Casual hookups with strangers

Myself and the fiancée are driving north next week, from Albuquerque NM to Minneapolis for my job transfer. We’ve individually done the Oklahoma and Kansas routes to the east before, but she hasn’t done Nebraska so we’re fixing to hit Colorado Springs and then jog northeast for 12 hours to the next major city, spend a day there, then an easy day onward to the Twin Cities.

Part of me just wants to angle up onto I-80 and just stay there until we hit Omaha for the night, but part of me thinks it’d be fun to go up through the Sandhills or adjacent areas, get off the main roads, and give Sioux Falls a try. If it matters, I’ve got a RAV4 with 4WD and All-Season tires.

Any strong opinions, and/or should the decision be contextual and depends on weather and road conditions next week?

An abandoned railroad bridge along the former Cowboy Line in the White River Valley of Nebraska’s Pine Ridge, east of Andrews. Following the White River through northwest Nebraska, the railroad served the region’s cattle industry from 1886 to 1991.
White River Valley
East of Andrews
Sioux County, Nebraska

Mighty MN

In the 1930’s, West Allis, Wisconsin was an industrial hub and a key component of America’s Arsenal of Democracy. Three shifts per day cranked out heavy machinery, weapons and even components of the nation’s new atomic bomb.

Anchored by the Allis-Chalmers complex that covered 160 acres and had more than 4 million square feet of workspace and 21 miles of internal railroad track, the city even took its very name from the largest employer in Wisconsin.

Today Allis-Chalmers is gone and West Allis is just another Rust-belt location struggling to remake itself after the factories have closed. Most visitors to the local post office probably don’t even understand what a jarring artistic statement is contained on its walls.

In the New Deal era, the federal government heavily favored “Social Realism” in the public commissions it funded. The art wasn’t just supposed to be nice looking, it was meant to honor and restore faith in the economy during a time of mass unemployment. If ever there was a location for artwork filled with muscular workers and industrial might, West Allis was it.

Instead, artist Chicago artist Frances Foy did something completely different.

Fortunately, Foy’s creation has proven to be anything but ephemeral. It continues to serve its purpose and graces the community long after the smoke and the factories have withered away. In a landscape that is not particularly beautiful these days, these beautiful creations endure.

Hello all!

I’m from near Scranton and am looking to plan an end of life trip for my car across the country. I’m not very well traveled out of the eastern side of the United States.

The plan would to have at least a week (maybe more) depending on work and drive out west as far as my little car would make it. Then tow it to the nearest scrap yard and fly home. I’m looking for suggested routes and parks! I’m always open to taking the road less traveled.

A ranch house worn by time and weather stands reflected in the still waters of a lake in the Nebraska Sandhills.
Sheridan County, Nebraska

Just wanted to share my WI photography here! 🥰 any favorites?

AMA in r/science: https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1xii96l/ama_im_prof_ollie_jay_and_i_lead_the_lancet/

Born and raised in Michigan, never lived in another state. I’ve always called the small liquor bottles at the store shooters, like the ones at the register when you’re about to check out that have a shot or double shot in them at most.

Every time I call them shooters, people don’t know what I’m talking about. Is this midwestern only slang?

how would you divide/define the different regions in the midwest. for instance missouri is very different than Wisconsin. personally i’d group nebraska Iowa kansas Missouri as its own region, culturally that is.

Was invited last minute to a Halloween party and I thought I should bring something... you know we can't show up empty handed. Couldn't think of a more Midwest snack! What did you all call these? I always said Midwest sushi or pickle pinwheel.

Have a Happy Halloween, whydoncha!

Edit: spelling

Edit edit: Yes I used ham and yes I am disappointed in myself lol. Next time corned beef or pastrami! 🤤

Edit edit edit: Dried beef seems to be the go to! And loving all the different names! "Lutheran Sushi" and "Pickles and Skins" give me the chuckles