50 States in a Year

Alaska! This is it, I did it, I have now made it to all 50 states in just under a year. All 50! This is the accomplishment of my life. I’m not sure what’s going to unfold this next week in Alaska, but it should be excellent. After this week I still have to make it back to Chicago to pick up the Invasion Mobile and then I’ll be welcomed back to Michigan after a year outside of the state.

50 states. Remarkable. I am only 24 years old and for the rest of my life I’ll be able to state that I’ve made it to all 50 states. Not only did I cross every border to simply say I was there, I can say I stayed at least five days in all 50 states, staying with people I had never met previously. My traveling life is off to a good start.

I suppose it’s time to start drawing some conclusions about this trip and our country. Though I’m not sure I can draw too many yet. I’ll need a lot of time to absorb. I can say this much, our country is vast. There are 300 million people in the United States now, and from any corner of the country we’re not all that different from one another. Whatever it is a person is looking for in life they can find it in this country. I’m still a believe that this is still the land of opportunity, afterall, I have to believe it looking back on this year. It’s not always easy, but it’s there, whatever it is others are looking for.

50 states, I can’t stop saying it. It’s a feat that not many people accomplish in a lifetime, and only a select few manage to see them all thoroughly in a single year. Somehow I made this wacky and wild dream come true. And the dreams keep coming true. Though Michigan will still be the official 50th state of the trip as I’ll stay with my final official host there, I have done it, all 50! Saving this moment for Alaska was meant to be. This is a moment that will stay with me for a lifetime.