If you ever have cause to pass by Chicago again, go through downtown. After passing through the outskirts (I need a key to get into the bathroom at TJMaxx? Really?), you get to the birthplace of skyscrapers. Many of these were made back before WWII when it was okay to just make the building beautiful, and if it cost more, well, what was capitalism for? Freaking spotless. By one store at 9 in the morning there was a guy out spraying an already-clean sidewalk with a hose. Down the street the one lonely piece of graffiti from the previous night already had a crew scrubbing it. On one hand, this is a bit frustrating- they obviously can do better, so why don’t more of them? On the other hand- the rehabilitated core is already there. What would take Detroit a couple decades is already done.
I love best westerns and will actively seek them out when deciding where to travel. The best mid price hotel chain and better than a lot of pricier options !
I agree with you about Wyoming. It seemed like the blandness started right at the Utah border and never improved. All the good stuff is in NW Wyoming, but I wasn't gonna drive that far out of the way to see it.
Great piece. I am convinced one can’t fully understand America until they drive cross-country.
You did it on hard mode through all the emptiest states. I drove from Boston to Portland on I-90 most of the way, and did a big swing through the Southwest on a 2nd trip. I managed to avoid Nebraska, which The Onion once described as “a state that’s 150 miles wide and 17,000 miles long”
Sounds like you and your wife had an awesome, bona fide traditional American road trip, with a wedding celebration to boot! All that was missing was a few travelers dying of dysentery….I think your writing has gotten a lot better since you first started, or maybe it’s the theme of this particular piece. I enjoyed the humor you sprinkled throughout the tale.
Are you moving back to NOVA? I live here and completely agree with your strip mall assessment of the entire area. It's depressing. I like Fredericksburg much better. But NOVA is geographically beautiful. So is Maryland, as long as your first time there isn't Baltimore, which is likely to ruin all positive feelings about the entire state.
I just landed back in NOVA myself after spending some time back in the landscapes you describe, and it’s funny how much our visceral impressions disagree. I feel claustrophobic and trapped out here in the urban east.
It could have been the time I lived there but during the two years I lived in Hyde Park and then Bronzeville it was extremely dangerous and I had a number of incidents where the people where extremely racist towards me. I’ve talked about it a little on notes and I plan on writing a longer article in the future.
funnily enough I actually remember reading about that article! and yes, the Nevada that I saw was one from the highway not from the dinning room table.
Enjoyed the article, thx! Hope your time on the East coast goes well.
I have visited friends who live in northern Idaho. That is a beautiful area. Like your experience with Wyoming (IIRC) perhaps I had the wrong impression at some point.
If you ever have cause to pass by Chicago again, go through downtown. After passing through the outskirts (I need a key to get into the bathroom at TJMaxx? Really?), you get to the birthplace of skyscrapers. Many of these were made back before WWII when it was okay to just make the building beautiful, and if it cost more, well, what was capitalism for? Freaking spotless. By one store at 9 in the morning there was a guy out spraying an already-clean sidewalk with a hose. Down the street the one lonely piece of graffiti from the previous night already had a crew scrubbing it. On one hand, this is a bit frustrating- they obviously can do better, so why don’t more of them? On the other hand- the rehabilitated core is already there. What would take Detroit a couple decades is already done.
I really do need to actually spend some time in the loop if I ever return
great post - I just crossed going the other way, lol
https://open.substack.com/pub/riclexel/p/barns-acrosst-america?r=bcx26&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Very cool! Thanks for sharing and reading
I love best westerns and will actively seek them out when deciding where to travel. The best mid price hotel chain and better than a lot of pricier options !
Right! We loved them. Far better than any similarly priced hotel imo
I'm sorry that you spent years in California without experiencing great Mexican food.
😔
I agree with you about Wyoming. It seemed like the blandness started right at the Utah border and never improved. All the good stuff is in NW Wyoming, but I wasn't gonna drive that far out of the way to see it.
Great piece. I am convinced one can’t fully understand America until they drive cross-country.
You did it on hard mode through all the emptiest states. I drove from Boston to Portland on I-90 most of the way, and did a big swing through the Southwest on a 2nd trip. I managed to avoid Nebraska, which The Onion once described as “a state that’s 150 miles wide and 17,000 miles long”
Glad you enjoyed it and that’s an awesome quote!
Man your feet gotta hurt
💀
Sounds like you and your wife had an awesome, bona fide traditional American road trip, with a wedding celebration to boot! All that was missing was a few travelers dying of dysentery….I think your writing has gotten a lot better since you first started, or maybe it’s the theme of this particular piece. I enjoyed the humor you sprinkled throughout the tale.
🫶
Are you moving back to NOVA? I live here and completely agree with your strip mall assessment of the entire area. It's depressing. I like Fredericksburg much better. But NOVA is geographically beautiful. So is Maryland, as long as your first time there isn't Baltimore, which is likely to ruin all positive feelings about the entire state.
Yep back in NOVA! We should grab a beer or something!
Hell yeah!
I just landed back in NOVA myself after spending some time back in the landscapes you describe, and it’s funny how much our visceral impressions disagree. I feel claustrophobic and trapped out here in the urban east.
What was so bad about Hyde Park? Curious as I work there now.
It could have been the time I lived there but during the two years I lived in Hyde Park and then Bronzeville it was extremely dangerous and I had a number of incidents where the people where extremely racist towards me. I’ve talked about it a little on notes and I plan on writing a longer article in the future.
Gotcha. Feels quite safe now but i guess that depends highly on the specific neighborhood and time period.
Infinite fields of golden grass kinda sounds like my Dream.
Maybe I just have sentimental attachment to Clannad but my impression of Wyoming (admittedly mostly Yellowstone) is quite positive.
Honestly based. I could see you as a horse lord on the steppe tbh
Your comments about Nevada reminded me of this article about Battle Mountain. Worth a read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/28/AR2006112800704_pf.html
funnily enough I actually remember reading about that article! and yes, the Nevada that I saw was one from the highway not from the dinning room table.
Enjoyed the article, thx! Hope your time on the East coast goes well.
I have visited friends who live in northern Idaho. That is a beautiful area. Like your experience with Wyoming (IIRC) perhaps I had the wrong impression at some point.
Thanks for reading!
My pleasure. You are a good writer.