A while back, I had the opportunity to drive across country, documenting a cycling race for the film Inspired to Ride. It was such an awesome experience getting to see parts of the United States that I otherwise would never have visited.
Before the race, I chatted with quite a few of the athletes and one of the things that constantly came up was the midwest. All the athletes were intrigued by the midwest. For the most part, they knew what to expect the rest of the route, but the midwest was a giant blank. Having never spent any significant time there, I was also intrigued. What I found far exceeded my expectations. The people were pleasant, the rolling hills through farmland made for a nice backdrop, and for the film crew, the weather turned out to be pretty good. Not everyone was as fortunate, but for me, it was great.