Some journeys are measured not in miles but in memories created along the way. When I invited my middle daughter Zoe Jane to accompany me on a cross-country drive to Indiana, neither of us fully understood the adventure that awaited. What began as a practical mission to collect my late father's belongings from storage transformed into a 4,500-mile expedition through America's heartland – one that would test my driving endurance while strengthening our father-daughter bond.
The road stretched endlessly before us as we traversed Montana (surprisingly vast), South Dakota (unexpectedly beautiful), Iowa, Illinois, and finally Indiana. Though we spent barely twelve hours at our destination, the journey itself became the story. Zoe Jane, my resident foodie, selected our brewery stops along the way, including an unforgettable converted church in Peoria with what might be the most beautiful bathrooms I've ever encountered. Between her phone time in the back seat and our shared meals at carefully chosen eateries, we found moments of connection that make parenting worthwhile.
Among the journey's treasures were the albums/records among other things we collected from storage – physical artifacts connecting generations as Zoe surprised me by selecting John Lennon and Yoko Ono recordings. Our pilgrimage to the Field of Dreams in Iowa carried special significance, representing both my father and my wife's father's love for baseball and the deeper father-son relationships the site symbolizes. As Zoe prepares for her high school swimming career and I ready myself to return to coaching this fall, this road trip stands as a milestone in our relationship – proof that sometimes the longest journeys yield the most meaningful connections. Join us for more adventures as the Miles and Mountains podcast continues exploring both the physical landscapes we traverse and the emotional terrain we navigate together.
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