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You are here: Home > Forum > A Place of Safety > General Talk > A Postcard from Grasshopper
icon7.gif A Postcard from Grasshopper  [message #24514] Thu, 02 June 2005 08:37 Go to next message
ron is currently offline  ron

Really getting into it
Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut U...
Registered: January 2003
Messages: 478




The absolute last thing I expected to find in my "snail-mail" box when I got home last night was a postcard from Cowboy Jamie, postmarked Amarillo, Texas! I think you can all appreciate what a totally happy surprise that was, and I know he won't mind if I share it with you. Here's what he said:

***

Hiya Music Man !!
I’ve been singin’ Amarillo By Mornin’ ever since I drove thru, specially the one line over and over: “I ain’t rich, but lord I’m free”. Hahahaha! I wish you could see the desert…I keep waiting for Niyol to whisper ‘hello’.
Take care and I’ll try to write soon.
Yehahhhhhhh!! JJ

***

Please, everybody, keep on thinking good thoughts for Jamie. I know he'll feel them coming his way.



We do not remember days...we remember moments.

Cesare Pavese
Re: A Postcard from Grasshopper  [message #24515 is a reply to message #24514] Thu, 02 June 2005 11:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13780



I guess the US Mail had to get there first. Plus I am sure he was able to mail it with an ordinary stamp while en route. I guess it will be a few days before I stop being jealous of you and get a note from him Sad

That must be quite a slog across country from Florida to wherever he has gone



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Patience, Timmy!  [message #24517 is a reply to message #24515] Fri, 03 June 2005 09:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JFR is currently offline  JFR

On fire!
Location: Israel
Registered: October 2004
Messages: 1367



Timmy wrote:

>>That must be quite a slog across country from Florida to wherever he has gone<<

I don't think that those of us who live in "small" countries are able to appreciate the vast distances that separate places in North America. Where I live I could get from the far north of the country to the far south in one (long) day's drive. You, Timmy, could get from Land's End to John O'Groats in 2 to 3 days easy driving. Travelling from Florida westwards would take much more time I would imagine, especially with one of the travellers being an invalid. Stop fretting! You'll get your letter soon enough!

I do quite envy Jamie going to live in the desert. I lived in the desert area of my own country for 18 years: it is really beautiful. I wish I could return there. I have been told that our desert is rather reminiscent of Arizona - or wherever it is that Jamie's family is headed.

Go west, young man!



The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
Re: Patience, Timmy!  [message #24518 is a reply to message #24517] Fri, 03 June 2005 09:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13780



I have SO got no idea of ranches and farms in the USA. I'm guessing he must be passing through the desert on the way to somehwere fertile. Or is the desert fertile? And if so, how can it be desert?

I need an American to help me understand here. Who can tell us about farms and stuff?

You know here to John O'Groats by car is no more than 2 days. It is about 800 miles. But hauling a horse trailer, that would take far longer. I'd expect 3 nights from south UK to North Scotland under those circumstances. So if he's gone, for example, to Wyoming (heck it's the only famring country I've heard of, ok? And I have no idea if Amarillo is on the right route for Wyoming anyway.) then I am guessing a solid week of travel. Maybe a couple of days more.

And that means that I won't get any news until next week Sad Ok I am being selfish here, but I miss him.



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
For Timmy, and American P.O.V.  [message #24521 is a reply to message #24518] Fri, 03 June 2005 15:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
yourbestgayfriend is currently offline  yourbestgayfriend

Likes it here
Location: Appleton, Wisconsin, USA
Registered: August 2003
Messages: 214




Timmy, you daid you needed one of our points of view to help you understand.
First of all, the U.S. carries within its borders every kind of terrain the planet has, except the Tundra and Permafrost. We have farming being done in every single state, from Maine in the far northeast to California in the Southwest. We have desert in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California, predominantly. Eastern Oregon and Washington states are high desert terrain, and just east of that is where the Rocky Mountains cut down from Canada to Arizona and New Mexico.

I live in Wisconsin, which is in the middle of the Country, but in the Northern Midwest. My relatives came here from Germany in the 1700's, and settled in what is now New York State and Wisconsin. Some notes from the time say they settled in those areas because the terain and climate was so similar to Northern Germany (Hamburg area), that the change in farming procedures was very minimal. (Sort of an historic rabbit trail for you...)

For Jamie's travels, I believe he is going to be ranching in either Wyoming or Colorado. Both states are very mountainous, but Colorado is more so. The ranches in that area are huge. Literally 10's of thousands of acres, with fencelines miles long in many cases. To travel from Florida to Wyoming, would take a person in a car approximately 3 days of hard driving (12 plus hours), or 4 average days of driving. Our interstate speed limits range from 65 mph to 75 mph, and most everyone travels at 10 mph over the speed limit.

Jamie's family is probably travelling through Texas to either see relatives or just sight see. It is very flat and brushy in western Texas, and again, the ranches are thousands of acres in size. Those ranches typically do not have very productive soil, so it takes many acres of land and grasses to feed an animal there, as opposed to being able to feed an animal in Wisconsin on 2 or three acres in some cases.

Our desert land is some of the most fertile in the world, but honestly, desert land is th emost fertile land on the planet. My mom lives in Arizona, and their local joke (which is a truism as well) is "stick a plant in the ground, water it and it will grow like a weed!!" Her bushes and hedges in her yard need to be trimmed back weekly. In Wisconsin, we trim ours every month or so in the summer. You asked "if it's desert, how can it be fertile?" It is fertile because there is a constant deposit of minerals, etc. in the soil, but because nothing grows there, it is never used up... so the soil continues to be rich but nothing is ever taken out of it. Like I said above, if you want something to grow... grow it in the desert. Another example: Revlon (the cosmetic and perfume company) grows hundreds of acres of fragrant roses in the Southeastern Phoenix area to add fragrance to their perfumes and cosmetics. If you like roses and want a fragrant treat, just drive past the rose fields!!!!!!!

Also, if Jamie's family is pulling a horse trailer, then they are probably travelling slower and only a maximum of 8 hours a day or so. It will take them days to get to where they are going then. Beautiful ride though.

I invite you to come to the U.S. to see it sometime. It is beautiful here, and even though the political climate is questionable at times, we still live in a beautiful place and we do live in peace... which I wish more Americans were thankful for. I still think it is a great place to live, and while I love to travel, I am always glad to come home to our beautiful country.

I hope I have covered your queries and given you some more good things to think of. Please give me a call, email, or whatever if you want to know more!!!

Hugs, and Thinking of and Praying for JJ with you all !!!!
BamBam

Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy



Celebrate your life... embrace your love... Become intimate with your place in forever !!!
Re: For Timmy, and American P.O.V.  [message #24522 is a reply to message #24521] Fri, 03 June 2005 18:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13780



I never realised that desert was fertile. Mind you that can't be true of all deserts, surely?

I just got this cooooool map of the USA. Wow. Things are in different places from the places I expected. I wonder why I though Arkansas was in the west? Must be nuts.

Looking at the state map of the USA I am none the wiser. I guess wherever he's gone it's one heck of a long trip. he said it would take a while to get there. A couple of people have guessed Wyoming along with your guess of Colorado. I had it pegged for wherever Dreamchasers was set, too. Well I guess we'll see. or not. Depends if he decides to tell us, well me or Ron I guess.

I know for sure they;re likely to be busy as heck though. Horses to settle in, house to mend. Kind of cool they've been there before and know their way around.



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Re: For Timmy, and American P.O.V.  [message #24527 is a reply to message #24522] Sat, 04 June 2005 10:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Clay49 is currently offline  Clay49

Getting started

Registered: September 2003
Messages: 8




timmy, the distance from Richland,Fl ( a town I chose in south central Florida, I have no Idea where Jamie lived in Florida) to Amarillo,Tx is 1542 miles, with a driving time of 24 hours, 45 minutes. This came from MapQuest. this is "best" driving time. The route is the "northern" route via Alanta , Nashville and Memphis all three citys are nightmares dearing rush hour and can add a lot of hours to the drive. just to give you an idea of the driving times.
Re: For Timmy, and American P.O.V.  [message #24529 is a reply to message #24527] Sat, 04 June 2005 22:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13780



Thanks. I have such little concept of distance in the USA. I just know it's quite large. I live in a country where it is about 900 miles north to south.

I'm guessing horses get exhausted on a long haul. I imagine standing on a rush hour train for more than an hour and I get tired just thinking of it. So I suspect they need a decent break and to run a bit and to roll in the dirt.



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
icon9.gif But even through all of this...  [message #24542 is a reply to message #24529] Mon, 06 June 2005 23:24 Go to previous message
yourbestgayfriend is currently offline  yourbestgayfriend

Likes it here
Location: Appleton, Wisconsin, USA
Registered: August 2003
Messages: 214




I still miss Jamie. He touched all of us so deeply... and for someone who is just 18 years old!!!

His age, heart and mind surely have a wisdom that is beyond his years. He has seen so much, and is so able to put those things into words... it still amazes me how I can smell and feel the New Mexico air that he wrote about in Dreamchasers. Note to Timmy: Dreamchasers is set in New Mexico, which is sandwiched between Arizona and Texas...southwestern U.S. Very arrid in places, but beautiful desert nonetheless.

But however melancholy I may be, it still won't bring his writing back... bt maybe the goodness and the wonderful Karma he sent out to others will ride on light wings back to him and bless him for blessing us!!!!!

Warm Hugs and Peaceful thoughts.....
BamBam



Celebrate your life... embrace your love... Become intimate with your place in forever !!!
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