State of states
Feb. 23rd, 2022 03:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
psipsyAccording to research based on internet sources that may not be accurate but I don't have anything else to go by, the average American has only been to 12 states, and 10% of Americans have never been outside of their home state. Having seen what other Pennsylvanians are like, I can believe it. Some people around here have a housecat mentality, never going far from home, afraid they'll get eaten by a manticore or something.
But not me! Currently, I've been to 37 out of 50 states in the US. Of those that remain, Alaska and Hawaii are probably going to be the most difficult on account of sheer distance. I could drive to Alaska, if I'm willing to set aside three whole weeks and drive for 8500 miles round-trip. Hawaii? I have to fly to that. I'll say that one's the Final Boss. The other 11 states are in a pair of clusters that are still a good distance away.
The Northeast of the US has a lot of small states, and they're easy to get to. There are at least 5 other states within 3 hours of driving, and if I'm willing to drive for a whole day, about 20 states. But all of that low-hanging fruit has been picked. For the Western states, it'll take a couple days of driving before I get to any I haven't been to yet.
Having been to all 50 isn't going to get me anything more than bragging rights. Some would say that having been to Japan is more impressive than somewhere like say, Nebraska. (I have not yet been to Nebraska.) It's one of those things where the experience is more valuable than the achievement itself.
What counts as having been to a state? That depends on each person. I have three different levels: Absolute, Meaningful, and Overnight. Absolute is just that, it means I've been within that state's borders for any amount of time, for any reason, or lack of. Meaningful means I stopped and did something particular to that state. Much like when I went through Vermont and stopped at Ben & Jerry's. Overnight means I was in that state for at least the better part of a day. More than enough to really pick up a state's vibe.
Maybe it feels like cheating to include the Absolutes. I'd actually like to go back to some of the states I zipped through before and take a closer look at them. I stopped for gas in Rhode Island, and even though there was nothing out of the ordinary about it, doing so almost doubled the amount of time I spent in that state. I think what I'll do going forward is, when I get to a new state, I'll obtain and mail back a postcard to myself. Or something similar. In addition to getting a fridge magnet. That way, even if that's the only thing I do, it's still something. I'll probably also do postcards with some of the others I've already been to.
A postcard to myself? What would I say to myself though?
But not me! Currently, I've been to 37 out of 50 states in the US. Of those that remain, Alaska and Hawaii are probably going to be the most difficult on account of sheer distance. I could drive to Alaska, if I'm willing to set aside three whole weeks and drive for 8500 miles round-trip. Hawaii? I have to fly to that. I'll say that one's the Final Boss. The other 11 states are in a pair of clusters that are still a good distance away.
The Northeast of the US has a lot of small states, and they're easy to get to. There are at least 5 other states within 3 hours of driving, and if I'm willing to drive for a whole day, about 20 states. But all of that low-hanging fruit has been picked. For the Western states, it'll take a couple days of driving before I get to any I haven't been to yet.
Having been to all 50 isn't going to get me anything more than bragging rights. Some would say that having been to Japan is more impressive than somewhere like say, Nebraska. (I have not yet been to Nebraska.) It's one of those things where the experience is more valuable than the achievement itself.
What counts as having been to a state? That depends on each person. I have three different levels: Absolute, Meaningful, and Overnight. Absolute is just that, it means I've been within that state's borders for any amount of time, for any reason, or lack of. Meaningful means I stopped and did something particular to that state. Much like when I went through Vermont and stopped at Ben & Jerry's. Overnight means I was in that state for at least the better part of a day. More than enough to really pick up a state's vibe.
Maybe it feels like cheating to include the Absolutes. I'd actually like to go back to some of the states I zipped through before and take a closer look at them. I stopped for gas in Rhode Island, and even though there was nothing out of the ordinary about it, doing so almost doubled the amount of time I spent in that state. I think what I'll do going forward is, when I get to a new state, I'll obtain and mail back a postcard to myself. Or something similar. In addition to getting a fridge magnet. That way, even if that's the only thing I do, it's still something. I'll probably also do postcards with some of the others I've already been to.
A postcard to myself? What would I say to myself though?
no subject
Date: 2022-02-23 12:46 pm (UTC)