Journal

Meme: Where I’ve been in the USA

21 Comments

Cool meme, via kinkyturtle. The map, complete with a color-key, is behind the cut.

I don’t have any travel plans that will color in the yellow spaces, but it appears as if there are only six US states that I’ve failed to at least visit.

I feel a little guilty listing Hawaii, though. I was only on Oahu, and only for three days. Then again, most of those states I’ve visited or lived in are similar — I’ve never been to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, I’ve never seen the Texas Panhandle, and my crossing into Arizona mostly consisted of “running around the four corners monument.” But it was at lunchtime, so there you go… “stopped for lunch.”

Alaska is on the top of my “hit list.” I bet I could get Doc Nickel to put me up for a couple of days in exchange for a crate of penicillin and some dried fruit.

21 thoughts on “Meme: Where I’ve been in the USA”

  1. I was hoping you’d fill this one out, as I thought it would be interesting.

    There are lots of the states I list as having visited that I’ve only been to small parts of, and at least three of them (Maine, New Hampshire, and West Virginia) I drove to mainly so I could say I’d been there.

    I’m hoping my company will wind up gathering its people in Utah, as a fair number of them live there. If so, that one will get crossed off the list. Of course, I wouldn’t dream of coming to Utah without at least taking you out to dinner.

    1. And if you make it into Utah, it’s an easy, easy matter to get Idaho turned light-blue as well. It’s only a two-hour drive (one way) and the scenery is quite nice.

      Although for four hours of driving, there’s better scenery to be had staying within 50 miles of Salt Lake City.

      –Howard

  2. Yah, stay the hell out of Montana! Montana is for Montanans!

    Wait… you’re not a Californian? Okay, you can come say howdy any time you’d like.

    (Seriously, Montana hates Californians! And I’ve lived BOTH PLACES! I’m like a self hating jew now.)

    1. Where exactly do you live? I make it into California twice a year — once to SC for Comic-Con, and once to the Bay area for visits with the in-laws.

      1. Well, I live in Wisconsin right now, but I’ll be moving to the Bay Area (95% likelihood at least) once I finish my Ph.D. If so, we should hang out when you’re in the Bay Area. Also, I hope to start getting to the SD CC again.

  3. Some notes on the Red States…

    I lived in Florida for most of my childhood. Born in Jacksonville, moved to Sarasota when I was 10, sold the family home when I was 26 or 27.

    For a few months, though, when I was about six, we lived in Maryland with my grandparents. I’m counting it as “lived in” because I went to school there.

    Between the ages of 19 and 21 I spent two years as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The mission area covered North Dakota, South Dakota, and parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Notably, I spent six months on an indian reservation in SD, three months in Minot, five or six months in Bemidji, Minnesota, and three months or so on an indian reservation outside of Sioux City, Iowa.

    I moved to Utah for school, and have spent pretty much my entire adult life there. I’ve owned homes in Provo and Orem (less than 15 miles apart), and have traveled just about corner-to-corner, from Bear Lake to Lake Powell, from the Thiokol testing range down to four corners.

    Most of the blue states I picked up during my travels for Novell, though some Schlock-related convention travel helped as well. The light-blue was picked up during road-trips from Florida to Utah (most of those states got turned from light-blue to dark-blue with a much later Novell technical conference).

    I really don’t see any pressing reason for me to end up in those southeast states I’ve missed… not unless somebody gets me invited to a cool Sci-Fi convention down there.

        1. I know the area fairly well. It’s a beautiful area about 20 minutes south from where I am.

          These days it’s considered fairly posh and upscale with neat little areas that are small cities in of themselves. It’s inside my Stake Boundaries.

  4. Howard–

    If you’re interested in some advice on how best to see Alaska, let me know. My folks have lived up there for nearly 30 years, and my dad has a surefire route for a great trip!

    –G

      1. Sure! Just leave your venomous snakes, venomous birds, venomous mammals, and venomous sheep down there. 🙂 But do bring a copy of “The Dish.” 🙂

        1. Some of the sheep are safe.

          My copy of The Dish is PAL format and crippled to Region 4. 8(When you come here I can take you to the Dish, though. 8)

  6. Southern states

    “I really don’t see any pressing reason for me to end up in those southeast states I’ve missed… not unless somebody gets me invited to a cool Sci-Fi convention down there.” Hey!!!

    Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas are beautiful. I can’t say the same for Oklahoma, but I know it’s windy! And takes forever to drive across East to West! I’ve lived in Alabama for about thirty years of my life (off and on)….and while I don’t always agree with the politics or “good ole boy” mentality, it’s home and I love it. I hope that you’re able spend some time there someday.

    1. Re: Southern states

      I’m sure they’re beautiful, but so’s Utah, and I haven’t seen all of it yet. Oh, and it costs less for me to see what’s close.

      No, I’m afraid mere beauty won’t get me to make that particular trip. There need to be… fiduciary attractions.

      1. Re: Southern states

        Utah IS beautiful and I think you SHOULD be seeing more of it. I love the mountains the most! Alabama is not anything like Utah, though, and is (in my opinion) worth the trip! 🙂 Of course, it helps that I have a lot of family here!

        I wonder if there are any “fiduciary attractions” that could be a “business” trip for you and your family. Birmingham is less than three hours from Atlanta, Nashville and Chattanooga…all very fun places to visit. And only four from the beach! The gulf is SO different from any other beaches….white, soft sand….incredible! 🙂

        Good luck finding the right reason to add Alabama to your map! 🙂

  7. I grew up in Alaska, and my army time led to me seeing a lot of the South East. Alabama made me nervous. As for Arkansas, well, I got on a plane in GA, flew for half an hour, jumped out of said plane, landed in Arkansas, ran as fast as I could back to GA, and repeated the whole procedure four more times.

    And that’s all I have to say about that.

    If I still lived in AK, Howard, you would totally have a place to crash. As it is, I don’t ever plan on moving back there. Visit? Sure thing. Live? No thank-you.

  8. I’d say come visit Oklahoma but I’d wait until the temperature comes down from it’s current scorching highs. It really is a nice state when it doesn’t feel like a lead smelter outside.

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