Life in "Flyover Country"

I had work in Springfield, Colorado today, As I headed out on the highway, I couldn't help but notice how light the traffic was on 287, which was supposed to see traffic increase as the alternate route on the Portss to Plains highway.

Springfield and Clayton are both in what the media derisively calls "flyover country". This area is routinely ignored by media as well as tourists. It is seen as flat and not interesting, so much so that an article I read recently on New Mexico made a comment mocking the idea of skiing in New Mexico, when in fact some enthusiasts rate our slopes higher than Colorado's.

All of that was on my mind when I headed into Springfield. I have a pretty hard and fast rule that when I work in a small town like that I try to eat in town, if that's possible. It's a very small gesture I can do for their local economies, but if everyone did it, it would have an impact.

I stopped at the Trails End, a small diner with a decent sized dining room in the back. It was good food. Not exceptional, but it got to me fairly quickly and hot, and the restaurant was very nicely kept. If you're looking for a recommendation or endorsement when going through, I'm glad to give it. They also have a nice barbeque place across the street, but it wasn't open today, which is why I tried the Trails End.

I went to an Antique store on the same block and had a conversation with the proprietors about the local economy (I also found some great old books, which is always a plus). Their response was that it was terrible, and that's a response that seems common all over. People just don't travel anymore, don't check out small towns like Springfield.

I then headed down to the local museum, which is a charming combination of community center, library and museum. It's an extremely quaint, one room museum (if you're going, the librarian lets you in), and a pretty neat idea for a town with clearly limited resources.

The job wound up being nixed (the parts had not been delivered, but I did get to spend a little time in a very nice community, and as I drove back through two communities on my route that had dwindled down to nothing, I wondered if twenty years from now the same would be true of Clayton, Boise City and Springfield.

It also reminded me of something very important: why I stay. Because while more money can be made elsewhere, I can't replace the feeling that I get when I walk into a small one room museum, or living in a corner of the world where every dining experience is the quaint little restaurant people crave in larger cities. And when I look up at night, somewhere among the massive stars I can see the lights of your plane as you "fly over", oblivious to the incredible people and places you're overlooking.