Positively No Outlet

Since George’s pandemic road trip was the genesis of the podcast, we thought an introduction to that journey would make a good first episode. Here’s George reading “People Might Think We’re Not Nice,” the introduction to his collection of essays about his travels in unplugged country.

Early in his trip, George stumbled into the small town of Harmony, MN.  He was looking for a good meal, he found a lot more.

The entire pandemic road trip that George took began as a way for him to spend the summer as a trout bum.  In episode 3, we listen in as George returns to those roots.

The entire pandemic road trip George took that began as a way for him to spend the summer as a trout bum. “Keeping Track” is  George’s story about the people he found across the country trying hard to keep track of our past.

Episode 5 of George’s pandemic roadtrip “Scrap Metal” Episode 5 takes us on an unplugged sojourn along an enchanted highway where we discover the way to some outsized wonders in North Dakota.

“Center of Things” Episode 6 in George’s pandemic roadtrip demonstrates what’s at the heart of Unplugged America . . . and announces Charley’s first, and so far only, unplugged accessory.

“Home” is the seventh and closing episode in George’s Pandemic Road Trip. Yet the story doesn’t end here.  It is a chronicle that carries on in the hearts and souls of the people George has shared with us and lives in the memories we have built through his telling.

George's pandemic road trip was the genesis of Season 1. We thought it would be fun and informative for us to get together in George's dining room and share some of our plans for the coming season. We hope you enjoy this as much as we did and please join us for more travels in America's unplugged country.

Back on the road in 2021, George keeps to the rules of staying off the interstates and visiting every small-town museum he sees. In Gridley, Illinois he takes us to the Gridley Phone Museum and a safe with the combination written on the door. Then it is on to Petosi, Wisconsin and the Petosi Brewery where we meet the people behind the resurrection of a local brewery that also houses the world’s best beer museum.

The food writer Michael Pollan cautions us to never get our food where we fill up our cars.  But maybe he has never been to Café Neo, the Emmaville Café, and the Farmhouse Restaurant—great diners located in gas stations that we take you to in this episode.  We also stop by Cowgirl Pizza - a laundromat where you can get a great pizza and cold beer.

In Lynch, Kentucky the coal companies have left, houses have been abandoned, schools and stores closed. But despite all this the folks at Backroads of Appalachia have a plan. By sponsoring road rallies and events they bring thousands of people to Harlan County and the fall out has created new jobs and new businesses. Bailey’s Hogie Shop and The General Store at Creek Crossing are two of the businesses we’ll visit in this episode. Come along on a trip of the backroads of Kentucky and meet the people making an economic comeback.