When I was younger and living all over the country, my mother would keep track of all the states that we went to. Since our family lived on the East Coast and we lived somewhere in the middle (Texas, Michigan, South Dakota) and we were a young not-so-well-off family, we would drive to visit everyone. Because of this and a New England road trip that JP and I took in 2001, I have been to 40 of the 50 states. Here's what I'm missing:
Iowa
Oklahoma
North Dakota
Washington
Oregon
Idaho
Utah
Arizona
Alaska
Hawaii
But good news! At the end of this month, I am flying to Chicago to help Laura move to Portland, OR. So we are jumping in her car, and driving across this great country of ours. I'll fly home from Portland when we're done. Along the way, I'll pick up 4 new states! Iowa, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon. We'll get out of the car, do a little dance, and I can claim those states as my own. I definitely plan to make it to Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Arizona in my lifetime, but I'm going to have to go out of my way to go to North Dakota and Oklahoma. It seems silly to go either of those places just to say I've been there, but then again, can I really die happy knowing I've been to 48 of the states?
Where have/haven't you been? Is there anyone who's hit all 50? I know my father has, but he's the only one I know of. Are you close? Does anyone else have this as a goal?
Thursday, May 08, 2008
The States of the Union
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5 comments:
I've never sat down and counted all the states I've been in. If you count states driven through, on road trips, I suspect there would be a decent number, thanks to trips to Florida to see the grandparents, and Jaime's and my road trip from NY to Albuquerque.
I've got great huge gaps in the western states and Pacific northwest, but I've got most of my midwest and southern chips, as well as New England.
Having driven through, I must tell you: Iowa is...well, it's pretty and all, but really dull, and full of corn-fed white people. Once you've driven through it for like half an hour you're all, "Aw, man, are we still in IOWA? Even OKLAHOMA is better than this!"
So does driving through the state count? Not actually stepping out of the car and touching the soil with your foot? And what about being in airports?
If so then I have been to: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhodes Island, Illinois, and California.
If Not I have been to, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Florida, Rhodes Island and California.
I would say no to airports, because you don't see the state, really. If you drive through it, even without stepping out of the car, you see and experience it much more so.
But that's just my opinion. Talk to JP about his stringent requirements, which may or may not include holding a large life event in said state.
Mom and I updated my map the other day, I forget, I think I'm at 36 or something like that. Not terrible. Hopefully I'll get to cross another one or two off this summer, at least!
Let's see...Pennsylvania, California, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, I have been to North Carolina in the airport and driving through, I may have eaten at a diner, but I can't be certain.
Zack has not been to Alaska, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, North or South Dakota, Montana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Wyoming, or Missouri. Mostly thanks to our tuition dollars at Penn State the rest because of his old job.
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