Day One of Southwest Sustainability Notes

Thoughts from the Road: San Jose to Eureka - Day 1

This is the first entry from my 10 day trip around the southwest. Yes, it was a quick trip but it did provide some time to think and write about the topics that have set me on this course. I wrote a little each day.

The day began with a visit to FedEx who forgot to hold our package containing Russ’ credit card. His card was cut off because his local bank in North Carolina merged with a multi-national bank. FedEx would try again to send the card to my parents. Meanwhile, Russ would be without a card for the entire trip.

Our second visit was a stop to Fry’s to by an adaptor to enable us to use our lap tops in the car. We also joked that we could use the juicer in the car if we had brought it. Anyway, Fry’s has got to be the symbol of Silicon Valley consumerism. I was trapped. Although I found my component quickly, I was lured by the rows of cd’s, videos and gadgetry. Our quick visit ended up taking much longer than expected and I ended up with a CD from Interpol.

Along Hwy 5, I was amazed by the endless rows of semis rolling down the interstate. I can’t imagine the amount of goods that are transported on this road day-after-day. Is there a way to reduce this tremendous cost of resources and fuel-burning consumption? Would a trucking tax increase the local business and reduce the amount of interstate shipping? How would we replace the lost jobs from truck drivers?

Roseville, California – The great land rush. It is the new manifest destiny. This time it is chain stores and strip mall that are in a race to gobble up every new piece of land next to mass housing developments. We wanted to find something local, something unique, something edible but we ended up at Pick up Sticks. It is a clean, new, sterilized provider of healthy Asian foods.

Back on the road we passed over the Sierras stopping at The Coffee House on Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe. It is a beautiful example of the independent coffee shops that provide internet access and a great brew. Despite the snow, we were back on the road and headed for Nevada.