START YOUR ENGINES

A few weeks ago, my dear friend Jodi shot me an email.  "We need a long-term goal -- let's visit all 50 states," she declared.  If we visited one per year, we'll be well into our 80s by the time we're done (we're 37 now).  I'm pretty sure that qualifies as "long-term."

I'm also pretty sure that's the most fun idea I've heard this decade. 

(Did this decade officially start in 2000 or 2010? Because it's definitely the best idea I've heard since 2000.  Best of the '00s.  The Oughts?  Oh, whatever, you know what I mean.)

Now, going into this, you should know that Jodi is the analytical one of the bunch.  So of course, she began this quest with a spreadsheet -- and broke all 50 states (plus DC!) down into categories.  My favorite was, "I Know I've at Least Been Through, But Can't Remember If I Stayed Overnight."  I'm the creative one -- so I started this blog. 

Together we're like 2 sides of the same brain, which is fitting because we first bonded while sharing 2 sides of the same piece of gum...

We were Freshmen in college, just 18 years old, in our 1st semester.  I was out one night with my roommate, also named Jen, who will hopefully make an appearance or two on these adventures... HINT, HINT.  Anyway, we'd been drinking beer (oooh!) at a Junior guy's party (double oooh!!) when suddenly we heard campus security was outside, trying to bust up the fun. 

Jodi and I had met before, but we weren't besties yet... until, she offered me half a piece of gum.  That she'd already been chewing.  Without thinking twice, I popped it right in my mouth and huddled with her under a staircase until the fuzz left. 

We've been friends -- and avoiding the law -- ever since.

It's a solid foundation to work with, going back almost 20 years.  And we've already visited about 6 states together -- Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island -- so we've got a good head start. 

Here's how it will work:

1. Each year (maybe more than once), we'll pick a state from a baseball cap 
2. We'll then post a poll on this blog so you can help us pick the city we should visit 
3. Once that's decided, we'll search for the best/most unusual/coolest things to do
4. We'll book a 2 or 3 day trip (except for Alaska or Hawaii -- that's gonna take a week)
5. We might drive, we will fly, there could be a boat or train involved, but we almost definitely will NOT be taking a bus
6. We'll post our adventures on this blog as they happen so you can follow

Since we'll only be traveling once or twice a year, we'll also be updating this blog regularly with our random thoughts on the all-time greatest roadtrip soundtrack, or must-have souvenirs, or the best ways to organize your travel itinerary using Microsoft Office.  And we'll probably go back in history a bit to list the top 10 best (or worst) things about the states we've already visited together.

So, if you always wanted to unravel the world's biggest ball of twine (in Cawker City, KS), or have a Pac-Man showdown at the Pinball Hall of Fame (in Las Vegas, NV), or scare the bejesus out of yourself near a freakishly realistic 20-foot tall Little Leaguer (in San Bernadino, CA), then climb aboard.

Seriously, it's an open invitation to anyone reading this -- come with us!  We'll even buy you a cheesesteak (in Philadelphia, PA, of course!).

Fasten your seat belts...