About the 48 State Trip

Date: Summer 2008

The Aim of the Trip

To visit all 48 state capitals – in one road trip! I want to visit each capital, and take some photos there. I know not many people have the time to commit to a trip like this – that’s why I am posting my blog about it. The aim of collecting donations is to pay for the gas!

 

Click here to see the pictures of all the capitol buildings

 

 

The Car

A 1984 Volkswagen Scirocco with 240,000 miles on it. That’s right – I’m driving a 25 year old car around the country.

I’ve been modifying this car since I bought it in 2003. Many modifications have been added since with the aim of increasing MPG. The car got 28mpg on the sticker from the factory, now I can reliably get above 35mpg and up to 45 MPG on the highway. The Fuel Injection has been replaced with Megasquirt, a build-it-yourself EFI kit. I use a wideband oxygen sensor to measure the air/fuel ratio; this tells me how the engine is running. I installed a different 5th gear that lets the engine run lower RPMs on the highway. I installed skinny, low rolling resistance tires like those used on hybrid cars onto light steel wheels.

The Computer

The Computer is a Dell XPS M1210, it’s a couple of years old, and it has been through a lot. It has a built-in EVDO modem that lets me get online at broadband speeds wherever there is Cell coverage.

Throughout the trip, I will be connecting every couple of hours, and posting pictures, and sharing stories. It will be like you are here with me!

The Map

Here’s a map of the trip: Click to enlarge it.

The Stops

1. Dover, Delaware State Capital

2. Annapolis, Maryland State Capital

Special stop in Washington, D.C.
(Might as well get the nation’s capital, right?)

Stay the night in Phoenix, MD

3. Richmond, Virginia State Capital

4. Raleigh, North Carolina State Capital

Stay the night in Charlston, SC

5. Columbia, South Carolina State Capital

6. Atlanta, Georgia State Capital

Stay the night in Atlanta, GA

7. Tallahassee, Florida State Capital
(At this point, if I have the money, I will visit Orlando, the Miami area and Key West)

8. Montgomery, Alabama State Capital

Stay the night in Montgomery, AL

9. Jackson, Mississippi State Capital

10. Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capital

Stay the night in Houston, TX

11. Austin, Texas State Capital
(I’ll be driving through Houston on the way there, and Dallas on the way up north)

Stay for a couple of nights in Austin, TX

12. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State Capital

Stay the night in Oklahoma City, OK

13. Little Rock, Arkansas State Capital

Stay the night in Memphis, TN

14. Nashville, Tennessee State Capital

15. Frankfort, Kentucky State Capital
(Also, I’ll pass through Louisville, KY)

Stay the night in Dayton, OH

16. Indianapolis, Indiana State Capital

17. Springfield, Illinois State Capital
(but I’ll be back in Illinois later in the trip for more…)

18. Jefferson City, Missouri State Capital

Stay the night in Kansas City, MO

19. Topeka, Kansas State Capital

Stay the night in Kansas City, MO, again

20. Des Moines, Iowa State Capital

21. Lincoln, Nebraska State Capital

Stay the night in Beatrice, NE

22. Cheyenne, Wyoming State Capital

23. Denver, Colorado State Capital

Stay the night in Aurora, CO

Stay a few more nights in my hometown of Divide, CO

24. Santa Fe, New Mexico State Capital

Stay the night in Alamogordo, NM

25. Phoenix, Arizona State Capital

Stay the night in Chandler, AZ

Special Stop in Los Angeles, CA

Stay for a while in Fullerton, CA

Special stop in San Fransisco, CA

Stay the night in San Jose

26. Carson City, Nevada State Capital

27. Sacramento, California State Capital

Stay the night in Sacramento, CA

28. Salem, Oregon State Capital

Stay the night in Vancouver, WA

29. Olympia, Washington State Capital

Stay the night in SeaTac, WA  (yes, it’s technically a city)

Stay the night in Tacoma, WA

30. Boise, Idaho State Capital

Stay the night in Boise, ID

31. Salt Lake City, Utah State Capital

Stay the night in Salt Lake City, UT

32. Helena, Montana State Capital

Stay the night in Gillette, WY

33. Pierre, South Dakota State Capital

34. Bismark, North Dakota State Capita

Stay the night in Jamestown, ND

Stay for a while in Blaine, MN

35. St. Paul, Minnesota State Capital

36. Madison, Wisconsin State Capital

Special stop in Chicago

Stay a couple of nights in Chicago

37. Lansing, Michigan State Capital

Stay a night in Ann Arbor, MI

38. Columbus, Ohio State Capital
(I’ve driven through Columbus more than 20 times before, but I’ve never stopped there)

Stay a night in Dayton, OH

39. Charleston, West Virginia State Capital

40. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania State Capital
(Odd that I don’t stop here first, right? Well, it’s quicker this way!)

Stay a couple of nights in Jenkintown, PA

Visit New York City

41. Albany, New York State Capital

Stay the night in Amsterdam, NY

42. Montpelier, Vermont State Capital

43. Concord, New Hampshire State Capital

Stay the night in Bucksport, ME

44. Agusta, Maine State Capital
(I’ll visit Portland too since it’s on the way)

45. Boston, Massachusetts State Capital

Stay the night in Falmouth, MA

46. Providence, Rhode Island State Capital

47. Hartford, Connecticut State Capital

Stay the night in Torrington, CT

Stay a couple of  nights in Middlesex, NJ

48. Trenton, New Jersey State Capital

Final Destination:

Special trip to the H2o International VW/Audi  Car show in Ocean City, Maryland