Infernal Distances

I am trying to explain geography to my Iowa friends and relatives, again.

I'm in the Tampa area.  That's about the middle of the Gulf Coast.

If I want to drive to another state, the nearest is Georgia.  About three and a half hours.

The other state border is Alabama.  Because of the inverted L shape of the state, it's a lot farther...  Six and three quarters hours to cross at I-10.

Ames is about dead center in Iowa.  Illinois is three hours.  Minnesota is an hour and a half.  Missouri is one and three quarters hours.  Nebraska is two and a half hours.

Things that happen in Florida places that always get phone calls and messages...

Miami is 299 miles and four and a half hours from here.
Cape Canaveral / Kennedy Space Center is 154 miles and two and half hours from here.
Daytona is 163 miles and three hours from here.
Orlando / Disney World is 94 miles and an hour and a half from here.
Key West is 444 miles and seven and a quarter hours from here.

Yes, Iwegians, Daytona is as far as Kansas City; Kennedy Space Center is as far as Omaha; Key West is as far as Chicago; Miami is as far as Minneapolis.

You might notice that we don't call YOU when something happens in those places!