Appalachian Travelogue (1)

Drinking life to the lees

“I cannot rest from travel; I will drink / Life to the lees.” — from “Ulysses” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. (c. 1842).

ALUM BRIDGE, W.Va. — My favorite class at Glenville State College (B.A., ‘84) was “Poetry of the Victorian Period.” Two main reasons why — a great and enthusiastic professor, and the timeless relevance of the poetry. Of the poets of the period, Alfred, Lord Tennyson is my favorite. My favorite poem that he wrote is “Ulysses.”

As was the case with Tennyson’s Ulysses, I cannot rest from travel. This year, in particular, has been one of restlessness. Venturing out, primarily through the mountains of southern and central Appalachia, rejuvenates my spirit and clears my mind so that I can continue to be a somewhat tolerable human being and keep my creative spirit alive.

Naturally, I’ve decided to chronicle the time on the two-lane roads, visits with friends and moments in the woods, beginning with this first installment of a series of short photo-essay travelogues. This first installment is from visits in April and May.