Road tripping

I just got home from Denver last night; as has been my M.O. of late, I drove out. There are a lot of people who tell me I'm crazy for driving instead of flying, but there are a lot of reasons why I prefer to drive these days. Not the least of these is that driving can be a rewarding, educational, and eye-opening experience. In driving to Denver from southeast Louisiana, one encounters the massive sprawl of Dallas - Fort Worth; the beautiful vistas of the Texas panhandle; the prairies of eastern Colorado; and the majesty of the Front Range of the Rockies fading into view (although for the first couple days of this trip that sight was obscured by smoke from the California wildfires). You see the wealth of massive ranches and farms and the crushing poverty of some of the most rural areas in the country. You can experience great regional cuisine and see historic landmarks. I have been fortunate enough to travel much of this country, and I always enjoy the opportunity to see anything new.