When you can look into the long and prolific life of Benjamin Franklin, you can expect to be encouraged by his lifelong curiosity and can do spirit.

He was, I think, the first self-help author in the US.

Coming up, Eric Weiner explains how Franklin's travels made him an ambassador of the new American nation.

I would argue that there would be no United States of America if it were not for Ben Franklin's great seduction of France in the late 1770s.

Some parts of the USA have come up with local comfort foods that you just won't find anywhere else.

Matthew Gavin Frank explores delicacies from the sweet sunny south.

The name of Hummingbird Cake is called that because apparently there's so much sugar in it

that if you eat an entire piece your heart

starts fluttering like the wings of a hummingbird. And listeners tell us the

highlights of their travels across North America. Come along for the hour ahead.

It's travel with Rick Steves.

Among the men we call America's founding fathers, Ben Franklin might be the first one who actually lived what we think of as the American dream.

Author Eric Weiner has been investigating what makes Franklin the one we all seem to enjoy the most.

In just a bit he'll tell us how Franklin's goal to be useful, well into his 80s, included

lots of travel, keeping an open mind, and a wicked sense of humor. And we check in

with listeners about their travels, not too far from home in the U.S. and its

neighbors. After running a breakfast joint in Juno, catering parties in Taos and

sautaying Snapper in Key West, Matthew Gavin Frank has learned some attention-getting

backstories to local food favorites in all 50 states. He's here to dish up a few treats

from the American South that he features in his book The Mad Feast, an ecstatic tour

through America's food. Matt, thanks for joining us.

My pleasure, Rick.

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