I've driven across Iowa several times ... it IS flat and barren. :-)
I wouldn't call it wasteland though as it does grow lots of corn!

I must admit though that I found Kansas even more boring to traverse on a
motorcycle than Iowa. I literally started falling asleep riding my
motorcycle across Kansas! I didn't even think that was possible up until
then.

Yeah, back when we lived in Wisconsin (and rode touring motorcycles all over
the country) we used to hate the ride from Illinois to the foothills of the
Rocky Mountains, simply because it was so flat and boring.

Only later did we realize that, by sticking to the interstates, we made
great time but had denied ourselves the true beauty and terrain of the
Midwest. Remember, the interstate system is *designed* to be flat and
boring. Once we figured that out, and got off of I-80, Iowa, Nebraska and
Kansas became just as much fun to see as the rest of the country.

Even Illinois has pretty parts, although they're harder to find once you get
away from Lake Michigan. (And that part of Illinois has been all but
destroyed by development.) Down-state Illinois is truly what people tend
to think of as Iowa-like -- pool table flat and treeless to the horizon.

Iowa, believe it or not, is remarkably hilly. We've been searching the
area, casually, for the last 18 months, trying to find a piece of land flat
enough to put an airstrip on. We thought that this would be a relatively
simple job, and have been quite amazed to find that there is little flat
land in our area. And go over by Dubuque, and you'll find entire parts of
the city carved into incredibly steep hillsides.

Get off of I-80. Take some back roads. Really *see* the country for what
it is.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"