A Touch of Presidential Dignity from Beyond the Grave
November 6, 2020
Where do ideas germinate? Sometimes it feels like I will never have another idea. Some days the ideas flow like honey. Are the ideas all winners? Of course not. But some are blockbusters.
This project, this Process, has at times overwhelmed me. It's all new to me and there is so much to learn and so much to do. I can't say I've bitten off more than I can chew, but I am chewing and chewing! In all the hub-bub of the presidential election, I heard something about Abraham Lincoln's Tomb being in Springfield, IL.
Springfield is a mere two hour drive from St. Louis. This is exactly what I pictured mentally when I started thinking about day trips and “travel simulation”. This is low cost, a day trip that didn't use a full tank of gas. But, it's also high return. Picturesque monument, priceless art objects and all with a great deal of history. As the cherry on top, it was a graveyard in October, one that I could visit on All Hallows Eve, Samhain - Halloween.
Perfection!
I prepared myself. I checked out the route. I read the Wikipedia page. I went to pick up snacks the night before - one of the few times I left my apartment to venture into Covidland. The previous two days had been cold and when we get our first cold snap, inevitably my tires all seem to lose pressure. Fine. I was due for an oil change, I'd do that and get the tires inflated before I got on the road.
I had wanted to get up super early. Buuuuuuuuuuut … it was Saturday. My bed was super comfy and super warm. Did I mention it was cold out? Eventually I drug myself out of bed and into the shower. Then off to Jiffy Lube. They were busy, of course. Breakfast followed, well, if we're being honest, it was an early-ish lunch. Finally, I set the GPS and got on the road.
As I crossed the river, my GPS, I call her Holly, welcomed me to Illinois in her sexy Australian twang. I was moving well above the speed limit, hoping to claw back some time. I was still being passed on both sides by pick-up trucks with Illinois license plates and MAGA stickers. I pulled off to a gas station to top off the tank and empty the bladder. I also recorded some video for Instagram and Facebook. It's about at this point that it finally landed that “Jericho on the Road” was finally, for the first time, actually on the road! It had taken over a month, I built four different types of Internet presence and spent a couple thousand dollars, but I was finally doing it. Woo!!
Back on the road and I had some time to do some mental math. It was after 1 PM and I still had close to two hours on the road. I wouldn't pull into Springfield until after 3 and the monument closed about 5:30. Try as I might, I was in the same situation as Bellefontaine Cemetery the week before. I was going to be rushed and not get as much material as I would like. I hadn't learned Lesson 2. Maybe next time. I put the hammer down!
I know better than to doubt Holly! She's a machine, she is backed by literally trillions of dollars of military spending. She's so rarely wrong. Obstinate? Very! Obtuse? Certainly. Wrong? Damn infrequently. I was approaching Springfield and saw signs that looked like where I wanted to go, but Holly was telling me we were miles from her chosen exit. I had a moment of doubt. Then I had a moment of confusion. I missed an exit. Holly recalculated through it all. In an attempt to get back on course, I over corrected, missing another exit. In this process, I signaled to switch lanes and a little mint green Fiat began blaring on her horn. I didn't see her... because she was nowhere near me! But she was doing 112 MPH and pissed that I was entering her lane at only 20 MPH over the speed limit. Your horn works, lady, now try your brakes!
I made it to the monument after 3 PM. I realized as I pulled in that I was woefully under prepared. I didn't realize the monument was part of a MUCH LARGER cemetery; Oak Ridge. I had read the wiki page for the monument, but that's all I read. (This is the origin of Lesson 6). I need to do much more research, well before any trip. So many beautiful stones. I already have ideas for next October, but I had no time.
I parked, recorded my introduction, assuming I was too late to get a tour inside and settled on the fact that there was plenty to see outside. I approached the little tent from a good social distance and inquired about getting on a tour. I was told to just walk up. I guess Covid had scared away the tourists.
As I walked up the path and turned the corner, the monument spire loomed out of the trees. I immediately began recording and taking photos. I didn't have a lot of time and had a lot of area to cover. The structure was festooned with statues. The spire was awe inspiring and glorious.
There were very few people, a family or two perhaps. I was able to move and snap freely. There was a large bust of Lincoln out front. Eventually I approached the monument and was told to proceed inside.
As far as I could tell, I was the only one in the structure. The door opened to a circular room dominated by a gold sitting Lincoln. All of the statues of Lincoln in the monument were smaller copies of statues found elsewhere around the country, making the monument something of a museum.
Hallways leading to and away from the Burial Room were decked out in marble cut with an art deco motif. The hallways ended at corners that contained more statues.
The Burial Room was stately and heartbreaking. Here, Lincoln is buried with his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, and three of their sons, only one of whom reached adulthood, Tad died at 18. The forth son, Robert, is laid to rest at Arlington. All five family members are buried in a concrete vault under the Burial Room. Apparently there was a foiled attempt to steal Lincoln’s body and hold it for ransom not long after it was interred, so security precautions were taken.
While it was thrilling to finally put my plan into action, to finally get on the road, the memorial was stark, tragic and heartbreaking on a grand scale. Here is a family that suffered and endured for their country. They literally gave their all and because of their sacrifices, we still have a country today. I left the site drained. I think I will go back someday.
This blog post is going up a little later than I had hoped, but it's been a busy and insane week. I write this a mere few hours after Biden took the lead in votes in Georgia. I am trying to keep my politics out of this blog, even though I am quite the political being. I don't know if I can maintain that ideal. Let's just say that I feel the dignity illustrated by the Lincoln Tomb and Memorial is very much missing in politics at the moment. Also, I am trying something different. The vlog I posted for this trip went up yesterday. I have so far posted the vlog well after the blog was posted. I'm not sure there is an advantage either way. I will continue to experiment.
Saturday was a good day. I'm looking forward to more of those. I'm glad I was able to share it. Keep on Going!