Traveling the Two-Lane: A Memoir and Travelogue

Author(s): Marilyn Berman

Location(s): North America

Genre(s): Travelogue, Autobiography/Memoirs

Era(s): 2004

Location

Content

Inching through rush-hour traffic at the age of sixty-three, it dawned on Marilyn that she was also inching through life. At that moment, she decided to make the journey of her dreams—a long vacation, a year or more alone in a van. She spent months preparing to escape her settled home and habits, and in June of 2004, she got on the road. Destination: Alaska.

A lifetime of memories accompanied her. As she drove, explored, and hiked, she pondered her past. Marilyn grew up gay at a time when homosexuality was not only illegal, but also considered a mental illness. For decades, she led a dual existence, trying to be “normal” while fantasizing about girls and women. Driving the two-lane back roads of North America, Marilyn grappled with her ever-present past and an uncertain future.

“Traveling the Two-Lane” is the story of these two journeys—a solo sojourn across North America and a lifetime navigating as a closeted and conflicted lesbian in a world with changing opinions about same-sex love. Witnessing the riches of nature and genius of humankind while recognizing the evils of both, Marilyn confronts her past to better live her present.

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