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Marking down yet another state on the map

Martinsburg Travel Blog › entry 18 of 25 › view all entries

In a small corner of the USA there is a small place which is actually full of history. The fight for freedom is nowhere closer than the area around Virginia. Where the struggles from the old day American revolutionaries and later the Civil War. In this area there is an old historic place which is just as old as most you will find in Europe. And in a corner of the state are some of the best nature sights east of the Rockies. “But as for me, give me LIBERTY or give me DEATH!” Patrick Henry

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Marking down yet another state on the map

October 18, 2008

I start the day driving towards Gettysburg. But shortly after I have left this morning something strange happens. I drive down the interstate - and suddenly they increase the speed limit from the ridiculous 65 miles per hour in Virginia to 70 - great I can shave of several minutes of travel time this way by increasing my speed from somewhat above 65 to somewhat above 70. But why did they change the speed limit? I am a bit surprised but I guess it may be because I have just crossed the border to Maryland.

I drive a bit further down the road and there is a sign announcing there is a welcome centre just down the road - but it is not a welcome centre to Maryland but West-Virginia. Strange to have a welcome centre for West-Virginia in Maryland - I don't get it. I had checked the map yesterday before planning the route - and the map in Rand McNally of Virginia clearly stated I was supposed to drive along this road from Virginia straight into Maryland. But for some reason I get all these disturbing signs about West-Virginia.

Later this night I checked the maps a bit more - and it appears the editor of the Virginia map is from Virginia and has still not come to term with West-Virginia seceding from Virginia during the Civil War hence he did not recognize the state and claim it was all Maryland - or something like that.

But my tour in West-Virginia raises a serious issue - what is the minimum requirement to check of a state on the Travbuddy travel map? It is a hard issue - do you need to spend a night in the state? Put your foot down on the ground in the state? Drive through the state in a car without stopping or even considering stopping? Change plane in an airport within the state? All very hard questions to answer.

Well I figure if the Americans and Japanese can do a mad tour of Europe checking of 10 countries with in 3 days - my trip through West-Virginia clearly justify a mark on the map - after all I spend almost 10 minutes driving through the state. Airport stops on the other hand do not count - unless you have driven through the state - I all ready got New Jersey marked down.

Ok I am getting close to 50 states now - marking down yet another state making it my 6th drive through state after Rhode Island, New Jersey, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas - actually I might have stopped for gas in Arkansas - I am not sure so I may have touched the ground in that state.