Washington) was designed following a banking crash in the early 20th century to avoid an over centralised and politically interfered with banking system. Something we only got around to in the late 20th century when the Bank of England was given its independence. Just perhaps that had some impact on the growth of America throughout that century and the UK's relative decline. Yes I know there were world wars as well, just saying, maybe, a bit?

We got to try to pick up a real gold bar too!

And on the other side of the American coin (tenuous link!), St Louis Courthouse, part of the Gateway Arch National Park is where Dred and Harriet Scott filed for their freedom in 1857. The Supreme Court ruled they, and all African Americans, were not citizens of the United States and therefore not entitled to their freedom. Opposition to this decision partly led to the Civil War and the Scott's struggle for freedom stands as a defining moment in the civil rights movement - that of course took more than another 100 years! Sadly the Courthouse was closed for renovation but I am honoured to have paid my respects.

Sorry, its been a bit of a history and political tour/ramble today. But I travel not just to see places but to try to understand the socio-economic forces that shape society. I'll get off my high horse now!

PS If you are ever anywhere near Memphis, I recommend the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King was assassinated. It is moving and brilliant. Right, that will do.