On my drive to the cabin where I spent the last three weeks, I spent several hours among hills dotted with windmills. All through the California countryside, I was mesmerized by their gentle motion, a continuous circular whoop. At said cabin, a set of solar panels stood affixed before the Read more
Last week at this time, I was sitting at a kitchen table in a warm, cozy kitchen in Oklahoma. There were fading family photos taped to dark wood cabinets, coffee brewing on the counter, and a flurry of chatter as people came in and out of the open screen door. Read more
One of the first things I do when I arrive in a new town or city is stop in and talk to some small business owners. Whether they run gift stores or boutiques, coffee shops or diners, these individuals are one of the best ways to get to know a Read more
In the past four months, I have become gripped with tracing a major drug pipeline in the United States. From what I’ve learned, this pipeline stretches from Chicago to Philly, working its way through small towns and sleepy cities in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. From Philly, it continues north Read more
There are many things that always fill me with wonder while on the road: the generosity of strangers, for one. The people who open up their hearts and share their stories with me, another. And then, there is community. It comes to me in the most unlikely places through the Read more
While I wind down county highways across the United States, I am struck with how many towns appear to be struggling, a slow death march of empty storefronts and faded roadside signs. It’s apparent in every state I’ve visited, from Michigan to Maine and beyond. It appears that small town Read more
“I have the greatest job in the entire world,” he said to me, grinning. He gestured out to the water. “I get to fish every day.” I leaned with my hands on the ridge of the boat, surveying the vast ocean that stretched around us and nodded. It truly was Read more
People typically know that I’m from the Midwest before I open my mouth. “You just look like it,” I’ve been told, more than once. And when I do open my mouth, even if my “looks” didn’t out me — my accent certainly does. (And if I drink, I have to Read more