October 14, 2021
by David Ryan
6 Comments

Checking Out a Post Office Mural in Madison, Illinois While Wandering on a Road Trip

This blog post picks up from where the last post – Discovering Locality While Wandering on a Road Trip – left off by the side of a horseradish field near Collinsville, Illinois.

One of the many horseradish fields near Collinsville, Illinois that makes the area the World’s Horseradish Capital.

After taking in the horseradish field, I realized that I had enough time to go to nearby Madison, Illinois (less than 15 miles from Collinsville) to check out a New Deal-era post office mural. The mural and its nearby location provided me the idea and context to continue my wandering adventure. Continue Reading →

September 30, 2021
by David Ryan
1 Comment

Discovering Locality While Wandering on a Road Trip

When I go on a long road trip I like to notice what’s along the way – the shape of the land, the color of the soil, how the land is used, what crops are growing, and whatever else may be out there to discover. Noticing just becomes what you do when you adopt the mindset of wandering.

As you pass through communities you may also notice that there is oftentimes a sense of sameness. The same Walmarts, cineplexes, parking lots, whatever. But if you takes a second look, you might notice something that sets that community apart from everyone else.

If you happen to visit Abraham Lincoln’s hometown (Springfield, Illinois) for the Lincoln sites,

You can visit Lincoln’s burial place when you are in Springfield.

Continue Reading →

May 30, 2021
by David Ryan
15 Comments

Wandering on the Edge of the Jeffery Epstein Empire

Earlier this month (May 2021), Channel 7 News in Albuquerque (KOAT) featured a story about the Jeffery Epstein – Zorro Ranch southeast of Santa Fe. Yes! That Jeffery Epstein, the now deceased and accused sex trafficking billionaire!

The story prominently featured an incident from October 2020 (last fall) where Epstein Ranch personnel stopped me and my dogs Petey and Sparky at gunpoint while we were on New Mexico State Trust Lands. Here’s the link to the Channel 7 news story if you’re interested watching it, https://www.koat.com/article/the-future-of-jeffrey-epsteins-zorro-ranch-in-new-mexico/36340115# .

Our adventure on State Trust Lands began innocently enough with my noticing many times a prominent volcanic feature (volcanic dike) dominating the landscape on the west side of NM Highway 41 south of Galisteo, New Mexico (southeast of Santa Fe). Every time I passed it, I thought to myself that it’s southern face must be loaded with petroglyphs. But when I slowed down for a closer look I also noticed several NO TRESPASSING signs and assumed the land was off-limits.

Continue Reading →