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It's interesting to hear everyone's definitions of "middle of nowhere". I remember reading someone from Illinois posting on this forum once that until he had driven out west, he did not truly understand the meaning of the term. The eastern part of the midwest (east of the Missouri River anyway) has rural areas, but not truly desolate areas.
Id agree. Youre never more than a mile from a house in the midwest, especially in IL. I dont think it gets truly desolate until you hit the far western edge of the Texas panhandle. From there until CA there are tons of areas that are completely devoid of human life. Its kinda unnerving to look out the window at night and it looks like youre looking at a black curtain, your eyes have no light to focus on whatsoever. You just start doing the "oh please car, dont break down on me here" prayer.
Id agree. Youre never more than a mile from a house in the midwest, especially in IL. I dont think it gets truly desolate until you hit the far western edge of the Texas panhandle. From there until CA there are tons of areas that are completely devoid of human life. Its kinda unnerving to look out the window at night and it looks like youre looking at a black curtain, your eyes have no light to focus on whatsoever. You just start doing the "oh please car, dont break down on me here" prayer.
You should drive I-8 from north of Tuscon to San Diego sometime.
The lower 48 has very few truly middle of nowhere areas.
The areas I visited that were seriously out there:
Northern Idaho around Headquarters.
The deserts and plains of New Mexico around Chaco or Mogollon.
Northern Montana/ N. Dakota
Southwest Texas around Presidio
Level 3 -5 roads that take you into the mountains of Colorado.
I live in a hamlet within a small town of <1200. We have no stores, no post office, no stop signs. We do have quite a few cows, numerous horses, barns in use and out of use, and many dirt roads.
After living in the city several years, I am now living rural again. To me, the middle of nowhere is when you can't see any neighbors, there is no pizza delivery, and Comcast service is still a few years away. I like living in the middle of nowhere....but it doesn't come with many amenities.....other than a wonderful peace and quiet.
The lower 48 has very few truly middle of nowhere areas.
The areas I visited that were seriously out there:
Northern Idaho around Headquarters.
The deserts and plains of New Mexico around Chaco or Mogollon.
Northern Montana/ N. Dakota
Southwest Texas around Presidio
Level 3 -5 roads that take you into the mountains of Colorado.
Way eastern Colorado on I-76 (east of Sterling) and it's companion, way western Nebraska on I-80 until you get to Ogallala (sp?) is pretty remote. Also most of Wyoming.
You know you're in the middle of nowhere when your driving down the highway and notice something seems to be missing and it's there's no fences lining either side of the highway. I experienced that while driving through the desolated butte country in the western end of the Oklahoma panhandle.
In your opinion, what is "the middle of nowhere"? Do you consider towns with 20,000 people that have at least 1 interstate, a shopping area, to be the "middle of nowhere" when theres towns of only 500 people that are at least a half and hour away from anywhere?
The actual middle of nowhere to me is/was the northeast corner of Arizona. My ma used to live 25 miles from town. Ten of those miles were to the nearest paved road. (east of Snowflake/Taylor just south of Petrified National Forest)
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