Let’s Go Exploring!

It was New Year’s Eve, 1995. I was sitting at my breakfast table, enjoying my coffee and comics, when I was struck by the most profound inspiration of my life in three simple words:
“Let’s go exploring!”

It was the final pane of “Calvin & Hobbes.” Twenty-eight years later, I remain a fan of creator Bill Watterson and the fantastic life of his precocious protagonist and trusty stuffed tiger as they navigated an imaginary universe of Cocoa Bombs and Spaceman Spiff. And that three-word declaration remains an inspiration and a charge in my life.

I have been on some grand adventures in my life since then. But they all have been pieces of a larger puzzle. It’s time to start assembling the bigger picture.

I am out to explore America. I want to discover and experience what makes each place unique, like the Redwood Forest or the Everglades. More importantly, I want to explore food, festivals, and Friday night football — the things that, when we let them, prove we are more alike than different.

Personally, it’s a journey to uncover where I am from. I was born in Milwaukee, Wis. I have lived in many places since then and have visited even more. Because of that, I don’t have any hometown pride for one specific place or time. What that gave me, though, is a unique gift for connecting with people through shared places and experiences.

I want to explore America’s rich social history. I won’t quiz you with questions like, “When was the War of 1812?” or “Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?” Those books have been written. Instead, let’s talk about drive-in movie theaters, barbecue, and why Shreveport, La., is as essential to the mystique of Elvis Presley as Las Vegas.

Let’s check out all the quirky roadside attractions. Let’s eat ALL the fried food on a stick at the state fairs. Let’s meet the people doing the things that make America great.

Let’s go exploring!