Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel
from coast to coast without seeing anything."
—Charles Kuralt
I spent the weekend in Santa Fe. It's one of my favorite towns because it doesn't feel like anyplace else. It's considered the third largest art market in the U.S. The Canyon Road area boasts more than 100 galleries in a square mile area.
Santa Fe is an easy trip down Highway 25. It's true that there are long stretches without much to see besides sky and flat stretches of snow and dirt. There are few billboards along the route. Aside from Denver and Colorado Springs, there are long stretches without signs of civilization. But that doesn't mean that the trip is boring. It's nice to have stretches of time without the computer, time to listen to music or stare out the window at nothing and let your thoughts drift. I don't do that enough any more.
I do know what Charles Kuralt means. It's harder to find something special along a major highway. If you've ever taken a smaller highway or 2-lane road, you've probably come across something unique: a quaint diner, a tiny museum, or an unusual artifact ("the largest ___"). It does require a little bravery to go off the beaten path. In one little cafe, it was obvious I was the only non-local customer. I felt a little bit like a bug under glass with the stares of the locals, but that didn't stop me from enjoying a slice of amazing homemade pie.
Photo: Along the road near Garden of the Gods in Colorado.
Quotation source: Goodreads.