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.
5 comments:
I like the numeric symmetry here...
50 states by 25.
I hope you try to visit all 100 states by the time you're 50.
... Welcome to the great state of Saudi-Israelia ...
Two screwed up comments already. I really should not be allowed to do anything, let alone post comments on these here Interwebs for the world to see, before my full daily intake of coffee. My apologies.
Okay, now some thoughts on where to go and what to see on your little adventure. I'll leave out some obvious ones (Wrigleyville in Chicago, Badlands and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, Space Needle in Seattle, etc.) and touch on a few of the cooler spots I caught along the way...
- If you're heading west to Knoxville and then north from there, you'll naturally want to stop in Newport, TN, just across the state line from NC. If Newport, RI, is a 10 and Newport, NC, is a 1, this one clocks in around -8. So yeah, it's a complete shit hole, but it's a Newport, so, uhh, it's got that going for it.
- If you're into phallic structures and don't mind adding an hour or more to your journey, I recommend the KVLY-TV tower north of Fargo. It's currently the world's tallest man-made structure and is literally in the middle of a corn field. A little out of the way, but what else are you going to do in North Dakota?
- Actually, there is something else to see in ND...the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo. It's right off the interstate, and it's in a shopping mall! Can't beat that.
- If you have the time, you really should visit the Badlands and Mt. Rushmore in SD. Touristy, sure, but both pretty cool. However, your #1 destination in SD should be the Corn Palace in Mitchell. It's a palace, made out of corn. What's the deal with that?
- Another ultra-touristy destination that you should still do is the Space Needle in Seattle. And the area that surrounds it, Seattle Center, is pretty cool to just wander around. My one other suggestion though while here is sushi. The place that came highly recommended to me, and which was indeed fantastic, is Shiro's.
- If you don't stop off in Boise to check out the smurf turf at Bronco Stadium, you're no longer my friend. The north end of the stadium is open, so you can walk right out into the field.
- Once you get beyond the Rockies in Wyoming, drive as fast as is humanly possible until you reach Lincoln, NE. Lots of, well, nothing. Unless you count corn fields as something. Most...boring...drive...ever! Even west Texas was oddly hypnotic and not as bad a stretch as this.
Other random thoughts for such a long journey: Motel 6 is your (cheap) friend, hitchhikers are all friendly and provide wonderful company on the road, and watching a storm roll in over the vast plains is, in all seriousness, one of the cooler things you'll witness (just try to maintain your composure as I won't be there to hug you and make you feel safe).
Wait....there's a NEW Mexico now?
How are you judging Michigan? Are you touching the Upper Pennisula? Otherwise, I suggest leaving that little track of land in the white
Casey just sent me your link - what an awesome accomplishment!
The only city really worthwhile in Wisconsin is Madison - check out State Street (hard to miss). Oh, unless 'kitschy' is your objective. Then you don't want to miss Wisconsin Dells (they also have a fair number of waterparks - the best is Noah's Ark).
In Minneapolis, rent a bike and spend a day touring the lakes (all connected by a wonderful trail system). If you're going from Minnesota to North Dakota then it makes sense to visit Lake Superior (the North Shore, as we call it) and visit the Boundary Waters canoe area.
Take a boat tour on the Chicago River when you're there - it's the best way to see the city.
And I think you're safe skipping Fargo. I've never been but I've heard nothing but bad things (think flat wasteland).
Let me know if you need a place to stay in Minneapolis (or ideas of things to do) and have a great trip!
Post a Comment