States I've Been To

Ol' Hoss posted about a site where you can create maps of places you've been to. A bit of fun, eh?



I visited Lousiana only "technically", since I was taken to New Orleans as an infant by mom. All these states were visited as we drove from southern California to Pennsylvania when we lived in the 'burbs of Los Angeles. And vice versa when we moved to PA. I'm not sure if we didn't go thru some extreme southern part of Idaho.

But it is a great way to see the country. Since it was before the current Gameboy and personal CD-player or ipod era, we truly did see the country roll by and experienced things each time we stopped.

I remember that Michigan was accidental. We got off the highway to find a McD's for lunch and when we returned to I saw a sign that said "Thank you for visiting..."

In DeMoines, Iowa, we stayed at a Holiday Inn. They used to be quite reliable and predictable. This one wasn't so great (did I remember that correctly, mom?). But the really memorable thing was that the lifeguard had gone to the same elementary school that AP3, Actonbell and Nivek Army Ranger Pez were going to in Pennsylvania.

I collected the paper placemats at restaurants, since they had the name and place printed on them, to serve as a bit of memoribilia. I've got several interesting rocks that I found at various rest stops in the desert areas. The first Dunkin' Donuts I ever saw was in Oklahoma City (in southern CA we had Winchells Donuts). OK City was also the last place to get a decent Mexican meal as we headed east. I also collected patches and sewed them on my jacket (if you caught the little movie that Doug created for me, you saw me in my yellow patch jacket at the end.) In fact, I still collect patches of places I've been to. I also collect Girl Scout Council patches.

On one of our trips heading east, we got caught in a flash flood. We followed in the wake of a Greyhound bus. The water just rolled off the hills. I think we were still in California, but perhaps we had just crossed over to Arizona. After driving a bit the water did recede, and I saw a couple of drowned cattle just off the road.

I remember NOT stopping at the Meteor Crater in Arizona. Not once. In ALL the times we passed the exit. Mom and dad DID visit it on their last vacation. So now I DO have a T-shirt from Meteor Crater.

Oh, and Penn State beat South Florida, 23-13. GO LIONS!