I drove thru the Oklahoma Panhandle because it was the epicenter of the Dustbowl. Having read books like Out of the Dust to my kids and watched Ken Burn’s The Dustbowl I wanted to see this land. Could it be as flat as the descriptions I read? Yes, and as empty and desolate a place as I’ve been on this trip. When I stopped in Guymon for dinner, the people were extraordinarily friendly and the sunset I watched that evening over the prairie was spectacular. It astounded me that anyone could call it home, although I long ago realized that each of us must decide where our home lies, whether it’s the place of our birth, where we grow up, where we live our adult lives, where we find solace, or when we are with our loved ones. I’m glad I made the effort to drive the Panhandle and that now, I could check that box on my list.