The "Other" Midwest

"Midwest" is an extremely imprecise term when applied to the geographic United States. I think it is clear from the map above that I have recently driven though the midwest but should by now have emerged into some other geographic designation. Somehow the mideast never caught on, so some residents of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and thereabouts believe themselves to be living in the midwest. Clearly the much farther west Iowa and Missouri dwellers should be using some variation of central. The midwest can only reasonably begin around western Kansas and Nebraska, yet those in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah want nothing to do with the label.

Now, you might ask what any of this has to do with the price of Darjeeling in Beijing. The simply answer is . . . nothing. But I have been on the road for four days and two thousand miles and several poker rooms, so basically my brain is gently resting in standby mode. I just wanted to take note that I have made it to the midwest, but then some hard scrabble rattling in my cerebrum launched me off onto that whole geography thing.

Suffice it to say, I am at the end of the road trip east and will be drifting about the Indiana-Michigan-Ohio region for several weeks. Deeper, if not more rational posts to follow. I will offer up an early nostalgia warning, my 40th college reunion looms next weekend.

The Shasta dwelling Midnight tapping me for pets whilst scowling at the intrusive camera.

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photo credits: epodunk.com and cblevins