A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

On the Road, Again

By Jimmy Johnson

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I’ve been doing my share of driving lately, so I thought I’d post this little series. It has run here before, but that was about seven years ago, I think. I used to spend many hours on the road but not so much in the past few years. Now, I’m back at it to a degree. I’ve been traveling the same roads a lot, a back-and-forth type journey. I get bored with the same old scenery and the same old obstacles. I know to slow down for this speed trap. I know when the traffic in that city will be terrible. I know where ALL the bathroom stops are. Well, that last one can be a good thing, but I find myself looking at road maps (or MapQuest, etc.), searching for alternate routes, the “blue highways” popularized in the 70s by William Least Heat Moon’s book of the same name. Do you do that? I have wound up in some amazing places.
On another note, I have been contacted by visitors to this site who are worried about a regular who has been conspicuous by his absence lately. Popularly known as “Ghost,” he is so regular that others are worried, because he has failed to post in the past 10 days or so. I certainly share hopes that Ghost is all right, but I am afraid I am powerless to do much, beyond encouraging him to let his friends know he is all right, if his absence is deliberate for whatever reason. I’m proud of the feeling of community many of you share, but that is your doing, not mine. I hope Ghost will return soon.

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62 responses to “On the Road, Again”

  1. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Ghost, how do we know that you aren’t dead? You are a ghost after all. A lame joke. I knew that you were fine. I’ve been very busy myself as you can see from the time. It was a coincidence that today was the Navy’s birthday as I have been to a wedding at what used to be Trader Jon’s. If you were connected to the Navy you probably know about the place. Very very little of it (one brick wall) looks the same, but it was fun to be there.

  2. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Good Night All

  3. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good Morning Villagers….

    And a special good morning to you, GR 😉 (In the voice of Elmo) I am happy, happy, happy!!! I am relieved that all is well with you and your mother, I also have thought about your BIL. I am doing better in my mood swings, they come and go as you well know. You have a lot of catching up to do in reading the past posts…..I’m just glad you didn’t buy that cape and do a Wiley Coyote off a cliff.

    And a special thank you Jimmy, for acknowledging our concerns.

    Now, I have a funny story to tell…and it really happened. You know Emb has got me started on stargazing in the morning hours. And John, Orion’s Belt is right over head.

    Anyhoo, I have a new co-worker, Mikey, he has been stargazing too, The other day I asked him if he saw the stars, it was slightly cloudy that morning, he asked “you mean the planets?” I said ‘yeah’….he said no, but I did see Earth….I just looked at him and lost it. Mikey is a deadpan humorist, and a good worker. Mikey also is cleaning up his act, and is doing good. He brought in his new purchase, a Bear bow. I was impressed. Then he brought in one big long arrow….remember the scene from “Robin Hood” where Costner’s character splits a bow with a bow….Mikey did the same thing, and it was real as he said there is no way one could physically put an arrow within arrow that far….it was the force of the second arrow that made the almost impossible impact. I am happy he is finding positive things in his life instead of drugs.

    Oh, and my son Ian does know I post here…..I am going to remind him that if anything happens to me he is to come here and post….morbid, no, considerate, yes.

    Mark, I had that album once..Tubular Bells, and I really like “The Girl in the Yellow Dress”..very bluesy. Saw some other links to the left…will tune in later. Thanks

    Poltergeist….only you could come up with that GR 🙂

    Ya’ll have a blessed day

    And, now, where has Indy Mindy been…..!!!!!!

  4. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    Jimmy:

    I think that you will also enjoy “Desert Solitaire” by Edward Abbey.

    This next one is not a “road novel,” but it can still take you places: “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse.

  5. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    Everyone:

    Saw Sir Paul in Columbus last night.

    Great show.

  6. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    It’s Denise that I’m concerned about. Has anyone seen her elsewhere, facebook for instance?

  7. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Mark, here in the Florida hills it is very possible to lose a signal. With all of the stuff that we now have in orbit you would think we could solve that.

  8. domaucan1 Avatar
    domaucan1

    AM sky question for EMB, I saw a bright object (planet?) in the NE sky @ 6:40AM from Baton Rouge, LA, a little N & W of New Orleans. Could it be Venus?

    Blessings on everyone on this beautiful Fall day.

  9.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Indy Mindy is ok, I saw. Her on Facebook yesterday and made a comment I think. I can certainly contact her.

    Denise no, Jerry, as she hasn’t been there that I know of. Denise is the one who packs in a ruck sack with the clothes on her body and one change to wear and a third to wash out in Mountain streams and pound on rocks, dry on bushes. She has mentioned making long trips alone before and it didn’t sound like she did it in a minivan with six suitcases and four ways to communicate like me.

    Oh good morning all, I need to get dressed and brush my teeth with bottled water. Water is off, on way to Lowe’s for new hot water heater for main house.

  10.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    It is 58 outside going to 91 here today. What to wear?

  11. emb Avatar
    emb

    “AM sky question for EMB, I saw a bright object (planet?) in the NE sky @ 6:40AM from Baton Rouge, LA, a little N & W of New Orleans. Could it be Venus?”

    For 3-4 months, a bright, pre-dawn celestial object in the E, other than Luna, is Venus. You can even see it after sunup; just find it before sunup and follow it the same distance from Sol. Best to stand in the shade to avoid Sol’s glare. Once you do that, find a flagpole or whatever, get Venus right above, and show someone. Try not to become a pest / your new-found skill. You might get hanged as a witch.

    Peace, emb

  12. emb Avatar
    emb

    PS: This works for any place on Earth, not just Baton Rouge, if the sky is clear. emb