What I Learned Driving Through the Heartland

Originally published by The Odyssey Online

Coming to Miami from Colorado was intimidating at first. I was going to college halfway across the country, at a school where I didn't know any other students. The school itself was almost a completely mystery. The destination was intimidating, but I was ready for the journey.

I grew up driving across the Midwest. We have extensive family in northern Indiana and we made the drive to visit them pretty consistently. I've spent weeks of my life looking out the window onto those small farms and scattered towns. I used to dread the length of these drives. I tried desperately to keep myself occupied in the car so I didn't have to notice what was happening outside. Now I've learned to appreciate these drives. The trip one way is nineteen hours of driving which makes thirty-something hours in total. This has been plenty of time to appreciate what these states have to offer. The flyover states are much more interesting when you're on the ground.

There are the massive fields of wind turbines, which seem to extend further every year. Spend enough time on highways and you'll see them being hauled down the road in semis. Even deconstructed, their massive size is clear. One night, driving through the plains of eastern Colorado, I saw a string of red lights appear on the horizon. I wasn't sure what I was looking at. There was no major city for miles. Then I realized this was the warning light on the turbines, flashing hundreds of feet up in the night sky.

There are the minor landmarks that separate all the states. The northern and southern routes across the Midwest have notably different landmarks and environments. Even the most stereotypically boring states have unique features. Nebraska has Lake McConaughy on the western border, and the Great Platte River Road Archway Museum stretching over the highway in the center. Driving under a museum shaped like a massive wooden bridge is certainly memorable. Kansas is dotted with religious billboards and ads for the Orphan Train Museum until you get to the Turnpike and the mess of overpasses and tunnels in Kansas City.

These trips have also given me some weird nostalgic triggers. I've definitely gotten deja vu from stopping at random McDonald's and gas stations along the highway. After driving this route so many times, we have some regular rest areas. My dad jokes that we've been down every off-ramp in Iowa, and that's not too far off. When you make the same trip over and over, on a highway with finite options for nearby gas stations, in cars that get similar mileage, you're bound to revisit some of the same places.

Another nostalgic factor on these trips? Steak 'n Shake. If you're from the Midwest, that might not seem like such a memorable restaurant. But when I was a kid in the Denver suburbs, there weren't any Steak 'n Shakes near us. The only time my family ever went there was on these drives to Indiana, which made them feel regional and exclusive. And because we visited the same places over and over, I also have affection for particular stops. There's a strip mall right off the highway in Iowa City, and another one near campus in Greenfield, Indiana. I loved the throwback style without really getting what era it was a throwback to. I loved all the options of milkshakes they offered.

The one way I still prepare for the trip is musically. As you might guess, the main radio stations in this region are country music and Christian talk. I can listen to those for brief stretches, but not for hours on end. There's usually a classic rock option somewhere and some pop hits around the bigger cities. But that much channel surfing is a major distraction from the highway. This means that my recent trips have been spent listening to music and podcasts I downloaded onto my phone. I've also had to get better at pacing what I listen to and matching playlists to moods.

I get that not everyone loves long drives as much as I do. They're time-consuming, relatively expensive and occasionally the lack of conversation does get to me. But at this point, I look forward to these cross-country drives. I'm secure enough financially and flexible enough with my scheduling to make these drives work. And since it's my senior year, I have a limited number of trips left. I am ready to make all these drives through the Midwest work. As much as I will be ready to get home, it'll be nice to see the states in between once again.

#Travel #Odyssey #PersonalStories #Nostalgia #Midwest