But... but...

[sid]

I don't DO historical AUs!

But it's funny what comes into one's head during a six hour drive (including a miserable hour going virtually nowhere.)

I've got this whole post-WWI road trip idea that would just take WAY too much research... but I do like research. *g*

Jack's driving to Denver for a job and picks up a hitchhiker, who's also headed for Denver.

Yeah, I'll have to do a little research just to see if my ideas are feasible, or if my dates are off.

I mean, what year would it have to be for a teenage boy to build a crystal radio set and wow everybody with the spiffy new technology.  What could he pick up on it?

What kind of beat up old car would Jack be driving in that year, and what would the roads be like?  How much other automobile traffic?  I'm pretty sure there were already auto clubs and maybe they gave out road maps?

Did Americans really fly with the Royal Air Corps before 1917, or am I imagining that part?

Dammit.  *g*

Comments

[stagnation13]

*waits patiently for outcome*

You now do historical AU's! Way to go!

*snickers and waits*

[princessofgeeks]

what a fantastic time period. america was in such ferment just after the Great War. Roads were very marginal; road building didn't really take off until after WWII. I'm not sure when the Model T came along but it was the first widely available, priced for the common man, car. Before that cars were specialty items. Until 1920 it was still Get A Horse most places.

I don't know about the technology thing but Wikipedia should be able to tell you about the crystal radio thing and the RAF. Planes were definitely a part of WWI, but in their early stages. I know US radio regulation was given a boost by the Titanic disaster (was that 1914?) but radio was an amateurish mess until the late 20s. There was a also a huge oil boom going on in the south and southwest.

I love that whole Between the Wars decade -- America was so isolated from the "end of an age" feeling in Europe, but we really did get dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century then. And the Depression was a huge turning point.

Between the wars was a great time for women and a lousy lousy time for minorities -- the minority situation was quite grim. Women got the vote in 1921 so the postwar years were full of that.

*ponders*

Happy ruminating.

AU whoo!

[paian]

Sorry to hear about the sucky drive, but the historical.alt.reality idea sounds wonderful. Hope you wind up going for it!

[princessofgeeks]

how's this one coming, by the way?

*hugs*

[write-light.livejournal.com]

Yes, we don't do them -- until we do them (AUs that is). I never considered writing one until my muse suggested it, and the BAM! I was researching the net and came across a real historical photo album coincidentally from a woman with the name as a key character in my fic, who had lived in the town where I'd decided to set the story! You never know what you'll find when you start researching!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_radio Popular in 1920s, "crystal radio set" to "wow" people sounds 1950s.

Terminology: Army Air Corps vs Royal Air Corps vs. Royal Flying Corps (pre 1918) The British Army first took to the sky during the 19th century with the use of observation balloons. In 1911 the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was the first heavier-than-air British military aviation unit. The following year, the Battalion was expanded into the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps which saw action throughout most of the First World War until 1 April 1918 when it was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force.

[jd-junkie.livejournal.com]

I have no answers to your questions but I'll sell my first-born (who found out today that he is now officially a Bachelor of Arts, yay!) if you'll write it. *g*
And I give good pom-poms ...

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

Give the muse the reins and let her go with it! I bet you'll have tons of fun doing the research. (Movies!) Besides which, every single historical author gets something wrong or has to bend time to make their story work sometimes. And half us unejkated reeders won't notice anyway. :o)

[betagoddess.livejournal.com]

This site (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_radio) might help you with the history of the Crystal radio.

"The Boy Scouts (who emerged as the unofficial custodians of crystal radio lore) kept construction of a set in their program since the 1920s. A large number of prefabricated novelty items and simple kits could be found through the '50s and '60s, and many children with an interest in electronics built one."

Good luck! =>}

[charmedstrange1.livejournal.com]

Just swinging by with carrots, for any interested bunnies that might be around.

*whistles innocently*