About Our Journey
The Scenic Route takes a rambling journey through history and the present to share the "I never knew that," "wow, I hadn't thought about that," and simple "ha, that's cool" moments I stumble across in my work as a journalist and history writer who crafts stories about how where we’ve been informs where we are. Like actual scenic routes, this publication offers the promise that something we never knew we needed or desired might be just around the corner.
The Scenic Route takes its time exploring the kind of off-the-beaten track material too often breezed past as writers — myself included — race toward conclusions and speed toward deadlines. But this isn’t simply a tour of history’s roadside attractions. The Scenic Route does not ignore the chaotic state of the world nor the shared challenges we face. Detours from our intended path are not dead ends; they just provide different routes into the subjects that concern us. During a time when many of the roads upon which we normally travel are not available, we need other, less obvious routes. Too often we're told to "get to the point," but there is so much out there worth learning about. We can barrel down the road toward what we think is relevant, toward a "news hook" or "drama" or some other constructed destination, or we can take whatever time we require to reach the place we're headed.
That said, The Scenic Route also gives readers permission to lose themselves in digression. In this singular moment, distraction offers a needed refuge. Hopefully, this newsletter provides some of that refuge. As our isolation deepens, The Scenic Route aims to feed our hunger to travel beyond our limited daily experience.
When we opt to take the scenic route, we can savor the journey and maintain the flexibility to shift our path when it's obstructed, or we can just enjoy what we see a long the way. I look forward to sharing what I find along the way.
Read at your speed.
Take your time to enjoy The Scenic Route. Read it when you need a detour. It’s not going anywhere (as far as I know).
