In my recent road trip, I bagged my 50th state. I decided to write random memories of the states (listed in order of visitation, more or less.) The memories are not necessarily from the trip mentioned but, instead, just random memories of the times I have been there... It adds up to 51 as I put in D.C. separately, and let's make it a state! (And make Puerto Rico a state, too, assuming they still want it.)
California: well, too many. LIFE!
First Road Trip - to Mom's High School Reunion -around 1961?
Nevada : gambling, empty vistas, not a lot of trees, Valley of Fire, Keith, California Hotel, Margie, Burning Man
Utah : Salt flats, amazing National Parks, Lynn, Temple Square
Colorado: mountains, Denny's in Denver, Jon Benet's house followed immediately by a tornado (only one I ever saw – in Boulder), Darien
Kansas: Dodge City, Mom, pretty flat - It was clear to me on this trip that I was "a different kinda girl", Mildred's graveyard.
Oklahoma: drawing a blank - sorry Oklahoma - a lot like a lot of Northern Texas is my only memory
New Mexico: red rock, petrified rock (diarrhea), Terrero/Dad, balloon fiesta/ Tom and Roxanne, Patty and Dennis, yellow aspens, Meow Wolf, bats and Carlsbad, snow storm on 40 (had to go south to 10)
Arizona: red rock, Grand Canyon, Watching Dodgers 88 game in an Indian bar, watching the final at Grand Canyon, Tomoe, saguaros, Tucson's front yards, Julie Rowe
Second Road Trip with Lisa Sweet to see our amours (Karen and Jeff) in 1973
Missouri: St. Louis arches, the first time I saw the Mississippi
Illinois: Chicago, Susan, Wilmette (Jane at a Grocery store), Mercantile Exchange, Right-field sucks, No lights at Wrigley! campaign, Joan, Ryan, architectural tour, clean downtown!
Indiana: nice people
Ohio: Don and Mary, Herman, restaurant, rolling hills and car sick, Amish families that Mary hires, Bill and Kelly, the Chagrin Falls parade
West Virginia: Karen, Lisa Sweet, one of the strangest days of my life, snow
New York: Ithaca, what winter looks like in the East when snow is not on the ground (like a forest fire has just passed through) and how lovely spring is for those folks, New York City, standing room opera, Jean, honeymoon, party on our roof, Palmyra - way too many memories to fit...
Road trip with my partner, Susan Cahn, around the country - stopping to see her parents in Chicago. 1980
Wyoming: Yellowstone, which was awesome, during the fire in 88 (with Leslie) which was interesting
Nebraska: Nice skies; a lot like Kansas
Iowa: Nice skies; a lot like Nebraska, Jessica and Jim
Pennsylvania: Brett, Philly and their very small streets
New Jersey: Tami, Susan B, Kristin and staying in a funeral home, Kristin's wedding, Princeton and Patty Cuyler and family, the shore after Hurricane Sandy
Connecticut: visiting Judy at Yale (kill Nilda); visiting Barbara
Massachusetts: sitting on Einstein's lap, rude staff at the Subway, Pat
Rhode Island: in this state the very shortest - it was a highway
Delaware: pretty much the same as Rhode Island
Maryland: Susan M, Susan's Condo, Alfred House, Johns Hopkins, the purple line, the Angel Moroni when you drive at night on 495
DC: March on Washington for Gay Rights (Big Dyke clump), Steve Gunderson (gay Republican congressman), Andrew Sullivan convincing me that Leslie and I should get married, museums - free!, memorials, Lincoln Center, Ruth Ginsberg; Marianne and Harold and staying at the Watergate, Supreme Court, Jesse Ventura, Million Mom March for gun control/ Mom and Mary/ Karen - and much more
Virginia: a lot of trees, one really bad night at a motel
Tennessee: Nashville, Knoxville, Karen, Tobae's brother and sister-in-law, nice skies
Arkansas: Sitting on the runway in Little Rock for five hours; I have driven through it too but got nothing.
Texas: Austin and Paul Ruiz, Broken Spoke, Two-stepping, Cotton-Eye Joe, Galveston and Betsy Lee
'88 Three-month trip with Leslie around the country after she took her bar exam
Oregon: Eugene and Joanne/Pa and DJ, Portland - Dan, Erin and Tim, Karen (oboe)
Washington: Jessica and Jim, Russ/ Tobae; Ken/Marni and too many others to name, but driving with Lisa and Stephen "Again", lots of bridges, Bainbridge, two bar mitzvahs, Wagner/Seattle Opera road trips, Spokane, Julie aka Alex, Sandy/Tom
Idaho: Lisa and Tom and Lake Coeur d'Alene, my trip to visit Richard H. but covid hit, then he died. So I don't know Boise.
Montana: It was just fine. Rural
South Dakota: Rapid City! Fights with Florida for having the greatest riches of tacky tourist traps (and some not tacky). Dinosaur Park at the best real estate in the City! Flintstone Land. Wall Drugs. Mt Rushmore (not tacky - but many tacky imitations about). Black Hills Holy Land. Corn Palace and more! Crazy Horse memorial (which I am going to blog about soon)
Minnesota: St. Paul; Randy Travis and the Judds
Wisconsin: Judy and Margie, Snow, No coats
Vermont: Horse farm, fence judge, they don't like Californians
New Hampshire: drove through; too many trees (true of most of the East Coast!)
Maine: Kennebunk River rafting (floating!!), the coast
North Carolina: Sandy and her family, the Bull in Durham, Case is in Greensboro so I have another visit to do
South Carolina: Charleston
Georgia: Savannah - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil tourism including Mercer's grave
Florida: In order: St. St. Augustine; driving on Daytona beach; Orlando; Miami Beach; Miami; Key Largo; Key West and the southern most this and that; daily night festival; Cypress Knee Museum and Tom Haskins,"the ditches made the problem"; Everglades - mosquitos and alligators; Weeki Wachee and coke drinking mermaids, baby; Dali museum - and, on another trip - the circus at Florida State and glass-bottom boat on some of those amazing Florida springs. Seriously fun state
Alabama: Seemed nice enough...
Mississippi: Gulf Coast is gorgeous - or was; don't know how it is post-Katrina
Louisiana: New Orleans. Stay off Bourbon St, and it is quite fun and not too rowdy. Too much alcohol spilled on Bourbon St. Valerie. Crawdads. Catherine Hancock.
1991 with Leslie
Hawaii: It may have been my 47th state but, like California, too many memories! But - Lava. It really is paradise.
1999 with Leslie (two trips that year)
Alaska - Aurora Borealis, Ice sculpture festival, looooong, beautiful sunsets, nice people, snow, flying over Denali, Iditarod and other dog sledding, Ziggy running in the snow, house/neighborhood in Fairbanks, Makai and Ziggy.
2019 road trip by myself
Kentucky - bourbon and horses; Claiborne Farm and Secretariat's grave. Great rocks - gorgeous highway cutouts.
Michigan - Detroit and outside 8 mile, too. Lynn, Belle Island, the museum and the library; Linda, Jessica and and Frazho road. Tiger Stadium and downtown. Fascinating place. Buy property there - inside the City. Best opportunity in America that I have seen.
2023 road trip by myself
North Dakota Hankinson, baby! And, part of the song Lisa D and I wrote when she had to move to Minot AFB in her soph year: "Why not go to Minot! It would be so grand..." And, better yet: "Cows are frozen stiff there. Snow is apt to drift there. Minot is the place to be! Why don't you go and see!"
Bonus: 1997 with Leslie
Puerto Rico - Worst drivers ever, love PR women, Vieques, Bioluminescent Bay
U.S. Virgin Islands - Great hotel in Saint Thomas but I much preferred Virgin Gorda (British Virginia Islands)
Five Favorite States (including D.C.) I have had the most fun in order:
1. California
2. Hawaii
3. New York
4. Washington, D.C.
5. Florida
Favorite Cities
1. New York
2. Chicago (shot from nowhere to 2 after my recent visit)
3. Washington, D.C.
4. L.A.
5. Austin
States I haven't really given a chance:
1. Rhode Island
2. Delaware
States I have plenty of time in and that's all I need, thanks. They were fine.
1. Oklahoma
2. Montana
3. New England states (but we might go to Mass. again to see Pat and Katie and NH to see Barbara)
4. Alabama
5. Mississippi
Favorite things I have seen
1. Hot lava many, many times.
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| At a skylight, with a lava river underneath |
2. The aurora borealis, many times.
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| In Fairbanks |
15 comments:
Nice summary. Glad you like Florida! Come visit again.
You know, it might be next year. Leslie is having potential reunion with her law school chums in St. Augustine. If we come, you will certainly get a visit! Florida is a trip and a half!
That was so much fun!! Oddest state commentary: Massachusetts. And I scored two states!
I was - as you can probably guess - not a fan of Massachusetts. I am not a fan historically, either. Salem witch trails, for instance. More recently, Kelley Michaels (look it up) for example.. (Both the same mentally.) Racism re housing, busing, etc. They are liberal until it affects them negatively. Case in point, Robert Kennedy, Jr. Big environmentalist until the wind farm is in his back yard. So, whoever you are, anonymous - now you have a deeper understanding of that comment. It was fun, that said, sitting on Einstein's lap.
Sarasota awaits!!!
If we do come, it will be the beginning of September. We will let you know!
Great memories! I’ve also done 50 states plus, but I haven’t been to Puerto Rico. I’ll put it on the list.
I'm so excited to read this post Russ. I'm envious and so impressed! Maybe before I die I will also be able to say I've been in them all! I miss you both! Thanks for the post.
Gail
Agree with your comments especially Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana (truly nice people). Montana and Wyoming should be the same category as Nebraska and Iowa. Funny thing, I am a Nebrskan. 😁 Enjoyed your blog.
Ah, but Wyoming has Yellowstone and that makes on the difference. It's my favorite National Park. I believe my comment about Montana reflects your thinking.
OMG. What an incredible memory you have -- or did you keep travel diaries? I remember when you two went to Alaska for a few months. I was impressed and envious! Now that I live in Colorado, Yellowstone is calling my name. j
Hey Tara - no those were just memories. I am sure I have forgotten many things though.
This was so much fun to read! Having lived in Oklahoma, your "memory" from there sounds about right. Looking forward to your Crazy Horse Memorial blog!
Love (!) that Chicago shot to #2 favorite city. This means you may well come back and I hope you do. There are countless things yet to see and experience here. Wonderful variety of ethnic cultures, sights, sites, and certainly culinary delicacies. Plus a bridge club. What more would you want???
Well, Chicago is/was fabulous! Ok, your turn to write up all the countries you have been to! My life may be American-rich, but you (and Shirley!) certainly have the world over me!
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