A Priceless Adventure

RaeRay’s Great Adventure was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a father. The only thing that could have made it better would have been traveling with both of my daughters. When I started talking about a cross-country trip last year, Morgan became immediately excited about seeing
California. Her sister Kaki, 17 months younger, probably saw it as nine days stuck with Dad. As the time neared, Kaki said she would have gone if not for her job in Pensacola.

RaeRay had set a rough budget for the trip. We expected gas to be our major expense. With no idea what prices would be from state to state, we estimated an average of $4. The highest cost was in California, where we paid $4.67 in Burbank and about $4.25 in other areas. In Illinois, a gallon of gas cost $4.17. Across the Southwest, we paid about $3.80, and in the Midwest it dropped to $3.60. The average was probably about $3.85. I would rather have taken a Mazda SUV, but it gets about 20 miles to the gallon. We had determined our Honda Civic would average 32 miles. We estimated the cost of gas to be $960 for the Mazda and $628 for the Honda. Over the 4,880-mile trip, our little blue Honda actually burned $594 in gas.

We had expected to spend five nights in hotels and hoped to pay $100 per day. Our actual cost was $564.09 with much better lodging than we expected and complimentary breakfast at all but one. A Staybridge Suites in Las Cruces had a full kitchen and living room for $137.56. The Grand Hyatt in Denver required us to valet park the car and totaled $171.56. The only room we
could find in Mesquite, NM, was a closed-down casino called the Oasis, which was used as overflow space from the Casa Blanca casino across the street. Its price was $67.19. Hotels in Dallas (Farfield by Marriott) and St. Louis (Pear Tree Inn by Drury) cost in the mid-$90s. We stayed with friends in New Orleans and San Diego.

The budget called for $20 apiece per day for food and fun on the trip, which would have totaled $360. Receipts for food, snacks, and parking add up to $280.21, but gifts – RaeRay loves to shop – added another $241.60. Included in the food figure was $28 for riding the roller coaster atop New York-New York casino in Las Vegas.

The overall price for RaeRay’s Great Adventure was $1,679.76. At least, that’s what receipts show. We even kept receipts for soft drinks at gas stations along the way. We paid for practically everything on a credit card. I left home with $500 in cash, and Morgan had less than $100. Nine
days later, we arrived home with more than $200 cash left over. RaeRay had expected to spend just under $1,500 for the trip. That puts us nearly $200 over budget. No one is complaining. The experience was priceless.

Day 9: The Journey's End

RaeRay is grateful for kind cops. We had not been stopped for the entire 4,000-plus miles across the country and back. Of course, speed limits of 75 and 80 mph leave little need for breaking the law. Besides, a little blue Honda Civic is moving plenty fast at 80.

In the suburbs of St. Louis, though, 72 is too fast, especially in a 55-mile-per-hour zone. That’s what officers guarding I-70 say. One of their finest hailed down RaeRay to discuss the subject. He suggested Morgan may have seen speed limit signs before in Alabama and should be watching for
them in Missouri. We had unknowingly passed several since leaving our hotel, the officer said. He took our registration and insurance information to his car and spent a few minutes studying his computer. We doubted he was reading our blog. When he came back, he explained that a speeding ticket costs $302, and we should have noticed the double-fine signs along the way. But he was going to help us out a little. “Actually, a lot,” he added. Although he praised Morgan for
wearing a seatbelt, he said he was ticketing us for not wearing it. That would be a $10 fine instead of $300 or more. We thanked him over and over again, and resumed our journey home – at the speed limit.

The last day of driving was the shortest of all. We had stayed on the west side of St. Louis hoping today to stop at the state line and make photos from both Illinois and Missouri. The policeman suggested it would not be safe to stop in St. Louis, and moments later we realized why. The
state line is on a bridge, and parking would be impossible. We continued on our way. Illinois’ southern border posed a similar problem, although we were able to get a fuzzy photo in front of the Kentucky welcome sign. That left us without our souvenir photos from either Missouri or Illinois. We were able to take a quick break at the Tennessee line, but we hardly looked to the sides as we hurried through Nashville. We made two final stops for an Alabama welcome photo and a final tank of gas as we arrived in Huntsville.

The driving had ended. RaeRay covered 4,880 miles in nine days, touching 15 states. It was an experience that a father and daughter will remember forever. We’re not finished, though. RaeRay will continue blogging for several days as memories gel. We still marvel at the sights and sensations as we go through photos and videos from our travels. We’ll recall the scares and disappointments, although they failed to dampen our mood. We’ll reveal our favorite memories, and we plan to summarize the price we paid for this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Thanks for joining us,

Morgan Rae and Michael Ray Kaylor

Day 8: Embracing the Heartland

Denver was a first for RaeRay. We had never seen a place where marijuana was legal – and we mean really legal. Those who use it must have a red card, but dispensaries line the city streets. Most of the storefronts are green; some are quite subtle and others are obvious. Some even advertise offering medical exams. Who in the 1970s ever expected this day to really come? Who else ever expected it to take this long?

RaeRay covered 835 miles today. It took almost exactly 12 hours. RaeRay drove halfway across Colorado and the entire width of both Kansas and Missouri. The trip was from Denver to St. Louis with stops at the Kansas state line, three service stations, and a Five Guys restaurant in Columbia, MO. Columbia is the home of the University of Missouri, and we needed to welcome the Mizzou into the Southeastern Conference. Coincidentally, the song “We Are the Champions” was playing on the restaurant’s PA system as we entered. We proudly announced that we were from Alabama, home of the Crimson Tide. Morgan had made a similar announcement to a group of guests in Burbank several days earlier. As she and Tessa ran back to the car after checking in for “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” the strangers asked for $3 – they didn’t have the $5 for parking. Morgan had left her purse behind and was force to admit, “We’re from Alabama; all we have is a good football team.”

We left the Rocky Mountains behind this morning after a fine buffet at the Grand Hyatt. It would have cost $17 each, except for the fact that is was included with the room. It made the price easier to bear. The hotel’s wireless on the 15th floor locked up my computer for the morning, but it seems fine now that we are settled in the Pear Tree Inn by Drury in St. Louis.

States sure make it difficult for travelers such as RaeRay, who want to document each border with a photograph. We managed to race across I-70 on the Colorado-Kansas line to snap a photo of ourselves in front of both welcome signs. We were prepared for the Missouri line as we raced through Kansas City, but the state line was a banner just before an underpass beneath the city’s Convention Center. We’ll have to wait for another sign leaving Missouri, but it will also be in the center of St. Louis. We’ll deal with that in Day 9..

We watched the snow-capped mountains disappear in the rear-view mirror as the terrain became dust and shrubs. It transitioned into green fields and grain silos, then windmills and oil wells. It was a long and monotonous ride to the sounds of musicians ranging from vintage Bob Dylan to contemporary Foster the People. Morgan drove the first 500 miles with no complaints. The entire trip home on Day 9 will be only 435 miles.

Day 7: Living in Luxury

RaeRay will sleep in the lap of luxury tonight. It’s something that doesn’t really feel natural. The Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver is far above RaeRay’s level, but we are getting used to it. All we wanted was a place to spend the night. Morgan was visiting some friends here, and we found their street first. Then we let the I-Phone lead us to a place to stay.

It directed us downtown past the lively 16th Street Mall and to a 24-story building. We pulled our dirty Honda Civic up to the door, next to a bellman and a valet. The hood and headlight show the wear of wrestling with a deer earlier this year on Monte Sano, but the hotel aides seemed to ignore it. I stepped inside expecting to drive away after asking about room rates. The $139 per night seemed reasonable, but the clerk could tell I wasn’t interested. She said the “senior” rate was $125.10. A prouder man might have been insulted, but I simply asked for the AAA rate. It, too, was $125.10. We only spent $67 on Day 6, and our budget was $100 per night. It would all average out. I asked about parking, and she said the valet rate was $28, regardless of how many times I retrieved my car. My other option was to park in a city garage down the street.

OK, don’t mind a few tips for the valet. I would only need the car out once or twice at most. I grabbed a cart and headed out the car to tell Morgan the good news. We loaded a cart and started toward the hotel, when a bellhop stopped us. He must roll the cart if we wanted to use it. Otherwise we could carry our bags. I don’t know rates for tipping bellhops, but I allowed him the privilege. I only tipped him $2.

All we wanted to do was throw our bags in the room and rush back out, but we had to locate the auto pickup area and find a valet. He looked at us and asked, “The Honda?” I gave him $2 for the car and headed out to tour Denver. Back at the hotel a short while later, I sat down to reminisce on the day’s events.

The first stop after leaving our Mesquite motel was the Utah state line, where we again set up our tripod for the official photo. I had been in the state once before but never saw the awesome canyons and rock formations. Nature seemed to hide one of its marvels around ever curve along I-15. We took so many photos that the camera battery was dead by the time we reached Colorado. That’s why we’re posting no state-line photo at this time. We have video, and we have photos of each of us separately. RaeRay will have to concoct a special photo of Colorado at some point.

We hardly stopped during the 665-mile trip from Mesquite to Denver. Morgan drove to the Utah state line, and I drove the remainder of the way. The trip took about 11 hours and 30 minutes. She stayed out with her friends hardly more than two hours. Tomorrow’s drive might be longer than today’s. We’re hoping to reach St. Louis.

Day 6: The Turnaround

Here we are on the edge of Nevada. It’s been a long day of driving, but RaeRay hasn’t been disappointed with the sights and experiences. Morgan put a foot in the Pacific and vowed that she should never leave. In fact, a couple from Boston suggested that she should be one of the locals. She crawled on the rocks that extend into the ocean along Imperial Beach, but she never had a chance to rollerskate along the streets. Coronado was a beautiful island connected to San Diego by the Bay Bridge. Residents and shopkeepers were especially friendly.

RaeRay began driving from there about 10 a.m. local time heading east toward Las Vegas. The plan – although not on the itinerary – was to visit the Grand Canyon if possible, but we realized that would be too far out of the way if we intended a stopover in Denver. We decided a quick visit to Hoover Dam, known as the eighth wonder of the world, would suffice as a substitute. It didn’t really. We took an additional 90 minutes to see the dam from the lower side. The massive façade that appears in most photos was obscured by power lines and towers. We didn’t have time to drive to a bridge far overhead that was lined with gawkers. Surely the view was better from there.

We made it to Las Vegas about 6 p.m., parked in the Aria public parking lot and walked the strip. We spent $14 apiece to ride the roller coaster atop New York New York casino, watched the water show at the Belligio, and played slots for about 15 minutes. I put in $20 and left with $34. Morgan donated $12 to the one-armed bandits. We quit with a net gain of $2. A Famous Nathan’s hot dog, order of wings, and a soft drink cost $23 for dinner. We decided to cut a few hours off of tomorrow’s drive and head east on I-15. We could go no farther than Mesquite, Nevada, because of the darkness. We would have been unable to take our state-line photo when we reach Utah. That will come early in the morning. The drive to Denver will take at least 10 hours.

So far, we have covered 2,909 miles in six days. That doesn’t include our trip from San Diego to Burbank. Our host, Tessa, drove us there and back, which would have added 130 miles each way. That brings the total for RaeRay’s Great Adventure to 3,169miles. Only 1,936 to go.

Day 5: Flirting With Fame

Our little blue Honda has taken a day's rest. All RaeRay needs is to drive out on Coronado island and touch the Pacific, and the western journey will end. We will turn eastward back over the Bay Bridge and begin anew. Las Vegas is the next stop. We hope to see the Grand Canyon in the next two days.

RaeRay should apologize to followers who stayed up late to see “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.” Sitting through Jay’s interview with Kim Kardashian was a bit painful. Of course, this is a split decision for RaeRay. Morgan was more impressed than I. We agreed that Sherri Shepherd was much more fun. Morgan couldn’t believe that Jay read all of his jokes from cue cards. She said she could be funnier than him by just being herself.

Jay’s ride was really disappointing, too. While throngs of fans and paparazzi surrounded Kardashian’s black Escalade, Jay slipped past in the passenger’s seat of a boring white van – no Mercedes, no vintage Bentley, not even a roaring motorcycle. Jay didn’t even wave to the few who noticed him. That didn’t matter. I’m still a big fan.

After the taping, Jay’s assistants came onstage and announced that they needed two members of the audience to come down front. One of the names called was Mike Kaylor. They were looking for talent for future shows, and each person had been asked to fill out a card telling what they could do that was special. I said I could cluck like a chicken.

Morgan, Tessa (our host in San Diego), and I were taken to the side of the studio, where one of Leno’s aides video-taped a screen test of 10 seconds of clucking. The other guest selected could squeal like a pterodactyl. I’ll not likely hear back from the show, but I enjoyed my 10 seconds of fame, and we met another aide named Steve Ridgeway, who had graduated from the University of Alabama. We parted with a friendly “Roll Tide.”

Side Trips

Jay Leno talks frequently about In-N-Out Burgers, so we had to try one on the way to the taping. Morgan’s I-Phone directed us to one at The Market Place on El Camino Real in Tustin. The prices were unbelievable for Southern California -- $2.20 for a cheeseburger and $3.20 for a Double-Double. Fries are peeled and diced in every restaurant and cost $1.50. They are really good, and the burger just might be the best I’ve ever eaten. It’s dressed with a sauce like Thousand Island.

Day 4: Las Cruces to San Diego

California, we’re here at last. The final leg of the journey brought a few tense moments for RaeRay on the edge of San Diego. Dad is a better driver than navigator. Morgan’s cell-phone GPS directs here everywhere, but it only had me perplexed. Perturbed, she gave up the wheel to take over the director’s seat. Moments later, we were back on track.

Looking across the snow-spotted mountains of New Mexico earlier, Morgan had commented that she could live with them as long as they were next to an ocean. We didn’t realize that was exactly the landscape of San Diego. Tessa’s military housing is in a community on the west side of a ridge. As we neared her home, Morgan first glimpsed the Pacific. It capped off a long day of driving for RaeRay.

High points of the day were the rocks of Texas Canyon, NM; the sorrora cacti of Arizona; and the dunes of California. RaeRay covered 688 miles in 11 hours and 8 minutes. The only real stop was for shopping at a Continental Divide gift shop. It was a chance to show my daughter the type of attractions that thrilled my sisters and me at places like Black Mountain and Cherokee, NC, when we were children. Morgan bought moccasins, and I bought an Indian doll for the granddaughter. Excuse me, it was a Native American.

Along the south side of the California line in the distance was a fence hiding the view of Mexico. Border patrols rolled back and forth along I-8, and we stopped at no fewer than five inspection points along the way. I was happy that I quit drinking 11 years ago. Otherwise, RaeRay’s trip could have taken a frightening U-turn. Next came the stone peaks and tottering bolders of Devil’s Canyon. RaeRay marveled at the sights the day had wrought.

In San Diego, Tessa took us to Phil’s BBQ, obviously famous for its saucy pork, chicken, babyback and beef ribs. No one takes names for seating. Everyone lines up in front of the door and waits to be served before finding a table. The line was shorter on this Tuesday night than Tessa had ever seen it. It only stretched to one corner of the building, where a sign offered that the wait was 24 minutes and 8 seconds. The ribs and chicken were a delicious end to a delightful day. We are certainly blessed.

Now, on to the taping of Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” on Day 5. We must be in Burbank by 2:45 p.m., and the taping begins at 4 p.m. Watch for RaeRay in the audience on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.






Side Trips

We forgot to mention breakfast on Day 2 of RaeRay’s Great Adventure. We left Uptown New Orleans looking for a neighborhood grill for a quick meal before our journey to Texas. Our host for the night suggested Dot’s Diner on Jefferson Highway in the Jefferson parish. We followed his directions past Audubon Park and along River Road enjoying a few familiar sights along the way. The AzaleaGrill caught our attention before we reached Dot’s. Inside the café was Scott, a gruff-looking, teddy-bear of a man, who told us Crimson Tide garb was not allowed there. He was probably stewing still from Alabama’s thrashing of LSU in January’s Collegiate National Championship game. We pointed out that Alabama did provide the New Orleans Saints with Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, and Scott softened up a bit. The Azaleah was a great spot for color – the waitress observed – if not for character. After leaving, we saw Dot’s Diners all along Jefferson Highway. We were glad we chose a real neighborhood spot. Hey, Scott, thanks for the memories.

Day 3: Dallas to Las Cruces, NM, by way of Roswell (Monday, March 19, 2012)

RaeRay took a long look at the future today, and we saw nothing. Wind turbines stretched as far as the eye could see to both the east and the west in the Texas Panhandle. Other parts of West Texas were simply miles and miles of rocky soil. A quaint farmhouse finally appeared, and I asked, “Wouldn’t you like to live there?” The answer was a resounding “No.”

The 700-mile trek began with a stop at my deceased sister’s old home in Farmer’s Branch. She died there in 1972, and the picture of her house that I had in my mind had long faded. I posed in front of it for a picture and then in front of the one across the street. RaeRay plan’s to find those long-ago neighbors, Bud and Barbara Mendenhall, later this week in California.

This was a traveling day meant to end in Roswell, NM. I have no idea why Roswell landed on RaeRay’s itinerary, and I really questioned it realizing that we were arriving after the UFO museum and most stores had closed. I just felt some sort of attraction to go there – much like Richard Dreyfuss did in the 1977 movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” I realized later that the real purpose of the destination was to show Morgan sights that would not appear along interstate highways.

On one side of the roadway were oil wells; on the other side were wind farms. I told her the windmills were the future. Seeing them reminded me of my grandmother’s response upon seeing her first airplane. “Someday the skies will be full of those things,” she said. In response, Morgan said she will never have a wind turbine in her back yard.

Roswell turned out to be a bore. We hunted a local diner for a quick meal and to mix with the townsfolk, but there were none to be found. We looked in a few mundane souvenir shops and then went on our way.

The sun had been shining when we took our New Mexico state line photo. Storms followed us out of Roswell until we reached the Lincoln National Forest, where we were surprised by a snowstorm. Morgan did a great job driving the slick mountain roads. I felt like a fool in my T-shirt and shorts.

We made it all the way to Las Cruces, NM, and found a Staybridge Suites hotel. I balked at the $159 price of the room, and the clerk offered a $139 AAA rate. She saw my disappointment, and we agreed on $119. We were settled in time for “The Tonight Show.” We’ll see Jay Leno’s taping of the show Wednesday night. That’s what makes our schedule tight. Tomorrow is another long day. The drive will take as much as nine hours and cover 682 miles. At least we have only two roads to remember: I-10 West and I-8.

So, until tomorrow….

--Ray

Day 2: New Orleans to Dallas (Sunday, March 18, 2012)

Today brought a brush with history. It was totally unexpected. RaeRay is settled in at a Fairfield by Marriott on the northern fringe of Dallas. This is the first real chance to relax and really digest the surroundings.

My reason for coming to Dallas was to relive a brief span in my life when I would drive from Chapel Hill, NC, to Farmer’s Branch, TX, for weekends. I had a sister, Luanne Kaylor Hays, living here, and she loved my visits. That was in the early 1970s. I had planned to move near her after college, but she died in 1972. Her funeral had been my last visit to Dallas. On this trip, I would drive up Marsh Lane to her old neighborhood. I wanted nothing more than to see her old home, and I would be on my way.

I did make one call, though, to a couple who had known her well during her early 20s. He was a judge who helped during a difficult period in her life, and his wife managed to find her a government job. They became her family while she was far from home. They love her almost as much as we did.

When I called, the judge and his wife invited us to join them for dinner. They waited while we spent a helpless hour in traffic 100 miles away. Although we were strangers, they gave us a Texas welcome. They took us to Woodfire Kirby’s on Greenville Avenue, where the valets gave us red-carpet treatment and the judge’s table was waiting.

The judge is the Honorable Joe B. Brown, Jr., who was waiting with his wife Nell at a luncheon for President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie on November 22, 1963. As a Justice of the Peace in Dallas, Judge Brown signed various search warrants during the murder investigation of suspect Lee Harvey Oswald and his killer, Jack Ruby. What’s more, Judge Joe B. Brown, Sr., presided over the Jack Ruby trial.

Our visit with Judge Brown and Nell alternated between their own esteemed experiences and their love for my late sister. We had a wonderful meal at Woodfire, and Morgan and I parted from the Browns on Day 2 of RaeRay’s Great Adventure feeling as if we had added two new members to our family.

A note for Jay Leno:

Devoted fans know that one of the host’s favorite guests on “The Tonight Show” is Terry Bradshaw. Leno always enjoys making fun of the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback.
Well, RaeRay’s Great Adventure discovered the Terry Bradshaw Passway in Shreveport, LA. It is a quick sprint connecting two Interstate highways.

The highway department must have named the road for Bradshaw’s IQ. It runs between I-20 and 49.

Day 1: Huntsville to New Orleans (Saturday, March 17, 2012)

Here we are in New Orleans. It’s the first time I’ve been here since 1996. That’s 15 years or so. Morgan was here twice before – as an infant and as a toddler. She has no recollection of the city. Everything here is new to her.

The trip was eight hours, including a 90-minute visit in Hattiesburg, MS, with her granddaddy. Neither of us had seen him in nearly six years. Morgan was 15 then; she’s practically a grown woman now. Mississippi’s rolling meadows and shady streets give it an aura of the Old South. Agriculture is an industry in every town that passes along the interstate.

One of the drive’s few intriguing sights was a pickup truck towing an SUV, which was towing a third auto. We snapped a photo, noting that it could only happen in Alabama. A state trooper on the east-bound lane of I-59 just as Mississippi became Alabama. It was evidence of the Alabama motto that college kids like to quote: “Come for vacation, leave on probation.”

The road into New Orleans is still dotted with buildings that show Katrina’s wrath. Once in the city, though, the pulse is as strong as ever. That is especially true on St. Patrick’s Day. We dodged an Uptown parade to arrive at a friend’s house to freshen up. We hit the French Quarter somewhere around 7 o’clock.

Morgan was hardly impressed with the first few blocks of Royal Street. She thought Tuscaloosa was more of a party town. When we reached Bourbon Street, she changed her mind. Someone threw her some beads from a balcony, and a passing policeman wished her a Merry Christmas. New Orleans already made her feel home. Another string of beads landed on her, but Morgan saw no reason to keep them. They were meant for the woman we passed who was flopping freely.

We stopped into a restaurant for raw oysters and a combination of gumbo, attouffee, jambalaya and red beans & rice. We watched an impromptu St. Patrick’s Day parade. We were ready to rest. We found the car and headed back up Tchopoulas. We must be ready for Dallas tomorrow.

--Ray, March 17, 2012

Our Letter to Jay Leno

Dear Jay,
Please reserve tickets for my daughter and me to attend your show on March 20 or March 21. I’ve heard that people request tickets a year or so in advance, but that could never happen with us. We both procrastinate. Aside from that, we will be driving 2,300 miles in three days to get there. And I am one of your biggest fans.
It hasn’t always been that way. I was in the throng of reporters at the mid-1980s NBC Press Tour, when you and Brandon Tartikoff crashed the party on motorcycles. All of the reporters were awe-struck -- except me. I’d never heard of you, and the two of you seemed just a couple of egomaniacs in my opinion. To make things worse, you were booked for a show in Huntsville a few months later, and my staff writer produced a 56-inch story about you for my tabloid. I resented the time it took editing it down to a reasonable 30 or so inches.
For whatever reason, I taped your premiere on “The Tonight Show” when you became really famous. I had been a Letterman fan up until that point. All of a sudden, though, I liked you. You seemed to have more humility, and I especially liked the fact that we were about the same age.
So now I’m pleading with you to be a part of my Bucket List. For my 60th birthday last year, I promised myself a journey into the past -- to places long forgotten and places I have dreamed to go. My oldest daughter -- a clone of her old man -- is my companion. Together, our journey is called RaeRay’s Great Adventure. You can follow us on our blog at http://raeraysbest.com or http://raeraysbest.blogspot.com.
Thanks in advance in case you can get us tickets.
Sincerely,
Michael RAY Kaylor
(with Morgan RAE Kaylor)

Great Beginnings

RaeRay's Great Adventure began as a gift. Ray would be turning 60 soon, and he decided that the greatest present he could give himself was a cross-country adventure. He had driven across the land while in college. A few years later, he had bought a 30-day bus ticket and criss-crossed the continent a second time. That was nearly 40 years ago. Things had changed.

When he mentioned the adventure to his wife, she was appalled. She would have no part of it. His youngest daughter had the same reaction. Not so with his oldest daughter, Rae. She immediately signed on. About nine months have passed, and the constellations are finally lined up for the adventure to begin. Ray and Rae will record it here for everyone to follow.

Ray discovered a poem during his time in college. It was called "Song of the Open Road" by Walt Whitman. It began: "Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me; the long brown path before me leading wherever I choose." It became his bible for many years. The end of the poem has been used as a wedding vow by many. It was in a long-ago movie -- maybe "Love Story." RaeRay issues this same invitation:

"Camerado, I give you my hand!
I give you my love more precious than money,
I give you myself before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?"