Wow. Day 5. Elk City, Oklahoma, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. What a difference a day makes. I felt the blue, zip flight suit was going to suit me best. (Find vintage flight suits here.) Cold rain and (almost) tornado fierce winds gave way to a wide expanse of blue sky and miles and miles and miles of country with cows and brush and barns dotting the land.

As we drove across the Texas border we heard this distressing news: Texas Governor Shuts State to Refugees, Using New Power Granted by Trump. You can’t make this weird timing stuff up. One thing I’m finding as we drive across the country is to try and see the difference between the politics and the people. Obviously we’re not in one place long enough for me to actually know what’s in people’s hearts, but rest stops, restaurants, gas stations, hotels, these are all good places to just see people being & doing. From the human side, that’s been really awesome. The side stares I wrote about on that first day are a thing, but they’re not antagonistic and I realize a whole five days in that I’m not really on alert for them like I was. Or at least I’ve relaxed my stance as well.

What is super interesting is looking at the swag in the truck stop super marts. Yeah, you’ve got your hats, but the t-shirts. Oh-mi-lord, the t-shirts. Some of them are about the lord, naturally. But most are comments on guns, hunting, America, and that guy who is slobbling around the White House. (I’ve got to give credit to my friend Tracy for coming up with slobble head connected to the D.Trump boxing pens as seen in my first day’s post). It’s made me think about whether wearing a t-shirt with And Yet She Persisted or Jesus Was a Liberal on it is basically the equivalent to this one sold at the Flying J truck stop in Tucumcari, New Mexico?

Ever since humans have discovered the power of clothing and then someone went on to invent the message t-shirt (this article link is fascinating), that item of clothing has been used to broadcast a person’s identity: What bands people like, the kind of irony they might carry around inside of them, the sports team they follow. Our body as billboard.

Jumpsuiting myself across the country has let me put on a type of uniform, while also showing off my vast collection (even I’m amazed that I’ve got enough to cover our whole trip), but also made me aware of how utility clothing works. I’m getting to know America through the messaging on that other utility clothing: t-shirts. But to only see that is incredibly one dimensional. I’m also seeing the country through all the very excellent faces and personalities of the people we’ve come in contact with. Still mostly women.

Tomorrow is a day off as we wander the streets of Santa Fe (unbelievably stunning place). The Jumpsuits will be back Monday. Two left as we end our trip on Tuesday. What piece of clothing says the most about you?