December 25

I’m now home at Walkers Bridge. I arrived safely on Saturday night about the same time my sister, brother-in-law and dog nephew Spencer arrived. Since then, there has been no time to collect my thoughts and share them.

Now that I have a few minutes, I’ve found myself checking the web to see what’s going on in Sacramento…what’s the weather (chains required on 80), what’s the latest news (blown transformer in midtown), and who is up and posting Christmas greetings already on Facebook.

I’m both home and away from home at the same time.

Enough of that. One big difference in California and Mississippi is the price of gas. Actually, that’s a difference in California and every other state I passed through.

I’m a proponent of SB 1 and will continue to be but I’m hard-pressed to explain the $2+ difference.

The trip from Abilene, Texas, was uneventful but long. Before reaching the Mississippi state line, we crossed the real state border: the Mississippi River. I’ve made the trip from Vickburg to Jackson many times, albeit 30 years ago, but I was beginning to feel in familiar territory. I took time out in a Jackson to play tour guide to traveling companion, Armando. We drove by the State Capitol, the Governors Mansion and a few other landmarks. The streets were deplorable …which may speak to the gas price issue, and downtown was abandoned. The capital city I once lived in is clearly facing many of the same issues a lot of other urban areas are challenged with. California seems to be ahead of the game on infrastructure and reinvigorating downtowns. What I didn’t see in Jackson (although perhaps I just didn’t see it) was the problem of homelessness which was so visible in Sacramento.

I guess every place has its own challenges and opportunities.

For Walkers Bridge, the main challenge seems to be internet access which I think I can address with one call to AT&T once the holidays are over.

Tomorrow brings one more road trip: first to New Orleans to drop off Armando, and then to Mobile for a two-day vist with more family. There may be another travel blog in the works, but for now, here are photos from the last travel day.