Hello everyone and welcome. To your left you will see the 2007 American Map Large Print Road Atlas. This, along with some occasional help from Google Maps, will be my guide to the Drive for 5-0 (patent pending).
A short explanation of my mission and the reason for this blog's existence: Shortly after getting my driver's license in 1998, I decided that traveling (for pleasure, not work, I've since learned) is one of the things in life that I really enjoy. My first really big road trip was a 10-day drive to and from Sante Fe, New Mexico. Upon returning from that trip, I set a goal that has stayed with me ever since - to visit each of the 50 states in the union before my 25th birthday, May, 14, 2007.
I've gotten to where I am (41 down, nine to go) in a variety of vehicles with a variety of people, but the end of this mission will be a cross-country drive beginning on roughly April 23 in Durham, N.C. and returning roughly 18 days later, with the turnaround point falling in the greater Salem, Ore. area.
To your right you will see what has been called "bobbymap" on my computer for the last several years. Pretty straightfoward, shaded states have been visited, white states have not (blue by plane, red by car, more or less). For the not-so-geographically-inclined, the nine states remaining are, in order of planning visit: Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Washington and Oregon.
That's what I know. What I need now is your help. I'm going pretty much in a straight line, but where should I stop? Anything must-see or must-avoid? Let me know where you've been and where you think I need to go.
