William Least Heat-Moon begins by discussing the events leading to his project of traveling a circuit around the United States. He learns of his termination from a college English department due to lackluster student enrollment. He mentions he is separated from his wife and implies she is having an affair

As Heat-Moon lies awake that night, the idea occurs to him that if he cannot get a handle on his life, he may as well just take off and hit the road. Heat-Moon says, “A man who couldn’t make things go right could at least go. He could quit trying to get out of the way of life. Chuck routine. Live the real jeopardy of circumstance. It was a question of dignity” (3). Here, Heat-Moon gives the reader the first hints toward his motivation for the journey at the heart of the book.

Heat-Moon sets off on his trip, heading out of his home state of Missouri. He drives a 1975 Econoline van that he nicknames “Ghost Dancing” and that he has set up like a small camper. Heat-Moon will do most of his sleeping in the van. He also brings two books along for the trip: Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and Neihardt’s Black Elk Speaks.