The Song’s Journey Unpacked
Bob Dylan’s classic “Wagon Wheel,” co-written with Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, has long enchanted listeners with its evocative road trip imagery. While the lyrics depict a hitchhiker’s journey down the East Coast, the actual route described has puzzled fans for years. Recent insights from YouTuber Sam Reid offer a fresh perspective on this beloved song’s geographical enigma.
The Route Riddle
The song begins with the hitchhiker heading from New England to North Carolina, mentioning cities like Raleigh and Roanoke. However, the mention of the Cumberland Gap, located far from Roanoke and Johnson City, seemed geographically inconsistent. The confusion stems from a misalignment in the song’s route, which led many to question its feasibility.
A Surprising Solution
It turns out that the song’s route may not be as perplexing as it seems. Reid’s theory suggests that the journey likely included Cumberland, Virginia, rather than the Cumberland Gap mountain pass. This plausible route—south from New England, through Philadelphia and Cumberland, Virginia, before heading to Raleigh—offers a more logical path that aligns with the song’s narrative, even if it playfully implies a stop at the Cumberland GAP store for a whimsical twist.
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