I burned some time playing with this mapping site to show where I’ve graced the states with my glorious presence in one way or another.
Here’s the breakdown:
“Stopped here” means I cruised through but only hit the brakes long enough to use the restroom or grab some questionable fast food. Flying over doesn’t count—Wyoming, for example, was a quick pit stop on a road trip between Minnesota and Colorado. I stopped in a tiny town, scarfed down a burrito that was probably 90% tortilla, and then got the hell out of Dodge.
“Visited here” means I actually had a plan, like a real adult, and showed up at a specific destination without crashing overnight. Take Virginia, for instance. I made a cultured visit to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello but didn’t stick around to find out if the ghosts of founding fathers snore. Missouri? I slept in Kansas because, hey, family. Oh, and Joe’s BBQ in Kansas City? Been there more than once, and yes, it’s worth all the hype.
“Stayed here” means I committed to at least one night of sleep in the state, whether it was in a hotel, someone’s couch, or possibly curled up in my car.
“Passed here” means I blasted through without a single stop. Yep, Oklahoma was that boring. As was Ohio. I might’ve stopped for gas, but honestly, who remembers? It was one of those blink-and-you-miss-it moments.
