Four reasons for this trip:
1. Photograph the sign at a college
2. Visit a national park site missed last year
3. Family history research in a couple of Illinois counties
4. Finish putting 3,000 miles on my newest leased vehicle before I leave for the upcoming April trip so I can get the first oil change and inspection done

IOWA: One college sign and one national park

ILLINOIS: Two counties for family history research -- mostly their cemeteries

MISSED VISITING:
--Terre Haute IN -- determined there is little, if any, new family information here
- Columbia MO -- went to the State Historical Society but they are closed on Mondays

OBSERVATIONS: Some observations made while traveling in this area:

• People "back east" often say how flat Kansas or Iowa are. However, I note that Illinois is much flatter - similar to the panhandle of Texas
• In the past few years various signs have been appearing that are somewhat hateful in their political message whereas I do not recall seeing those type signs prior to 2015.

The Bests:

1. Early morning traffic being so light
2. Fascinating to see the importance we humans place on burying our dead -- I spent over 2-1/2 hours scouring through two cemeteries in Illinois

The Worsts:

1. The use of a certain material to make headstones that fade to nothing-ness after several decades, thus, making reading the headstones impossible
2. Two hotels, especially Fairfield in Clear Lake, Iowa, that make it very difficult to sleep because of all the noises in and around the hotels

The Totals:

• Miles Driven: 1391
• Driving: 21 hours in 3 days
• States: 3 -- Missouri, Iowa, Illinois
• Major Universities: 1 - Luther College (515 of 536 visited)
• Pictures Taken: 49 (7 deleted)
• National Parks: 1 (281 visited)
• Family History: Research led to later discovering some new ancestors plus added more information to previously-known ancestors

Remaining to Visit by State/Province
• AL - DONE
• AK - DONE
• AZ - Several national parks to visit in 2023. Plus, will return on occasion as long as friends Diana and John live in the state
• AR - Still want to visiut the two campuses in Arkadelphia and the national park east of Pine Bluff called Arkansas Post
• CA - Several national parks yet to visit including atually going into Lassen Volcanic National Park despite two attempts. Also, would like to see JPL facilities and Mt. Wilson near L.A.
• CO - Need to visit Yucca House national park in the extreme southwestern corner of the state
• CT - DONE
• DC - DONE but there could be some exhibit or other thing that someday brings me back to the capital city. Could also visit Fort Bayard National Park as well as photograph the campus signs at three colleges: Trinity, Galluadet and Univ. of D.C.
• DE - DONE
• FL - Likely will visit Orlando where a high school classmate and a cousin both live, still want to take the ferry at Fort Matanzas, and, re-attempt to visit a couple of places on the Gulf Coast: Sarasota (downtown), Pine Island and the Naples Botanical Gardens
• GA - Would like to actually get into the Chattahooche National Park Ford visitor center plus other parks for the first time visit: Cumberland Island, Arabia Mountain, Augusta Canal, Gullah/Geechee and Trail of Tears (which runs through AL, AR, GA, IL, KY, MO, NC, OK, TN). Also could photograph campus sign at Valdosta State University.
• HI - DONE
• ID - DONE but would like to drive from Boise to Moscow to cover that part of the state to yet drive through
• IL - Chicago has some places yet to visit. Also, maybe family history research in a few counties
• IN - Total eclipse in April 2024, family history research in Ft.Wayne plus maybe find ancestral cemeteries in Brown county
• IA - DONE, but maybe some family history research in some counties
• KS - DONE, but currently live here
• KY - DONE, but maybe some family history research in some counties
• LA - Maybe visit cousins in New Orleans plus see national parks: Atchafalaya, Cane River Creole, El Camino Real de los Tejas, Jean Lafitte and Poverty Point
• ME - Revisit Acadia National Park to photograph the park sign and just see the park again (was there in 1986), also visit the area around Eastport
• MD - DONE
• MA - Visit Martha's Vineyard, also, family history research plus I know many fellow Toastmasters in Boston. And, a good friend lives in this state.
• MI - DONE but maybe someday see Keweenaw National Park (visitor center). Also, determine what (and where) scenic things can be seen in Pictured Rocks National Park
• MN - DONE unless go to Isle Royale National Park from Grand Portage (also a national park there)
• MS - DONE
• MO - DONE, but I live too close to KCMO to avoid it
• MT - DONE unless I try a fourth attempt someday to Glacier National Park to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road. MT does have gorgeous scenery.
• NE - DONE
• NV - DONE
• NH - DONE
• NJ - DONE
• NM - Some national parks to visit: Bandelier, El Malpais, El Morro, Gila Cliff Dwellings snf Salinas Pueblo Missions
• NY - Many many places yet to revisit (from the 2015 trip) in this state
• NC - DONE, but maybe some family history research in some counties
• ND - Two national parks to visit (Knife River Indian Villages and Fort Union Trading Post), would like to drive from Bowman to Rapid City, South Dakota to cover a part of those states I have yet to drive through
• OH - Family research in several towns, one cousin in Columbus
• OK - DONE
• OR - DONE
• PA - DONE but it is possible that future family history discoveries brings me back here to check out something
• RI - DONE
• SC - DONE
• SD - DONE but would like to drive from Rapid City to Bowman North Dakota to cover a part of those states I have yet to drive through
• TN - DONE
• TX - Some colleges plus one national park to visit. Brother lives in this state as does a friend, also, would like to drive from Amarillo through Lubbock and on to San Angelo to cover a big chunck on the state I have yet to drive through
• UT - Need to photograph the Zion park sign (despite two previous attempts to visit there) and actually go into the park
• VT - Want to drive entirely around Lake Champlain, also, maybe some family history research in Windham county
• VA - DONE but cousins live here, plus, could photograph the campus sign at the University of Lynchburg
• WA - DONE but a friend lives in Seattle
• WV - DONE unless photograph Concord University in the south central part of the state
• WI - DONE re-attempt (it was pouring rain years ago when there) to visit the House of the Rocks and Taliesman near the town of Spring Green
• WY - DONE but would like to drive through the central part of the state e.g. Casper through Dubois then south through Afton to Rock Springs
• AB - REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to see Banff National Park and Lake Louise someday near Calgary in Alberta
• BC - Love Vancouver and Butchart Gardens plus much more north along the coast to see on Vancouver Island all the way to Port Hardy
• LB - Newfoundland/Labrador is worth one visit someday but it is a big undertaking since it takes a day each way just to ferry from Nova Scotia
• MB - Winnepeg, Manitoba is worth one visit someday
• NB - New Brunswick was gorgeous with the fall colors and I liked the three highways I drove going across the province but I never really stopped to see anything. Want to see Saint Johns and along the coast northeast of it, also the Kouchibouguac national park
• NS - Missed much here and would like to return someday, two national parks to visit: Cape Breton and Kejimkujik (dark skies)
• ON - DONE since visited Toronto and Ottawa
• PE - DONE since Prince Edward Island was unimpressive, so likely done here although I did entirely miss the western half of the province
• QC - DONE since visited Montreal and Quebec city and some towns south of them, plus, drove the entire coastline so unknown if will return here -- do not like feeling ostricized with the French everywhere
• SK - Regina and Saskatoon in Saskatchwean are worth one visit someday
• YK - Yukon is iffy if it is worth a visit someday since it is a long way to there and really nothing in particular to see or do except the scenery. Ditton Nanuvut and the Northwest Territories.