Saturday, March 27, 2004
Top Eight States I've Never Been To
Below is a map of all the states I've visited. It's safe to say I prefer driving to flying when I travel. This map makes me look like a big Republican with all that red.
create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide
So I've been to 84% of our states. Of the eight that are left, I rank them below (beginning with the states I want to visit the least, progressing to the ones I'd like most to see). I would also like to add that this was no easy list to make. Each remaining state has so much going for it! I love this country and feel no need to visit Europe or any other country until I've explored the US to completion. This drives my wife crazy.
8. West Virginia Billy the Kid was from Wheeling, WV. The mountains look beautiful. But really I can't tell you much more about this state, other than it has a lot of miners.
7. New Hampshire Something else that drive my wife crazy: I can't tell this state from Vermont. There is a 50/50 chance I have this backwards and I have actually been to New Hampshire and Vermont is where I've never been. Either way, you've seen one New England state, you've seen 'em all. New England has a family of sextuplets. My life would be a lot easier if RhodeIslandDelwareConnecticutMassachusetsVermontNewHampshire were all fused into one state. A shorter, less-clunky name, like Mikeland, would also have to be in order.
6. Maine You've seen one New England state, you've seen them all. Or did I say that already? Plus I had a roommate my freshman year of college who was a complete wanker. He happened to be from Maine. But Maine stands out from all the rest because it has such a beautiful shoreline and shitloads of lighthouses. And it's in the corner of the country. That geographic fact alone makes it cooler than New Hampshire, no matter how much of a pretentious jackass my roommate was freshman year.
5. Nevada I should go to Vegas just once, to judge for myself what it's like. I don't fear I'd get carried away gambling cards or playing slots. But I do worry what would happen if I wandered into a sports bar. I think it would be fun to bet on a few games. The problem is I may want more and more of that fun.
4. North Dakota The Badlands. It has a kickass name and it looks awesome. This National Park alone is reason enough to push Maine and Nevada to the back of the line. Good thing, because I can think of nothing else about North Dakota.
3. Hawaii Mountains AND the ocean!?!?!? Are you shitting me? It sounds amazing. Would be #1 if not for the fact that you have to fly for a long time to get there. And it turns out I'm not the only one who is impressed that it has island life, mountains, and oceans all in one package. I think the depth of the tourism industry would grate on me.
2. Michigan There is something intangibly cool about this state. I love the lakefronts of the Great Lakes as well. The Upper Peninsula in the winter sounds incredible. Getting there via car would be a problem, though.
1. Alaska This is definitely #1 on my list. And I'm feeling a sense of urgency to visit there before global warming and oil derricks turn it into something resembling West Texas. So you non-bus-riding, suburban dwelling sonsofbitches stop driving those Hummers until I get around to visiting Alaska!!
