Corn Anyone?

Total distance traveled: 482 miles (15 % of total distance; 39% completed overall)
Total states visited: 3 (Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska)

Upon waking up this morning, Eve and I both knew that the scenery today would pale in comparison to that of Chicago. We were absolutely right. At the time of departure, we were greeted with the first rain of the trip. Fortunately, the rain subsided almost as soon as we left downtown Chicago. Once on the road, we headed southwest through Illinois. With the sun beating down on us, we welcomed our stop at the Dekalb Oasis (apparently the word oasis has more than one definition). For a change of pace, we began listening to an audiobook version of Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. We made it through two of the seven total cd's.


As you can imagine, our route through Illinois into Iowa was lined with green pastures and corn fields. At first, this bucolic scene was refreshing and a stark contrast to Philadelphia. That feeling did not last long. About 20 minutes into Iowa, we came across our first attraction featuring the words "World's Largest". Unfortunately, this attraction was the World's Largest Truck Stop. This "truck stop" is home to the following amenities: a restaurant, a chiropractor, 24 showers, a laundromat, a barber shop, a dentist, a museum, and at least 3 different stores selling everything from Jesus paraphernalia to samurai swords. Overcoming our awe at what we just bore witness to, we saddled up and headed ever westward via I-80. A few hours later, we came upon a series of windmills (stationary unfortunately). We snapped some pictures and continued on to Nebraska.
Eve Note: It's interesting what you start to pay attention to when the ride gets long. Cows, barns, and small hills become objects of fascination. Especially the cows.



Personally, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from our stay in Omaha. We arrived around 6:30 and found lodging at 22nd and Douglass St, about a 10 minute walk from the heart of town. Compared to the 4.5 hours it took to see the sights of Chicago, the amount of time it took to cover downtown Omaha was pitiful. But, unlike Chicago, Omaha was full of unique shops and restaurants. We made our way to Old Market, a 4 block radius of cobblestone streets and home to the nightlife of Omaha. We both agreed that it had the feel of a miniature Old City Philadelphia, but they seemed to be gunning for a comparison to Manhattan as evidenced by the amount of stores with New York in the name. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Zio's Pizzeria, a New York style pizzeria (surprise surprise). On the way back to our hotel, we shot a picture of downtown Omaha's tallest edifice. Later, we found out that this building is home to the Woodmen of the World Insurance Society. Omaha, although quaint and quiet, is rather charming and went a long way for shattering my preconceived notions of the midwest metropolis.


Tomorrow, we head to Denver.
Eve Note: Yaaaay!

Be sure to check Facebook for all the pictures from today.
We discovered 4 more license plates and need only 3 more (Hawaii, Louisiana, and New Hampshire)

The winner of the vanity plate competition was "JST JEWS" due to a lack of open-mindedness

The winner of the inane sign/bumper sticker competition "Kum & Go", a midwest chain of gas stations...and maybe more

And lastly, another photo gem from Eve.

This sign says "Welcome to Iowa"
Eve Note: Please see that the entire sign is captured, just not the dimensions typically desired.