Travel Journal 2020 - Iowa and Omaha

"As we passed on, it seemed those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end." - Merriweather Lewis

As I traverse into the northern Midwest in my pursuit of new adventures, I can't help but think of Lewis and Clark: what they must have been witnessing as they explored such wild and untamed nature. How incredibly thrilling and challenging that must have been!

Admittedly, this trip will be far less thrilling given a modern highway system with urban cities dotting the map. I'll be traveling through Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Most of my time will be spent in the Dakotas. I'll only be spending a night in Iowa and Nebraska respectively.

On the eve of my trip, I dreaded the idea of long drives through "boring" states. However, when I stopped in DeKalb, Illinois for lunch at my favorite restaurant near the campus of Northern Illinois University (where I graduated from), an exciting thought crossed my mind: I have never driven west of here.

That seems silly maybe. Who really cares that I've never driven past DeKalb before? To me, it meant adventure! I realized that everything I would see, I'd be seeing for the first time. Instead of dreading the next several hours in my car, I feel excitement.

Welcome to Iowa

I crossed the mighty Mississippi for the first time in a car on my own, experiencing that excitement the I'm sure Lewis and Clark felt as they entered the West. Iowa was, for the most part, exactly as I had imagined: lots of farms. However, Iowa did hold surprises for me. 

First, I was surprised by the number of windmills throughout the state. I'm used to seeing wind farms driving through Indiana, but the windmills seemed to go on for half of my drive through Iowa. 

Second, western Iowa contained many hills and valleys, creating some wonderful scenery as I drove by. The farms that occupied these hills also adopted a terraced form of farming, which I was surprised to see in the Midwest since I last saw that strategy in Southeast Asia.

I'll be staying a night in Iowa City on my drive back home, so I'll come back to this beautiful state in another post.

Welcome to Nebraska

My first day of travel came to an end in the city of Omaha, which is located just over the Iowa border on the western side of the Missouri river. I arrived just before sunset, allowing me to explore the city a bit after getting settled in at the hotel. 

My plan consisted of walking to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge (pictured above), which spans the distance between Iowa and Nebraska over the Missouri river. I chose correctly, getting wonderful views of the river, and the city of Omaha. 

There are some things to know if you're planning on visiting Omaha in the near future. Restaurants and shops are slowly beginning to open as covid-19 concerns dwindle, but there are still many restaurants only open for take out or delivery. There are also many buildings boarded up following the recent protests and riots, which hit Omaha last week. Lastly, the city has several construction projects going on, which doesn't make for the prettiest of settings.

This complicated set of circumstances turns downtown Omaha into a near ghost town. I was stunned by the lack of people or crowds downtown on a Tuesday morning and afternoon. 

Once Omaha fully recovers from some of these unforeseen events, I encourage people to check out:

• The Old Market District: plenty of shops and restaurants perfect for a leisurely stroll on a warm summer night. 

• The Henry Doorly Aquarium and Zoo: a true highlight of the city. Currently, there is only a 1.8 mile pathway around the zoo. However, once covid-19 concerns improve, the zoo will open up their buildings to patrons, illuminating the brilliance of this zoo.

After Omaha, I'm on my way to the Dakotas, which I'm highly anticipating. Be sure to follow my Instagram for the latest photography. There'll be great nature shots from all of my hiking!