“They’ve all come to look for America …” — Paul Simon 1967

Back when I was in high school, one of my favorite music groups was Simon & Garfunkel. On their “Bookends” album, they performed a song simply called “America.” The song was about an actual and spiritual journey across America taken by Paul Simon and his former girlfriend, Kathy.

The song was written in turbulent times and expressed a longing to obtain a genuine understanding of what America is all about. Google’s artificial intelligence explains that the song is about searching for meaning among disillusionment and the complexities of the American experience.

Today, like then, American life is full of complexities, divisions and disillusionment. So, like Paul and Kathy 60 years ago, in July my wife and I set out to see America. We traveled through 15 states in 15 days without setting foot in an airplane.

Our journey started at the New-hall Metrolink station, where we took Metrolink to Union Station in downtown LA. We then boarded the Amtrak Southwest Chief for a 43-hour excursion to Chicago.

If you have not taken a cross-country journey on Amtrak, you are missing quite a treat. The accommodations are outstanding,........

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