Rolla

So my friend Beth and I drove cross-country a couple years back and her car broke down just outside this nondescript town in the middle of Missouri. Well, two EMT’s who were off-duty stopped, helped us get back going far enough to get to the Ford dealership here. We spent about 6 hours here while her car was being fixed. It has a cute little downtown and a couple of nice tiny mom and pop type stores (icluding an INCREDIBLE pie shop, I have no idea if it’s still there). I’d probably shoot myself if I had to live here as I’m sure it would get boring awfully quickly, but as a little slice of midwest America, we couldn’t have asked for a nicer place to get stranded for 6 hours.

You know, Rolla isn’t all that bad but you’ve got to recognize that it is a small, rural town. I spent a good 10 years there while going to school and I thought it was a nice place. Actually, we’ve just sold our house there. And no, I’m not right wing nor could you consider me to be conservative. Actually, calling me conservative would be a good laugh, so go ahead.

There are some stupid people who live there who don’t seem to appreciate the college folk but I’m here in Austin and I here the same thing about locals when relating to the UT students. There’s plenty to do if you go looking. Try the local skating rink if you have kids – it has a great climbing unit on the inside). If you like the outdoors, you can check out the various parks and places like Lane Springs which is about 15 miles out of town. The Lion’s Club park is huge and offers a huge variety of places to play including toddler sized equipment. There are a number of local winerys worth checking out as well. The university offers a fair number of things to take part in for students, most of which is free.

Past that, it’s your typical small highway town. It’s life blood are the university and the highway. Don’t expect things to be like Kansas City or St Louis or even Springfield, you’ll be sorely dissapointed.

Total shit-hole city with bible loving closed-minded redneck townies. There’s a couple big JESUS billboards on your way in from St. Louis… not phone numbers for anything, just JESUS in big bright letters. Makes me want to kill something. HOWEVER, during St. Pat’s week, tons of people come in from even out of state to party. Big parties all week long. I had a class where half of everyone in it was drunk that week. We get some imported girls from SMS that weekend. If you’re a girl looking for a guy, this is your place.

NOTHING to do in this town.

There are no girls here. Try getting over a relationship in this town. It doesn’t work. I recommend an import girlfriend.