I left New York City to drive to my parent's farm in Wisconsin, and the highways were nearly empty of cars but full of semis. 40 photos show the surreal journey.

Rebecca Harrington/Business Insider

• I drove from New York City to my parent's farm in Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• The highways were emptier of cars and there were more truckers delivering goods than I've ever seen.
• These photos show the surreal 1,172-mile journey.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It was mostly us and truckers on the road.

Last week, I learned Business Insider's offices in New York City were going to be closed for at least another month, probably longer. The thought of spending weeks on end alone in my Manhattan apartment became unbearable.

So my dad drove from Wisconsin to pick me up and drive me home to my parent's farm outside the Twin Cities. He used to drive semis, and has driven at least 2 million miles all over the country in his lifetime. He's never seen such empty roads or so many trucks hauling supplies.

While I was lucky enough to have a place to escape to, leaving a city may not be the best option for everyone. Cities have more hospital beds and healthcare infrastructure than rural areas, and could be better equipped to handle the surge of critical cases the US is experiencing.

Here's what my journey from NYC to Wisconsin was like, in photos.

We left Manhattan just after 5 p.m. on Friday. While there were still a concerning number of people out and about, it was a significant drop from a typical evening. Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all non-essential workers to stay home from work on Friday.

Rebecca Harrington/Business Insider

Source: Business Insider

New York has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the US. By Monday morning, the state had reported nearly 6% of the global COVID-19 cases. Part of the reason for the high number is because New York is testing more people than any other state.

Rebecca Harrington/Business Insider

Source: Business Insider

Many New Yorkers were wearing masks outside, despite the CDC's recommendation against the general public wearing them. Healthcare workers, who need masks and other medical equipment to protect themselves, are facing a shortage of supplies.

Rebecca Harrington/Business Insider

Sources: CDC, Business Insider

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• Nearly a third of Americans are now under orders to stay home — here's a running list of lockdowns in states and cities
• US Surgeon General warns Americans to follow the coronavirus guidelines to stay home: 'This week it's going to get bad'
• Dramatic photos show doctors and nurses struggling on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic around the world

SEE ALSO: Eerie photos show empty airports, trains, and roads across the world as people stay home amid the coronavirus outbreak

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