Kansas Is Underrated

Good Sleep Makes For A Good Start

Somehow, I managed to lay down to bed before 10 PM last night and then magically slept almost all the way through to my alarm going off a 5 AM. That amounted to a solid six hours of sleep which is an eternity compared to what I’ve gotten lately. After yoga, a workout routine and work-work prep, I packed-up and hit the road on time at 8 AM… despite really wanting to watch a little Jersey Shore Family Vacation in the motel lobby.

The Drive

Due to everyone I’ve ever known who’s driven through Kansas, I was sort of dreading this drive from Jefferson City, Missouri, to Goodland, Kansas. It started off looking a lot like northeast Ohio, to be honest, but once I got through Topeka, it all flattened-out. This is what people hated, but found it to be amazing. The part of me that was sad about not seeing Ohio in it’s glory of autumn was put aside upon seeing the vast fields of corn, dried-up and dusty, in the midst of being taken down by heavy machinery. The contrast of the brown fields against the clear blue skies on the horizon was so beautiful

Insect Genocide

By the end of the drive, the front of my car and its windshield looked like a murder scene… which it was. Thousands of insects met their demise today via my automobile. RIP, bugs.

Speaking Of My Automobile

So far I’m feeling positive about my decision to trade in my Volkswagen GTI for a Subaru Crosstrek. While I do miss the stick, the added technology of adaptive cruise control and driver assist are game changers. Having the car do some of the driving actually lets me look around a little and even that little bit is an absolute massive upgrade to the experience of driving solo across the country, which I already loved. Investing the money in a ceramic coating made the bugs a non-issue, as well… they just washed right off in a spray booth I found in Goodland.

Blue Laws

Speaking of Goodland, Kansas… they have blue laws in effect, so there was no beer to be found upon my arrival, but it wasn’t a big deal. I had a quota of billable hours to meet once I got situated in my room which was much easier to meet without beer.

Living In The Moment + The Immediate Future Of This Trip

After spending a lot of time over the past four years dreaming about the two road trips that I’d taken, I’ve found myself enjoying this one more than ever, especially because I’m not consumed with documenting it, so far. Each phase is going to offer something different. While I’m looking forward to entering the Rockies tomorrow, as I’ve described above, driving through nothingness can be just as spectacular. I’m already kind of sad there are only 20 days of this left.