From the earliest time I realised the origins of much of our popular culture; that Jordan could fly or the other MJ could moonwalk I was enamoured with the United States. Sports music movies television and eventually politics all felt so captivating. In 1997 was fortunate to spend a winter in Sun Valley Idaho in one of my first actual jobs, crossing the country by train and fulfilling childhood dreams.
We got married the day Tr*mp was first inaugurated, then a week later took a pair of suitcases across the Pacific to live and work for two years. Two became four - which became six - and from 2017 to 2022 we lived in San Jose and then Napa California and spent more than a month in several states, culminating in visiting all 50 States. This is that story.
Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl in 2014 where Bama eclipsed Auburn in a wild shoot out. Returned in 2021 to walk the bridge in Selma and spent a week in Mobile.
Trip to Anchorage & Wasila in summer of 1998 with daylight until 11pm. Returned for 3 days in Sitka - inspired by the movie 'The Proposal' - for a long weekend.
Scottsdale is one helluva party & golf town. Spent a week in the extraordinary desertscapes of Sedona. Looped through Four Corners, visited Horseshoe Bend and Lake Mead.
Hot & humid July 4th 2021 in Little Rock, taking in Jean Petite State Park, the Presidential Library of Bill Clinton and some excellent coffee.
A resident for almost half a decade in San Jose (4 years) and later Napa (1 year). Drove the entire coast from north to south; Shasta to Yoesmite, LA to Palm Springs. Will always love California and the #Westcoast
Red rock ampitheater, Denver food & beer scene, Mile High stadium for one of the better away game atmospheres (for a visitor) and a 2021 visit to Durango riding the narrow guage railway.
Toured the home of ESPN in Bristol, pizza in Mystic as a nod to the movie and rolled through New London and New Haven for even more pizza.
Day trip from NYC for lunch, wander downtown and grab an icecream like their most famous resident, now President. One of three states I haven't slept in.
2008 trip to Universal Studios; 2014 appearance on the big screen at a Dolphins game and returned in 2021 for a month in Orlando, Miami, Key West, the Everglades and Tampa Bay.
Savannah is an all time favourite city where we spent Christmas 2019, along with a few days in Atlanta eating the best Southern food and touring CNN before a drive up the coast to the Carolinas.
Fled California after the pandemic decimated our livelihood - with no job and no ability to return to Australia - we headed to Honolulu for an incredible month of golf, the North Shore, volcanos and sunsets.
Where it all started; 1997 as a 19 year old in Sun Valley Idaho working the mountain through winter in to June 1998. Returned in early 2020 for a week literally days before the pandemic took hold.
Took the train from Seattle to Chicago over 2 days in 1998, stood in front of Jordan's statue at the United Center and returned in 2019 for a game. Drove from Gallena in the far west and devoured food & museums in the Windy City.
Day trip in 2022 en route to Chicago. Most definitely our lightest possible touch. Took the Amtrak from Pittsburgh to Chicago through Indiana in an overnight cabin which is sorta' sleeping in the state ;)
Spent the night in Dubuque and road trip through eastern Iowa. Historic city along the Mississippi with wonderful architecture.
A week in Wichita, home of the original Pizza Hut. Visited the Oz Museum in Wamego and simply had to stop by the abhorrent Westboro Baptist *church* in Topeka.
Day trip from Tennessee to visit Bowling Green in search of evidence of some massacre. For those keeping track, the 2nd of three states without an overnight stay.
First time in 2008 before returning in 2015 with Auz and in 2016 with Taran for successive benders in NOLA. 25c martinis for lunch at Comanders Palace simply outstanding.
Couple of days driving the entire North East coast including Hyannis, Nantucket, Portland, Booth Bay Harbor and Acadia National Park. Ate our body weight in lobster rolls.
First American Football game live in person at Fedex Field in 2008. Drove through the Eastern part of the state en route to DC in 2019.
First time in Boston with Mum, Dad & Tom in 2013 before returning in 2019 for a game at Foxboro & the witch museum in Salem. 2022 trip to Cape Cod and Providence.
Pre-game on the field at the Big House, seats on the 50 and stay in UM college town Ann Arbor before the road trip to Cleveland.
Cowboys at Vikings and a weekend in St Paul; light rail to Minneapolis for a Juicy Lucy and some sights. Road trip through the state to North Dakota.
Weekend trip through the state from the north east to the south culminating with beers in Biloxi on the Gulf Coast.
Arrowhead for a Chiefs game in 2013 then returned for a weekend of bbq in 2021 then on to St Louis for a week of baseball, Archway, ribs and museums; one of our fav cities.
Work trip in early 2022 for a week with our team, followed by a return overnight to Eastern Montana en route to South Dakota.
FIDDY! Crossed the border from South Dakota to complete the 50. A night in Chadron and tour through the south enroute to Denver. A cornhuskers game in Omaha is a future goal.
Multiple trips to Vegas but also a pair of white Christmases on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, autumn boat trip on the water and some excellent golf in summer.
Passing through en route to Maine with a night in Hampton by the Atlantic and a visit to Manchester by the sea.
In 1998 lost a couple of dollars illegally at Tr*mp's Atlantic City casino owing to being only 19 years old but guess he needed the money. Day trip with Auz and crew for bevs looking back at Manhattan in 2017.
Week in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, driving from the western most point across New Mexico; Santa Fe is a truly fascinating destination. Most definitely take a left turn at Albuquerque.
Countless trips to Manhattan after the very first in 1997 (with a very different skyline) but also time spent upstate through the Finger Lakes, Catskills, Ithica and multiple trips to Niagra Falls in 1998, 2013 (Canadian side) and 2019.
From Charlotte out to the far west to climb Chimney Rock before returning for a Hornets game vs the Mavs a few rows from courtside for one of Dirk's final games
Obligatory stop in Fargo followed by a three day road trip East to West through Bismarck and on to Montana.
Road trip from Michigan for a weekend in Cleveland to see the Cowboys trounce the Browns 3 days before the 2016 election. Great city on Lake Michigan.
Stayed in Poteau en route to the Tulsa race massacre monument and 'The Center of The Universe'; a mysterious acoustic phenomenon where you literally can't hear a thing when standing atop this point in the middle of the city.
Probably our favourite state (after California); from Portland to Astoria, Mt Hood to Bend, Eugene and the entire coast to Crater Lake. Chasing Cosmic Tripster status at ~60 McMenamins pubs across the Pacific North West.
Worked hard at the corners with two of the better cities in America, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. They also have a pair of exceptional hand-helds with Primanti Bros sandwiches and Philly Cheesesteaks. Army Navy at The Linc was amazing.
Newport RI is an absolutely beautiful town with a series of Vanderbuilt mansion walking tours and you must stop in at Meg's Aussie cafe. Spent a night in Providence.
NYE 2019 in Charleston SC, taking in Rodney Scott's BBQ, Boone Plantation and an epic private tour of filming locations for classic movie 'The Notebook'
Thanksgiving 2022 in Deadwood SD with it's wild west vibes and casinos along with Mt Rushmore, Custer & Badlands State Parks.
Memphis is one of the best places to visit with many genuine highlights including Graceland, the Lorraine Motel and Beale Street. Nashville is a non stop party town and Chattanooga has wonderful natural scenery especially Ruby Falls.
The Dallas Cowboys have drawn me to the Lone Star State eight times to experience Arlington, downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum along with separate trips to Austin, San Antonio, Houston, South Padre Island, Paris (yes Paris Texas), the border 'wall' in Brownsville, the Star in Frisco and Texakarna which literally straddles TX and AK.
From hours spent walking 'The Narrows' of Zion National Park, the summer mountains of resort town Brian Head and time with the Green's in Salt Lake City, Utah is a vibrant state with so much natural beauty.
Passing through southern Vermont from Chester to Battleboro and the Green Mountain forest for a couple of days through 2019.
A 2018 trip to Seattle with the folks to try Amazon Go for the first time, Pike Market and a Cowboys game under the roar of the 12th man. Returned in 2022 as part of our final McMenamins quest to Tacoma, Bothell & downtown Seattle.
A week spent with colleagues in Morgantown including several pepperoni rolls, much top notch pizza, snow flurries and axe throwing.
A trip to Lambeau Field for Cowboys @ Packers and a few nights in downtown Milwauke for a Bucks game, delicious food (especially their brats) and daily snowfall.
Another cheap dalliance tip-toeing in to Wyoming on our drive from Montana. Easily the least amount of effort but that's Cheney Country for you. Plan to return to Yellowstone. Third & final state haven't spent the night.
Special nod to DC despite it lacking official statehood. Stepped inside the White House in 1998 on an official tour (before they were banned) then returned in 2019 during the government shutdown for a few nights in DC.