Headed to America’s midsection on an impromptu road trip to meet with an acquaintance from Colorado. He shared tales from the recent forest fires in that state. Last night we agreed that the extreme heat could be a sign of the “new normal” that we may come to expect.

Here are some other random thoughts while spending time on the highway.

While on the trip, we witnessed the extreme drought conditions in Indiana.

Mother Nature headslapped the farmers in this state and the entire midwest. Even the mega-watering systems in the bottom photo (above) has not been enough to help the pitiful corn and soybean crops. During the drive on US 80 across Indiana two separate thunderstorms created 10 degree temperature drops; within minutes, though, the temperatures continued back upward. By the time we neared the Mississippi the temperature inside the truck showed 102 outside. We often overlook how good we have it in Lancaster County.

“Scorching drought conditions throughout the U.S. prompted the U.S. Agriculture Department Wednesday to declare 39 new counties in eight states as disaster areas, making farmers and livestock producers there eligible for emergency low-interest government loans.”

Trine University billboard advertisements shout about the massive scholarships their students can earn. Trine University is located in Angola, Indiana.

Culver’s “butter burgers”: one of the really good things about traveling around the mid-west.

Talk radio in the afternoon. A couple of other good things about the mid-west include being able to listen to WLS and WGN – two long-standing favorite Chicago radio stations.

Crossing the Mississippi – the view from the bridge on US Route 80 connecting Illinois and Iowa.