Took a trip this past weekend to see some old high school friends. I drove practically the entire length of Nebraska, and 150 miles into Colorado. And then, of course, after my visit, I had to drive back.
Like a lot of people, I kind of thought all those states between the Mississippi and the Rockies to be the same flavor – flat in spots, rolling in spots, with farm fields and livestock fields and an occasional tree in between the small towns. The thing about driving alone is that you have time to observe the countryside and think about things. This trip made me realize that Nebraska and Colorado are very different.
In Nebraska, there are a LOT of small towns. As I zapped down the interstate, every 9-15 miles, there was an exit that lead to some village, town or (Nebraska-sized) city. In between those exits, there were farm fields, neatly bordered by fences, though one has to wonder how a fence is going to keep a plant crop confined. Rivers and creeks were fairly frequent and bordered by large numbers of tree families. I didn't realize until I got to well into Colorado that Nebraska gave me a 'happy' impression.
In Colorado, the exits from the interstate were further apart, and in a lot of cases, those exits seemed to lead to a dirt or once-upon-a-time-paved road with no clue what direction one should go in order to find the town the exit supposedly served. The fields were still fenced, but untilled, for this was cattle country. However, the cattle seemed to be hiding behind the nearest ridge, or at the other end of the ranch, or someplace out of sight. When I got off the interstate for the last 70 miles, I went through 2 wide spots before arriving at my destination. One had a post office/general store as its only visible business, and the other had no visible businesses. Tumbleweeds really do complete the feeling of lonely desolation.
Hmmm, too many observations for one blog. Guess I'll have to do a Part 2, some day.
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