Rearview Mirror: Amarillo to Walsh

 

 

David Gilkey/NPR

 

1:38 PM ET | 09- 4-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Road Food (and the Remedy): The Bean Burrito

This burrito almost killed David Gilkey. And there was nowhere to seek medical attention. Tastiness: 1.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

6:55 PM ET | 09- 3-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Looking Back on the Last Four Days

David Gilkey/NPR

 

We have resumed our trip to Phoenix -- albeit with some changes to the itinerary. Because of our detour, we're no longer taking the train from Kansas to Santa Fe. Instead, we're currently booking it across Texas. We only made one stop between Fort Worth and Amarillo and that was for a visit to Bayou Bob's snake ranch near the town of Santo (expect more on that later).

I'm using this long drive to sift through the massive amount of tape we've collected and to reflect on the last few days...

Continue reading "Looking Back on the Last Four Days" »

1:16 PM ET | 09- 3-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Rearview Mirror: Kansas City to Tyler to Fort Worth

 

 

David Gilkey/NPR

 

12:31 PM ET | 09- 2-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Corndog

We'd be lying if we said this was our first corndog of the trip, but we'd also be lying if we said it was the best. As it turns out, when wrapped in wax paper for too long, corndogs tend to lose their crispiness. Tastiness: 4.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

11:42 AM ET | 09- 2-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Update from the Road

We're diverting to assist with Gustav coverage and will update Take Me To Your Leader as events warrant.

-- Thomas Pierce & David Greene

3:38 PM ET | 08-31-2008 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Rearview Mirror: Kansas City

 

 

David Gilkey/NPR

 

4:28 AM ET | 08-31-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Gas Station Mocha

One part hot chocolate and four parts stale coffee, the gas station mocha is a morning staple when you're on the road -- or even when you're at the laundromat. Tastiness: 3. Resourcefulness: 10.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

6:35 PM ET | 08-30-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Rearview Mirror: Springfield to Kansas City

 

 

David Gilkey/NPR

 

-- Thomas Pierce

3:38 AM ET | 08-30-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Lifelong Fiddler (and Democrat) Still Pondering Obama

Glenn Morrison says good strong leadership has never been as important as right now, but he's not sure who he'll vote for this November.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

Glenn Morrison comes from an old Arkansas music family. His twin cousins were well-known performers, and his father, Willie Morrison, sang at the 1963 music festival that put his town of Mountain View on the map. And so when we got to town to talk about music and leadership, everyone said we should go see Glenn.

Martin Darrell -- a fiddler in Mountain View who's trying to preserve traditional music of the Ozarks -- volunteered to take us.

Martin Darrell works to collect and transcribe old fiddle tunes -- some of which predate the Revolutionary War. He doesn't own a TV and doesn't care about watching the conventions.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

Martin led the way over twelve miles of windy, dirt roads to Glenn's home, where we were invited in to chat about music and politics -- but mostly music. He even unpacked his fiddle and played us a song called Eighth of January.

We did manage to talk a little about the elections. Glenn is a lifelong Democrat, but this year he's not sure which way he'll vote. When asked about Obama, he said he doesn't know enough about him. Glenn says he hears a lot about what Obama's going to do and not so much about what he's done. And not knowing enough about Obama is "the only thing that causes [him] doubt."

At the same time, he's not a huge fan of McCain either. He doesn't like to hear McCain talk about Washington being broken because after twenty-plus years there, McCain "may have helped break it, if it is [broken]."

When looking for a leader, Glenn says people want someone they can trust -- no matter what level of office. And for him, trust begins with knowing and being comfortable with your candidate.

-- Thomas Pierce

8:26 PM ET | 08-29-2008 | permalink | comments (12) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Drumstick

We made a late night convenience store run for a reliably delicious ice cream treat: the drumstick. Tastiness: 7.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

2:31 PM ET | 08-29-2008 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Rearview Mirror: Ozarks

Part of what makes any cross-country road trip so enjoyable is watching one landscape slide into the next -- the long stretches of farmland, the collections of fast food restaurants and gas stations off the highways, the Main streets with coffee shops and laundromats, the foothills that grow steeper and steeper until suddenly, you're in the mountains.

I think our fellow traveler, David Gilkey, has captured that amazingly with his photographs of what goes by outside the car window. He's taken so many that we've decided to start sharing them in a series of posts called Rearview Mirror. These are some the sights that we witnessed yesterday driving from Mountain View, Arkansas to Springfield, Missouri:

 

 

David Gilkey/NPR

 

-- Thomas Pierce

10:25 AM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Wisconsin Smoke Stack

Beef jerky, cheese, and Andy Williams collide in Branson, Missouri. Tastiness: 3. After-taste: -2.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

12:33 AM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

You Are Our Navigator

Every spare second counts on this trip. That's why we've set up our car as a command center: cables and converters litter the floor and seats. Blackberries and cell phones slide along the dashboard. We try to write and file stories as we travel. We also use the time to read all of the suggestions listeners have been sending us. That's what we did yesterday as we pulled out of St. Louis. There are so many excellent ideas that we honestly don't know where to begin.

We wave goodbye to St. Louis.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

One listener thinks we should visit a Navajo leader in Fort Defiance, Arizona, who is an advocate for the religious rights of inmates. Another listener in Olathe, Kansas, says we should visit her pastor, who's a "brilliant storyteller and funny as heck." And then there's the yoga instructor in Kansas City who helps people apply the principles of yoga to their everday lives and the husband and wife middle school teachers in Fort Collins, Colorado who work to get art displayed in public places. I wish we had time to visit everyone of these people.

We continued reading letters out loud to each other all the way to Arkansas. Winding our way through the Ozarks, up and down the hills, we were forced to stop reading. Car-sickness. But we eventually arrived in a town called Mountain View -- a place suggested to us in one of your letters.

Even Panda the dog enjoys the music in Mountain View.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

Spontaneous bluegrass jams happen all over this town. We braked in front of the Mountain View Music Shop, where a group of pickers gather every Tuesday to play Old Time music, which predates but sounds similar to bluegrass. So as Hillary Clinton addressed the crowds in Denver, we listened to traditional mountain music -- banjos, guitars, and fiddles -- in the state her husband once governed.

-- Thomas Pierce

4:00 PM ET | 08-27-2008 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Sugar Coated-Donut

While perhaps not as architecturally impressive as the St. Louis Gateway Arch, this Super King Store Sugar-Coated Donut did not fail to deliver. Oh, wait, it did. Tastiness: 2.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

8:27 AM ET | 08-27-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Ferry Boat Captain Picks His Leaders

On the drive to St. Louis, we took a ferry from Grafton over the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. That's where we met Kevin Nolle, the ferry boat captain. He says he's not happy with Obama or McCain but does look up to Ted Nugent and Jesus.

When the weather's nice, Captain Nolle lets his trainee drive so he can mingle with the customers. He says he loves his job because he sees sunsets most people only see on postcards.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

-- Thomas Pierce

2:44 AM ET | 08-27-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Mapping Our Trip: Update

We've updated our road trip map. You can use the map to chart our progress and find the stories that have already aired. We have more stories to come from the southern Illinois area, and we'll update soon. As always, let us know where we should pull over. Comment below or email us at meetyourleader@npr.org.

View Larger Map

-- Thomas Pierce

11:08 AM ET | 08-26-2008 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Who Do Mascots Look Up To? We Still Don't Know

The Gary Railcats, northwest Indiana's beloved Minor League baseball team, have made it to the playoffs. The stadium, situated near the US Steel works, was packed with fans yesterday afternoon. We stopped by for a couple of innings to watch their game against the Joilet Jackhammers.

The general manager of the stadium says running the place is like throwing 48 parties a year.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

We profiled a few of the stadium employees -- including the general manager and a vendor named Ms. Fantastic -- for a piece today on All Things Considered. But we were bummed that we didn't have time to include a conversation we had with Railcats junior mascot, Rascal the Cat.

Rascal the Cat (AKA Antonio Taylor, 17) knows no speed limit on his tricycle.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

Even though we weren't able to include our interview with Rascal in the piece, we did learn some valuable lessons from the experience. For example:

Lesson 1
Mascots have large, fake heads, and microphones don't pick up voices very well through 4 inches of foam and fur.

Lesson 2
Mascots aren't supposed to talk. A talking mascot is apparently very scary to a small child.

Continue reading "Who Do Mascots Look Up To? We Still Don't Know" »

8:45 PM ET | 08-25-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Frog Leg

An Illinois soybean farmer sold us these fried frog legs at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Turns out the legs were shipped from a frog farm in China. Tastiness: A surprising 5.

David Gilkey/NPR

 

8:28 PM ET | 08-25-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Smoking or Non-Smoking?

While in Gary yesterday we stopped by the Zion Progressive Cathedral International, where a couple of parishioners were gathered around a billboard outside the church.

What about second-hand smoke?

David Gilkey

 

Inside a church pastor delivered a sermon to the youth. Sandra Younger, an associate pastor, stepped outside for a moment to chat with us about the church and leadership. She says a leader is someone who follows God -- a person who knows the word of God and asks for direction.

Sandra Younger doesn't think she'll pay a whole lot of attention to the convention but says it's important who's elected President as it pertains to whether or not that person will let God guide him.

David Gilkey

 

Younger also told us that even though there's a feeling of hopelessness that's pervaded this city, God hasn't taken his eyes off Gary.

-- Thomas Pierce

6:54 AM ET | 08-25-2008 | permalink | comments (10) | e-mail post

Road Food: The McDonald's Breakfast Burrito

Smaller than advertised? Perhaps. This egg and sausage burrito was offered up by the McDonald's on the tollway between Chicago and Gary, Indiana. Tastiness: 4

David Gilkey

 

1:00 AM ET | 08-25-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Windy City, Farewell

We left Chicago bright and early and crossed the state line for a quick detour to Gary, Indiana. Exploring the city, we were struck by this:

A campaign poster finds life after primaries in Gary, Indiana.

David Gilkey

 

This sign, nearly buried under weeds, was a stark reminder that not so long ago, Barack Obama almost overtook Hillary Clinton in the Indiana primary thanks in large part to voters here in Gary. David Greene was with the Clinton campaign that night and remembers as her staffers grew more and more nervous as the results in Gary trickled in. She won the primary -- but barely.

-- Thomas Pierce

9:08 PM ET | 08-24-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Wrigleyville Peanut

Marcus Lyons knows peanuts. He's been selling them for 14 years outside Wrigley Field. Tastiness: 6

David Gilkey

 

5:09 AM ET | 08-24-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

A Wrigleyville Bride

We tried to be equitable in Chicago, hitting both the North Side and South Side. You'll hear from the South Side on Morning Edition Monday - our report from legendary Izola's, a soul food diner where just looking at the "candied sweets" (potatoes in their most divine form) makes your mouth water. But first things first - on Weekend Edition this morning, we'll tell you about two Cubs fans we met outside Wrigley Field.

Donna and Lindsay Keegan outside Gate-D at Wrigley Field.

David Gilkey

 

Mother and daughter, they became the perfect people to help kick off our trip focusing on real leaders we look up to. As you can see, the daughter, Lindsay Keegan, was enjoying a bachelorette weekend with her mom, Donna, some other friends and her beloved first-place Cubbies.

Lindsay Keegan sports a baseball cap veil.

David Gilkey

 

Oh, then there was Marcus Lyons. Been selling peanuts outside Wrigley for 14 years. He helped us snag another photo in our "Road Food" photo gallery that's going to tantalize your taste buds as we move from place to place!

-- David Greene

3:59 AM ET | 08-24-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Road Food: The Chicago Dog

Millenium Park. Chicago, Illinois. Tastiness: 8.5

David Gilkey

 

2:28 AM ET | 08-24-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

On the Ground, Microphones Ready

Watching TV in bed this morning, I noticed that everyone in the news business seems to be in Denver. Everyone except us.

Meet the team: Thomas Pierce, David Gilkey, and David Greene.

David Gilkey

 

That's right, we're not going to Denver in search of senators and superdelegates. Instead, we are driving across America in search of other, less obvious leaders -- the high school Chemistry teacher or the street vendor who gives you dating advice. We've asked for your suggestions, and we're listening. Cynthia Nelms writes that we should come to Mobile, Alabama to meet Mayor Sam Jones, who works across party lines. Jessie Giambra and Emily Brown think we should visit their world history and geography teacher at their high school in Phoenix. Someone even suggested we come to Hawaii (and we very, very regretfully must decline).

We have officially begun our search in Chicago -- home of the Bulls and the Cubs and the White Sox, hotdogs with relish and pickles, deep-dish pizza, and Barack Obama.

(And don't worry: this is the last time you're going to see a photo of us. Gilkey made us do it and look whose face is conveniently blocked by the camera.)

-- Thomas Pierce

8:02 PM ET | 08-23-2008 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Mapping Our Trip

Here is a rough sketch of the trip-- courtesy of Google maps. It's still a work in progress, and we haven't decided on all the stops. That's where you come in. Check out the map and let us know where you think we should go and who we should meet. Remember we are looking for folks in your community who are leaders and we don't just mean political leaders. So let us know if yours is a detour we should take? Comment below or email meetyourleaders@npr.org.Trust me: we're reading your ideas.

View Larger Map

-- Thomas Pierce

11:15 AM ET | 08-19-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Headed Your Way

Do you live between Chicago and Phoenix? If so, we may be coming for a visit.

Starting Friday, August 22, my NPR colleague, Thomas Pierce, and I are packing our suitcases (and audio equipment) and getting ready for an old-fashioned road trip.

We're starting in Barack Obama's hometown of Chicago. And we'll make our way to John McCain's hometown of Phoenix.

Thomas and I will be in rental cars, on trains... maybe catch a ferry or two.

We came up with the trip because as McCain and Obama accept their parties' nominations, there's going to be a lot of talk of presidential leadership. But leadership doesn't just live in the White House. There are leaders in every city and town, in every school and business and in every family.

This is where you come in. We want you to take us to your leader. Who do you look up to? Whose actions make a difference? It could be your mayor or your mom, your teacher or your pastor, your boss or your bartender. Whomever you suggest -- it's a person we may want to meet.

If you want to help, post a comment here on the blog, and everyone can see it. Or, email us personally at meetyourleaders@npr.org.

Meanwhile, we'll keep you updated on our itinerary. It's still pretty rough. But we've got a tentative plan for the first few days. On August 22-23, we'll be hanging out in Chicago. On August 24, we'll be stopping in Gary, Indiana. And on August 25, we're setting off across Illinois, perhaps stopping in communities like Joliet, Pontiac, Normal, Lincoln, Springfield, Carlinville or Alton. Then it's on to St. Louis, and westward from there....

Again, this is just a first draft. So whether you live in any of these places or not, tell us why we should stop in your community. Tell us about leaders we should talk to.

-- David Greene

3:53 PM ET | 08-15-2008 | permalink | comments (19) | e-mail post

Take Me to Your Leader: the Road Trip

While most of our election unit colleagues are busy gearing up for the Republican and Democratic Conventions next month, we're preparing for a different kind of adventure. Come convention-time, we will pack our clothes and microphones and embark on that greatest of American traditions: the cross-country road trip.

And where will we go? Thus far, we only have a rough draft. We'll begin in Chicago, Barack Obama's hometown, and slowly make our way to Phoenix, John McCain's hometown. Our trip is premised on the idea that every hometown has a leader. So while McCain and Obama are accepting their party nominations, we want you to take us to your leader.

Who is it that makes a difference in your community? Is it your congressman, an activist, an elementary school teacher, Boy Scout headmaster, the textile magnate, pastor, rabbi, or the 6 o'clock news anchor? Is it the high school football star who was drafted into the NFL, the financial advisor who helped you avoid foreclosure, the union boss who stood up for higher wages, or the woman who saved downtown by opening that new burger joint? Or is it your brother, your aunt, or your mom?

We leave in three weeks and want to hear from you. We may not immediately respond, but believe us, we're taking notes.

--Thomas Pierce & David Greene

12:48 PM ET | 07-30-2008 | permalink | comments (22) | e-mail post