18th century scientists, the French in particular, seldom did things simply if an absurdly demanding alternative was available.

Those who sniff decay in every shift of sense or alteration of usage do the language no service. Too often for such people the notion of good English has less to do with expressing ideas clearly than with making words conform to some arbitrary pattern.

Boston's freeway system is insane. It was clearly designed by a person who had spent his childhood crashing toy trains.

Everything seems to be designed for the benefit of the automobile and not the benefit of the human being.

England was full of words I'd never heard before - streaky bacon, short back and sides, Belisha beacon, serviettes, high tea, ice-cream cornet.

I wanted to quit and to do this forever, sleep in a bed and in a tent, see what was over the next hill and never see a hill again. All of this all at once, every moment, on the trail or off.

Four times I was honked at for having the temerity to proceed through town without the benefit of metal.