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Being the Bandit my desire to see all the national parks, do it.” I then hope they never google the
visit all the counties, and so on defi nes context of that line. I announce to people
who I am and gives me a peace that I did in professional historian circles that
by Chad Dean
not have before starting these journeys “when you tell somebody something,
back in 2006. I suppose the first of two it depends on what part of the country

Me as a Riverview Middle School-aged beagles I adopted that year and my wife/ you’re standing in as to just how dumb
kid watching Smokey and the Bandit for toddler grant me some degree of serenity you are” to casually see if they recognize

the first time: “This is the greatest movie that I did not know existed prior to their the quote but also to coyly ascertain

ever made.” arrival in my life as well. if they understand just how true that
colloquialism is. I got a hound just like
Me as a grownup, proudly showing my So here is what I was trying to say the dog Fred that accompanies Snow-
wife Smokey and the Bandit for her through the above quote before I inter- man throughout the film. I no-showed

first time: “This is the greatest movie rupted myself: from the very fi rst time a family birthday party so I could attend
ever made.” I saw Smokey and the Bandit, I thought a Jerry Reed concert at Sailwinds in
to myself: “This is the America I want.” I

I can’t vouch for others, but if I knew Cambridge. I could go on all day but
wasn’t of driving age yet, but racing from
a genie or someone who owned a time I only have so much space; I believe it
Atlanta to Texarkana and back seemed
machine, I’d go back to 1977. So much is abundantly clear that I identify as
like an incredibly satisfying road trip.
of my cultural identity was forged in a Bandit and therefore my pronouns
Quite frankly, to this day any road trip
that year, despite the minor technicality are 10-4/Good Buddy. Maybe Denton
sounds like a fun one to me, but add
of not yet being born. Just off will permit me to hold my own
the top of my head, the Tampa festival this spring, but more
Bay Buccaneers won their on that idea a little later.
first game, Margaritaville was

My attempt at glory materi-
released by Jimmy Buff ett, the
alized in 2006. I was still in
Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash
graduate school, teaching six
happened, and Elvis Presley
classes at the top-rated college
(allegedly) died. Th ough that
prep institution in Maryland,
latter pair of tragic events
coaching their Model United
continues to be mourned by
Nations team to victory, train-
Southrons, there is an espe-
ing my puppy on how to be
cially pleasant memory that
a good dog, and more, so I
will forever be cherished by
logistically had not yet been
those same folk in an effort
able to pursue any marathon
to balance the good and the
cross-country travels. Milwau-
bad: Smokey and the Bandit
kee was as far west as I had
premiered on May 19, 1977.
been, and quite frankly, that
Dean visiting the Burt Reynolds and Friends Museum in Jupiter,
I will explain why Caroline entire state (with the excep-
FL, in 2010.
Countians should care towards tion of Wisconsin cheese) was
the end of the column, but in the mean- wholly unremarkable. The
time, let me justify my lifelong fascina- in the danger and adventure of a high- stars aligned, however, that December:
tion. Naturally, Burt Reynolds as Bo speed chase and the high-stakes gamble Christmas fell in such a way that it gave
Darville put it best as he was trying to of attempting to deliver 400 cases of school employees the maximum number
convince his partner in crime, country bootlegged Texas Coors beer to a stock of days possible for the holiday break.
singer Jerry Reed, aka a tractor trailer car event in Georgia as the terms of a I decided, rather immediately after
driver named Snowman, to accept the bet is the most Southern, if not most receiving the 2006-2007 work calendar,
challenge that is the premise for the American, thing you’ll ever experience that I was going to retrace the route
entire film: “For the good old American on fi lm. Disregard the entire history of depicted in Smokey and the Bandit.

life -- for the money, for the glory, and the Academy Awards. Sort of. In the interests of full disclo-
for the fun...mostly for the money.”
I wanted in. So to this day, if we are sure, technically that feat is impossi-
To be clear, I have made very little off of traveling, whatever roadside diner we ble to accomplish for two reasons: for
any travel quest I have ever written about stop to eat at is immediately a “choke starters, though I treat the movie as a
in the Caroline Review or anywhere else. and puke” to me no matter the quality. documentary depicting an ideal South-
Some people drink, some people smoke, Channeling my inner Buford T. Justice, ern lifestyle, in actuality the film is a

and some people are addicted to tattoos, I warn my students in the following work of [gasp!] fiction and was fi lmed
but as for me, my disposable income way when going over certain classroom almost in its entirety outside of Atlanta.
goes toward road trips. With that said, rules: “You can think about it...but don’t Secondly, the Interstate Highway System
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