Possessing the Land in Arkansas

Maggie says:
I spent Saturday and Sunday driving 1,700 miles back and forth to Little Rock, Arkansas (don't ask). Some reflections from the road:

- When you drive I-40 across the country, you see beautiful sights in New Mexico and not much of anything else until eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas, when the land starts getting green and lakes are on either side of you. My dad and grandpa had the better half of the trip: the green just gets better in Tennessee, plus you get to drive through Memphis, one of my favorite places, and then you end up in my beloved home state of North Carolina. But Panhandle Texas and Western Oklahoma? No thanks. (Amarillo is particularly depressing.)

- The worst restaurant name I've ever seen is in Oklahoma City, right off the highway beckoning travelers. Enter "Toby Keith's 'I Love This Bar and Grill.'" For the full effect, imagine a neon guitar-shaped sign covered in a red, white and blue American flag with the logo written on top of it. How American! How authentic! Gosh, I bet I would love that bar and grill, too!

- American Idol winner Carrie Underwood should quit while she's ahead and run for governor of Oklahoma. She's everywhere! Her hometown of Checotah is blanketed with Carrie paraphernalia. I imagine it's the most excitement to hit that place... ever.

- A convenience store in western Arkansas was selling IBM Thinkpads for $600. $600! Mine cost three times that. What is going on there?

- Finally, the award for the worst billboard of the road trip goes to the Church of the Assembly of God in Pottsville, AK. The billboard features a picture of Jesus and the slogan "Possessing the Land for Christ." Imagine the blogging opus that could come just from interpreting that slogan and its implications for politics and planning (lucky for you all I'm still too tired to pump it out right now). "Possessing the Land?" Wow. Yikes. YIKES.

Many thanks to Dad, Grandpa, little guy Jack, and of course Joe for making our never-ending expedition possible. 1,700 miles? We can break that record another weekend no problem. :-)