I'm taking a full week off of work to drive out to Colorado to visit the in-laws.

When told of my plans, I've gotten the same reaction over and over..."Ugh...you are going to drive?".

Yes...I am.

I love driving.  Seeing things and places that I've never seen is something that's always intrigued me.  Seems like every time I take a road trip like this one I come home with a few stories.

This time, I'm sure, won't be any different.

According to the trusty GPS, 1150 miles stand between me and my final destination.  And I plan on doing it all in one day.  That is, if I can.

Last time I made this trip I ended up in a hotel room in Des Moines twiddling my thumbs thinking "Man...I could have easily kept going".

I won't do that this time.  I will, however, stop if and when I need to.  If that happens to be in a big town, cool.  If not, that's fine too.  As long as they have a bed and a shower...that's good enough for me.

I think road trips are underrated.  So many look at them as a burden.  But the open road offers so many opportunities to soak up all the great things that make this country what it is.

The roadside stand selling fire roasted chilies.  The pink 64 Cadillac someone has for sale.  Or maybe the always popular commode/flowerpot that I somehow always manage to see at least two or three of as I tool down the open highway.

For the sake of time...I'll be staying on the Interstates.  But if time allows, I'll hop off onto the state highways where I can. 

Having grown up around here, you develop a natural affinity for the towns that have fewer than 1000 people living in them.  Each has it's own look and character.

I was once travelling through western Kansas and thought how some of the towns I was driving through, (Ness City...Jetmore), could just as easily been in NW Ohio or SE Michigan.  They had the old downtown structure still in tact and in use.  The buildings were mostly built in the late 1800s.  Ness City even retains to this day it's brick streets through the main section of their downtown!

So...you won't be seeing me on the air much over the next week.  But keep in mind that I'm out finding more stories to tell.

We'll maybe tell one or two right here in the blog.