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The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
  • About New American Digest
  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

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Cracker Barrel

The New American Digest Posted on August 23, 2025 by DTAugust 22, 2025

I used to like Cracker Barrel. I didn’t eat there often but I enjoyed the food when I was there. I enjoyed the atmosphere, I even enjoyed the kitschy gift shop. I haven’t been to one since before this kerflufffle – more from lack of opportunity than politics. It was still “Cracker Barrel” last time I visited.

Sometimes just knowing some little piece of my culture is there is enough even if I don’t visit often.
I don’t think I’ll visit again.

Damn the DEI woke …

Words of Robby Starbuck:

The American people are sick of having our culture and heritage stripped from us.

All these things that are nostalgic Americana are constantly being stomped on, and we’re being told that there’s something wrong with it, that we should be ashamed of it in some way, that it needs to be replaced with something more inclusive or more driven by these DEI characteristics,” he continued. “I think people are just sick of it. We’ve had enough, and we don’t want our whole country stripped down to where we have no semblance of, you know, that sort of nostalgic Americana culture.

I’ve been watching old late 50s/early 60s TV westerns with Mrs DT – turns out my foreign-born wife likes them (so do I – much better without commercials). Most of these have the advance warning “Outdated cultural depiction” and rated PG (violence, smoking, drinking). I guess good wins over bad, often by use of guns along with no “woke” elements is outdated but these shows were morality plays suitable for children of that era. I was of the later edge of the “hippies” and while some of it sank in, most of it did not (for example, I learned to despise Democrats when I heard McGovern speak). I guess that’s me.

So I prefer to be outdated based on nostalgic American culture. It wasn’t outdated nor nostalgic in the time I was raised; it’s too bad those of today (and apparently so many of my generation as well) feel such morals are inappropriate and obsolete.

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Replies

Conundrum

The New American Digest Posted on August 22, 2025 by JeanAugust 22, 2025

Posted by Jean on her site: https://beauvoirglass.blogspot.com/

Also – proof she’s in the right place coming here ….

🙂 🙂 🙂

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Replies

Repeat As Necessary…

The New American Digest Posted on August 22, 2025 by JeanAugust 21, 2025

First published by Jean, Jan 24, 2007

No promise of
sense or sanity.
Life expectancy of either.
Saturate with what
good is now.
Dissect, digest what
dark may bring again.
Away with that which creeps
and hopes to hide
jeweled bits of learning.
Know, remind (self)
good is greater here.

I am more.

More than troubles.
More than grief
and error.
Heartbeat does continue
pulsing life and
joy and dreams.
If beat should skip
then pause, reflect.
Breathe deep.
Breathe deep.
Continue…

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply

Eclipse

The New American Digest Posted on August 21, 2025 by DTAugust 20, 2025

On this date in 2017, I was lucky enough to live more or less on the line of totality

Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Replies

Ruby Ridge

The New American Digest Posted on August 21, 2025 by DTAugust 3, 2025

33 years ago now … but nothing else has changed.

33 years ago now
Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Replies

The Year Of A Tree

The New American Digest Posted on August 20, 2025 by DTAugust 20, 2025

There’s a tree near the eastern-most point of Jamestown Island, Virginia at the parking area for the trail to Black Point. I spent a fair amount of time on the island when I lived in the area and sort-of accidentally took pictures of this tree at various times of the year.

winter
spring
summer
fall

Here’s a piece of “getting to know DT” for those curious – you know who you are 🙂
I lived in Tidewater, Virginia for near-on 10% of my life but never considered it home, never considered it “permanent”; went through the required rigamarole to maintain Idaho residency and paid out-of-state taxes to Virginia. Unlike Maryland where I also spent too much time, I’d consider re-visiting parts of Virginia. However, like my feelings for Florida, I hope to never set foot in Maryland again.

Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Replies

Two Tunes For Tuesday – Beau Brummels

The New American Digest Posted on August 19, 2025 by DTAugust 16, 2025

A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today’s selection: Beau Brummels “Laugh, Laugh” & “Just A Little” 1964 & 1965

“Laugh, Laugh” was the first “hit single” of the 1960s to come out of San Francisco in response to the onslaught of the British Invasion.

Laugh, Laugh
Just A Little

An early “psychedelic era” San Francisco band, their early work was produced by Sly Stone – before he became Sly Stone. Laugh, Laugh was released in late 1964 and achieved it’s highest level in February 1965. One of the promotion events for Laugh, Laugh was an appearance on The Flintstones as the Beau Brummelstones. Just A Little was the follow-up hit, released in April 1965 and hit its highest ranking in June 1965, becoming the Beau Brummels’ highest rated tune.

The Beau Brummelstones

Although the band released other compositions, none achieved the status of these two songs. The band underwent personnel changes in 1965 due to medical conditions and military induction; the band finally fell apart in 1969.

Posted in tunes, Uncategorized | 5 Replies

The end…

The New American Digest Posted on August 18, 2025 by JeanAugust 17, 2025

A post by Jean

How many marbles
are we supposed to have?
A handful?
A headful?
A mouthful?
I can’t find mine.
Anywhere.
Not in the closet.
Not under the bed.
Not out on the sidewalk
where I played with them last.
Did they roll away
or did you hide them?
It’s your fault
I lost them.
It’s your fault
I’m sad.
You don’t have to admit it.
I know what I know.
Playtime is over.
You need to go.

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Replies

Thunderheads Brewing

The New American Digest Posted on August 17, 2025 by DTAugust 16, 2025

Mid-August. Time for the beginning of change of seasons. I’m ready for Memorial Day.

Summer isn’t over – temperatures in high 90s this week – and temperatures into 100s possible into September, but the beginning of the end-of-summer thunderstorms – sometimes without water reaching the ground (“virga”) – is a sign that autumn is beginning to force its way into planning.

During my recent journey, I noticed the trees beginning to change color. Early August seemed a bit soon; perhaps a hard winter is coming. Haven’t had one of those in a while.

I don’t go into the high country after mid-August without being prepared for freezing rain and snow. Not likely but not unheard of either. I was in Denver one year when the snowfall before Labor Day was heavy enough to cause significant tree damage – the leaves were still green – and that was only at 6000 ft.

My honey locust is beginning to show signs of yellowing ….

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Replies

Green River – Green River, Wyoming

The New American Digest Posted on August 16, 2025 by DTAugust 15, 2025

The primary tributary of the Colorado River, drainage of the region where Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah join. The confluence of the rivers is near Moab, Utah.

Historically, the Colorado River began where the Green and Grand Rivers joined … then politics got involved in 1921 when a Colorado Representative petitioned to have the Grand River renamed to the Colorado (over the objections of representatives of Wyoming and Utah as well as the USGS).

John Wesley Powell took a party down the river by boat (and through the Grand Canyon) in 1869 and named most of the features along the river(s)

Not that this fellow cares a whit about any of this.

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Replies

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Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


July 2026
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Most Recent Comments

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Blogroll
The New Neo
Jean's Blog - Pondering
The Feral Irishman

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

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