Guns, Ducks, The American Constitution... And Car 53

And so the day dawned when I would have to get behind the wheel and take to the Maryland highways for the 70 mile trip to St Michaels - 'the town that fooled the British' (go look it up!).

As I pretty much planned and booked all flights, accommodations and car rental online, I was able to arrive at the airport car rental 'lot' with my pre-paid voucher. When I made the original booking I chose a 'full-size' car as I fancied a Dodge Charger. Sadly these were all rented and when I staggered out to pick up my car, I was confronted with an acre of cars that in other lives could be put into service as New York taxi cabs or state patrol cars. In other words, ENORMOUS! I confess I chickened out and ran back to the desk, tail between my legs. A little negotiation later and $60 later I was able to drive away in a smaller car - a smaller car, more expensive, go figure, as they way in these 'ere parts. 

Before I left I also purchased road maps for the US and Australia for my Sat Nav, so it was somewhat comforting to have a familiar English accent gently but firmly insisting "in 800 yards, bear left!" as I negotiated the junctions and alien traffic signs. At this point I confess to feeling sheepish as having been anxious about driving an automatic, in reality it was ridiculously easy. Much more challenging was sticking to the speed limits - who drives at 55 mph on motorways. 

90 minutes later, during which I crossed the astonishing Bay Bridge that spans the Chesapeake Bay, my trusty British sat nav voice guided me onto a narrow side road and on into a forest where I eventually drew up before a beautiful clapboard house, fronted by a circular drive and surrounded by pines and tall cypresses, through which I could see the Bay. Luckily for me my brother-in-law keeps ducks and poultry so I was undaunted when a flock huge Muscovy ducks and rather mean-looking bantam cockerel came spitting and cackling towards me. Nevertheless I kept a beady eye on the bantam and knocked on the large front door. Moments later I was confronted by two beautiful, barking Dalmatians, followed by the subject of and reason for my visit - Sid, the instigator of the only US entry in the '68 Marathon. 

What to say about Sid? A big, warm, friendly, funny, opinionated man, blinking away behind yellow-tinted spectacles, and genuinely excited about my mission. I was extended that kind of welcome typical of American folks. Once settled into the guest room, my two-day trip began, two days which would see a dream come true and my personal value system tested to extremes. 

As I said, the reason I went to Maryland was to meet the man behind the only US entrant in the Marathon. In 1968 Sid purchased a car and prepared it for a 10,000 mile endurance rally. The alterations and adaptations were extensive and all designed to ensure the car could successfully carry three occupants across rough and unforgiving terrain and take the pounding such a long journey would involve. Sid and his two co-drivers (one of whom was a camera man for CBS television, there to film the entire trip) completed the marathon and while it was no prize-winner, it did extremely well for a privately entered and funded car. Now, 44 years later I was given the opportunity to not only see the car, but actually drive it. I can only begin to describe the thrill, the exhilaration of hurtling down a Maryland country lane behind the wheel of the rally prepared, tried and tested, 44 year old Rambler American - the sound it made when stepping on the accelerator had me whoopin' and hollerin' - not very British, I know. Sid let me drive it all over the place and into the main town near St Michaels (Easton), so I also got to negotiate traffic in this mighty, antique beast. I'll describe the interior of the car another time but suffice to say, it reeked of fuel, mostly because a quarter of the interior is a fuel tank, was still full of Aussie outback dust and offered up a driver's seat belt that may or may not have been a harness from the pilot seat of a DC-3! A combination of this plus watching the aforementioned CBS film, and trawling through the huge archive of photo's and documents and I'm not sure I could possibly have wished or hoped for more.

Now, we've all heard about the kind of American who believes whole-heartedly in the letter of the Constitution, and especially the right to bear arms. Often those same Americans believe in small government, minimal taxes, the need for all to be self-reliant and not receive 'hand-outs', as a well as a host of other, for me, rather unsettling ideas and views involving race, religion etc. Sid is very much one of these Americans and very proud to be. Now, as a house-guest, and basically as someone who was there to gather and soak up information, I decided it was not my role to argue or counter these views, which in turn allowed me to hear the full-flow of his arguments. More on this another time, but if I said that during yesterday afternoon, after ten minutes of tuition, I found myself loading a Smith and Wesson 22 revolver, lining up the sight, cocking the hammer, squeezing the trigger and shooting a large target poster of Osama Bin Laden, while wearing a cap from 'Evil Roy's Gun Shop', well, you get the idea. 

So, two days of experience as far removed from my day-to-day as I could imagine. Sid and his friends were kind, gracious, interested, fascinating and very funny hosts, and I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to Sid very early this morning before leaving for the airport and Minneapolis. An old-fashioned adventurer, Sid's life and experiences could fill several volumes. 

Sitting at Baltimore Airport and waiting to board another terrifying Dash 8, the perfect antidote presented in the form of striking up a conversation with a woman who works in government-funded third world development and specifically, mother-and-child health. Sort of served as a reset button...

Onwards!