I have been to all 50 of the United States of America. I have selected one photo to represent my impression of each state, which was a difficult task because all of the states had multiple things making them interesting and unique (except Iowa). Some states do not have photos yet because either I visited the state and don't have any photos to show for it, or because I haven't located the photos on my backup CD's yet.

Alabama		I have made two trips to/through Alabama. The first was a college basketball band trip, where I played with the band at the Conference USA basketball tournament in Birmingham. On the bus ride down, everyone endlessly sang "Sweet Home Alabama". My second trip was with my sister, driving through on our way to New Orleans. We stopped at a rest stop that had a large rocket on display. I was able to stand underneath the engine and look up into it, which was very interesting to do.
Alaska		I have toured Alaska via a cruise ship with my mom. This particular photo is of a glacier in Tracey's Arm. The blue color from the iceberg floating in the water indicates that the iceberg is fairly fresh. As they age, they turn into a white color.
Arizona		Although Arizona is much more than just the Grand Canyon, it is definitely near the top of everyone's list for vacation destinations. I was able to tour the Grand Canyon with my mom aboard a helicopter. We flew from the Las Vegas airport over the Hoover Dam and into the Grand Canyon. We landed in the bottom, had lunch, had time to walk around, and then flew back. It was quite an exciting trip, well worth the money.
Arkansas		This is the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. I did not think that Arkansas would be enjoyable, but I really liked the downtown area of Little Rock and had a good time touring the library.
California		The Golden Gate Bridge is among many famous landmarks in California. I took this photo as I was passing underneath the bridge on a cruise ship. The bridge is extremely long, which I learned when I walked across it a year prior. I have also made trips to San Diego and Los Angeles. San Diego is a beautiful city with a wonderful downtown and shoreline. Los Angeles suffers from too many lanes of highway taking people nowhere.
Colorado		Colorado is a beautiful state. I regret having only ventured into it far enough to see the mountains on the southern portion of the state near New Mexico. I plan to make a trip to Denver at some point.
Connecticut	No Photo Available Currently	I visited Connecticut on a business trip with a co-worker, during a tour of several of the companies manufacturing plants. One of the plants is near the University of Connecticut, where I was able to see womens field hockey played. We took a drive into Hartford for dinner. The city itself was not that spectacular but the place we had dinner, Hot Tomatos, was quite nice. I had the best filet mignon ever at this place. It was likely because of the bernaise sauce they put on the steak that made it so good to me, since I am such a sauce person.
Delaware		Delaware's claim to fame is that it was the first state in the union of the United States. I didn't know of anything exciting to see in Delaware so I went to a beach town, Rehoboth Beach. Taffy is the biggest attraction. The beaches reminded me of North Carolina, and outside of the beaches, it has a feel similar to the prarie states in some regions and industrial New Jersey in others.
Florida		My new home after 26 years is in Florida. I took this photo while kayaking on the Hillsborough River in August 2005. The sun and the water combine in Florida to offer its citizens year round leisure and fun.
Georgia		The streets of Savannah are lined with old Victorian houses and wispy trees with Spanish Moss hanging from them. The quaintness of Savannah contrasts greatly with the hustle and modern buildings of Atlanta. Somewhere in the middle they meet on a red clay highway lined with signs for Pecans and Vidalia Onions.
Hawaii		My first adventure in Hawaii was a walk from the hotels in Waikiki to the peak of Diamond Head where I snapped this panoramic photo. Thousands of miles from the stresses of modern living, the world of Hawaii awaits for tourists and those who seek sublime weather, beaches, and beautiful volcanic mountains.
Idaho	No Photo Currently Available	Similar to Alabama, I have made two trips to/through Idaho. The first was a marching band trip for the innaugural Boise Humanitarian Bowl. The flight to and back was hard to take because I had a head cold, but it was awesome getting to see the mountains in the distance from the stadium and to perform on a blue astroturf field. The second trip was on my drive from Cincinnati to Seattle with Mike. We drove straight through Idaho, across the narrow northern section of the state. It was intimidating driving this portion, because of the intense grade downhill that would be impossible in the winter with snow on the road.
Illinois		The main attraction of Illinois is Chicago. I've made nearly 10 trips to this city for various reasons, ranging from a class trip to business trips to vacations, and each time I find that Chicago is more hassle than it is worth. It is considered the number three city to NYC and LA, but in my mind it is not comparable at all to those cities other than in population. The best view in Chicago can be had from the bar in the Hancock Building, 1 floor above the observation deck.
Indiana		Indianapolis sits at the center of the city, helping to break up the corn fields in all directions. The photo shows the center of the city. It cannot be considered the 'square' because it is a circular area with this tower in the middle. Indiana is scattered with many famous colleges, of which Notre Dame in South Bend (at the Northern portion of the state) may be the most famous. In this town is also the Woodwind and Brasswind, a very nice music store.
Iowa		Perhaps one of the most sublime states, Iowa evokes images of corn, and the movie "Field of Dreams", where a man builds a baseball stadium in the middle of a corn field. I found that description of Iowa to be quite accurate. Mike and I stopped at the Iowa Machine Shed restaurant on our way back from Seattle to Cincinnati. The food and service were quite good, but not quite good enough to make up for the lack of things to do/see in this state.
Kansas	No Photo Currently Available	Kansas is a state that would be easy to drive past without realizing you went past anything. The roads are long and straight with very little to see. I visited Wichita, which is a sleepy old town lacking in all of the modern marvels like chain restaurants, large malls, and shiny new buildings. This city embraces its past by refusing to move forward.
Kentucky		I have had many great times doing service work in the Appalachian hills of Kentucky, rebuilding houses for people unable to afford to maintain them themselves. This photo is of one of the many natural overlooks that can be found hiking through Kentucky.
Louisiana		This photo displays the inside of the Preservation Hall, home to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The building is located in the French Quarter. The French Quarter of New Orleans is well known for the wild Mardi Gras parties that draw hundreds of thousands of people ready to throw or catch beads in exchange for flashing a little skin. Even on a regular night of the week the street is still hopping with a respectable number of people who want to get drunk in a way only New Orleans can offer.
Maine	No Photo Available Currently	Maine....lobster. Those two words go hand in hand. I have been to Maine once, so what did I do? I drank a beer! Maine is not so different from New Hampshire. There are not many people living there, and the main geographical elements present are hilly forested areas and coastline. I experienced both in a quick drive while on a business trip. A future trip to tour the Adirondack Mountains is something I look forward to.
Maryland	No Photo Currently Available	It is nearly impossible to make a trip to Washington DC without entering Maryland at some point. I have made several trips to Washington DC with my family growing up as a child, and two trips as an adult. During the second one, I visited my friend Mike Cloppert who works in Washington DC but lives in a surrounding suburb located in Maryland.
Massachusettes		You are looking at the bay near Boston, as viewed from the inside of the Kennedy Library. I had made numerous trips to Boston to visit my friend Rob and his fiancee Laurie. I have seen the coldest weather and the nicest summers. Massachusettes is a difficult state to navigate. Exits off the highway do not necessarily have restaurants and gas stations that are easy to locate, and directions given by a local are likely to include at least one Dunkin Donuts. My best memory of Boston is the Top of the Hub, a jazz lounge on the top of the Prudential building in downtown Boston, where a panoramic view of the city along with good jazz music are combined.
Michigan	No Photo Currently Available	One of my most spontaneous trips brought me to Michigan to see the Reds play the Detroit Tigers in the last scheduled game between the Reds and Tigers at Tiger Stadium in the summer of 1999. I have also made a separate trip to visit my friends Craig and Wendy Comisar who live and go to school in Ann Arbor.
Minnesota		Minnesota is probably best known for housing the Mall of America. If you didn't even know that, I wouldn't be surprised. This photo was taken from the sculpture park near downtown Minneapolis while I was rollerblading around town with my friend Mike.
Mississippi		My sister and I drove through Biloxi, Mississippi on our trip from New Orleans to Tampa days before 2004. At that time the town was a small casino town with gift shops and hotels. Now, after Hurricane Katrina roared through in 2005, it is virtually erased from the map, with most buildings along the coast ransacked and left to crumble by the surge of water and tremendous winds.
Missouri	No Photo Currently Available	On a Thanksgiving Vacation trip with my parents, we drove back from the middle of Missouri through Saint Louis en route to Cincinnati. Saint Louis is a sprawling town of low-rise buildings similar in style and character as the buildings in Over-The-Rhine, Cincinnati, OH. I found the view from Saint Louis across the Mississippi River to be ghastly. The Arch, the "gateway to the west" is Missouri's greatest claim to fame, and it isn't really that much to brag about.
Montana		A quick story about how big of a dork I am. At one point, I put together in an excel file the states I hadn't visited, how far away they were from me, and my interest (from 1 to 10) on visiting them. Montana got a 1 (not interested at all), and was very far away. Therefore, it was near the bottom of the list. After having visitied it, I would definitely move Montana much higher on my list. It has beautiful countryside flanked by stunning mountains, and is home to the best disc golf course I have ever played. A bizarre point of Montana is that the regular unleaded gas is 85 octane, rather than the standard 87 everywhere else in the US. It really does take a LONG time to drive through this state, but the higher speed limits help.
Nebraska		It is always fun finding obscure things on a journey across the country. In Nebraska, I found Carhenge, designed to mimic the Stonehenge stone sculpture in Europe. The biggest difference is that this is made out of cars, rather than stones. It is a bizarre spectacle to witness. Other than that, Nebraska really is just corn fields and open roads.
Nevada		The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas exemplifies the grandiose sense of everything in Las Vegas. A humongous building with an impressive water fountain show brings people in the droves to spend money at the casino located inside. Las Vegas is filled with over-the-top casino/resorts with themes from New York City to Paris to Treasure Island. The rest of Nevada is filled with dessert. A quick drive through anywhere that is not Vegas will confirm how reliant this state is on the Hoover Dam for its energy and drinking water.
New Hampshire		I have made numerous trips to Manchester, New Hampshire on business to visit one of my employers manufacturing plants. During these trips I would take the time to drive around the state and see what it had to offer. The Merrimack River is quite beautiful both in the spring when it flows clear water over the rock bed and also in the winter when it is surrounded by heaps of snow. The spookiest place I have ever been is called "Americas Stonehenge", a short drive from Manchester. I do not recommend going to this place on the vernal equinox late in the evening by yourself.
New Jersey	No Photo Currently Avaialble	It will be tough to change my impression of New Jersey from the current one I hold. I view it as a highly industrial overcrowded state filled with toll roads and NYC commuters. With a moniker like "The Garden State", I have a hard time believing that there are any gardens in the state.
New Mexico		I made a quick trip to New Mexico to see Albuquerque and Santa Fe. This photo is of a spa in downtown Santa Fe. Many buildings have this rugged stucco-type exterior in Santa Fe, but the buildings of Albuquerque are more modern. The Sandia Peak Tramway was an experience I will never forget in Albequerque. Nescled in the mountains nearby is a cable that pulls small people movers up and down to see the panoramic view of the city below. It is a wonderful thing to see at night, but the ride up and down is the longest 7 minutes of your life. The tram is often several thousand feet above the ground, held up by only a metal cable.
New York		Every time that I go to New York City, I end up in Times Square somehow, without trying. This city is amazing in every way possible. When in NYC it is easy to feel like the rest of the world is jealous of you, because you are in the middle of everything that is going on. Central Park, The Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the subway, taxis, huge buildings sprawling further than imagineable, it is a wonder that must be experienced to believe and appreciate. My first trip to NYC was for New Years Eve going into 2000, which I spent with my friend Rebecca. I will never tire of trips to this city. There may be more to the state than NYC, but I will never get my fill of this city to venture further into the state.
North Carolina		North Carolina, a state that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean deep into the undefined "south/midwest" by touching Tenessee and Georgia. The real excitement is on the dune-laden beaches of the Atlantic side, where the Wright Brothers first flew their plane at Kitty Hawk. I have visited the same site as a child on one of my many family vacations. The photo shows dowtown Charlotte, a very clean and seemingly new city with several impressive buildings.
North Dakota		North Dakota is one of the states that border Canada. Other than that fact and the very nice Art Deco state capitol shown in this picture, I don't think the state has much to brag about or to draw people to it.
Ohio		My home for 25 years, Ohio will always have a special place in my heart and mind. I lived in Cincinnati and the surrounding suburbs the entire time, but ventured to Columbus, Dayton, Cleveland, Toledo, Athens, and other cities often. This photo is Tyler Davidson Fountain Square, located in the heart of the business district in Cincinnati. It is a landmark that evokes pride and happiness in all Cincinnatians. It was difficult to choose one photo to represent all of Ohio because of my many years of living there, but I think this sums it up.
Oklahoma		Oklahoma is a fairly unknown city to most people of the US, but has an interesting history rich with oil and Indians. At one time it was the oil capitol of the US, at another it was a refuge for Native Americans. Now it is known for the Oklahoma City federal buidling bombing. This photo shows the park that was created to remember the bombing on the location where it occurred. It is a very serene place, full of school bus loads of children and adults of all ages trying to witness a sad piece of American history.
Oregon		Oregon is probably best known to people born between 1975 and 1985 for a video game called Oregon Trail. I discovered a different Oregon on my trip out west in 2004. The state ranges from the urban Portland, home to the coffee drinking hippie that didn't fit in in Seattle, to the wonderful Columbia River bordering it on the north, and vast forests of lush green. The waterfall in this photo is the tallest waterfall in North America.
Pennsylvania		Pennsylvania is a fun state to visit. From Pittsburgh on the West to Philadelphia on the East, and all of the Amish countryside in between, there are many things to see. I particularly enjoyed the Philadelphia Art Museum, pictured on the left. The size and scale of everything in this musseum is mind-blowing. Any trip to Philadelphia should include a visit to their fine museum. Also of note in this state is the experience had when driving into Pittsburgh from the West, where you pass through a tunnel, and then immediately upon getting through the tunnel you are on a bridge that takes you into downtown Pittsburgh. The experience is exhilirating.
Rhode Island		Rhode Island has very few interesting things about it, other than being a state that is quick to drive from one end to the other. This photo shows the state capitol building in Providence. Providence is a very old city with many old buildings mixing with the newer glow of Old Navy and Cheesecake Factory.
South Carolina		Chancse are that you have heard of and been to either or both Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. Myrtle Beach is a mecca for NASCAR loving middle class families on vacation, with endless miles of putt-putt courses and chain restaurants. Hilton Head Island, as seen in this photo taken from the Hilton Head lighthouse, draws a crowd with more money in the bank. Tennis, golf, and lounging on the beach dominate this town.
South Dakota		One of the most recognizable monuments in the United States is MOunt Rushmore, as pictured here. I attended the illumination show which is performed daily at sundown. In a large amphitheatre a guide talks to a large crowd about the history of the monument, and then at the end the faces are lit by large floodlights. It is a very good show worth the time. Without the show, a day visit would not be very exciting, because everyone already knows what the carved mountain looks like. The night show adds an extra touch of specialness to the trip.
Tennessee		Teneessee is home to rolling hills intermittantly sprinkled with mid-sized cities like Chatanooga, Nashville, and Memphis. No trip to Memphis is complete without a stop at Graceland, the former home of Elvis, and Beale Street. Beale Street is the night-time bar district of Memphis where you can witness street musicians playing the blues as herds of drunken people wander past.
Texas		Texas has a few sayings that you should be familiar with prior to going there, such as "Don't Mess With Texas", and "Everything is Bigger in Texas". Texas has several major cities, such as San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and others. I was born in San Antonio, but only spent the first year of my life there. I made a return trip in 2004 and stayed in a hotel along the famous Riverwalk. Riverwalk is a safe-haven from the rest of San Antonio, where the tourists can be sheltered from the reality of a largely poverty striken Mexican population in the city. Dallas, as seen in the photo, is probably best known for the Cowboys (NFL), the TV show, and being the place where JFK was shot. I found Dallas to be a burdgeoning city with a lack of excitement, circled by miles of suburbs and ex-urbs that will put your local suburbs and ex-urbs to shame.
Utah		Utah is the chosen land for the Mormans, and they set up their camp in Salt Lake City. Today that camp is home to more than a million people thanks to the wonderful ski areas made famous during the Winter Olympics held in this town. Salt Lake City sits on the edge of the Great Salt Lake, which is filled with horribly smelly brine shrimp. The highlight of the city is the Morman Tabernacle, where all Mormoms must go to be fully indoctrinated into their religion, and as seen in the photo here, they have a wonderful music hall where the Morman Tabernacle Boys Choir performs. Nearly everything in this room is made of wood, despite the appearance of metal and marble. The pillars are wood, and the organ pipes are wood, both painted to look like other materials.
Vermont	No Photo Currently Available	It would be tough to differentiate Vermont from New Hampshire. In fact, many people have a hard time doing so when looking at a map. The easiest way to do this is that Vermont resembles a V. The roads through this state are generally 1 lane in either direction and not heavily traveled. Many people live in small towns with a good amount of property per house. Vermont is a ski mecca, but I visited it one evening on a business trip in New Hampshire, stopping to have dinner and then returning. A follow up ski trip would do this state justice.
Virginia	No Photo Currently Available	Virginia is another state like Maryland that you are hard pressed to not pass through on a trip to Washington DC. I found Alexandria to be quite a nice place that I would love to live if I were working in the DC area. Arlington is home to a National Cemetary housing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I have been to both of these places and found them to be worth a stop.
Washington		I'll never forget the snowball fight I had with Mike on our journey from Cincinnati to Seattle and back. We took a drive to Mt Rainier from downtown Seattle to do some mountain hiking. This photo was taken in July 2004. As you can see, there is no shortage of snow in the mountains. Seattle was a let down. I expected to see hippies sitting around drinking coffee, hear some grunge music, but instead the only stereotype I was able to experience was the Seattle rain. It rains in this city A LOT. Other than that, the city was more a tourist destination, with the locals hidden in other parts of the city than where I visited.
West Virginia		It is hard to get excited about a state like West Virginia. It appears to be a state with no ownership, lodged between Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. I have been through both Wheeling and Charleston. Wheeling is a very industrial and beaten down city that is in need of some care. Charleston, the capitol of the state, has many old buildings and a nice river that it sits next to, but the highlight of the visit for me was touring the very impressive capitol building. It is much bigger and better than you would expect for a state with a population of only 1.8 million. The age of the building suggests that maybe at one time West Virginia was a bigger deal than it is today. Population statistics confirm this, as West Virginia is the only state that has a smaller population (as of 2004) today than it did in 1950.
Wisconsin		Pictured here is a putt-putt course in the Wisconsin Dells. The Dells are a vacation spot for many of the people of Wisconsin.
Wyoming		Yellowstone National Park is a must see on my places to recommend. I thoroughly enjoyed the natural springs, the herds of bison, the geysers, and just the raw nature ready to be explored. Mike and I camped in Yellowstone overnight at an elevation above 8,000 feet with no problems. It was a great experience that I look forward to having again.