A Traveler Describes a Journey to Southern Illinois Woods

In a personal essay for North by Northwestern, a traveler describes the sensory and emotional transition of moving from the crowded, tree-lined highways of Massachusetts to the vast, open plains and dense woods of southern Illinois.

The account, which traces a journey via Amtrak toward Alton, captures the contrast between the steep, forested mountains of the Northeast and the endless, treeless countryside of the Midwest. The author notes that while the rail experience felt remarkably similar to air travel—defined by gray plastic surfaces and stale air—the shifting scenery offered a profound sense of emptiness.

As the sun sinks toward the horizon during the race south toward Alton, the author describes passing lone houses in the waning daylight. After an attempt to read a book resulted in nausea, the author notes, “With nothing else to do, I’ve taken to running my fingers along the tray table and looking around.”

The narrative shifts from the transit experience to the specific atmosphere of a Memorial Day weekend camping trip in the southern Illinois woods. The author describes a campsite characterized by bright spring greens, the waxy shine of pine needles, and the scents of citronella and woodsmoke.

While milling about the firepit, the author ate a white peach, noting the pale yellow juice that ran down their hand over a coating of bug spray and sweat.

Following torrential rains, the author reports that the reddish-orange clay trails became thick and slippery, resembling “glossy peanut butter” due to the saturation of leaves and soil. Occasional small showers fell from the tree cover during the trek.

During a hike that spanned seven to nine miles, the author describes moving through rock formations marked by lichen and prehistoric-looking indentations. The author describes these formations as having wavy faces with layers jutting at different depths and surfaces mottled with gray-green lichen and lines resembling prehistoric cat scratches.

The conditions proved difficult for the group, as the author observes that five friends fell due to the slippery clay and wet conditions. Despite these falls, the author remained determined not to slip.

The hiking resulted in several specific outcomes for the group:

The author experienced burning in the legs and feet.
White sneakers became heavily caked in mud.
The group became lost at one point during the seven to nine-mile excursion.
Physical fatigue settled into the “bones” of the hikers.

The author describes sleeping in a small, individual tent rather than sharing with the larger group of friends. The tent was wide enough for a backpack and an air mattress but required the author to hunch over to avoid hitting the green polyester ceiling.

Watching the silhouettes of friends through the mesh of a larger family-sized tent, the author notes a feeling of uncertainty regarding what they “supposed to want” or “what [they] are doing.” This internal reflection contrasts with the communal laughter and flashlight activity occurring in the nearby tents. The author notes that the trip was not their own idea, though they were happy to attend.

The trip concludes with a return to communal activity through a “DIY pizza night.” The author describes using pie irons over fire embers to cook tortillas topped with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. The evening ended with the sound of cicadas and the ritual of drying soaked sneakers over the fire.