Tuesday, December 27, 2005

the middle

We left early on Christmas morning, driving southwest to Illinois, then down to its southern point, crossing the Mississippi River, driving along side the eastern edge of southern Missouri and Arkansas, turning then across through Little Rock, ending up in Texarkana.

In one day, with Franklin the dog sitting on the backseat. A little rain at the beginning, and brilliant sunshine at the end.

America's interstates are mostly empty on Christmas Day, at least these we drove down through the middle of the country.

Years ago, when one drove down interstates, one could see farmhouse lights, but not so much anymore. Instead, we see signs, or trees, or open fields, or franchised eating and fueling places.

In Effingham, Illinois, there is a giant metal cross, with beveled surfaces, many stories tall. Further along, there is a prison. And farm fields.

What little traffic we encountered, were of, I assume, family members like us, going to another's home for celebration and eating. Our dog mostly slept. It takes 12 hours to get to the Texas border, and I thought our hotel was on the Texas side of the state line. In the morning, I discovered it was on the Arkansas side.

1 comment:

Hugh said...

The Cross even has its own website:

http://www.crossusa.org/internet/home.html