Driving from the tip of Texas to the heart of the Midwest by interstate looks easy enough. It's pretty much a straight shot taking I-35 most of the way, with a last leg on 81. A straight shot that goes through four major cities - San Antonio, Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, and OK City. My muscles were so tense upon arrival, I felt like the Tin Man in need of a lube job. For much of my adult life, I have made it my aim to avoid stressful driving situations at all costs, due to the way they trigger some chronic health issues in me. Why I made an exception for the trip up is beyond me, but I definitely was not going to repeat my mistake going home.
I never knew before that there is an option on Google Maps to avoid interstates. I started my trip home heading down 281 from the Glenvil, Nebraska area. I had in my mind that it would be a rather boring trip, especially through Kansas, as Kansas appears a little flat and dreary from the interstate. However, it was anything but!
My great sorrow is that I did not get to take pictures coming home, as most of the paved roads I took home did not have shoulders for pulling over. It's probably a good thing, as I would have been on the road for a good week if I had stopped to take pictures of all the amazing sites. The vast fields of wildflowers, the rolling hills, and the variance of colors along the way - I'm sure I had an increase in good oxygen flowing through my lungs from all the gasping I did at the wondrous sites!
Oklahoma is a pretty drive, even from the interstate, with the pretty trees and the Arbuckle "Mountains." But this time I saw my birth state of Oklahoma like never before. More gasping.
Driving through the Hill Country area between Austin and San Antonio is very pretty indeed, but nothing compared to the drive by highway. I truly love the Hill Country and I was so much in awe of it, as I enjoyed the closer view.
But since I didn't get pictures of any of this, I will be looking up some of the areas on the web to share some of the highlights.
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