It was another beautiful morning with clear blue sky and balmy winds to start our homeward trek. Again we saw some beautiful country along the way.

On the way we passed through Cincinnati, OH and stopped at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Its exhibits and videos about slavery in this country from colonial times to current day are very moving, and they remind me of the monumental hypocrisy of our nation’s leaders who claimed “all men are created equal”. (Like in Orwell’s Animal Farm where, “All animals are created equal – but some animals are more equal that others – and pigs are the most equal”.) The most thought provoking exhibits show us how modern slavery is alive and well even today and takes many forms that we don’t think about. There is also information about how to recognize slavery when you encounter it, and how to report it to various authorities. The exhibits and the architecture are beautifully done and there is a beautiful view of the Ohio River from the center’s Eternal Flame terrace.

Restored slave pen acquired from Kentucky farm

We had tried to visit the Freedom Center several years ago on a Sunday afternoon during football season.

The center is located directly across the street from the Cincinnati Bengals stadium which was disgorging the happy crowds at the end of a game. We couldn’t get anywhere near the center! Happily, the Cincinnati Reds baseball game didn’t start until 7 pm today so we were able to easily find parking and then lunch afterwards. After a delicious lunch on the patio of a nearby restaurant, we continued on our way to Chillicothe which seemed like a good stopping point for today.

As we we near the end of our spectacular journey, Peggy reflected on the beauty and diversity of this country. In the past 60+ days, we’ve had the privilege of passing through amazing scenery – mountains, forests, deserts, prairies, lakes, rivers, and ocean; small rural towns and big cities. It is truly a magnificent country we live in.

As wonderful as the scenery has been, meeting people from different parts of the country has been the best part. We are as diverse as our geography. Together we make this country what it is. We’ve met people with clearly different political views. We acknowledged those differences, and then we enjoyed each other’s company. We need to remember that different areas of the country have different needs, but no matter where we live in this country we all need to be valued and respected for our similarities and our differences.