Program 328: Road Trips with Lincoln and the Green Book; Flying Happy with Samantha Brown

On the next Travel with Rick Steves, get inspired to take a classic American road trip along the Lincoln Trail, from Springfield, Illinois to Gettysburg and the Potomac.

We'll also hear about the special travel guide that African-Americans relied on in the mid-20th century to find a welcome on the road.

Plus, TV travel host Samantha Brown shares how to enjoy your next long flight overseas.

Discover American history on the road, and become a happy frequent-flier, on this week's Travel with Rick Steves.

• Robert Reid, Lonely Planet USA editor
• playwright Calvin Alexander Ramsey, author of "Ruth and the Green Book" (Carolrhoda)
• Samantha Brown, host for various series on the Travel Channel

• Robert Reid has blog postings about many domestic travel destinations on his website.
• The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is open daily in Springfield, Illinois.
• Abraham Lincoln's birthplace in central Kentucky, the Gettysburg National Military Park, and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington are operated by the National Park Service.
• Calvin Alexander Ramsey authored "Ruth and the Green Book" to illustrate the how African-Americans relied on The Green Book as a travel guide in the mid-20th century.
• Here is a PDF copy of the Green Book, officially called The Negro Motorist Green Book, from 1949.
• Samantha Brown describes taking her two-month old twins on their first plane trip to Florida on her website.
• The Travel Channel lists Samantha Brown's various TV series and specials on its website.

• "President Lincoln enabled many naval engineering breakthroughs. Did you visit any of the Union Navy ports or watery battle sights, such as Hampton Roads or Mobile, Alabama?"  (Tom in Oxnard, California)
• Caller describes a visit to the site of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.  (Craig in Chicago)

• Jay Unger, et al, “Donald MacGillavry (The Fight with the Blackfeet),” Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (soundtrack) / RCA
• John Williams, "The American Process," Lincoln (soundtrack) / Sony Classical
• Jay Unger, Evan Stover, Matt Glaser, Molly Mason, “Ashokan Farewell,” The Civil War: Original Soundtrack Recording / Nonesuch
• Americus Brass Band, “Battle Cry of Freedom,” Music of the Civil War / Summitt Records
• Paul Robeson, "The House I Live In," Songs of Free Men / Sony Classical
• * Aretha Franklin, "Hard Times," The Essential Aretha Franklin / Columbia-Legacy
• Warner Williams, "Step It Up and Go," Blues Routes (collection) / Smithsonian Folkways
• Little Walter, "Juke," Chess Pieces: The Very Best of Chess, disc 1 (collection) / Chess
• R. L. Burnside, "Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down," Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down / Fat Possum Records
• R.L. Burnside, “Come On In, part 2,” Come On In / Fat Possum Records
• Carl Burnett, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," Life Before MIDI / (self-released)
• Billy Stewart, "Summertime," Chess Pieces: The Very Best of Chess, disc 2 (collection) / Chess
• Caroline Goulding, "Selections from 'Porgy and Bess,' ('Summertime') (arr. by Heifetz)," Caroline Goulding / Telarc
• * Dave "Baby" Cortez, "Rinky Dink," Chess Pieces: The Very Best of Chess, disc 1 (collection) / Chess
• Bob James and Earl Klugh, "New York Samba," Cool / Warner Bros.
• B52s, "Follow Your Bliss," Nude on the Moon: The B-52s Anthology / Rhino-Warner
• NRBQ, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," Christmas Wish / Big Note
• Quintessence, "Bourée-Royal Garden Blues," The Disc Drive Disc with Jurgen Gothe (collection) / CBC Records
• The Four Tops and the Supremes, "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)," Magnificent: The Complete Studio Duets / Hip-O Select - Motown
• Glenn Lee, "Joyful Sounds,"  None But the Righteous: Masters of Sacred Steel (collection) / Rope A Dope Records

• In his intro to segment A, Rick notes that he recently watched the Steven Spielberg film "Lincoln." At 7:12, Rick recommends a road trip to see sights related to Abraham Lincoln, "especially this year," and then discusses 2013 Lincoln and Civil War anniversaries with Robert Reid.  At 8:25 Robert adds, "this is a big year for Gettysburg."
• At 14:24, caller Craig says "this is the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg." At 15:27, he says the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opened "about five years ago" in Springfield.
• At 22:54, Rick says Calvin Alexander Ramsey is working on a film of "Ruth and the Green Book."
• During his reset at 24:33, Rick promotes a link at ricksteves.com/radio to a pdf file of The Green Book.
• The New York Community Trust has a website tribute to Laura Spelman Rockefeller.
• In his intro to segment C, Rick notes that Samantha Brown "took time off this past January" to give birth to twins, and that she promises to be filming new travel shows soon.
• At 45:40, Samantha says she "just found out" that Singapore Airlines is cancelling its 18-hour flights from LAX and EWR to Singapore.  (CNN and Bloomberg report that those nonstop from LA and Newark will be phased out in the fourth quarter of 2013.)

Graffiti on freights

High up in the Siskyous.

Travelling art show.

-- Phyllis Baker, Seattle

Louisiana's longest street

Great people along the way to meet

500 miles peddled to complete.

-- Jeff Sibley, Central City, Louisiana

Choose Sand or Asphalt

Cars along Shore or Race Track

Daytona Beach, Wow!

-- Gail Weinstein, Port Orange, Florida

Up to Michigan

Ah, sullen teenage daughter

Karma strikes again.

-- Karen Albright, Fort Wayne, Indiana