Seeing all of the United States

I want to see the world, but I haven't even seen all of the United States yet! I've been to 46 states, many of them several times, of course. Still left to visit: Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Hawaii. I hope to see Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and visit Teddy Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. In Hawaii, everything beckons, of course. 

A little "problem" I have with my US travel is my relatively recent hobby of touring state capitols. I decided about 8-10 years ago that it would be a great goal to visit all of the capitols. I love this hobby!  I posted pictures on this blog after my visit to the capitols in Kentucky and West Virginia. 

At first I checked off a capitol if I just stopped and took an exterior photo. But now I've decided it doesn't count if I don't actually go through it.

I think my count for state capitols I have toured is now at 20. Thus my problem. I have four states left to visit to complete my visit-all-50-states project, but 30 state capitols left to visit. I'm thinking I should put up a US map with green pins representing the state capitols I have not toured, and also yellow pins in the four states not yet visited. 


My most recent capitol tour was Maryland's: Last summer I took a day trip to Annapolis with my friend Linda and went through it. I always learn so much history--little things I never would have known. Like the fact that George Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army in the Maryland Senate chamber. On display is a copy of his letter, and it is fascinating. 

With goals of seeing the world and finishing off the US capitols, I have a travel conundrum, because in addition to visiting new places, I want to go back to all of the places where I had great experiences. What's a girl to do? How do I choose where to travel?

Hell, I can't even decide which places to go to in Washington.

Counting Down

Last day of the year: I'm going to throw out all of the unread 2009 New Yorkers at midnight, so today I am reading like mad. For 2009 I had resolved to stay on top of "the New Yorker problem," and I did better than ever before, but. . . .

My 2010 New Yorker resolution: try harder.

The state capitol project: A few years ago I decided to collect state capitols. Actually, I'm taking pictures of the capitols, but the photo is just the token--the evidence--that I was there. When I mentioned to brother-in-law Jim that I was excited about driving through Frankfort, Kentucky, because I could take a picture for my collection is said "You can't just get them off the Internet?" What a joker.

As it turns out, this week I collected TWO capitols: Kentucky and West Virginia.

Left: Kentucky capitol in Frankfort.

Below: Interior of Kentucky capitol















As luck would have it, the rotunda of the Kentucky capitol was closed for renovation, so I missed seeing that. The other parts were grand, though. Kentucky was granted statehood in 1792. The capitol was built from 1904 to 1910.

Interestingly, in Kentucky we had to go through a metal detector, but in West Virginia I just walked right in. Just a note about the Capitol Project Rules: It's not necessary that I go inside. That's just a bonus, and sometimes I do, sometimes not. It counts just to get the picture.

The West Virginia capitol has an impressive and beautiful gold dome, but the interior staircases and rotunda are not as elaborate as those of Kentucky's. A statue of Lincoln outside the WV building noted that he signed the proclamation making it a state in 1863. The capitol building wasn't built until 1924-32.


Left: West Virginia state capitol in Charleston



Below: The West Virginia Senate chamber

















I love my little capitol project. I think I have pictures of about six or eight. Before I had the photo project I saw a lot of capitols. Denver, Santa Fe, and Phoenix come to mind, but I'm sure there were more.

This summer I plan to go to Juneau. Snap!

On a totally unfair note, this summer I purposely made a side trip to Indianapolis and took pics of all 4 sides of the capitol. Inside, too. I was using my cell phone. I never downloaded those shots to my computer, and a couple months later I put the phone through a laundry cycle. It was not happy, and those photos are lost forever. So, back to Indianapolis.