September 6, 2010 – Monday – Labor Day – Montpelier, Ohio to Hornell, New York (408 miles and 7 hours)

Big Field wishes a Happy Labor Day to All!

Look me in the eye, Buster

Today was a full day of driving. At one point we stopped at a Travel Mart on the Ohio Turnpike for food and rest. Behind the checkout counter was a girl in her 20s with a name tag that said “Amanda.” Big Field strode right up to the checker and quipped: “I have a granddaughter named Amanda. Are you as smart as she is?” Without missing a beat, the checker smiled: “She’s probably smarter than I am because I’m working at a truck stop.” One more American ego bites the dust at the hands of Big Field.

It was a little like a few days ago in Laramie, Wyoming, when through most of the dinner, Dad challenged the Chuck Wagon Restaurant waitress with three riddles. After missing the first two, she brought her boyfriend, the cook, out to help. Even the team of two could not handle the third riddle.  Dad suggested that mere high school students could solve those riddles and harrased the waitress for not listening and thinking carefully.  Big Field convinced the "delightful young damsel" (Dad's words) that he lived in a city called Prong Horn, Montana (which does not exist).  As I paid the tab at the cash register, the waitress, a biology major at the local university, shook her head: "I used to think I was pretty smart until tonight."

When I told these human tragedy stories to Marcus, he laughed and suggested that we contact psychiatrists in the states along I-80, and warn them of the upcoming tsunami of 20-year old service industry girls who had been "fielded" and might be limping their bruised egos into local counseling offices for deep therapy. Marcus suggested that we ask for psychiatric referral fees off all the collateral damage as Big Field rolls on East.

Dad writes the following:

Late in the afternoon we stopped for lemonade at a roadside stand operated by the local Rotarians, a delightful couple. When Dad told them of our intention to visit Mormon historic sites, they responded that Sydney Rigdon was buried just two miles from where we stood in New York State.


After a day and a half of seeing only fields of corn, we were struck with the beauty of the rich forests and fields of New York State. As we listened to an audio book about the battles fought by the Colonial Army against the Red Coats, it was easy to imagine how the untrained militia might harass and win battles over British soldiers marching in columns.

Mark’s narratives of our trip are almost more fun than the trip itself. He’s treating me like the proverbial baby, and doing everything possible to make things easier – somewhat reminiscent of how I’m treated by The Lady I live with. Tomorrow we enter into the meat of our expedition – the historic sites of early Mormonism. A main reason I accepted Mark’s invitation to make this wonderful trip is to strengthen my own testimony by studying and praying at these sites – especially the Sacred Grove. But there is great added enjoyment and depth in discussing Church history and the Gospel with Mark. He is an in-depth, creative thinker, able to express his thoughts in challenging, innovative and rewarding ways. However this trip ends, I will be a better man than fellow who started out.



There being little to photograph today, here are some great pics from Big Field's adventure at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles during 2009: