As a teacher we were typically subjected to “unannounced observations”…..they were  usually viewed with some trepidation as they were snapshots that lasted only a brief period of time and yet could become a significant portion of our evaluation.

To some degree, I feel like our trip across the country is just like an unannounced observation.  We didn’t plan or read up on where we were going to stop and what we might find of interest there.  As such,  did we really get a view of what America is truly like or is it just as invalid as some of those unannounced observations?

Our first stop was just outside Toledo—I remember looking at Tim and saying “rust belt” as we passed a few shuttered factories; strip malls with empty stores and generally not prosperous looking communities—but how do you define prosperous looking?  By Arlington standards?  By Midwest standards?  Is this glimpse a reflection or an aberration with regard to middle America?

Madison Wisconsin was another story—a university town, with many of the universal aspects of a university town.  The central shopping strip was a little dog-eared and it was hard to tell whether it was on the upswing from down times or falling apart.   The interesting thing, though, was the continual presence of gubernatorial recall signs—and the constant speaker on the steps of the state capital.  Clearly this is a community with many divisive issues ahead of it.  Is this a reflection of what the entire country is facing?

Sioux Falls was not unlike Toledo—but since we stayed much closer to the center of town, you got more of a sense of civic pride.  They have a fabulous art program—where sculptors donate their outdoor sculptures to the city for a year—so there’s an ever-changing streetscape.  How I wish the arts were more important in our governmental budget decisions.

The last few days were spent in the Badlands, Custer State Park, and New Hope, Montana.  New Hope is a tiny town—but is does have three banks!  Again, it appears to be struggling to survive as most of the local businesses appear to make all of their income from a very limited tourist season.

So..what does it say about the state of our country?  I’m not sure

(sorry for the lack of images…WP 3.1.1 and I are not getting along)