Smartphone mapping apps are an enormous help when traveling from one campground to another. Typically when using this tool to plan a trip I get one or two alternate routes that will take a little longer to reach your destination but allow you to see more of America. Primary routes rely heavily on the Interstate System whereas the alternate routes use US and State Highways, oftentimes leading you through the downtown of cities you might never have heard of before. Stopping at a local restaurant or coffee house gives the traveler an unequaled opportunity to get their finger on the pulse of small town America.

Luverne, MN is a charming town that sits near the junction of Interstate 90 and US Highway 75. My wife DiAnne and I stopped for lunch there at the Highway 75 Diner. The best part of the stop for me was being able to tune in to the conversations around me. There was talk of the wet weather and the status of their Cardinals (the Luverne High School football team) but I didn’t hear a single political conversation. Discussions of politics and religion would have sullied the ‘Minnesota nice’ vibe that was happening at this place.

If you’re going to order the special, come hungry. Today’s special at the diner was Swedish Meatballs over mashed potatoes.

With bellies full we headed south toward our next destination. Upon arriving at Iowa’s Lewis and Clark State Park we discovered there was no WiFi or cell service. The following day Di and I found a great little coffee shop with WiFi in Onawa. The Carrier Coffee & Tea Company was a cozy, quasi-artsy little place just off main street. I ordered a Pumpkin Spice Latte (yes, a bit cliche) and didn’t know if I would receive something delightful or something that tasted as if brewed with some sort of tree bark blend.

I openly admit to being a bit of a coffee snob but this place didn’t disappoint. Barista McKenna (the young lady in the photo above) created an exceptional latte for me. DiAnne and I stayed there a while enjoying our drinks, a connection to the Internet and eavesdropping on the locals coming in for their morning caffeine fix. I left with a large chocolate chip cookie that I ate later in the day while fishing.

On the trip from Iowa’s Lewis and Clark State Park to Clinton State Park near Lawrence, Kansas we found ourselves traveling once again along US Highway 75. We opted for lunch at a local restaurant call the Buzz Cafe and Oxen House in Sabetha, Kansas. This time I order the special; beef and noodles over mashed potatoes and there was plenty of it.

I had food leftover that I wanted to take with me back to the motorhome for Lily, Buddy and Sophie (the furry kids who seem to think I’m the greatest hunter/gatherer that has ever existed). That’s when DiAnne and I met Nellie, a charming woman clearing tables who recently lost her pooch. When she found out that we had dogs waiting for us back at the motorhome, she asked us to wait while she went back into the kitchen and prepared a bag of dog treats to-go. After she returned to our table, we spent another 15-20 minutes chatting with Nellie about dogs, our retirement adventure and how she ended up in Sabetha.

Sometimes when I hear friends say that they’ve gotten from point A to point B in record time, I just smile. I used to be that guy who wanted to spend sunup to sunset driving in order get to my next location so I could ‘relax’. Now I’m getting better at enjoying the journey and relaxing along the way. I’ve found that everyplace I stop there are people with a story that they want to tell. My advice to travelers is to slow down, spend a few bucks at local eateries and share some stories with the good folks you encounter along the way.