British Couple Reacts to Why 80% of Americans Live East of This Line

[@Longhauler85]

As a truck driver that goes to all 48 states, this video is definitely accurate. You can essentially use Interstate 35 that runs from Laredo TX to Duluth MN as that dividing line. Most everything west of I-35 is flat and scarce until you hit the Rocky Mountains. But I also believe that the most beautiful part of this country is in that more empty area. Especially Montana. And no, driving in the west, in the desert areas in particular, never get boring because it's all beautiful to me. This country has a lot to offer.

[@wordkyle]

The open areas to the west, with their long straight roads, are why audio books were invented.

[@spike3082]

Exactly and I prefer the long stretches of highway without anything around as it means less traffic lol

[@anderson74]

Yes it does. I haven’t been to the midwestern part of the country but it looks gorgeous. Though not a lot of people, it is the closest we will get to seeing what North America looked like before westward expansion.

[@demsandlibsareswinecancer4667]

I agree it is beautiful area for sure. I usually Reserve saying this to either current or former military members but realizing how critical the job is that you perform, especially after everything we've been dealing with the last few years, well thank you very much for what you do. To be honest, I am a bit embarrassed that I did not fully understand how critical our nation's Trucking Service truly is for this country. I think even for those of us who really try not to let it handicap us, living in such a privileged position as we do in the US sometimes lends to people not seeing things as they should. Taking things for granted that they wouldn't otherwise. I can't stand the ungrateful nature of most Americans these days and when I find the same flaws and or faults in myself I am desperate to correct them as quickly as possible. Keep up the good work my friend and don't ever doubt there are some of us who appreciate the work you do even if we don't know you, never meet you, never speak to you again.

[@troyp5359]

My first time driving out west I was excited I could see the Rockies in the distance.. 4 hours later I could still see the Rockies in the distance lol

[@noahfyan9617]

Quick note on the Appalachians and Rocky mountains is that the Ricky's are essentially brand new in terms of mountains that's why they are so tall, the Appalachians are one of the oldest mountain chains still on Earth so they've been worn down

[@greatwhiteape6945]

You would surprise yourself at the amount of wild life lives in the desert. All type of game birds, great fishing holes made by ranchers, big game. I used to go out and hunt birds when the sun was just coming up. You could see shadows of quail running from you. In the desert mountains you would find places where the Indians made arrow heads.

[@62impalaconvert]

8:38 My wife and I travel in the west in our motorhome. To us it is peacefull, interesting and not boring. We can stop anywhere we like and enjoy a snack or lunch break with all the comforts of our home in Washington while enjoying the spactacular scenery all around us.

[@gulfcoastgotcha7462]

Fly into Denver Colorado. Get a car, drive interstate 70 all the way to interstate 15 which leads you to Las Vegas. One of the most absolute beautiful desert and rocky mountain views you'll ever see.

[@hughjass9078]

It is freaky flying over this line at night. Goes from bright to dark in a second

[@Donny_Mise]

I've noticed that! You can actually see it from the air!

[@pirateylass]

I'm a West Coast girl. Born in Long Beach, California, but lived most of my life in the Pacific Northwest. We definitely had no problem with rainfall up north, but my Mom's family in Cali constantly have watch out for droughts. The Cascade Mountains make Portland and Seattle very rainy, while cities on the eastern side of both Oregon and Washington are sparse in population and rainfall. I'm less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean now in the coastal city I live in on the Washington central coast. So you have the huge increase in rainfall, as well as rainstorms blowing in from the ocean. Just in Washington alone, 60% of our state's population are in the Seattle area, as is the case in Oregon as well with Portland being where most of their state population lives. If you noticed on the rainfall map of the US, the Pacific Northwest had a greater density of rain than most anywhere in the country. Makes this area very green and lush with forests and wildlife.

[@Michael-mv3kc]

Have seattle or portland gotten any better or are they still being overran by criminals and homeless people?

[@InvisibleMag]

driving through the Southwest and further north is one of the best things you can do in life visually. Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana.... brilliant sights

[@averilramsey7241]

As a long distance semi-truck driver, I traveled all over US and parts of Canada. The "empty" area amazes all senses and is never boring, but if you are the thinky sort, you might begin to worry about how far you are from anyone else. As for how dry, I lived in El Paso for 5 years, and when snow came it was like graphite. In the winter of 1995(?), on my way home, I watched a civilian style HMMWV (Humvee/Hummer), unable to find purchase, slide backward down my hill on North Mesa Street, a main thoroughfare of the town. My 1968 Mustang, with cleated snow tires pulled a 360 while I was trying the flatter interstate highway as an alternate route. I barely made it, and stayed in my place until it all melted. Obey God. Amen.

[@GrannySanny]

I think Powell's proposal makes the most sense. When you deplete the surface waters you have less evaporation and less rain. More and more cities have been built in the west that require water from the limited resources and it does not make it back to its source. Hoover Dam and Lake Meade outside Las Vegas are prime examples of depleting the water in one area to supply other vast areas far away from the source..

[@lianabaddley8217]

When the Great Salt Lake was bigger we used to get Sooo much more Snow in the winter. The Lake is smaller now. We are not getting as much Snow. Pretty soon we will not be known anymore as having *The Greatest Snow in Earth" . Lol

[@joshuaeastepp597]

This video is right on the nose when it comes to being a mass void of practically vast openness as certain “ lines” in the US. Several years ago I moved from San Antonio, Texas to Las Vegas and made the drive alone. Once you get not far outside of the Austin metro area, you feel alone while driving. It was beautiful scenery and a lifetime adventure to drive across the country, but I can honestly say I very quickly found myself ensuring my suv got topped off on fuel, I bought another bag of snacks and waters when I came across a gas station. Lol. In west Texas I kept losing cell service, and with me driving alone for the entire 26 plus hours to Las Vegas through desolation, I wasn’t taking any chances 😂

[@greatgreyowl2583]

We like our elbowroom. Also there is more variety of plants and animals than the video implies. On those long "straight" road as the elevation changes the amount of "annual rainfall" changes and the plants and animals change. A thousand feet can make different of 3-4 inches per year.

[@zacharyliles8657]

I grew up east of the line (Michigan) and moved west of the line (Colorado) a year ago and the difference is SO NOTICEABLE. It really is like being in a different world and you can really feel the isolation. In Michigan everything felt close and connected, whereas in Colorado every town and city feels like a small island in a sea of nothing. It's really wild I'm glad I moved back to Michigan

[@dennisstafford1749]

I live in St. Louis, 252 miles East of the line and against the Mighty Mississippi River which drains 2/3 of America (with tributaries). This year was the driest on record exposing sandbars and rock formations not seen in decades and exposing old shipwrecks. Barges were stranded even with continual dredging. What makes this alarming is this is the 4th largest River System on the planet.

[@austria-hungary7680]

rip

[@kev792]

Is there any plans to combat this? In the future I fully believe that wars will be fought over water, arable land and different resources.

[@bobbyspain905]

Heard the same about the once mighty Colorado River it’s drying up as well with record low levels too.

[@pointlessmanatee]

@@kev792 I believe the acting plan is to roll coal KKona

[@dennisstafford1749]

@@kev792 You may have read or heard about the Dust Bowl so this phenomenon is not unknown. Back then reforestation, non-tillable farming and red wheat from Russia were the solutions. Conifers in Colorado's Forest are dying and rising temps are the base culprit. The snow pack melts earlier and more often. The state of Colorado with 58 peaks over 14K feet are the source of 4 major Rivers: South Platte R., Arkansas R., Colorado R., and the Rio Grande R. This is occurring in Montana and the Sierra Nevada Mountains also.

[@BigMateo24]

I live on the west coast west of the Cascades, we have definitely seen dryer conditions over the last decade or so, leading to more droughts and deadlier wildfires. Fire season is a serious deal and lasts all the way from mid/late spring all the way up to late fall. The dryer conditions have basically turned all the surrounding grass and trees into a giant tinder box, waiting for a spark to go off. We've seen practically the entire west coast from northern washington all the way down to southern california engulfed in flames before, with entire communities wiped off the map. It doesn't look to get any better any time soon either.

[@mattrogers5994]

What you won't hear from the news/media: The 3 extreme-far-left liberal states that make up the west coast of the US knowingly allow these fires to flare up because they refuse to do anything about it. This bs has happened since the legit establishment of the western states. What is happening is no surprise and it isn't new news by any means. Forest fires happen, that is natural across the globe. But the agenda of those states' governments is they believe the c02 emission of controlled burns is higher than the risk of doing nothing. Most likely bc controlled burns upset the woke folks, but it also costs money to maintain this. The outcome from doing absolutely nothing, is countless unnecessary deaths and literally 10's of billions of dollars from property and livestock damages. If that isn't enough, California has plenty of other problems that will end up effecting, harming and possibly have your children end up in prison or the sex slave trade bc of the lack of police bc they defunded the police. Liberals fack everything up eventually, if they are allowed to continue. It's no surprise over 300,000 have left Cali this year bc of the mass corruption and crime.

[@garycamara9955]

We haven't had any major fires in Sonoma or Marin counties, Napa,Mendocino, and Humboldt counties have though.

[@sabalomglitz6478]

PHOENIX TO LA is literally a 100 miles of absolutely nothing after the Metro area ,until the Colorado River. Then after Blythe, CA it's another 175 miles of absolutely dead zone. No radio,no cell. Nothing! Then you get into the valleys of Southern California.

[@Melissa-wx4lu]

The Colorado River has been making big news this past summer, specifically Lake Mead. We in Arizona have known for a few years now and have been implementing water restrictions. This year was the strongest yet but no real word on if they will go up to the next stage. Which will basically start cutting off farmers as per the water contract they signed. Much of that water goes to California to water crops. 80% of the USA's winter vegetables comes from this area so it's quite interesting to see how food prices are going to shoot to the stars if those areas ever get cut off.

[@lixjoonhoneymt7149]

same here in Nevada… the percentage of the colorado that goes to Southern California when they have irrigation and aqueduct from the north is insane… due to the percentage not changing one bit despite the other south-western state’s populations growing Nevada has implemented a myriad and exhaustive list of water restriction laws… I know Nevada will survive the cut on water just cause we have restricted so much that it’s basically the same as post cut, but what happens when it cuts again… It’s kinda terrifying to think about.

[@cheese135...9]

I live in Minnesota and have for all my life, and the thing that I mainly noticed was the weather getting warmer, so much so the we had rain, (albeit freezing rain) in january! From reference this is one of our coldest months, since we share a border with Canada we get a lot of cold air. Temperatures normally are from 15 to -20F (I live in the southern part of the state) so you can imagine rain was nearly impossible in February and January. I think we are going to be affected by the dryness in the next few years or so.

[@goosebump801]

I grew up in Salt Lake City, one of those top 8 (but not top 3) cities in the West. Annual precipitation was something like 13” IIRC, most of which fell as snow. It hardly rains there at all June-August. For about 25 years now I’ve lived in Minneapolis, which is ~200 miles east of the 98th degree line. Minneapolis straddles the Mississippi River ~200 miles SSE from its headwaters in central Minnesota. We still get plenty of rain and snow, although drought conditions and wildfires are becoming a bit more common in the eastern Dakotas/western Minnesota. Hands down, I would MUCH rather drive in the West than the East, or even the Midwest (where I live.) More specifically, in or to the west of the Rocky Mountains. Imagine a line from the Canadian border to the Mexican border and passing through Billings, Montana and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Now imagine a similar line passing through Missoula, Montana and St. George, Utah. You could throw a dart almost anywhere within that N-S strip and find something worth seeing within 100 miles. (Look at all the National Parks, etc. in that area and you’ll see what I mean.) The landscape within this strip varies widely, with temperatures greatly affected by elevation. Simply gorgeous.

[@elkins4406]

I live on the wet side of Oregon, west of the Cascades. Driving across the Cascades east, the change is abrupt and dramatic. There's a rest stop just on the other side of the mountains where we always stop whenever we drive to eastern Oregon. You get out of your car and even though you're still up high, not yet having really descended into the true desert, absolutely *everything* is different than it was before you crossed the ridge of the Cascades. It's not just the look of things, but also the feel of the air, and the sounds, and even the way things smell. The air is so much drier, there are fewer trees so the wind makes a different noise, and you can smell the wonderful desert aromas of juniper and sagebrush. (I love the smell of the desert so much!) It's just stunning. Gives me a thrill each and every time. The West is the part of the country built for road-tripping. If you want to city-hop in the eastern megalopolis (Boston-New York City-Philadelphia-Washington DC), it's probably better to take the train than to drive. It's no fun driving in cities. Of course, I wouldn't want to leave you with the idea that the only things to see in the east are big cities! There are plenty of great road trips to be had in the east. But if you're primarily city-hopping, a car isn't the way to go IMO. Rent a car for when you want to get out of the cities, but for city-hopping, the train would be a better option.

[@resimcdevitt8041]

I live in Pennsylvania and have driven across the country (which takes days). There is so much to see all across the nation that it's hard to get bored IF you get off the main highways.

[@robertsteinbach7325]

In the West having enough water is a huge concern. With Lake Mead becoming dangerous low, a major lake for generating energy and a major water source for Arizona, Nevada, and parts of Eastern California, there is a very real danger of Las Vegas of running out of water within the next 5 to 10 years, if not sooner. That is terrible because in the summer the high temperature often reach 40-45C (104-113F) and can reach as high as 50C (122F)

[@kathleenchilcote9127]

We drove from Las Vegas to Williams Arizona about a five hour drive. All we saw between was a few ranches and desert. We saw a few beef jerky ads on the way and we joked that they have so much jerky is because the cattle dried up in the desert...lol

[@pxtrichora]

The Appalachians are much smaller than the Rockies and other ranges because they are OLD. They’ve been around for longer than the continent itself - the Scottish Highlands were formed as part of the same range, before Pangaea broke apart. The Uwharries in central NC are even older, and are little more than hills at this point. Imagine 20,000 feet of mountain ground down to about 1,000 over 500 million years!!

[@NealB123]

Powell was a brilliant man. He recommended that western states' boundaries be based on natural watersheds to avoid conflicts over water. Congress ignored him and the western states have been fighting over water ever since. The Colorado River is drying up because the states can't agree on a plan to properly manage it so they all lose. A disaster in the making that was completely avoidable.

[@melissacolorado5331]

A lot of people don’t like to travel in the west. They call it “fly over country” but I love it. It’s beautiful and if you like nature you will enjoy it. Less traffic too! Definitely more relaxing!

[@MildredRHolmes]

I learned a lot of this in Geography in school during the late '60's and '70's.

[@nancyscookin]

I live in the high desert outside of Los Angeles. We used to have a well on our property but it dried up about 10 years ago. Every year the amount of rain gets less and less. Now we have to have our water tank filled from a water company for water for our home. No gardening here.

[@romemedina4712]

I love the details they included in the video. In AZ so it's great not being included with California or the whole west coast. Also great seeing the changes of environments. For me I'm living in the northern Arizona mountains inside of a large pine tree forest. Living near the base of an ancient exploded volcano giving it a very unique environment.

[@Ishisah]

You mean Flagstaff?

[@garycamara9955]

Could it be that you aren't on a coast that you aren't listed as west coast.

[@christophermckinney3924]

America's rivers were once the super highways of the continent, and it is the primary reason the US became an economic power. A video about the river systems in the US would be equally interesting.

[@drifter82935]

Howdy, I live in Green River, Wyoming the town where John Wesley Powell launched his expedition down the Colorado River. That photo in the video of Powell with his boats was taken roughly 665 yards from my doorstep. John Wesley Powell was tough, during his travel down the Colorado River he had to climb up out of the Grand Canyon and he only had one arm.

[@shannacraft4099]

🌸 I enjoyed!!! The difference between the Appalachian mountains and the Rockies is crazy! I live in the SE (South Carolina) and have visited, camped and hiked in the Appalachian mountains many times. I visited the Rockies and it was crazy how the land was so flat until all of a sudden, a giant mountain range was in front of you. The Appalachian mountains have rolling foothills as you gradually climb to higher elevations. I have visited Mt Mitchell. This video was quite educational! 💙💙💙

[@fordp69]

I have a vacation home in the Appalachian mountains of Maryland, and it is more lush than the Rockies, where the Rockies have a very stark beauty from their relative youth, the Appalachian green and rolling hills are what I love. I have no enmity towards those that prefer the Rockies, I just prefer the older mountains (which used to be so much larger). There are different mountain landscapes, and many reasons to love them all. We are all fortunate to be able to experience them and keep them safe.

[@killrade4434]

I am from SC too. I always love going to the grand canyon and rockies becouse its like a different world and miles without seeing civilization.

[@emmadoggy]

The western US is filled with GORGEOUS scenery with a huge variety of landscapes. I don’t find it boring in the slightest. Most of our spectacular National parks are in the western half of the US.

[@DougPowell01]

In Colorado, we have a city called Last Chance. It used to be that if you were to travel past that point by car, and without filling your tank with gas, you would likely run out before the next available filling station. You really need to check recent news about the Colorado River and how it's affecting Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Water scarcity is not only about rainfall, but Rocky Mountain winter snowpack.

[@meowenstein]

I love road trips through the West!

[@billthompson1759]

Meridian Ave in Oklahoma City marks the divide between woodland s and the Great plains.

[@TDHSFV]

I live in Los Angeles and know about the Colorado River. It’s been common news that it’s drying. Also lakes like Lake Mead and Lake Powell have been drying up. You can probably find a lot of news sources about it.

[@larryfisher2633]

There are so many amazing vistas when driving to the west. It's ever changing and beautiful. I never get tired of it. We drive from Oregon to Arkansas every year.

[@Alex-kd5xc]

Good lord that is a long drive lol

[@Grimpurple_minion99]

I am part of those 15 million people that live in the fast nothingness of the middle of the United States. And I loved every minute of it. A large common city would be about two hours away from where I live.

[@Darvec]

I live at the center of the line, 150km north of Wichita. To the east of my town, there are trees that grow thicker the farther you travel. To the west are wheat fields that thin out to grass land and ranches. In a couple of days, I will drive west to Denver on I-70 (motorway) to visit family. The distance is roughly the same from London to Edinburgh. It’s a monotonous drive of emptiness, but fortunately my car does the driving, I just have to steer. When I get hypnotized, the car senses I’m drifting in my lane and shakes the steering wheel as well as beeps and flashes a “take a break” sign. Thank goodness for modern cars!

[@anthonyduffy5967]

I live about 5 Hours Drive west of that line. And I love it. Way less crowds!

[@annawhite5190]

Can you imagine the ancient civilization lost under all that sand in the Sahara.

[@tylerahlstrom4553]

I’ve lived my entire life in the Mountain West. Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and New Mexico. I love it. It is more brown than the East and there are more big gaps between cities. We’ve put a lot of miles on our cars traversing the West. However, it is exceptionally beautiful with its mountains, canyons, and huge open areas where you can see for hundreds of miles. In the East, there are so many trees you can’t see more than 100 feet in many areas. If you love the outdoors, the West is the best. Lots of room for outdoor activities. But it is growing very fast and water sacristy it definitely a concern.

[@donavandwelch]

Once you get to the Rockies the scenery is amazing. Don't forget most of the national parks in the USA reside in the dark area.

[@dennisstafford1749]

The Great Plains. It is similar to savannah and desert. The horizon (distance of skies 360 degrees) is boundless. Most landscapes are a sea of grasses or corn. Thunderstorms reach out to as far as the human eye can see, sometimes 40-80 miles and contain thunderstorm shelf clouds, low, dark and threatening. Whatever the weather you are exposed.

[@sunflower7045]

I was born and raised in Kansas. Smack dab in the middle of the central plaines. The wide open skies and horrific storms are in my DNA. It’s a shame more people can’t slow down enough to take in the beauty of the Flint Hills at sunset, or the magic of watching storms roll in from 360degree views.💖🌻

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Yes even in the east rain was less then the normal, baring the gulf’s storms but still wasn’t enough to offset the lack of rain in Louisiana.

[@hammer729]

Driving out west never gets old. Much better than through the cities

[@SilvanaDil]

That line shift took place over the course of 150 years.

[@1800luce]

The "rain shadow" effect in the western states is very interesting. I live just east of Lake Tahoe, CA and if I look west towards that lake, the terrain is lush and green. Looking east from the same location the terrain is desert brown and devoid of trees. The west side receives 52 inches of rain and the east side receives 8 inches of rain per year. This happens within 20 miles of each other. Crossing from California to Nevada is easy to spot; the trees end at the state line (border).

[@samhutchison9582]

It can be seen very clearly on I-84 east of Portland. Between Hood River and The Dalles, about 20 miles apart, you see the green turn into a brown much more akin to California.

[@manxkin]

We drove from Chicago to Salt Lake City a couple of years ago. 1,400 miles one way in two days. I loved the wide open spaces of Nebraska, Southern Wyoming and northern Utah. I was never bored. I was awestruck by the vastness and happy to be out of urban America if only for a week. You really should check out the geology/geography of Washington (state). It’s an amazing place to visit.

[@miltonpasley3398]

Having grown up in both Southern Californian and Eastern Texas/Western Arkansas, I spent a lot of time hiking in the Sierra's. I am also now a Leave No Trace Instructor, so now days if you were Hiking North along the John Muir Trail you see a marked difference in the vegetation in places between the West and East side if the trail especially if you take a side trail to the West or East of the main trail. Following Leave No Trace guidelines, to the west of the trail to use the restroom you could dig a cat hole and the bugs would take care of the brake down of the waste fairly quickly, but to the East (towards Death Vallie) this does not happen as quickly in fact it could take decades if not longer so you would have to carry a Waist tube to do your solid waist business in.

[@jeanvignes]

I have travelled from Oregon and Washington in the Northwest, to Louisiana in the Southeast, perhaps a dozen times by car, bus, or passenger train, and along various routes. The high desert between the Rockies and the greener, more lush, Southeast is absolutely beautiful. The rock formations, land colors, "big" skies, lack of human interference with nature, and the tremendous visibility of stars in the night (far, far, less light pollution) makes travelling there a great and very rewarding adventure. However, it's important to study about and prepare for the dangers one might encounter, from car trouble many miles from any assistance, to becoming quickly dehydrated and/or overheated due to the arid air, to the storms and flash floods that might surprise the unwary traveler. I have learned to carry an ice chest full of ice, gallons of clean water, a large reflective tarp and enough rope and tent stakes to help set up a shade tarp over the car if needed, a very warm sleeping bag in case of car trouble causing me to be stranded overnight when the temperature drops sharply in the desert, enough food for several days (e.g. jerky, protein bars, hardy fruit such as oranges, canned soup and canned beans, etc.), a multi-tool for basic repairs, plus the car safety basics, such as a good-quality spare tire, jack, breaker bar, flares, a jug of coolant in case of a slow radiator leak, etc. To be extra safe, some people carry a satellite phone (will work where there is no cell service), carry a personal beacon so family can locate you in case of an emergency or accident, high-beam flashlight, extra batteries, etc. You'll probably be fine, but if you're NOT fine, the wild & empty high desert is not where you want to be stuck alone and unprepared.

[@gregengel1616]

I'm 61 years old, but I remember being a kid having to conserve water. One of the disgusting ways, was a poem that said,"if it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down". Another way to conserve water was to put a brick in your toilet septic tank so there wasn't as much water to flush with. So I always wondered as a kid, if we had to conserve, why are there so many golf courses with water hazards. Just saying

[@janet8146]

Its not just the Colorado River drying up but also the Mississippi River.

[@Longhauler85]

Yep, the mighty Mississippi is drying up and is affecting the barges that travese it. It's been in the news lately.

[@corinnepmorrison1854]

We live in Wyoming...on a mountaintop... ALL of the homes up here...are log homes...because they can withstand the high winds... We have metal roofs... We see an abundant variety of wildlife... Whitetails and antelope often cross our property... There are moose, but I have yet to see a moose...and if I ever do see one...I pray it’s from a distance! I have seen an elk...and it was HUGE! There are bison...but, again, I have not seen any bison, yet... I have eaten bison...and I prefer bison to beef... We have no air pollution, no light pollution and no noise pollution... The nighttime sky is breathtaking... I was born in So California...and lived there for my first 60 years... Now? We live in a very different climate... We actually get snowed-in!! That makes it necessary for us to stock up on food... We have a good supply of non-perishable edibles...like a variety of nuts... In the fall, winter and spring...we eat a lot of soup(s)...chili...and stew... Coffee, hot tea and cocoa...are staples in our home...☕️ Wherever you live...be safe... God Bless us, everyone...🙏🏻❤️

[@ivane5110]

Yeah, I grew up in a part of Texas where you could drive for hours and only see buzzards and prairie dogs and the occasional patch of cattle. You just get use to your town being a island on land. And gotta admit, it's nice not to be fenced in.

[@danbaker300]

The views when driving through the mountainous areas of the West are spectacular and never get old. The Great Plains are much less interesting. Growing up, we did a road trip from the Twin Cities (eastern Minnesota) to Mt. Rushmore (western South Dakota). The first part of the trip had a fair bit more forest, and the badlands of western South Dakota are quite interesting, but in between was a few hundred miles of seeing nothing but sunflower fields. Which is still neat, for the first five minutes or so, but the lack of variety made it much less so after that.

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

The Dakota's look pretty flat too. Montana and Idaho though are definitely more interesting.

[@emmadoggy]

I know most find it boring, but I actually think the rolling prairie and grassland in South Dakota is beautiful. North Dakota is quite different and not as appealing to me except for the very far western part of the state in and around Teddy Roosevelt National Park.

[@RealDiehl99]

I'm also a truck driver. I overwhelmingly prefer driving West of that dividing line. Although some of the "Great Plains" states lack many physical features to look at and admire, sunsets and sunrises are fabulous! Once you get into the mountain states as you continue West, there are a stunning amount of natural features to look at. As an added bonus there is less traffic to deal with in the less densely populated areas.

[@kennethmasters9329]

I hadn't been to a city larger than 10k people in over 2 years then had to for an appointment. The first thing I noticed besides the traffic etcetera was the smell. Cities stink the air reeks I could not wait to get out of there.

[@kenyonmoon3272]

I'll add a couple related 'fun fact' type thoughts. 1) The 100th Meridian which is mentioned is a fairly common dividing line for nature guides to plants, animals, birds, etc. Even if they say "east of the Rockies" (for example) if you read the introduction the author will usually explain along the lines of most of the species are "common east of the 100th meridian or so, with populations increasingly uncommon or isolated west of that". The west is still very biodiverse, though obviously with montane, scrub, & prairie species rather than forest, aquatic, and meadow. 2) The mountains are a bit like a squeegee, a really big squeegee made of rock. Where I live in the Denver area at the bottom and east side of the mountains, the foothills literally butt up to the western edge of the metro but the city/metro itself is flat and the airport (northeast of town) is flat prairie. Anyway, snowfall and temperature can vary highly in the 35 miles (50k) from foothill to airport - snowfall can be easily double (or more) across the area. Three feet / 1m of snow in the foothills can be produced from the same storm that only drops 1 ft (30cm) east of town. And of course, as the air is forced up and over the mountains the snow continues to be squeegeed out, which is why Colorado has so much of its economy based on skiing & snow sports despite half the state being nearly desert and the other half being arid high prairie. Similar happens in the Los Angeles area -- ski mountains back up to desert on both the east and western flanks! There is a LOT to be talked about with the last 150 years of water law & history, but that is an entire other rabbit city of insanity, so we'll leave it at this for the moment.

[@gregprince2523]

If you draw a line from Phoenix to Vegas on up to Vancouver..... 95% of the 20% live west of this line.... so 5% of our folks live in that vast beautiful area

[@jackhogston6119]

I live near Omaha, Nebraska, just a few miles from the 98th meridian. I also have a vegetable garden. I can tell you for sure that I have to provide more water for my garden every year and think about ways to conserve at the same time, for example by using lots of compost and piling on mulch. My immediate area saw hardly any rain this year, even less that Omaha just a few miles to the north. no question in my mind that drought is getting worse. Also, water use is a big political issue further west in this state with our neighboring states of Colorado and Kansas.

[@petenielsen6683]

The scary part is that east of the line is also drier than normal. Syracuse, NY has an average snow fall of 10 feet 3 inches. But it has experienced a great deal of drought the last few years and the fall and construction rains have done nothing to make up for a the shortfall. And yes, I just did point out again that we only have 3 seasons in Upstate New York. Fall, winter, and construction.

[@TheFlooringInspector82]

In my 20s I was a truck driver and I will say I would much rather drive on the east of the line than anywhere in the west. That being said the sites in those western states can be quite breathe taking. If you are looking for quiet and solitude then that is where you want to go. If you are looking for a variety of activities I would say the East is where it's at.

[@rastaninja3054]

The middle area west of the line is mostly just cows and oil fields, certain parts get very boring driving through. However, the canyons and desserts are great scenery! Salt flats are very cool to see also. I drive trucks, grew up in Maryland and driving west into California is like going to a different planet.

[@2012escapee1]

I'm in rural Nevada, where you'll see signs that say "next gas, 169 miles". I love it. Being far from the big cities is fabulous. But, it's very annoying that the 80% can dictate political policies that harm the rural regions and lifestyle.

[@tammiemcclure8987]

Live in Arkansas which is close to the line and our weather has been getting nuttier and nuttier every year. When I was a kid we got a lot more snow, ice and rain than we get now. We've had 'burn bans' almost the entire past summer into early fall for example. I also live on a cattle farm and for the first time in 40+ years two of our ponds almost completely dried up this past summer.

[@emmadoggy]

I live on the eastern edge of Iowa - east of the line. The biggest change I’ve noticed is just that our summer rainfall comes in more extremes now. We get summers where it’s abnormally dry or we have drought, and then it seems when we do get rain, it comes in big deluges and it often causes flash flooding. It always just seems to be one extreme or the other (of course we do get “normal” times too but the extremes seem much more frequent and noticeable). I would think the western side of Iowa would be noticing a trend toward drier summers, but I can’t verify that myself.

[@2strokinit527]

I was born raised and still live on the west coast of the Rockies, we have actually had a good snow year this year and I hope it continues to be a wetter year.

[@darrylclark563]

I grew up and still live in western Kansas just 20 miles max on west side of 100th meridian and video very accurate, and it is slowly creeping east, as counties 60 miles to the east are getting drier. The 98th meridian also coincides with the continental thrust, where the elevation west quickly rises and Kansas anyway goes from 500ft above sea level on east border to 3,000+ feet above sea level on west border in 400 miles east-west.

[@kathyreynolds7100]

I live just a few hours east of that line so I have traveled on both sides of it. Personally, i am always amazed when people call it “fly-over country” or boring. As some have mentioned, there is something special about the vastness of this area. Though you are not at a high elevation, you can see for miles. The sky seems enormous and the sunsets are spectacular! I think every region around the world has a beauty all its own. The problem is, a lot of people simply do not take the time to look for it.

[@DaInfamous0ne]

Thus explains Tornado Alley & Dixie Alley without even mentioning it.

[@Ginoulmer]

I live in the 20% area and it's awesome. The fewer the people the better. More freedom because I'm not on the coast of the 20% area also.

[@hunter3899]

I grew up in a small town in South Eastern Utah, and I can say for certain there are parts around the four corners region near the Native American Reservations absolutely devoid of civilization for miles. Even the town I grew up in only had 2,500 people, and the nearest chain grocery store or even a place to buy clothing was about a 2 hour drive into Colorado.

[@patstexasstyle5395]

I live right on that blue line and I love driving west but I usually have to go east

[@cynthiahaun9269]

I live in southern Arizona and I can't begin to describe...one day it was raining like crazy outside on one side of my house but the other side was completely dry with sunshine...another time I was driving through our little town of Green Valley Arizona and you could see sunshine halfway through an intersection but if you went through the other half of the I tersection torrential rains???? Just a mystery of the monsoon weather we get the joy and pleasure of experiencing here in southern Arizona. And quite literally if there is a dip in the road and there has been rain in the region you have the choice to either quickly push through the dip, or if there is water running in the dip, just simply pull over because there will be a massive rush of water that could possibly take you downstream with the water not the road...which means if you can't get out on your own then you get charged with a bill including police, ambulance, and paramedics plus tow truck yo get your car out plus stupid driver ticket. Driving these streets fir as long as I have it depends on how deep before I try to cross, or pull over. One time I got stuck between 2 washes but I always keep extra water and either protein bars or granola bars in my car...until recently, I found the greatest bar ever called Built Bar, it tastes like a candy bar, it is covered in chocolate, but has the protein and calories that if you eat just 1 bar will give you the vitamins and minerals of 1 meal and it is delicious.

[@adriannecote5319]

There are some great scenery in that barren land but there is a lot of boring empty land in between. I have driven it. Powell was so right. Those of us in Northern CA have been so angry with water restrictions we have had to endure for many years while Southern CA watered their lawns liberally. My front yard completely died and I ended up putting artificial grass in my front yard which looks quite real. I have small planter beds which are mostly succulents with a few other plants.

[@tweter2]

I live on the 94th meridian line about six hours east of the 100th and I have noticed the winters seeming less intense and the summers getting hotter.

[@xo2quilt]

I love living in the rural west!!! I live just east of the Sierra Nevada mountains and we get 4-7" of precipitation a year.

[@kathleenchilcote9127]

There is no short journeys if you are going from one city to another in that area

[@cynthiahaun9269]

There are ways to not necessarily farm but produce enough for a farm...my brother bought the family house from my mom. And in 4 ft by 4 ft square section grew 144 fully growed ears of corn giving them 1 cup of water per square ft every morning and 1 cup of water every square ft usurping the square ft gardening method, he was growing so much produce using this method, and he was trading and talking to other farmers with acres of land, one of them gave him a tractor, our house sat on about 1 10th of an acre, so he introduces them to Brett Bartholomew's square ft gardening method for their family...because every farmer farms vast lands for selling...but the family needs it's own garden to feed the family. The wives of these farmers were producing so much extra they set up roadside stands, helping to make more money.

[@noahg4369]

I live in Austin, Texas (directly on the line) and we get about 35 inches of rain annually, give or take. Droughts come and go, and prolonged days without rain is common here, but rain usually returns eventually. And with our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, I don't expect our region to dry up completely in the foreseeable future. Summers are hotter, winters are colder, droughts are more frequent but so is flooding, all thanks to changing climate.

[@joshjones6072]

I'm from California, but I love driving in the high desert, east of our huge Sierra mountains all the way to the Rocky mountains. Out there cattle, deer, mountain lion, bear, bobcat, quail, hawks, and eagles all together outnumber the people. That's why cowboy culture is so strong out there.

[@NuckinFuts2215]

My sisters husband is from California. After many years of marriage with my sister his family came to visit. We are from Pennsylvania. They came over here and were in aww about how many pine trees were in the back yard. They only ever actually seen them in houses during Christmas or when they went to mountains. Lol! We would feel the same about palm trees, although, we never see those around Christmas except on a corona commercial. Lol!

[@adriannecote5319]

Thanks for the giggle!

[@NuckinFuts2215]

@@adriannecote5319 😏😘

[@briankgarland]

Cities in the center of the country have experienced long periods of lower rainfall in the past. It's cyclical, on the scale of centuries, and has always been.

[@MidnightsDeluxe]

i love road trips through the west, it's very scenic

[@52montoya]

The line is the Mississippi river.

[@LacyDM]

Explaining the rain, I believe it has to do with the Rocky Mountains. The moister is picked up from California, hits the rockies and because of the mountains, the back side of the mountains (Mid-West) doesn't get that moister. It either drops in the mountains or goes up and over the plains. That's how it was explained to me in school. It was far more expansive and had terminologies I can't remember, but there is one side of a mountain that gets a lot of moisture and one that doesn't get much. Edit: I should wait to comment. Lol. Just after this, they went in to explain it more.

[@carltaylor5359]

I grew up in Wichita, Kansas (right on the line). It seems as if the heat was greater back in the 1960's than it is today. It may actually be more humid today, but it is not hotter. I remember painting houses in the summer and during heat waves (>100 degrees Fahrenheit / 38 Celcius) that would last for 2 - 3 weeks we would have to paint parts of the house while it was in the shade or the paint would bubble and peel from the siding. In the afternoon, we would have to spray the east side of the house with water to cool it off before painting it. We just haven't seen such prolonged periods of heat recently. Much of the land in east-central Kansas is grazing land (lots and lots of cattle) in what is known as the "Flint Hills". Just can't farm there. Moving west from the Flint Hills (think of a line from Wichita - Emporia - Topeka), you get wheat almost entirely. Has been wheat country for as long as I can remember. Way out in western Kansas and eastern Colorado, we do see some sugar beats grown. (The tastiest cantaloupes are grown near Rocky Ford in eastern Colorado!) You get cotton in north-west Texas (in the panhandle) and cattle in much of Oklahoma. I think driving across the western states is the best the US has to offer. The endless plains, the very high and majestic mountains, the deserts...in the spring when driving through the Flint Hills, you can see the annual burning of the grass. At night there is a never-ending line of fire snaking through the terrain that is breathtaking to behold (and a bit dangerous as the smoke can ruin your vision on the highway). You have such a tremendous variety of scenery west of the 98th that I never get bored driving through the plains and mountains.

[@GriffonPeace]

I grew up around the salt lake city area. I've known it to rain mud occasionally- yes that can happen. That's just how dusty it can here sometimes. The saying "April showers, bring May flowers." Is pretty real here. In other words, most of our rain happens in April. Most of our water comes from melting snow from the nearby mountains. Skiing/snow boarding is big here. When you see a sign saying "The greatest snow on earth" it's usually about our mountains- I expect it has more to due with the winter Olympics in 2002 being held here than anything else though. To the south there's some pretty big sand dunes that are popular for four wheeling and such. So we have the two extremes (sort of) around here. Mirages are just about part of daily life, in my experience. They look more like big puddles in the road- not an oasis with trees and things like movies tend to portray. We've been in bad drought for the last year or two (most of the mid-west has been). The Great salt lake the city is named for is drying up. The problem with that is the muck, salt and stuff at the bottom gives off poisonous gas as it dries. Meaning the area is becoming more of a waste land around it- all the wildlife is dying. The city is trying to fight this of course, but so far, no such luck.

[@EricksonEtc]

The "Greatest Snow on Earth" motto predated the Winter Olympics in Utah by literally decades... It was originally coined in the 1960s...

[@coreygrissam9236]

I prefer the west, we've taken multiple road trips from Oklahoma up to Montana, then to North Dakota and back to Oklahoma. It's all a mix of grasslands, desert, then finally mountains and coniferous forest. The over all vastness is amazing. It gets even more stunning once you get to Alaska.

[@michaelairheart6921]

No mystery. West of that line and you start getting into the desert, and mountains. Plus a lot of that those areas are large ranches and parks.

[@JJKSeattle]

Driving in the West can be tedious until you get to the Rocky mountains. Then it's gorgeous!

[@mjc1389]

Don’t underestimate how much of this country’s food is grown between the 98th and Rockies. This video is only somewhat accurate as agriculture is the biggest industry for much of the middle of the US.

[@passingthroughtime3033]

Most Americans live in the eastern half because of lush forest, lots of fresh water and rich farmland.

[@chrisjohnson1599]

I mentioned earlier this Autumn that I drove from Denver to California, but for the first time, I used the southern route from I-25 to I-40, which ends at I-15. There are a lot of wide open spaces amongst the smaller cities and tourist traps along this route, but it is still very beautiful. If you want to see some amazing countryside, drive to Flagstaff, Arizona from any direction. I loved driving from the Albuquerque area through Flagstaff, as well as Phoenix (I was asked to make a few stops there), up I-17 into Flagstaff from the South. Though my westward drive was only a one-night stay and my eastward drive was only a pass-through on an 1,100 mile drive in one day (again, not my planned route or distance to cover in one day), it was some of the nicest scenery that I was, unfortunately) NOT able to stop and enjoy. There wasn't a lot of rivers, streams, or lakes to enjoy along the way, but it was still a beautiful part of nature in a country that is losing its natural beauty to the "mascara" of windmills, "cosmetics" of pay-to-play National Parks, and the "lipstick" of government planning making more and more land inaccessible.

[@teddysmith8725]

Road trips are so much better in the deserty west. Sure, it can be repetitive, but it's much more interesting than driving through plains and/or forests for hours.

[@cynthiahaun9269]

As a native from Utah A LOT of the farmers used to grow what is known as winter wheat...meaning you plant your wheat crops in the fall and the only water they get is from the winter snows and spring rains...if the rains in the spring are too heavy it could ruin your harvest in the spring of your basically set it and forget it winter wheat harvest. However most of the winter wheat farmer have gotten too old to continue this type of farming( I know as I saw the writing on the wall as a real estate agent over 20 yrs ago and the farmers were in their late 70's early eighties and land was needed for more housing, I am now sad to say I may have had something to do with the great wheat shortage that is eminent.

[@jimbrown7082]

I grew up in Salt Lake City and have been through much of the western US. I now live in a rural area of Utah and prefer to live in a more rural area. It is a four hour drive to Salt Lake City or a two and a half hour drive to Las Vegas.

[@Stankyboiii]

I live in a suburb of Minneapolis, and I feel like it snows less than when I was a kid