Wouldn't really call it a suburban hellscape. Seems quite nice all in all. [1]
[1] https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Nevada,+Iowa+50201/Ames,+Iow...
[1] https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Nevada,+Iowa+50201/Ames,+Iow...
also my two cents: it's dangerous as all heck doing anything but driving on those roads. I almost got hit by a friend of mine who was texting and driving while I was running about 30 miles from there out in the country.