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Greetings From Cornhusker Nation

February 12th, 2024 by Kenneth Abrahams

For those that are confused by the title, the University of Nebraska’s nickname is the Cornhuskers. I’m not entirely sure how or why they got his moniker since anyone that has ever traveled through or lived in the Midwest can attest to the fact that Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Kansas,  and Missouri all are blessed with cornfields that go on for miles and miles on both sides of the road. I’m not sure which state produces the most corn for people to eat but depending on which source you look at in terms of overall corn production, Nebraska is 3rd or 4th in the country. Nebraska was where the first 2 jobs on my January tour took me.

My family is never crazy about me driving long distances by myself and as I get older their concern seems to have grown. My youngest son really tried to talk me out of going and, to be frank, I wasn’t sure why he was so concerned. For more than 40 years I have made these drives, so what was so alarming to him about this one? It did make me check the weather and it seemed I had clear sailing from Boston to Nebraska. Day one of my journey was taking me to Ohio where I would stop for the night, grab some sleep, and continue west. From Syracuse all the way to Ohio I was in and out of snow squalls, nothing major but also not a lot of fun. On day two of my drive, I understood my son’s concern.

Three or four days before I hit the Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska corridor a major snowstorm had gone through the Midwest. Over the course of my lifetime, I have driven well over a million miles and seen a lot of very strange things while traveling. What I saw that day was unlike anything that I can ever remember seeing before. Over the course of that drive, more than 2 dozen semis and at least 75 cars had gone off the road. Some had driven up on the guardrails or road dividers, others had flipped over into roadside ditches. Some of the trucks had jackknifed so violently that the trailers had bent and had a crease in them. It looked like a child was playing with toy cars and trucks and just flung them all over the place. Luckily, the road itself, by that point, was completely plowed and dry. It probably took them the better part of a week to unbury, right, and tow all those vehicles.

My last trip to Nebraska was in August of 2022, so going back in January was very different. In August, the fields were still a beehive of  activity, and they were green and majestic. Now the fields lay dormant with a blanket of pristine white snow. Huge sprinkler systems still towered above the ground waiting for spring when they would be put to good use. Cows pawed at the ground trying to find a few blades of grass to nibble on, while in other areas that hadn’t had as much snow, they were lying down in patches of dirt and mud. Having traveled out here a few times there are things that I look forward to seeing. Even with a recent storm having blown through, the farm with dozens of old, painted satellite dishes still made me smile. https://www.farmweeknow.com/general/retired-farmer-creates-alien-dish-farm-along-i-80/article_903ceeea-4c9c-11ec-b2ad-3cd1dc4e586.html. They don’t exist around here, but Sapp Brothers is big in that part of the country. Many of their locations have huge signs featuring an image of an old coffee pot.

Enough about my drive. Being back in the Midwest is always a change and a positive one at that for me. People there are so nice. As you arrive on campus, they say hello, ask you what is going on and wish you a good day as they leave. Please and thank you are part of everyday, common speech. They also seem truly appreciative of the products and services that we provided. At my first stop, while unloading my equipment in the room I was working in, a teacher ushered two students into the lounge where we were setting up. He explained that this is where many students hung out between classes and pointed out the TV’s that usually had ESPN or a news channel for students to watch. There were vending machines and microwaves that the students were free to use. He said they would be more comfortable in here as  opposed to hanging out in the hallway, where he found them. Based on the way that he helped them out, I assumed he was in Admissions, but as I quickly found out he was a faculty member.

This particular campus has several trade majors they offer such as auto mechanics, tractor trailer certifications, welding, and even one that teaches students how to fix John  Deere equipment. Much of what is taught is hands on, so the classes are longer than the “normal” 50 – 75 minute college class. They also have breaks during class that allow the students the opportunity to use the restroom or get something to eat or drink. During one of those breaks, a class came in and got their personalized mugs. It turns out that the gentleman I saw with the 2  students earlier was the teacher for the class. He asked about the process we used to make the mugs and I mentioned that the press was having some issues. He asked to look at it and he identified the problem. He asked if he could take the piece I was having an issue with back to his classroom and 30 minutes later, he returned with the whole class and the troublesome piece, repaired. He, and the rest of the class anxiously waited for me to run a test mug through. Much to their delight, as well as my own, it worked perfectly. Now I had a perfectly  functioning press with 5 slots to use instead of the 4 that I had been using.

When I went to the second school on my trip, there had been construction on the campus since I had been there last, and I was having trouble locating where I was to go and unload. As I went through the door I had used on my last trip, I realized I was in the wrong place. As I came out of said door a staff person was coming toward me, and I asked him where the right location was. He started to explain it to me and then, concerned that I would get lost, he offered to walk me to where I needed to go. I told him that wasn’t necessary, and I found my way. Often on campuses, or at any of our jobs, it is hard to get people to stop, make eye contact, or help you. Not here, they couldn’t have been nicer.

After Nebraska, I was off to Illinois and the people were just as warm, welcoming, and friendly. My drive there and then home, outside of a lot of fog, was uneventful. Since I was heading to a small town in Illinois, Waze took me on a lot of back roads and minor highways. Although the territory was unfamiliar, it was nice to see some different scenery and go through different cities and towns. One place that I drove through was Casey, Illinois. Never heard of it, I am not surprised. It is home to more than a few oddities and Guinness Book of World Record holders. Ever wonder where the worlds largest golf tee is? Casey, Illinois. How about the world’s largest mailbox, wind chimes, rocking chair, or knitting needles? If you guessed Casey, Illinois you would be right. Time didn’t permit me to stop but it certainly made me smile.

Yes, I love living in the Boston area but sometimes it is nice to go back to the Midwest. Not sure why but the pace seems a bit slower and the people a bit warmer. They say there isn’t much to see in the Midwest and if you’ve never been there, you aren’t missing much, but I disagree.

About the author

Ken Abrahams has had the pleasure of traveling to 48 of the 50 states. He has seen some interesting things and met some incredible people. It is one of the best parts of his job.

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