On our return trip home to Decatur, Illinois from a week's Roustio-Clan of 27- vacationing in Miramar Beach, Florida, my wife asked which of the States we traveled through I thought was the prettiest? Pondering the countryside of Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida, I decided that Alabama nudged out Tennessee. With due respect given to the Volunteer State, we actually traversed the western section of the State thus did not see some of the greater hills and mountains.
Certainly, Florida lives up to its 'Sunshine State' billing, which many sunburned family members can attest. I will say this about Kentucky, the Inter-State road side maintenance is outstanding. Grasses cut deep into the tree lines and the median was immaculate. Alabama gives travelers great views of tall pines and rolling hillsides peppered with beautiful foliage sporting colorful blooms. Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida all provide excellent highways and comfortable driving, although I would suspect that back in the day when the Tennessee highway engineers were designing traffic patterns through Nashville they were either drunk or mean-spirited asses.
Traveling towards the Gulf Coast, one knows they are in the South as the barren clay turns red, the pines become more plentiful, pawn shops appear more frequently and a gun shop sits next door to a funeral home. Along the rural countryside of the South there is a stark contrast of the haves and have nots.
That leaves my Land of Lincoln State of Illinois. It causes embarrassment. Our roads (Interstate 57) is in deplorable condition. The Interstate roadside maintenance is non-existent. Grass is extremely tall in the median and alongside the shoulder. Little for which to be proud. I will tell you that Southern Illinois near Shawnee is beautiful as is the Northern area especially along the Rock River. It's just not fun traveling from one end of Illinois to the other end.
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