So, why drive from Sikeston to Springfield? On paper, it’s a three-hour trip between two spots that aren’t exactly tourist traps. But in practice, it’s a masterclass in Midwest Zen. You’ll see cornfields that go on forever, a sky so big it makes you feel small, and billboards for “Jesus Saves” next to “Bait & Tackle.” And then you’ll get to Springfield, where every intersection has a Sonic Drive-In, and you’ll think, “This is fine. This is actually great.”
The irony? You’ll miss the drive on the way back. I swear, by the time I left Springfield, that stretch of highway felt like an old friend. I even stopped at that same truck stop in Sikeston to buy another pie. It was worse the second time. But somehow, that made it better—because now I had a story about the pie, the throw, the ghost tea, and the dog-run thrift store. That’s the real souvenir from any road trip: the garbage you turn into gold.
So grab your keys, fill up your tank, and just go. You’ll find something weird along the way. And if you see a guy with a peach tea in Marshfield? Tell him I said hi. And maybe don’t take the sip.
