A Case for the US Highways
I've always had a fascination with seeing parts of the country that normally people don't see. Specifically, small town America. I enjoy journeys by train over flying, because you get to see the countryside, the small towns, and the unique landscapes that a plane window at 40,000 feet simply doesn't offer.
I recently took a drive from Chicagoland to Central Texas for my last semester of college. I've done the drive twice before. Most of the journey is routed on interstates. However, as my travel day grew closer, I had an idea. Instead of taking the interstate route, I would avoid interstates, and stick to US highways and state roads. Sure, it would add a few hours of driving, but this would be something different. Something unique. An opportunity to see the small towns of the American heartland up close. An opportunity to not blast through the landscape on a four-lane interstate, but to embrace the leisurely pace on two-lane roads.
I won't describe the exact route in detail, but US 51 took me south through central Illinois on seemingly endless stretches of midwest farmland. US 49 took me south through Arkansas, again passing through the chain of small farming towns. Finally, US 79 took me through the southern Arkansas forest and hilly forests of east Texas.
I absolutely loved this drive. Total drive time was 19 hours (yes, call me crazy for doing it in one day). The last few hours in Texas at night were a little rough, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute this trip. Traveling on US Highways and state roads (primary 2-lane roads) offered such a unique perspective of the country. A perspective that, in my opinion, is missed while traveling on the interstate. I couldn't just set the cruise control on 75 and more-or-less zone-out for hundreds of miles. Instead, every 10 miles or so, I had to slow to 45 (or slower) to enter the downtown of a small town that I'd never heard of. I got to see little communities that I'd never seen; communities that the interstate offers no perspective of at all. It was really special seeing the country from this perspective.
There's something nostalgic about cutting through the countryside on a two lane road, rolling through the downtowns of small towns, and stopping at stop-lights in the center of Small Town USA. It feels like a drive through the past. It feels timeless. And it's something the interstates simply do not offer. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for the interstates. They are phenomenal pieces of infrancture that link the country together and offer fast travel. But they bypass a large piece of America that can only be seen from the US and state highways. And I'm thankful to have discovered that piece of America on my drive to Texas.
I'd encourage you all to try a long distance drive using US and state highways. Discover the backroads and small towns of America, and experience a different way to travel. If you're like me, you'll love it. -JR
Tell me what your thoughts on this topic and traveling on US Highways. Have you ever done something similar?
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