**Edited Jun 16, 2011 to add Northeast pics. My addition to the below paragraph would be that the Northeast has the history, and in the upstate NY, Vermont, NH region, also has the prettiest landscape east of the Rockies.**
I’ve been very fortunate to have seen a lot of America in my life, and once I make it up to the Northeast I’ll have the ability to compare basically every state. I like to see the good in things and appreciate every state or area of the country for what it has to offer. The West may have the prettiest landscapes, but the Midwest has a fantastic way of life and the South knows how to cook, for example. So for a random blog idea, here is every state I’ve seen defined by best by a picture I’ve taken myself.
1) Washington
View of the Olympic National Park from the Deer Park Lookout
2) Oregon
My home for four years, the University of Portland
3) California
The Pacific Ocean from the San Clemente pier
4) Idaho
Could’ve gone so many directions on this, but to me Idaho is defined by people. Here is Holly and I with Meleah and Bob at a prime rib restaurant.
5) Utah
One of my best pics ever, this is Arches National Park on a sunny warm day with snow still on the ground.
6) Arizona
At Horseshoe Bend near the Grand Canyon
7) Nevada
The fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other than Vegas’ urban beauty, there’s a chance Nevada is the ugliest state.
8) Montana
I’ve only ever clipped the corner of Montana, so this is the Gallatin National Forest

9) Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park
10) Colorado
The Denver USO, where the military lounge is just the other half of their super elite club lounge.
11) New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
12) Texas
Generic Alamo picture? No. The best thing in Texas is BBQ and this, the San Antonio Riverwalk.
13/14) Oklahoma and Kansas
I couldn’t believe I didn’t take any pictures when I drove through these states. I guess that’s because at the time I didn’t see the need to take a picture of nothingness. So here are Google images that represent what I saw in these states.
Oklahoma
Kansas
15) Nebraska
At Memorial Stadium in Lincoln
16) South Dakota
What else other than Mt. Rushmore? Badlands maybe. Everything else is terrible. Even the Badlands is just terribleness that reaches a certain point of being so terrible it becomes cool again.
17) Minnesota
It’s all I got! Airport in Minneapolis, MN. Hmm, maybe I wear that shirt too much…
18) Iowa
Props to Iowa, which of all the states I’ve seen has the best rest areas.
19) Missouri
The Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
20) Illinois
With a name like Effingham, Illinois, maybe it’s no wonder it’s home to the world’s largest cross.
21) Indiana
The capitol building in Indianaoplis

22) Ohio
Hocking Hills State Park

23) Kentucky
The Twin Spires at Churchill Downs

24) Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountain National Park, where I saw my first bear.
25) Louisiana
A plate of Warm Mississippi Rabbit from Emeril’s restaurant in New Orleans
26) Mississippi
The Mississippi River, which is so big it’s hard to call it a river.
27) Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama, where they know how to put on a 4th of July celebration
28) Florida
Hanging out by the Gulf of Mexico
39) Georgia
Six Flags over Atlanta
30) Maryland
I was too young to own a camera…
31) Virginia
Hanging out with Pocahontas in Jamestown
32) Alaska
Wow. I wanna go back.
33) South Carolina
Nothing says South Carolina like hanging out with Gramma at a Revolutionary War site!

34) North Carolina
My right foot hangs out in North Carolina at the top of the Great Smoky Mountains.

35/36) West Virginia/Pennsylvania
Been through twice, never took one picture…
37) New Jersey
Did you know that half of Ellis Island belongs to New Jersey?

38) New York
Fulfilling a lifelong dream at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

39) Vermont
I absolutely loved snow-covered Vermont and it’s covered bridges like this one.

40) New Hampshire
Almost looks like Washington, don’t it?

41) Maine
Finally got my chance to see the Portland Head Lighthouse

42) Massachusetts
This seems like an appropriate Boston photo

43) Rhode Island
A quick stopover in Rhode Island’s capital

44) Connecticut
For years the only thing I’ve known about Connecticut is that it’s where Cheryl lives. So this us meeting her for lunch!

So what’s left? Just need to add Michigan (in September), Wisconsin (In November), and North Dakota, Hawaii, Arkansas, and Delaware. Thanks mostly to the military, I think I’m doing pretty good for 25!