Middle_Seat

I haven't seen the hobby of collecting states mentioned on FT. I do it...try to visit as many of the 50 US states as possible. I count a visit as being on the ground or in a building, car or train...it includes being on a jetway about 3 ft. from the plane during a brief stop in New Mexico.

My personal record? Visited all 50 states before 1-1-2000, and have done 35 since then...with four more expected next month.

I'll never beat the friend of a friend, who has visited every county in the US, but it's still fun

Do any other FT'ers keep track of states visited?

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Middle_Seat

CrazyOne

Every county? Holy crap. I tend not to count airport transits as real visits, but there's a sort of separate category of anything goes including driving through or transiting airport.

Actually, I was thinking about all kinds of various records to do with flights recently. You know, like what would be the best stunt for a record of trivial distinction? I keep thinking of things like most miles flown in 24 hours, for instance, or fastest RTW, maybe an endurance record of constant segments one after another after another without leaving any airports, silly crap like that. All within the realm of scheduled carriers I mean, no cheating with charters, Air Force, Space Shuttle, etc. Bet some FTs have stories or ideas about that kind of stuff.

relaxedPax

Hey CrazyOne - maybe you could find a corporate sponsor crazy enough to sponsor it all! Of course you'd get to keep all the FFmiles!

0524

I've lived in or visited 48 states, missing only Arkansas and Oklahoma.

CrazyOne

You're probably kidding, but I've actually thought of that! I dunno under what pretense anyone would sponsor such a thing, tho. Oh, well, for now it's still just silly ideas.

DBoy

I've been to 49 states and about 52 countries. The state I'm missing is Hawaii. Actually I changed planes there, spent 4 hours in the airport, and walked outside the terminal. But I still don't count it. It gives me more incentive to go there.

Djlawman

Every County? I find that a little difficult to believe. Sounds like an apocryphal tale to me. Texas alone has over 200 counties.

As for me, I have 3 states to go (Louisiana, S. Dakota and Alaska) and have done legal work in about 40 states to date.

Djlawman

rmccamy

I've been in probably 42 or 43 total States at one time or another.

However, I don't count it on my list until I've played at least nine holes of golf in that state.

Right now I'm at 26 (counting rounds in DC and Puerto Rico).

[This message has been edited by rmccamy (edited 08-31-2001).]

paradocs

I collect them. I have around 36 including Alaska and Hawaii. I'm sure I have more from traveling cross country by car as a child many times. But, I don't count it if I'm not sure.

I have a world map on my office wall where I place stick pins after I conquer a new place.
It's sparse in the midwest. I also collect those small (inexpensive) souvenier pins and place them in a shadow box frame. It's a fun reminder of places I've been.

I have a friend who has a collection that consists of his photo in front of nearly all the state capitols. I thought that sounded like a great idea.

[This message has been edited by paradocs (edited 09-01-2001).]

TravelWeary

I have fun collecting states that I go to on business travel. What I do is collect those refrigerator magnets--the cheesier the better, but they have to be in the shape of the state. Very poor taste, but fun and a conversation piece when displayed in your office.

RAD

My informal goal was to do all 50 states by the time I was 40. I didn't make it. Only got 49 by 40. This includes a few states travelled to while I was a kid in the station wagon, in the jump seat, facing backwards, of course.

The elusive #50 was South Dakota. Especially since I'm in Colorado, I can't believe I never got there.

So on my vacation this summer I kissed my wife and kids, loaded up my BMW R1100 Roadster, and spent 4 days in the Black Hills. Those pigtail bridges on Iron Mountain hiway are a blast!

I can't think of a better way to bag your 50th state!

RAD

Frequent Freak

In a couple of weeks I'll add ID and MT, which will leave only AK, HI, WY and NE.

I'll almost certainly hit the first three within the next couple of years. I think I'll make it a point of never visiting Nebraska, though; it seems more intriguing than to say you've done all 50.

Then there are the Highpointers, who attempt to visit not just each state, but the highest point in each state. I'm a casual Highpointer (not too serious about it)and have 12 so far. Their site is at http://www.americasroof.com . There are also "county highpointers" and "lowpointers".

I agree that changing planes in an airport doesn't count as being in a state. Someone once told me that he couldn't count Ohio yet because he'd only been in the Cincinnati airport... you better believe you can't count it in that case!

ILUVTrains

For me, I do count the states that I have been to. I have 35 under my belt, and that includes Nevada where I had a 3 hour layover while flying Southwest from BWI to SMF. I walked outside the airport just outside of the ticket agent area to say that I was there (I at least breathed the outside air). It also includes Nebraska which I rode through on Amtrak.

My list of 35 includes all states east of the Mississippi River except Mississippi and Vermont. My list also includes 4 Canadian provinces (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia) and 3 foreign countries --Bahamas, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia (4 if you count Heathrow Airport).

Good luck to all.

rtpflyer

My wife collects sightings of State Capitol buildings. That usually, but not always rules out just passing through at an airport in the state.

mapsmith

I have every one except Hawaii, Idaho, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. So that is 45.
I also have a map with counties colored in on my office wall. I am up to about 300 counties so far. I guess my time in the oil field really helped on those.