Like a lot of people, I always wanted to travel around the United States and visit all 50 states. A friend of mine wanted to do the same but he even put a time limit on it, visit all 50 states by his 50th birthday. Since my 50th birthday was a few years away at that time, I thought it would be a fun goal to try and reach.But life gets in the way and the goal is put on hold as the deadline looms closer and closer. It does not help that AARP keeps sending me letters to join even though I am not yet 50. The letters are like an official document stating that I am now old and remind me that the end is near.
The big question though is what constitutes a visit to a state. This can be a heated discussion among my travel oriented friends. (Yeah, maybe I should get different friends...). Some say that just standing on the soil of a state doesn't constitute a visit. Some don't count visits that include airport stops or traveling through a state without stopping. Others only count the state if you have a meal there or purchase something or visit something or leave a DNA sample (a euphemism that you can interpret yourself).
So one of the goals on using my Jet Blue pass is to try and knock off as many states that I haven't been to yet. The number isn't too large, only 4 states left. They are Hawaii, Mississippi, Idaho, and Wyoming. I did visit quite a few states with the help of the New York Sharks. By covering the team, I have been able to visit states that I would not have a really strong desire to visit otherwise.
While the offer to jet around the country sounds good, trying to apply it to the missing states has not been easy. I didn't realize that Jet Blue being an international carrier really doesn't fly all over the United States. Plus most of their flights go through 2 main hubs, New York and Long Beach, California.
I would have loved to fly to Memphis and then take a short drive to Mississippi to cross off that state but Jet Blue does not fly anywhere near there. The closest I can do is go to New Orleans and take a short drive to Gulfport and Biloxi. Not terrible but I have been to New Orleans many times and have enjoyed going there but I would have loved to go to Beale street in Memphis and try the BBQ in the region. I am very curious about a hamburger joint called Dyer's. They supposedly deep fry their burgers in oil that is over 50 years old. Scary but tempting...
As for Wyoming and Idaho, Salt Lake City looks like a good spot. I have never been to Utah's state capitol and that should be fun. While talking to a Jet Blue representative, I asked where their call center was located. He said that they were in Salt Lake City and so I was able to get a few good tips on places to eat there. I'll bet you Rachel Ray never used that as a tip on her $40 a day TV show.
So by the end of the 30 days I should have been to 49 states in 49 years. The last holdout will be Hawaii and that is a place that I won't need a good excuse to travel to.
