Flyover Country, My Ass!

I drove through flyover country the other day. Surprisingly, I saw more than nothing.

 

1

I started somewhere I know well, a modest metro area of 1.1 million. It had been the seat of abolitionism and the women’s rights movement, later birthing iconic brands like Kodak, Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, Western Union, French’s, and Ragu.

In the 21st century, while transitioning to a healthcare and education town, it remains a creative powerhouse, boasting one of the country’s largest jazz festivals and one of the world’s best music conservatories.

 

2

A few farms later, I passed by another metro area of around the same size. At one point, the anchor rivaled Chicago, though the economic fates of the two cities eventually diverged.

That said, the humbled burg still has it going on, sporting some of the country’s finest architecture, an NFL team, an NHL team, and without a doubt the best bar snack ever. It’s located on a huge lake and a 36-mile river, the latter serving as an international border and the source of one of Earth’s most famous natural wonders.

 

3

Had I stayed on the same road (and lake), I would have reached a metro of around 2.1 million, the former home of John D. Rockefeller’s brainchild and the current home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the largest performing arts center in the US outside New York City, one of the world’s best hospital systems, and three major sports teams.

But just prior to getting there, I hung a left…

 

4

I ended up in another metro area of 2.1 million instead. This one is a state capital, home to one of the largest universities in the US.

It should come as no surprise that the place that birthed Jack Nicklaus and Twenty One Pilots teems with talent, explaining the six or so Fortune 500 companies, not to mention the headquarters of two of the greatest burger joints of all time. To top it off, there are two major sports teams, not including THE team that plays in an oversized stadium for the oversized university.

 

5

A hundred miles later came the focal point of another metro area, this one home to 2.2 million residents and another six or so Fortune 500 companies.

Birthplace of William Howard Taft, Doris Day, Ted Turner, and Steven Spielberg, the place knows how to innovate, gifting the US its first co-op program, the heart-lung machine, and a host of well-known food brands. As a bonus, there are three major sports teams.

 

6

Another hundred miles later, across a river, I landed in a metro of 1.3 million. Smaller than the prior two spots, this one still packs a punch, known as the home of the world’s most famous boxer, horserace, baseball bat, and, of course, fried chicken.

Thomas Edison once lived here, perhaps fostering the creative spirit that decades later led to the first US human hand transplant and, for better or worse, Jack Harlow.

 

7

And finally, after heading south for a bit, I found myself in the desired destination, a metro area of 2.1 million. Smack-dab in the heart of flyover country, this one seems to get a pass, attracting coastal elites who later boast about their visits to the honky-tonks, the live broadcast of the longest-running radio show in US history, and the many other venues that define a country’s soundtrack.

The place is a state capital, but that’s an afterthought relative to the musical talent, numerous universities, business-friendly vibe, three major sports teams, and flawless hot chicken. It’s no wonder the region is one of the fastest growing in the US.

 

When it was all said and done, my jaunt through flyover country lasted 772 miles and 12 hours (11 when accounting for the time change). Needless to say, I’m glad I didn’t fly.

 

Key:

1. Rochester, NY
2. Buffalo, NY
3. Cleveland, OH
4. Columbus, OH
5. Cincinnati, OH
6. Louisville, KY
7. Nashville, TN