The Kansas City metropolitan area spans the state line between Kansas and Missouri. Kansas City, Missouri, is larger than Kansas City, Kansas, though both are part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area. There are actually fourteen counties in the Kansas City MSA, nine in Missouri and five in Kansas.
Kansas City, Missouri, itself spans four counties—Jackson County, Clay County, Platte County, and a small bit in Cass County. On the Kansas side of the state line, Wyandotte County and Johnson County are part of the core metropolitan area.
For purposes of reporting coronavirus data, everyone in the city limits of Kansas City, Missouri, plus everyone outside the city limits but within Jackson County, Clay County, Platte County, Wyandotte County, and Johnson County, is included. Of course, that doesn’t mean that all these jurisdictions have followed the same shut-down and reopening rules. In fact, determining which locality is requiring what has been a challenge for the past several months.
Why do I start with this geography and civics lesson? Because without it, I can’t explain my former wanderings as a writer. Before the pandemic, I frequently had what I called my “five-county days,” days on which I would drive through five counties.
I live in Clay County, Missouri, north of the Missouri River. I had a weekly critique group session that met in Johnson County, Kansas. To get there, I drove south from my home in Clay County, through Jackson County, Missouri, then into Wyandotte County, Kansas, before finally entering Johnson County and to my friend’s house where we met. Most of this was highway driving, and we met after the morning rush hour, so the drive usually went smoothly. Except if there were accidents or bad weather.
Once a month, I had another writers’ meeting (the Write Brain Trust group) at a library in Johnson County. This meeting met after our critique group, so I drove from my friend’s house to the library, where I ate lunch, worked or read, and waited for my second meeting. When that meeting was over, it was easier to drive home on different route than my route south in the morning—one that took me north from Johnson County, through Wyandotte, to a corner of Platte County in Missouri, and then home to Clay County. Again, it was mostly highway driving, but this route was more prone to slow-downs because of traffic.
To summarize, I drove through four counties to get to my first meeting, and four counties to get home from the second meeting—but a total of five different counties through the day. That’s why I called them my Five County Days. It was a round trip of over 60 miles, and would take 90 minutes to drive if I drove the circle straight.
I also called these my “bag lady” days, because I would leave home at 9:15am, and I didn’t arrive back home until about 3:30pm. I took my critique input, a notebook and pens, my laptop computer, my lunch, and enough reading material to last through the downtime between meetings. I packed up my purse, a tote bag, and a lunch bag to carry all these belongings for the day.
But since the shutdown of Kansas City in March, I have not been to Johnson County, Kansas, at all. Not once. All my in-person meetings have been canceled. All my groups have been meeting via Zoom. If we meet at all.
I’ve only been in Wyandotte County once since the shut-down. That was because my husband needed me to drive him there to help him retrieve his rowing shell. I’ve been to Jackson County three times for doctor and dentist appointments. Otherwise, I have spent my time in the Kansas City Northland of Clay County and Platte County. I rarely travel more than a few miles from home.
I had filled my gas tank just days before the Kansas City shutdown went into effect. That gas tank lasted from early March until early June. In those three months, I never drove out of the Northland. After I filled up the tank in early June, the car survived on that second tank until mid-July. That shows the reopening influenced my behavior some, but I still don’t drive anywhere near the miles I did pre-pandemic. I’m now on my third tank, but this tank is likely to last well into August, and maybe the whole month.
A part of me is glad not to have to drive so much. But I find now that when I have a reason to drive the freeway, I enjoy it. Speed. Open space. It feels like an escape. It feels like normalcy.
How have your driving patterns changed in the pandemic?
I thoroughly enjoyed your county driving blog. I’d have to check, but I probably drove 3, 4, or more counties on those same days. The weekly critique days were exciting, and exhilarating. I miss them very much. Most days i had to stop at a gas station in KC and read through the critiques before i drove back to Lawrence. Was the critique good, bad, or downright ugly. I drove home wondering how i might make my novel better, given the critiques. Once home, in Douglas County, KS, I was ready to make my novel better–more readable, more accurate, and more enjoyable for readers and fans. A very big “thank you” to you and all members of our critique group.
And my thanks to you, Pam, for your critiques.
Haha! Are you having Johnson County withdrawals? I don’t think I’ve ventured out, either! Crazy times.
Darlene, no withdrawals. For years I rarely ventured into Johnson County. Not until I retired did my horizons start to cross the state line regularly.
But I agree these are crazy times.
Theresa
My driving has slowed some. I only use a half tank of gas a week instead of a whole one.
Then you’re still driving a lot more than I am!
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