Project 50 developed as a plan to drive through all fifty states before I turned fifty, but in reality, the quest began at the age of eighteen. Since becoming a legal adult, I added states sporadically, and by 2010 the list of states to visit dwindled to ten. I embarked on an aggressive campaign to tackle the remaining twenty percent and within one year, all but one crossed to the “Conquered” column.
On September 16, 2015, I landed in Honolulu and fulfilled the quest. With my bucket list effectively shattered, the reflection and recapping phase began and the collection of stories of the journey began to unfold.
- What’s Going On Up There?
Please note: The travel described here occurred in the past. Today, I do not recommend that anyone who is, or may possibly be, pregnant travel to this state. A miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy cannot be safely treated under this state’s current laws. Please care for yourself and travel to places where your life and health are valued.
Driving Versus Gawking
Even with GPS and map apps, traffic alerts and navigational systems, sitting in motionless traffic happens from time to time. As annoying being parked on a highway unable to move forward at much more than a crawl, often I wonder why the traffic is backed up. What’s up ahead? Is it a narrowing of the road to fewer lanes due to a paving project? Is it a fellow traveler getting a personal invitation to the policemen’s ball? Is it more gruesome and perilous? I won’t know until I make it to the front of the long line, and when I get there, I am ready for the most direct route through the clog so I can be on my way. I’m definitely not a rubber necker.
I tend to be more attuned to the knot at the front of the chaos when I am heading in the opposite direction. When I approach the head of the snake and a line of vehicles backed up behind it, I check out the cause. For example, when driving across the westbound lanes of Interstate 55 over the Mississippi River, an unhooked 5th wheel blocked the right lane, leaving miles and miles of eighteen-wheelers and commuters heading from Arkansas to Tennessee. I imagine all vehicles who haven’t made it to the girders wondering what activity up ahead is leaving them idle and motionless. I wonder how long it finally took them to find out.
Miles And Miles Of Mayhem
Driving one late night across Interstate 70, I saw flashing lights ahead through the rain. Between the curvature of the road and the distortion of the water on my windshield, I could not tell which side of the road would feel the brunt of the impact. Granted, the flow of traffic continued onward, but whether due to the weather or the pending possible obstruction, the pace slowed. The weather already slowed my forward progress, so I hoped the blinks and flashes were on the other side of the road. When I finally reached the problem point, I still could not tell whether it was police activity or an overnight road closure. The only certainty in the mess hit me ten miles down the road when I reached the end of the back-up, relieved that I happened to be on this side of the jam.
On yet a third trek from New Orleans to the Dakotas, I did know what was coming: the closure of Interstate 40 just a few miles north of the same cross-river route of Interstate 55. Do I take a wide detour, or do I suck it up and join the thousands of other vehicles braving the one route across the Mighty Mississip? I decide to forge forward – choosing the shortest distance between two approaches. The warning signs remind drivers to use all lanes until they merge, so I follow the posted directions and find myself flying past the parked miles and miles of mechanical mess. I feel guilty, but I am 100% following the posted signs. I easily saved an hour being parked in Tennessee and expedited my arrival in Arkansas, and then paralleled the same snarl headed east – and off I went.
The Deep And Shallow South
- What’s Going On Up There? March 14, 2023
- Crossing Paths February 6, 2023
- Epicboy December 20, 2022
- The Last Florida Odyssey – Part 3 October 31, 2022
- The Last Florida Odyssey – Part 2 October 27, 2022
- The Last Florida Odyssey – Part 1 October 18, 2022
- The Long Road To Florida October 10, 2022
- Aircraft And Spacecraft September 22, 2022
- Air And Space September 19, 2022
- On The Other Side Of The Hidden Map September 6, 2022
- The Clarity Of Nature August 16, 2022
- Swimming Back July 18, 2022
- Just This Little Bridge June 28, 2022
- Holding Hands June 13, 2022
- Learning To Fly April 20, 2022
- Unwanted Travel March 14, 2022
- Did You See That? February 8, 2022
- Stennis Space Center January 28, 2022
- No Mo’ NOLA January 11, 2022
- Roasted Jalapeño Blueberry Porter November 30, 2021
- Hiking In September 13, 2021
- The Appalachian Trail – Part 2 September 1, 2021
- Everglades National Park – Part 2 August 18, 2021
- Everglades National Park – Part 1 August 11, 2021
- Swamped August 4, 2021
- The Great Escape July 8, 2021
- Driving Through Georgia July 5, 2021
- Cherry Blossoms June 22, 2021
- The Meraids Of Old Florida June 10, 2021
- Tail Of The Dragon May 14, 2021
- Andersonville National Historic Site May 5, 2021
- Living Deadly History May 3, 2021
- Water Fallen March 25, 2021
- Michael March 22, 2021
- An Evening Drive February 25, 2021
- Yet To Be Written February 3, 2021
- One Bark And One Bark Only January 29, 2021
- Man On Fire June 16, 2020
- Shenandoah National Park April 22, 2020
- Finally Making Time April 18, 2020
- Alone In DC February 13, 2019
- Segue February 2, 2019
- The Natchez Trace – Part 2 December 20, 2017
- The Natchez Trace – Part 1 December 13, 2017
- Tracing History December 12, 2017
- In Service Of Others December 1, 2014
- Boca Chita Lighthouse August 20, 2014
- The Florida Keys August 19, 2014
- A Little Bit Of Something Is Better Than A Whole Lot Of Nothing August 18, 2014
- Roadside Attracting December 15, 2013
- Sweet Home Alabama December 10, 2013
- Where’s My Luggage? October 18, 2013
- Georgia Agritourism August 26, 2013
- Ocracoke Nachos February 20, 2013
- Changes In Rank January 7, 2013
- The Night Before September 1, 2012
- Four Old Rolls Of Film July 25, 2012
- Florida’s Interiors July 18, 2012
- Florida’s Interior July 16, 2012
- The Ice Machine In The River July 12, 2012
- Through The Ocala National Forest July 6, 2012
- To Live And Die In A Week May 9, 2012
- Overnight On The Amtrak April 2, 2012
- Spans March 21, 2012
- After The Clock Struck Twelve March 1, 2012
- George Washington February 20, 2012
- In Bloom January 25, 2012
- Breathing Windmills December 4, 2011
- Outside The Box November 26, 2011
- The Next Chapter November 24, 2011
- On The Advice Of Friends October 27, 2011
The Pacific Rim
- Public Lands Day – Yellowstone Edition May 4, 2022
- All That Glitters March 9, 2022
- Golden Mill March 8, 2022
- The Rainbow State February 16, 2022
- Sound. Color. Hawai’i. February 14, 2022
- Tunneling Through February 2, 2022
- Foreground Flowers – Part 2 December 29, 2021
- Alone Journey November 24, 2021
- Traveling Alone November 21, 2021
- Death Valley National Park October 6, 2021
- Every Kind Of Desert October 5, 2021
- In The Words Of A President June 29, 2021
- Passes & Passing April 20, 2021
- Five Sorbets January 26, 2021
- The Rosalie Claire’s View October 7, 2020
- The Rosalie Claire’s Details September 30, 2020
- Aboard The Rosalie Claire September 27, 2020
- The Last Front”beer” February 12, 2020
- The Alaskan “Wilderness” February 9, 2020
- The Sun Comes With You September 18, 2018
- A View Of Alaskan – Part 2 November 19, 2014
- A View Of Alaskan – Part 1 November 12, 2014
- A Taste Of Alaskan November 11, 2014
- Mount Rainier National Park December 4, 2013
- Besides The Bus To Walmart November 13, 2013
- The Bus To Walmart November 11, 2013
- 360° Around Lake Tahoe – Part 2 September 11, 2013
- 360° Around Lake Tahoe – Part 1 September 4, 2013
- Circumnavigation September 3, 2013
- An Ocean View Spoiled August 30, 2013
- Donner Pass August 12, 2013
- Grapes To Wine April 10, 2013
- Drink The Wine April 9, 2013
- The Charm Of Fort Clatsop April 1, 2013
- Have You Ever Had That Feeling You’ve Been Somewhere Before? March 27, 2013
- Where’s Jack? March 19, 2013
- I Owe Oregon February 24, 2013
- What Would You Do For The Klondike? February 10, 2013
- One-Trip Wonder December 19, 2012
- Forgotten August 7, 2012
- Between Here And The Channel Islands June 22, 2012
- You Can See Forever April 18, 2012
- My Oldest Memory April 14, 2012
- On A Clear Day April 11, 2012
- And The Moon Rose Over An Open Field February 6, 2012
- Jumping Off Point January 27, 2012
- In Bloom January 25, 2012
- Shared By Bears And Coeds January 14, 2012
- Mulholland Drive December 16, 2011
- Vapor Trails December 1, 2011
- Desert Dust October 29, 2011
The Not-So-Middle And Not-So-West
- A First And Last Road Trip August 26, 2022
- Turn Signals July 11, 2022
- The Bay Of Green April 25, 2022
- From Here To There – Part 1 April 12, 2022
- Breaking In March 18, 2022
- And Did You See That? February 28, 2022
- Above The Bridge January 5, 2022
- Back Where I Don’t Belong December 31, 2021
- When I Grow Up December 6, 2021
- Listen, Honey September 23, 2021
- This Is The Worst Trip I’ve Ever Been On September 9, 2021
- This Road Trip Sponsored By… July 29, 2021
- What I Remember When I Try To Forget – Part 3 July 23, 2021
- What I Remember When I Try To Forget – Part 2 July 21, 2021
- What I Remember When I Try To Forget – Part 1 July 19, 2021
- Car Sick Or Sea Sick April 29, 2021
- In The Stairwell March 31, 2021
- Psalm 92:12 February 14, 2020
- It’s Been Thirty Years February 15, 2019
- Curbside November 25, 2013
- Moonlight In Minnesota September 30, 2013
- The Twins August 22, 2013
- Joe Vs. The Wicker Furniture May 14, 2013
- Springtime In Chicago April 21, 2013
- Bats In The Theater March 23, 2013
- Barren Trees March 15, 2013
- Crossing The Mississippi January 13, 2013
- On The Trail Of Family And Friends September 4, 2012
- Airborne September 2, 2012
- Almost Heaven July 21, 2012
- The UP July 9, 2012
- Spans March 21, 2012
- The Fifth Lake March 15, 2012
- OMES March 14, 2012
- Beautiful Beasts February 27, 2012
- Conan The Hoosier February 4, 2012
- Souvenirs December 22, 2011
The Oldest States
- Wheels Down January 18, 2023
- Baseball Hall Of Fame – Part 3 November 22, 2022
- Baseball Hall Of Fame – Part 2 November 15, 2022
- Baseball Hall Of Fame – Part 1 November 9, 2022
- The Wrong Way To Waldorf May 10, 2022
- Karma With Clarified Butter January 21, 2022
- My Visit To The National Archives at College Park November 3, 2021
- The Other National Archives November 2, 2021
- Twelve Days And Ten Years October 27, 2021
- I’ll Be Back October 8, 2021
- Opening Day And The Best. Night. Ever. September 28, 2021
- The Appalachian Trail – Part 1 August 25, 2021
- Hiking (Parts Of) The Appalachian Trail August 23, 2021
- Washington Slept Here July 16, 2021
- Another View Of Gettysburg June 16, 2021
- Crossing The Battlefield June 14, 2021
- A Misty Morning At Niagara May 26, 2021
- Niagara Rain Falls May 23, 2021
- Firewood April 16, 2021
- Halls Of Fame – Part 2 January 20, 2021
- The Cracks That Matter January 18, 2021
- Halls Of Fame – Part 1 January 13, 2021
- Three Of Four Halls Of Fame January 8, 2021
- Vermont April 27, 2020
- The Maine Bridge February 18, 2015
- Penobscot Narrows February 16, 2015
- Baltimore Nevermore October 31, 2014
- 100 Miles And A Couple Centuries September 10, 2014
- Sesquicentennial November 20, 2013
- Dodging A Bullet November 19, 2013
- Remembrance Day – Part 2 March 13, 2013
- Remembrance Day – Part 1 March 12, 2013
- An Education At Gettysburg March 11, 2013
- The Subway January 31, 2013
- Just Passing Through January 27, 2013
- The Soundtrack December 22, 2012
- Forty-Nine August 18, 2012
- O’Boisies July 28, 2012
- Chocolate World April 5, 2012
- The Mile High Club December 21, 2011
- Ad Placement November 21, 2011
- The Vet November 11, 2011
The Wide-Open West
- State Parks Of Wyoming January 31, 2023
- State Parking January 25, 2023
- Wheels Up January 10, 2023
- This Majestically Grand Scenery December 6, 2022
- Elvis Has Left The Campground December 1, 2022
- Dams – Part 2 August 4, 2022
- Dams – Part 1 August 3, 2022
- Dam, Girl! August 2, 2022
- Faithfully Yours July 27, 2022
- Photo Op April 28, 2022
- Only A Bench March 24, 2022
- Little Pomp, Or Pompey March 3, 2022
- Oddities February 23, 2022
- The Light At The End Of The Wind River Tunnel February 1, 2022
- Hills And Mountains December 27, 2021
- Foreground Flowers – Part 1 December 22, 2021
- Foreground Flower December 20, 2021
- Random Rental Cars December 15, 2021
- Lessons From A Rental Car December 12, 2021
- I Knew I Should Have Made That Left Turn December 3, 2021
- The Lights on South Mountain November 27, 2021
- Not Area 51 November 14, 2021
- Still Kicking October 14, 2021
- Antioxidants: Wine and Chocolate September 17, 2021
- Arizona Autumn June 2, 2021
- The Tower That Became My Pillar May 19, 2021
- Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad May 12, 2021
- Chains, Motors, And Whistles May 11, 2021
- Monument Valley April 13, 2021
- The American Bison March 17, 2021
- Beautiful And Tasty March 11, 2021
- Sand And Snow And Snapshots March 3, 2021
- Su Nombre Es Rio Rio June 1, 2020
- More Holes February 26, 2020
- Holes February 24, 2020
- Great Sand Dunes National Park January 23, 2019
- Sand, Water, Snow, Deer, And The Last Blueberry Muffin January 22, 2019
- 20,000 Miles January 16, 2019
- Arches National Park November 22, 2017
- Delicate November 21, 2017
- Against The Wind November 14, 2017
- Computer Guru And Cupcake Godsend June 29, 2015
- Hazy Shade Of Summer June 22, 2015
- Five Routes Coming And Going February 26, 2015
- Above The Kootenai River November 27, 2014
- Along The Kootenai River November 26, 2014
- Could I Conquer The Kootenai? November 24, 2014
- The Mystery Of Sage November 6, 2014
- Honey August 27, 2014
- Big Horn Mountains – Part 2 August 13, 2014
- Big Horn Mountains – Part 1 August 6, 2014
- Come Up For Air August 1, 2014
- Change Of Plans December 2, 2013
- Forty Years On An Airplane July 26, 2013
- Cornered On A Hilltop July 12, 2013
- Cumbres And Toltec June 10, 2013
- Pizza, A Wedding, And Queen May 28, 2013
- Setting Scouting May 16, 2013
- Astronomer’s Inn May 3, 2013
- Combing Through My Memories April 5, 2013
- Just Sitting February 16, 2013
- From A Distance February 6, 2013
- Crossing The Rivers January 15, 2013
- The Soundtrack December 22, 2012
- My Muse December 15, 2012
- Airborne September 2, 2012
- Waiting August 1, 2012
- Four Old Rolls Of Film July 25, 2012
- An Old Roll Of Film July 24, 2012
- Antelope Island April 8, 2012
- One Hundred Years March 30, 2012
- Spans March 21, 2012
- Hidden Beauty March 17, 2012
- Went-To-The-Sun Road February 12, 2012
- Ponies And Locomotives January 23, 2012
- The Progression Of A Snowball Fight January 11, 2012
- Jacob Lake January 4, 2012
- Another Postcard December 30, 2011
- The Idiot Tree December 11, 2011
- The Rivers Of Idaho December 8, 2011
- Traveling With Boys November 3, 2011
The Great Plains
- 100 Years To The Day December 14, 2022
- Thunder Rolls October 4, 2022
- Driving With Dogs July 14, 2022
- Gone Missing July 6, 2022
- From Here To There – Part 2 April 13, 2022
- Fee-Free Fun – Part 2 January 26, 2022
- Fee-Free Fun – Part 1 January 19, 2022
- Swallows October 19, 2021
- The Deal I Made With Delano June 7, 2021
- Somewhere In Kansas May 29, 2021
- Life Vests Optional April 5, 2021
- Putting The Crazy In Crazy Horse March 8, 2021
- Sakakawea – Sacajawea – Sacagawea February 17, 2021
- Parallel The Platte February 8, 2021
- Cross The Border Into Winter January 14, 2021
- The Other Dakota May 18, 2020
- The Peace Garden Park – Part 3 April 8, 2020
- The Peace Garden Park – Part 2 April 1, 2020
- The Peace Garden Park – Part 1 March 25, 2020
- Always Bring Your Passport March 24, 2020
- Field Of Dreams February 27, 2013
- Just Passing Through January 27, 2013
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park – Part 2 January 23, 2013
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park – Part 1 January 21, 2013
- El Paso, El Paso January 18, 2013
- Crossing The Mississippi January 13, 2013
- Learning To Drive January 10, 2013
- Playing Defense December 28, 2012
- The Soundtrack December 22, 2012
- On The Trail Of Family And Friends September 4, 2012
- Airborne September 2, 2012
- You Go, Girl July 3, 2012
- In The Footsteps Of My Grandfather April 27, 2012
- My Son’s Mecca February 16, 2012
- A Day’s Lesson December 25, 2011
- North Dakota On A Napkin November 27, 2011
- Rapid City, Rapid Change November 16, 2011
Outside The Fifty States
- The First Time I Went To Canada June 21, 2022
- Last Glimpse August 9, 2021
- I Don’t Even Like Soccer June 26, 2021
- All In Perspective March 16, 2021
- One-Lane Roads February 23, 2021
- They Closed Canada February 18, 2020
- Volksmarching February 22, 2015
- In The Shadow Of A Tower January 24, 2013
- The Chicken Coupe December 24, 2012
- Brock University January 19, 2012