Texas-based writer Emily Gogolak drove the entirety of Interstate 35 from Laredo to Duluth for an essay in N+1 magazine.

She ends her journey at an unnamed drinking establishment. Black Woods Grill & Bar fits the description.

It’s crowded. Five televisions stream some dog show involving an obstacle course. Three women discuss the pain of moving out of an apartment and how it has affected one of their sleep schedules. “I legit haven’t been to bed at my normal time in like a week.” I notice how the accent has changed between Texas and here; the way people talk shifts like the landscape, almost imperceptibly when measured in real time. Someone at the table behind me says, “Infrastructure, they’re talking about it a lot more.” I want to hear what he means, but it gets very loud, and I’ve missed the sound of a crowded bar.

N+1 is a print and digital magazine of literature, culture and politics out of New York City.