Most southern states were crisscrossed over and over again in my youth as Dad was transferred around with the Navy. A number of northern states were visited on job-related junkets. Others, Andrea and I targeted just because neither of us had ever gone there.
Every dot and pin is an antique store or flea market. Thanks to perusing all those locations, there are well over 200 pieces of cast iron in this house in various states of display, use, or restoration.
Most Southern Point Visited: Key West, FL
It's the most southern point in the continental US and the literal end of the road for US Route 1. Known for epic sunsets, free-range chickens, and the legendary pub crawl of December 2022.
Most Easterly Point Visited: Lubec, ME
If there's a lighthouse in the vicinity, we'll likely stop in. Especially if it can lay claim to being the easternmost point in the lower 48. The West Quoddy Head Light in Lubec holds this distinction.
Highest Point Visited: Mount Washington, NH
While it was possible to hike up its 6,000+ feet, we opted for the more leisurely drive to the summit. This place also has the highest recorded wind speed outside of a hurricane or tornado at 231 miles per hour. For reference, Hurricane Katrina's max sustained winds were 175 miles per hour.
An honorable mention is Cheaha Mountain. At 2400 feet, it's not nearly as tall as Mount Washington, but it is the highest point in the state of Alabama.
Best food: Pfft. The South
I have a folder in Google Maps labeled "Good Eats" that chronicles notable restaurants we've come across. While Chicago deep dish and New England lobster rolls were off the hook delish, most of the pins are down south thanks to stellar barbecue and southern cooks who don't give a rat's ass about your cholesterol level.
Cheapest Souvenir: State Highway Maps
Andrea can confirm I'm a collector of oddball things (ask her about my stack of hotel card keys). I like to collect state highway maps, probably as a holdover from when I was a kid traveling around with Mom and Dad. But they're getting harder to acquire. With the advent of onboard navigation systems, these paper accordions are no longer carried at all state rest areas.
Priciest Souvenir: Bourbon
Texas and California may have more distilleries, but Kentucky is the heart and soul of crafting this elixir. When we were in Kentucky in the spring of 2022, we followed portions of the bourbon trail that took us to some of the most recognized labels and also a few artisanal outfits. Picking up a bottle here and a bottle there, by the end of the trip I was sure we'd run afoul of revenue agents.
Most Common Souvenir: Cast Iron
If you told 20-year-old me that 50-year-old me enjoyed browsing antique shops and collecting cast iron, 20-year-old me would laugh his ass off. Yet here we are. Also in Google Maps, I have a folder named "Dead People Depots" - our pet name for antique stores.
Every dot and pin is an antique store or flea market. Thanks to perusing all those locations, there are well over 200 pieces of cast iron in this house in various states of display, use, or restoration.
Most Awkward Souvenier: Madison, WI
After finishing a job, I spent the next morning driving around to see what I could see. That afternoon, I dropped off the rental and made my way through airport security. Unexpectedly, my carry-on duffel raised some flags, and I was called to a side inspection area. After the TSA agent carefully unzipped my bag to check the contents, he stepped back and looked at me.
"Dude. Wow. That's..."
"Yeah. I know." I was feeling a little sheepish.
"Man, that's a crap ton of..." He was shaking his head.
"Cheese. Yeah. I couldn't leave the state without that famous Wisconsin cheddar, right?"
That morning, in my meanderings, I'd found a dairy farm that sold cheddar cheese in really large blocks. As I held the block of cheesy goodness in my hand, feeling its heft, I had a decision to make: How many of these could I cram in my carry-on?
Pro tip: Four large bricks of cheddar cheese will look suspiciously like nefarious objects on airport X-ray machines.
Four states remain before I can clear the "Visit All 50 States" quest.
- A trip to Alaska is a major side quest all on its own.
- Wyoming contains the bulk of Yellowstone National Park, a bucket list locale of mine for years.
- Montana isn't too shabby either with its own world class vistas.
- Then there's North Dakota.
The Fargo, North Dakota visitor's center noticed that people attempting to visit all 50 states would tend to save North Dakota for last. They turned this potential negative into a positive and created the "Best for Last" Club. Make North Dakota the last tick mark on your "states to visit" list and the visitor's center will give you a T-shirt, a certificate, and heartfelt applause from the staff.
Nothing is certain about tomorrow, but me eventually winding up in Fargo, North Dakota, sporting a "Best for Last" T-shirt and certificate is about as close as I can get.
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