I actually traveled that way from Chicago, back in 2001.
You start with Corn, lots and lots and lots of corn but you are used to that I am sure
Then you hit open fields, that begin to get hilly, then you see cows, lots and lots of cows then you are in Denver. Then as you go into the mountains it is stunning! Little rivers, green, big rivers, more green it was so pretty. We stopped at an amazing natural sauna cave for a splurge and after all that driving it was wonderful!
As you drop down the mountains you begin to see desert. Some parts are flat some rather hilly. The strangest part was through Utah where one night we were warned it was over 130 miles to the next gas station. They were not kidding the only light or life we saw off the road that night was one or two very, very far away farm houses. It was almost errie. Stop before you go any further they weren't lying about the lack of anything out there!
The end of Utah became more mountainous and had a interesting look with different color sands and shapes to the hills. As we exited one side of the mountains again we hit Nevada. Which at first looks like nothing, and you think no one lives here then suddenly you are on the very, very outskirts of the cities that make up what we all commonly call Las Vegas!
Vegas is Vegas you start in the outskirts then you see the casinos, then the strip.
From the strip you head out onto the road to some slight curves some hills and then desert, the Stateline, desert, desert, little funky road stop, desert, desert, then some more little cities, you will drive through more mountains as you cross the Cajon Pass, and then the cities will just get closer and closer until you finally end at DL.
You will see lots of desert, but many of them are actually different types of deserts so you will actually notice a change in landscape, vegetation and more if you really look.
Its a long drive but you can make it fun, we did our best on our trip but we had some strikes against us right from the start, but it was interesting.
). We'll be starting in Iowa, going through Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and then California. I'm thrilled to finally get to see this part of the US!
