In late July 2020, during a visit to Chattanooga, I sat at my mom’s dining table and asked her a question: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being “I’m packing my bags now” and 1 being “get out of my house now,” how likely would she be to get in a car the next day and start a road trip with me, Bradlee, and the kids? To my surprise, she said 10+++. Within hours, we mapped out a tentative schedule to head west, where we could escape people and see some sights.
Over the next two weeks, we traveled through 17 states by road. We visited National Parks, National Forests, National Monuments, and more. We worked remotely and, as I began to see so much of the U.S. with its vast and diverse landscapes, I realized I wanted to see it all! Before this trip, I had visited maybe half the states. Once I checked off North Dakota, South Dakota, and other middle-American states, I realized I might have a shot at visiting all 50. So, as I often do, I turned this into a goal: all 50 states by 40!
Since 2020, it’s been a joy to use this challenge as a reason to visit places I might never have otherwise considered. Work conferences in the Pacific Northwest, road trips through the upper Northeast, skiing in Idaho, a summer adventure in Alaska—it’s been an incredible journey. And here we are, just days before my 40th birthday. I am thrilled to land in Montana, roll in the snow, ski down powdery slopes, explore a winter wonderland National Park, and proudly say I have now traveled to and explored all 50 states!
