Driving trips are a fav of mine as well. Off the beaten track. No Interstates. Just Federal and State highways.
I’ve seen the same as you. Factories down, plants shut down, boarded up store fronts in downtown. Even churches closed.
So sad.
It will be neigh impossible to bring that back. We are so far down in the hole.
It’s hard to be so depressed about a country I love so much.
No patriotism.
There are so many in this country that don't give a rats patookie about this nation. They have no idea what's in the bill of rights/constitution. Don't care.
As long as they can benefit in one way or another. When she sinks, they just go back to the cesspool in which they came.