Midwest political tone less harsh, bitter than us

(Sharon and I have just completed a four day, three night drive from Columbia, S.C. to back home here in Payson, Ariz.  Part 2 of 3.)

Tennessee is one of the widest states. On its south, it borders a part of North Carolina, and all of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. In other words, it’s pretty much a day trip.

We left Ringold, Ga. around 8 a.m., and after a hearty McDonald’s breakfast to go, we headed west, hoping to make Memphis or beyond by nightfall.

Highway 64 is an excellent road, much like an Interstste highway except in places where construction is going on to improve it. We could drive for miles at the full speed limit, but then slow to a crawl for a stretch. Even with the interruptions, we made excellent time and arrived at the outskirts of Memphis well before dark, so we decided to go on into Arkansas and get as close to Little Rock as we could.

The further you go west, the more the land becomes relatively flat, making it ideal farm country. Large corporate crop and livestock farms become more and more prominent the further west you go. In Tennessee, however, and to a degree in Arkansas, relatively small family farms are still in operation. It’s now hundreds of acres instead of 40 or 50, perhaps, but the tradition appears to be alive and well in many areas. Cattle raising probably outweighs vegetable crops to a degree, except where corn is farmed for feed.

Homes are brightly painted and yards are well trimmed. Barns and silos look to be well maintained. Tractors and other equipment still show a lot of John Deere green. On the surface, at least, America’s Heartland is still a proud and well maintained area.

When we did stop, we heard only the mild kinds of protests you might expect against taxes, big spending and government farm programs. We both noted that there didn’t seem to be the harsh, bitter tone, the inflammatory anti-government raving one seems to hear from eastern and western big cities. Perhaps there is more time on a farm to think through and sort out important issues.

Farmers are used to operating in debt for much of the year in hopes of paying it off and getting a small positive return. Their equipment is typically mortgaged for at least a five year term, often more - usually until about the time it wears out and new gear is needed. Large debt is a way of life. Managing the debt and return are what concerns farmers.

People are very much informed, though. Whenever it was discovered that we were from Arizona, our state's new immigration bill was brought up. Most were in favor, but there was a concern that honest cheap labor will be adversely affected. Short conversations don’t usually tell the whole story, but these themes were relatively uniform wherever we went.

We stopped for the night in the small community of Hazen, Ark. The area has been hard hit economically because of a slow down in tourism. Only one restaurant was open - a Mexican cantina run by a local family. We assumed, and didn’t ask whether they were legal. The place was clean and cheerful. The waiter spoke perfect English with only a trace of an accent. He was a son of the owners and had only recently graduated from a local junior college.

The food here turned out to be some of the finest true Mexican-style we have ever encountered. Everything was very fresh and perfectly seasoned, beginning with the salsa and freshly made crispy tortilla chips. Fresh tomatoes, onion, cumin and cilantro were perfectly blended with a light touch of mild peppers - we cleaned the bowl. Sharon ordered quesadilla’s with grilled chicken, a perfect amount of excellent cheese, pico de gallo and guacamole on the side and Spanish rice. I had a large burrito filled also with grilled chicken and an assortment of superb veggies and sauce. The chicken was all breast meat, marinated and perfectly open-fire grilled. Everything tasted as if it had just been freshly made just for us.

Sharon had iced tea, but I had a Corona which came with a frosted mug and a slice of fresh juicy lime. It was Mexican, not Tex-Mex, and it was wonderful. If you ever find yourself in Hazen, you must stop and dine at Locos Lobos - arguably the best Mexican restaurant we have ever enjoyed. Go figure.

The next morning, we were pleasantly surprised when we realized that we had entered a different time zone, so this actually gave us an extra hour of travel time. The weather ahead in Oklahoma was beginning to be a concern - heavy rain, hail and even tornadoes, so we heard. Maybe we could get through the worst areas without incident. The car was holding up beautifully, and we were somewhat ahead of schedule, so away we went.

(Next week: Noble and Sharon conclude their journey.)