Central Iowa From Behind The Wheel
With films like “The Bridges of Madison County,” “The Field of Dreams,” and even “Sleeping with the Enemy,” Iowa has been romanticized by Hollywood time and again. But the real Iowa is much more than the backdrop in a blockbuster movie – it’s charming and exciting – and it makes for a great weekend road trip!
If you’d like to experience Des Moines and Central Iowa for yourself, take a page from my travel journal and discover the charms of this place that’s both steeped in Americana and uniquely cosmopolitan.
Friday night:
Rolling down the windows and opening the sunroof of my Buick Lucerne, I hit the road!
Exploring Interstate 90 – The Nation’s Longest Interstate Freeway
Interstate 90, commonly referred to as I-90, stretches from Boston, Massachusetts to Seattle, Washington, over 3,000 miles – and all of it is non-stop driving if that is what you want. No stoplights, no cross streets, and no designed delays at all. I-90 runs through thirteen different states, some for shorter stretches than others, but a trip on I-90 will let you see quite a cross-section of the United States. Some of the major cities you’ll see on a trip across the country via I-90 are: Boston, Syracuse, Albany, Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago, Madison, Rapid City, Sheridan, Billings, Missoula, Spokane, and Seattle.
I-90 begins in the east in Boston, Massachusetts and heads west through Worcester, Springfield, and Pittsfield (traveling over 123 miles) before entering the state of New York. Nearly all of I-5 in New York is a toll road as it forms the eastern west portion of the New York State Thruway. A spur route connecting to I-90 here and given the number I-990 is the highest numbered Intersate in the country. I-90 in New York runs for over 385 miles and takes you through Albany, Schenectady, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo and then takes you into Pennsylvania.
Its shortest stretch in any of the states it passes through, I-90 is only inside the borders of the State of Pennsylvania for a little over 46 miles. I-90 does take you through Erie, Pennsylvlania before it readies itself for a 244 mile long march across the State of Ohio. While in Ohio, the freeway speeds through Cleveland and Toledo before depositing travelers in Indiana. As it goes through Cleveland I-90 forms part of the Innerbelt freeway system, including the corner known as Deadman’s Curve – an almost 90 degree.
Flying Hobos
Flying hobos, that is what it has come down to for the frequent flyers. We have become a disgusted group of stinky, ungroomed, ugly, thirsty travelers – no deodorant, toothpaste, cologne, cosmetics, shaving cream and lotion…plus, no water.
This is homeland security? How ridiculous! Obviously, this is another display of our government’s brilliant reactive policies. For once, could they be proactive and have some common sense?
Growing up in the hobo capital of the world, Britt, Iowa, I recognize the similarities between the flying hobos and the real hobos that hop the traveling freight trains. Every August, the hobos descend on Britt for the National Hobo Convention for the crowning of their new King and Queen.
The hobos parade the streets from their floats throwing candy and trinkets. Later, they gather in the city park for the crowning coronation and endless pots of Mulligan stew. Hmm…come to think of it, they are treated like royalty compared to current airline travelers.