Roadtrip-Adventure-Ohio-West-Virginia-Bob Davis Podcast 879

West Virginia Stand Out

I promised a podcast for Ohio and West Virginia. West Virginia though, is most noteworthy. Find out why in Roadtrip-Adventure-Ohio-West-Virginia-Bob Davis Podcast 879.

Hard To Remember Where I was!

I’m on a mega road trip for Thanksgiving week. Heading across the central United States from Minneapolis and Saint Paul all the way to Richmond Virginia and back. As a result it gets difficult to remember just where I was.

Back Road Fading

First of all I intended to include more of Ohio. My route for a good part of this trip is US 33. Truth is, much of 33 through Ohio is actually more like an Interstate than it is a two lane back road.

Pouring Rain and Autobahns

Moreover through most of the time in Ohio, it was pouring rain. As I angled down toward West Virginia I focused on driving. In addition, I was a little frustrated with highway improvements that have left 33 a four lane autobahn with seventy mile an hour speed limits. I am searching for adventure in Roadtrip-Adventure-Ohio-West-Virginia-Bob Davis Podcast 879. That means backroads.

Wild and Wonderful

In contrast, there is West Virginia. I am enchanted with this “Wild and Wonderful” state. A place that turned out to be the stand out of the trip so far.

Mountains Mountains Mountains!

Maybe it’s the mountains. Towns and mountain hamlets. Old trailers and school buses. Picturesque unincorporated clusters of churches and antebellum houses. The contrast between wealth and poverty in some places goes back generations.

Hairpin Curves and 10 Percent Grades

Due to the mountains, there are times when Mobile Podcast Command was rumbling along at 25 to 40 miles an hour, rather than freeway speeds. Through most of the state 33 is two lanes, with hairpin curves and 10 percent grades up and down. Almost heaven!

Story Within A Story

Seems like every little turn and twist in West Virginia’s mountain roads have a story. From Glenview to Elkins and more. Almost certainly all these places actually do have pretty good stories.

Crystal Clear Night

Finally this podcast ends in Virginia. One hundred miles from nowhere. On a crystal clear quiet night just before Thanksgiving.

Now I get to plan the return trip.

Stay Tuned

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Roadtrip-Adventure-Ohio-West-Virginia-Bob Davis Podcast 879

Thanksgiving-Backroad-Bliss-Illinois-Indiana-Bob Davis Podcast 878

One Of My Best Trips

I am willing to say now this is one of the most noteworthy roadtrips I’ve taken yet and I have taken a few. Time to talk about this route. Let’s discuss what it’s like to drive and create on the road as well. Learn more in Thanksgiving-Backroad-Bliss-Illinois-Indiana-Bob Davis Podcast 878.

Back Roads Rules

First of all I am obsessed with back roads. I would rather take a back road anywhere than save some time on the Interstate. Especially anywhere in the mythical Midwestern United States.

Fields Like Oceans

In the fall the skies and fields seem to open up. It’s like being on an ocean of brown and black, set against blue skies. Certainly the sunrises and sunset pastels of orange and red are unforgettable.

Why I Do This

Above all in Thanksgiving-Backroad-Bliss-Illinois-Indiana-Bob Davis Podcast 878 I take a moment to reflect on why I do this. In addition I’ll make some special notes on very inviting towns in the Land of Lincoln and the Hoosier State.

Rust Belt? Downtrodden? Don’t Believe It!

These days you can’t turn on the TV or read political commentary without some reference to the long suffering ‘rust belt’. The downtrodden in America’s ‘former’ industrial centers. Most of the time the people making those observations have never been here.

Good Old Days and Changes

Even more, sons and daughters of Chicago, Indianapolis, and place like Fort Wayne may pine away for the good old days.

I like to get the feel of what’s going on in these places.

For example Peoria has always been a hard bitten industrial town.

Moving Caterpillar’s corporate HQ to Chicago was a blow, but the plant is still there.

Some Of The Best Secret Small Towns In America

Especially relevant are Logansport and Peru Indiana, as well as scores of little towns along the way.

I wanted to shack up in every one of them.

Back To The WalMart Parking Lot

Finally I think the most challenging thing dealing with the stress of travel and creating at the same time. Sometimes just finding a place to shut down and get some sleep can be frustrating. Especially when you don’t stay in hotels and cook your dinner on a camp stove in the WalMart parking lot.

Challenging and Satisfying Work

In conclusion this kind of travel and creating is some of the most satisfying work I have done. After about a thousand miles, you start settling in and having a good time.

That’s when the trip begins.

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Thanksgiving-Backroad-Bliss-Illinois-Indiana-Bob Davis Podcast 878

 

 

 

 

 

 

Backroads-Adventure-Minnesota-Iowa-Bob Davis Podcast 877

Stoked For The Road

I am as stoked as a kid can get at the beginning of a trip. These days you hear so much about ‘The Midwest’. Seems like none of the New York and Washington reporters ever go there. That’s the mission in Backroads-Adventure-Minnesota-Iowa-Bob Davis Podcast 877.

First Rule Of Roadtripping?

Already posted the actual plan for the trip so I don’t have to do that again. Except for one thing. First of rule of road tripping? A plan is only a plan. More than once I’ve had to make ‘audible’ calls.

US And State Roads Not Always Well Marked

It’s especially relevant for future road trippers to realize the people responsible for these things don’t mark US Highway and State Roads very well in urban areas.

Google Maps and Real Maps

Moreover I do not like google and apple maps. Yes, they’re efficient. However they take the romance out of navigating your way through cities like Des Moines in an effort to stay on course.

Going There Beats Seeing It On You Tube

First of all if you want to see the mythical ‘Midwest’ you have to actually go there. Second navigating the backroads allows the traveler to ‘angle’ up or down. On the Interstate the traveler is often shunted in hard angles.

Back Roads Save Fuel

Yeah it sure seems like you’re going fast. Truth is the traveler can save time and fuel by using our complex network of local and state roads, and the old national highway system.

You Have To Pay Attention

Furthermore it works pretty well. The problem is you have to really pay attention. More details on this subject in Backroads-Adventure-Minnesota-Iowa-Bob Davis Podcast 877.

Road Thoughts

Finally I don’t want to limit myself to simple travelogue podcasts. You’ll know where I am and what I am doing. It’s the thoughts that come to a person when they’re hitting the road at Thanksgiving that are more memorable.

Summer and Winter Road Tripping

Consequently you’ll hear all about the difference between winter and summer road tripping, driving during the night this time of year, and more.

How Independent Are We?

Even more, after driving through one of the most productive farm centers of the United States, and seeing the federally funded development in more than one small town, I wonder how independent we really are.

Burlington Iowa Development

Certainly I was thinking along these lines when I stopped in Burlington, Iowa on the Mississippi, just before heading into Illinois.

Indiana, Illinois and Ohio Next

In conclusion to hear the whole plan for the trip go here. Stand by for more podcasts on the road this holiday season from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, next.

Sponsored by Fitness Together Private Personalized Training and Nutrition and Tim Lacroix Real Estate Law

Backroads-Adventure-Minnesota-Iowa-Bob Davis Podcast 877