The "Driving across the Midwest" Starter Pack

I once TPed the statue of former president Ronald Reagan at his boyhood home in Dixon, IL.
- O7

All the HELL IS REAL and anti-abortion billboards too.
The Chicago as a reference point had me cracking up.
Just another 500 miles and I'll be home!
- There's a German style brewery in Columbus, Ohio that sells black shirts with red block lettering that say "Helles Real" and I think it's the best thing ever

That lions den has been closed for a while now. Probably since before the pandemic.
- Shame, that was a staple of the cross Iowa road trip. Always kind of wanted to stop in just after seeing those signs for my entire life
  
  I always point them out to the wife when we don't have the kids. One of these times we might see what's in there.

Don't forget the absolutey massive fireworks outlet stores that somehow remain profitable year round.

It's nice that the bottom right one helps you practice your maths. "Exit 164 Miles" is just so boring.

What are those weigh stations even for? I see them on the Western states too.
And they're always closed! So clearly not that important.
- Trucks can only be 80,000 pounds max and certain weight ratios per axle (varies by state and conditions). If you're too heavy it could mean shifting the axles, obtaining a special permit, needing an escort, paying a fine, or even being stopped until you can sort it out. It has to do mostly with safety and damage to the roads AFAIK. Also it's where they check all your paperwork and licenses.
- Theoretically to check for smuggling and/or theft, I've been told. Come to think of it, if exactly the right weight of merchandise "fell off the back of the truck" to balance the weight of the humans you're trafficking, you'd be safe and make double profits.
- Lack of staff.

Drove across Kansas once. Every small town has 1 grain silo, 1 post office, 1 bank. Over and over.
- yep. Missouri too. You know it's a big town when it's got a grain elevator and a rail. Not quite as absurdly flat as Kansas.
  I still prefer Kansas tho, missouri is a real shit hole.

The "famous for leaving the Midwest" thing is so real. I lived in a town that billed itself as the hometown of a famous country singer, themed museum and all. Looked it up one time, the dude lived there for like a year when he was three.
- Illinois calls itself the "land of lincoln" and he isnt even from there, just worked there for a while.
  
  Ohio and North Carolina have a license plate beef over the Wright Brothers. They lived and worked in Ohio ("Birthplace of Aviation"), but the first flight was in Kitty Hawk because of the steady winds ("First in Flight").
- Same thing! Famous actor for us. Most famous thing was being born there. Left when they were a teenager and never looked back

This song is really silly but i feel like it's the quintessential Midwestern road trip in song form
https://youtu.be/kD6DBxIobz4
Be warned, it's folk music, which means it's catchy, in it's own way

You have no idea how good you have it. Spent a substantial amount of time in my youth moving from one side of the country to the other. We had books, when we had enough light. And whatever radio mom/dad wanted to listen to. And chainsmoking parents who wouldn't open the windows.
No phones, no smart phones, no gameboys, just miles and miles of reading (thank god I don't get carsick and love books) or, when you couldn't because of lack of sunlight, you just did nothing. I would have murdered someone for a laptop with games, movies etc., not even online.
And the rest areas were still closed lol.