I Want to Go on a Trip

I was driving to Mattoon today, because that is where the closest branch of our bank is. As I was heading south on I-57 I kept seeing signs for Memphis. Memphis is apparently about as far away from here as Des Moines. I kept seeing the signs and thought to myself, I could just keep going. I could just drive on down just to see what there was to see. Of course I didn't. I needed to get back home.

It got me to thinking though. I really want to go some place new. Some place I haven't been before. I really didn't want to go to Memphis. I just wanted wanted to go. Memphis seemed just as good a place as any. I didn't really want to go by my self though. Plus, I didn't have anything with me. You know, tooth paste, deodorant, the important things, the things that make it more pleasant to be around each other.

Where I really want to go is Philadelphia. I want to see the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall. I want to walk in the footsteps of the men who founded our great country. See the places Ben Franklin held dear. I also want to go to Washington DC. I want to see the Lincoln Memorial and browse through the National Archives. I want to go to Mt. Vernon and see where the father of our country lived. Maybe go to the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
I'd also love to go to Montana. You see it in the movies and it just looks beautiful. I love camping and hiking. I really want to go to Oregon. I want to see Crater Lake. And I want to see to see an ocean. I know it would be a challenge, but I bet there is even something cool to see in Kansas. I want to find it!

I would love to travel to every state in this country. Wouldn't that be a great job. Go from state to state, see what wonderful people and places each had and write about it. 50 states in one year. That would be about one week in each state. I wonder if I could get someone to pay me to do that? Hmmm. I could drive through each of the lower 48. I love driving. I could go to all of the weird little places that you hear about but never get to see. Or the places that you pass as you rush somewhere else and think to yourself, I want to stop there someday, but never do.  Of course I would need to fly to Hawaii and Alaska. (Although if you check Google maps it seems to think you can kayak to Hawaii. Check it out, put USA as starting point and Japan as end point and look at #31.) I would love to  fly to Alaska and Hawaii.  I'm pushing 50 and never been on an airplane. DREAM JOB! I can see it now, I could call the series Fifty Year Old Firsts. Anyone know how I could get someone to pay me to do this? Weirder things have happened. After all they pay Macy Gray to sing.