Yes it counts

If you drive through a state it absolutely counts as having been there because you see the state. I don't have to be outside my car to tell you that St. Louis could be beautiful if someone actually cared about all those old buildings and that the arch is damn big. If you change planes at an airport in a state, that doesn't count. Unless, for reasons that I don't quite understand, you are Mike and that state is Texas.

The Trip

The first day, July 4th, we drove from Denver to Tulsa, OK via Kansas. Kansas is really long and empty. Also somewhere along the way, I decided that I would prefer it if Witchita was pronounced Wi-Chee-ta. I think it makes the town sound like it is more fun. We listened to songs on random play from Mike's Ipod all day, he has a really good mix though the "random" play does seem awfully partial to certain artists. When we got to Tulsa, fourth of July fireworks were in full swing. Damn, those guys love their fireworks. I think when someone has a gigantic personal fireworks display, they are hoping that people think "Wow, they really love america". Inwardly, I am sure they just like to blow stuff up. We camped at a KOA and the fireworks didn't stop until about three in the morning, much to Moab the dog's dismay. It was hot as holy hell and I got about 30 bug bites that night. Mosquitoes love me.

Day two we drove from Tulsa to Memphis via Arkansas and the corner of Mississippi. In Arkansas we stopped and ate breakfast at a Waffle House. Then drove into the Ozark national forest and let the dogs play around in a stream for a bit. Once again, the bugs were considerable and I got bit. Arkansas is really beautiful and was a nice change after the crappy roads and flat nothingness of most of Oklahoma. Arkansas is how you would imagine a postcard of the south to be, green rolling hills and leafy forests. Not to mention people with accents so thick it is like they are speaking another language.

In Mississippi really all we saw were the casinos of Tunica. They are pretty large for the middle of nowhere, I would say about the same size as Reno casinos, maybe a bit bigger. I used to think that I loved gambling but after visiting Reno, Tahoe and blackhawk, I have discovered that I really just love Vegas - the lights, the history, the glamour . We didn't stop in Tunica, it seemed pointless.

Okay, I have to do some real work now, so to be continued...