Day 5: Where in the world is Kansas?

As I've mentioned, the 2015 Row by Row (RXR) has provided a fun break in the sometimes monotonous drive across the midlands.  To find a participating quilt shop to visit, I first need to know where they are located along our route.  The shops are listed by state, so you just look at the state list as you travel to pick shops that are close by.  And that process would be really easy IF I know what state I was in!!!  Since so many states have rivers as a border and since rivers curve back and forth while roads are built in generally straight lines, you may find yourself passing in and out of adjourning states to the point that you are no longer certain what state you are in anymore!!  Which state list should I be using??  And by the way, why are the same town names reused in adjourning states?  Really?  O'Fallon, Missouri, is about 45 minutes or so from O'Fallon, Kansas.  Why?  And I was excited when I found on my navigator what looked like a match for a town named Forest City in Iowa, only to realize that the Iowa town was located about three hours away from our route.  I had been looking at a Nebraska town also named Forest City, but I already had a quilt row from Nebraska.  So, no, I will not score a RXR quilt row from Iowa.  Of course, it would make my juggling of lists and maps easier if my navigator would show state lines and I didn't try to do it on the fly.

And speaking of Iowa, I just don't get their highway signs.  What do these mean??











For those of you who have never driven through this part of the country, this picture sums up the view that you will enjoy from the interstate.  It's pretty, don't get me wrong, but you will see this view virtually the whole ride.  Bring good music or books on tape.