40 for 40.

Forty for forty.

I'll be turning 40 this year, which is apparently a big thing. Plenty of people have done it before me and plenty of people will surpass it beyond me. So what should I do with myself for this nostalgic year and eventful event? I've decided to do 40 states for my forty years. I've already visited 25 states (I hope you're good at your postal abbreviations): AZ, AR, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MI, MN, NE, NV, NM, NY, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA. So now, I've only 15 states to go to meet the full 40. (That includes AL, AK, CT, DE, HI, ID, IA, KY, ME, MD, MS, MO, MT, NH, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, SC, SD, VT, WV, WI, and WY.) A few of them, I can bundle up into one trip if I'm diligent and resourceful with my time and smart in my choices. Wish me luck!

UPDATE: I made it to my 40! I visited Alabama, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. (My remaining states to 50 - with no real plans to visit yet - are: AK, CT, DE,  HI, ID, IA, NC, ND, SD, and WV.) My favorite state was Kentucky: I recommend flying into Memphis and driving to Louisville, with stops along the way at Mammoth Caves, the Corvette Museum, and at least one distillery on the Bourbon Trail. New Jersey was the most hilarious: NJ -- the middle child of America, struggling to find an identity -- wasn't very pretty (poor highway placement), but we got to see Thomas Edison's house in West Orange.

A few select thoughts on my travels:

Branson, Missourri, is really just Sober Vegas. But the Titanic museum was super duper awesome! I loved it so much and would love to see it again.

Vermont smells like a rodeo. Yes, the entire state. There are lots of dairy farms there. LOTS.

Tulsa, Oklahoma,  is a lot cuter than I expected.

South Carolina has some great historical sites. It was built on the backs of slaves, though, so be sure to visit the trading post-turned-museum. And the houses there all have an interesting look to them. I suspect it has something to do with being positioned that closely to the water.

Baltimore, Maryland, smells like Old Bay Seasoning. Also: as a Texan, I had **no idea** what to do with the bucket of crabs we ordered. And my brother (also a Texan) was of no help. But it was worth the good laugh!

I loved Helena, Montana! And would love to spend time in the other big cities in Montana. But maybe not in the winter. :-/