2023 Part 2: Great Midwest Loop
The 2023 Quickie Midwest Swing was a test drive for an even bigger adventure into the Midwest.
I returned to Texas during the last week of April 2023 for a final medical blessing before hitting the road again for the grander Great Midwest Loop, which would take me to roads far less traveled than the ones I was accustomed to. I had always wanted to visit the more remote Dakotas, and I was still on my quest to visit all U.S. state capitols. With time and money available, I knew this trip had to be a priority.
Though I was an experienced solo driver, I was excited about the challenge of driving alone on some very open and remote roads. I only had a couple of weeks before I needed to be back in Texas, so my stays were usually short, but I look forward to another trip like this one to explore the many destinations I missed.
During this two-week road trip, I was able to cross many items off my bucket list:
Arkansas: I drive through this state frequently, but it had been years since I visited the Arkansas State Capitol, so I made a quick stop in Little Rock for a visit and passport stamp.
Missouri: During my previous visit to St. Louis in 2021, I was unable to secure a ticket to ride to the top of the Gateway Arch due to pandemic limits. With the post-pandemic easing, I easily secured a ticket and made a quick stop to enjoy the fantastic views of two states before crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois.
llinois: Springfield is the adult hometown of Abraham Lincoln; in addition to the beautiful Illinois State Capitol, make time to learn more about Lincoln’s life in Springfield before his White House years. He is also buried here.
Wisconsin: After crossing the Iowa state line for the first time for a brief visit to the graves of my grandfather and great-grandparents in Muscatine, I headed to Madison to visit the Wisconsin State Capitol and the walkable Madison Isthmus before heading out with an ample supply of Wisconsin cheese.
Minnesota: After spending much of the day in St. Paul at the lively Minnesota State Capitol and the Cathedral of St. Paul, I completed a bucket list item by visiting the Mall of America.
North Dakota: At the top of the loop, I spent the night in Bismarck after visiting the Art Deco North Dakota State Capitol. Before heading out the next day, I stopped at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, an amazing collection of Native American culture.
South Dakota: The four-hour drive on U.S. 83 between Bismarck and Pierre is some of the most desolate road I have ever traveled. After a stop in Pierre at the beautiful South Dakota State Capitol, I was off to the amazing Black Hills, which includes Devils Tower across the state line in Wyoming.
Nebraska: I could have stayed longer in the Black Hills, but there were more items to check off my bucket list. I stayed in Omaha but made the one-hour drive to Lincoln to visit the Nebraska State Capitol, home to the only unicameral legislature in the United States.
Iowa: My sister visited Des Moines a couple of months before I did and highly recommended that I go. She said it was a smaller version of Austin. I loved it! Home to the exceptional Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines was an amazing, walkable city. I had a restful couple of days before making the 12-hour drive back to Austin.
While I had solo cross-country driving experience before this trip, I remember it fondly as the first time I felt the freedom to get into my car and explore places I don’t easily access in my usual travels to the northeastern United States.
This really was open road and freedom. I’m grateful to know what that feels like. Experiencing true freedom marked a major reset in my internal human thermostat—that thing that sets the bar for what is “normal” life for each of us—to a state far more conductive to a regulated nervous system and whole, healthy life.
