Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip

There's something that's just so amiable and adventurous about this documentary about a doctor from the state of Vermont who wanted to be the first to drive an automobile from the West to the East Coast. He's an amateur who buys his own vehicle and personally funds most of his other expenses as well. He's challenged by a team sponsored by an auto maker.

Somehow, Ken Burns finds just the right mix of archival and location footage to make it all a grand and very real adventure, an accomplishment given the limited resources with which he had to work.

And then there's Bud, the dog who accompanied them, and for whom they fitted his own pair of driving goggles.

This movie clearly illustrates the inspiring determination that made our country great. I felt every bump in the road with Hanks narration and, having traveled a similar route in our modern age, felt the frustration of not being able to find a gas station or garage when one was needed. (Of course, my travels made Jackson's determination even more amazing.)

I think that this documentary should be viewed in all the school across the country as we seem to be short on determination and commitment in our society. This brings a subtle message to our youth.

Being an animal lover, I was also impressed with Jackson's commitment to Bud.

What a great movie. If you enjoy road trips, wilderness adventures, or just tinkering around the garage to see what you can fix, you will find similarities with Horatio Nelson Jackson. He drove cross-country on a $50 bet when most people thought it was impossible. He had to find his way through the American wilderness, fix the auto when it broke, find gasoline where there were no stations, and keep his spirits up when things were going bad.

Jackson grasped the opportunity to become part of history at the perfect time. Cars we becoming more reliable, Indians were no longer a threat, and America was populated enough that he didn't go too long without seeing other people. And in just a few short years roads and cars would be commonplace, which would make the feat less exciting and adventurous.

Ken Burns does a fantastic job of documenting this journey of a lifetime. He has a way to make the viewer feel like they are sitting right along side with Jackson, his mechanic, and the dog.

I recently retired from teaching history and still love watching historical shows. However, some time back, I noticed that watching shows about wars, dead presidents and the like weren't as satisfying as they used to be for me. And, as a result, I started changing the way I taught my students. So, instead of focusing on this, I began to expose kids more and more to social history--the history of the people. This meant learning about how people lived and what it was like for people of all classes--their hobbies, diets, sports,...whatever contributed to life and which were only rarely discussed in any detail in history books. As a result, I noticed I was having a lot more fun and so were the students. Now I am NOT saying the other stuff isn't important--but all of this goes towards learning history.

In light of this, I love odd little documentaries like "Horatio's Drive". It tells an obscure story about a weird man who, on a lark, made a bet he could drive from San Francisco to New York. While this sounds like no big deal, this was 1903--and cars were notoriously prone to breakdown. And, to make things worse, few roads existed and those that did were mostly dirt. And, getting supplies was a nightmare. So much we take for granted today simply didn't exist and you generally don't think of the infrastructure needed for modern life. Well, Horatio and his driving partner certainly learned about this...the hard way.

This is a single-episode documentary from Ken Burns. Like most of his films, it uses a lot of photos and used various camera techniques (such as zooming and and out) and music to make the photos come to life. And, it uses nice narration (from Keith David of all people) and various actors impersonating the people from the story. Some of the actors contributing their voices were Tom Hanks, Adam Arkin, George Plympton and Eli Wallace. And, like all of his films I have seen, it's a top-notch production and a nice case of storytelling. However, I would have to say that the film did have one shortcoming. After a while, the film seemed too long--just like Horatio's drive. Because of this, the film loses a bit of its dramatic punch--though it does appear to strive hard for accuracy--which is admirable.

My favorite part of the show? Bud and his goggles! See the film and you'll know what I mean!

Wonderful job, Ken Burns!

As one who was eight when Horatio Nelson Jackson passed away, all I can do is thank him for his pioneering trip.

Even back in 1967, when I cruised across the US in my Mustang, a journey spanning North America was a challenge, sixty four years after HNJ did it with Crocker and Bud and mud holes that passed as roads. Now that I see what conditions were like just after the turn of the century (nineteenth to twentieth), I have an increased appreciation for those who gave it a try.

A wonderful film that really gives one the sense of being there.

All my love to his darling Swipes!