The Highways That Carry Us Home

It’s time to head for America’s heartland. Our guide will be Kelli Jo Ford, a Virginia-based writer, teacher, and author of Crooked Hallelujah, a much-praised novel that follows four generations of Cherokee women. In this episode Kelli Jo takes us on the road: For years, she’s made regular pilgrimages to Oklahoma to visit her family. As a kid living in Texas, those trips were especially poignant: Her grandma Longshore would meet Kelli Jo halfway, to take her back to Oklahoma for a summer of noisy feasts and preserved wild onions and creek crossings. All the things that to, Kelli Jo, felt like home. And their meeting place of choice was a Love’s Travel Stop, a special institution in this part of the world. Love’s is famous for their 24-hour services, which can include gas, travel tchotkes, fast food, on-site tire repair, and much more. But for Kelli Jo, this family-owned chain, which, naturally, features a large red heart in its logo, is more than just a place to get gas, or use the bathroom, or stock up on road snacks. For her, they are forever linked to home. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices