6 States
4 Days
2,994 Miles
49 Hours & 57 minutes driving time
8 Restaurants
6 Bakeries
3 Ice cream shops
Hmmmm, long holiday weekend, looking at The Map, “Where should I fill in? Mississippi & Alabama? Nah, save that for winter. Pennsylvania? Need more time for that one."
Go ahead say it. You know you want to. “Toto...”
Before & After
Note: Before the trip a number of people asked if I was going to have BBQ in Kansas City.
1) That Kansas City is in Missouri.
2) Already been there and did the BBQ thing.
Friday, July 3rd, 2015
The Mississippi fog was still lingering over Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.
With all the escalating divisiveness in America as I traipsed across northern Iowa it became apparent how good this trip would be for my psyche.
Seeing the real America. The heartland. The ‘fly-over country’. Up close and personal.
The people with values who work hard for their families.
What the greatest-country-in-the-world-in-the-history-of-the-world was built on. Individual liberty. Ruggedness. Freedom. Capitalism.
After visiting this bakery in Osage a lady followed me out asking me what I thought of the Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pop.
Stopping for lunch in Sheldon found a dining room full of families, young ladies with DayGlo yellow volunteer fire t-shirts and walkie talkies on their belts, guys in Carthartt coated in dirt attesting to their labors and seasoned citizens holding court.
At Boom’s Drive-In in Platte, South Dakota I got this Banana Split for a buck by choosing the right balloon (it was the yellow one). Savored it while gazing at photos of generations of Boom employees hanging on the walls.
This section in southcentral SD near the Missouri River was some of the most magnificent terrain I've seen in the U.S.A.
Swiveling south the route went through Nebraska.
As is standard in the Midwest, small towns are set amongst the farm fields.
Saturday, July 4th, 2015
At the Daylight Donuts in Lexington, Nebraska I went for the Apple Fritter, like always for the fruit. OK, OK, they make a good picture. Alright, stop it, I like them for the crunch, doughiness, sweetness and cinnamon.
As dusk broke, the streets were being closed for Arapahoe’s 4th of July parade. This is America.
Crossed into Kansas trying valiantly to soak in all the views and towns.
Cawker City is in the north central part of remote Kansas.
In 2009 I saw the largest ball of twine in Darwin, Minnesota. This is the World’s Largest Ball of Sisal Twine.
Geographic Center of the Conterminous United States.
Nearby was a tiny chapel. I sat inside for a bit on this gorgeous day for a prayer.
The drive alternated between beautiful countryside and intriguing small towns. Loved it.
Belleville’s 4th of July activities were in full swing. What a wonderful slice of Americana.
I had come to town to see their glorious Art Deco courthouse, my favorite architecture style.
It took navigating miles of farm roads to reach Glasco.
And order a Strawberry Ice Cream Soda at The Hodge Podge’s soda fountain.
With Salina’s downtown you can see different decades of history.
“Buy them by the sack” at The Cozy Inn.
Lindsborg is all about a Swedish motif to draw tourists. (Yeah, I didn’t see it either.)
Tucked a bit off country highway 4, Marquette has a visually stimulating façade.
Continued to motor westward taking in the mesmerizing countryside interspersed with Small Town America.
Did a loop through the desolate southeast corner of Kansas. The horizon seemed to be further than elsewhere. All this solitude was filled with the greatness of America. It was overwhelming and emotional.
You’re lucky the Internet doesn’t have Smell-O-Vision.
Sunday, July 5th, 2015
Cimarron.
Get out of...Dodge.
Two panaderias in town and when I couldn’t find any Mexican bakery I haven’t tried went with favorites.
Kinsley is called Midway USA from being equidistant from New York City and San Francisco.
Coldwater is close to the Oklahoma border.
Pratt.
All psyched up for Amish bakery in Yoder and realized...it was Sunday. Not a single business open. Drat!
Downtown Florence’s empty streets revealed its current desolate state while highlighting its past.
Everyone in the county seemed to be at Town & Country Café.
They were out of meatloaf so I went with roast beef.
Marion.
Alma is called the “City of Stone”. No idea why.
At the historic Forbes Field south of Topeka, the Combat Air Museum has two hangers with aircraft from WWI to today.
Just imagine the stories behind all of these.
This is one of the models of helicopters used in Vietnam.
Topeka.
One of the very few state capitols I don't have the selfie in front of yet.
Holton.
Hiawatha and its brick and maple lined streets.
Monday, July 6th, 2015
Morning run along the Mississippi in St. Joseph, Missouri and then...
...though downtown. Nice to have stuff to look at beside the usual strip malls and big box retailers.
More twisty country roads to Amish oriented Jamesport.
Finally, a bakery that is open. Went with the customary Amish Fried Pie.
I thought, "I could buy this town. The whole town."
Chillicothe’s town square is still a very active part of the community not being killed by big box stores.
Yeah, I totally thought about trying it.
The road trip through Missouri a few years ago also went by Mark Twain’s Birthplace in Florida. The cabin was moved from here a few miles...
...to the Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site.
The building protects the 2 room cabin.
And houses a respectable museum of some of his possessions, first edition books and good information.
Good bye Missouri. And Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa. What a fantastic journey through the heartland of America. Thank you for reinforcing America will be strong through that recent divisiveness.
