Because we both have an affinity for tallying anything and everything, we soon began monitoring the number of letterboxes we had found, how many we have planted, and even which states (and countries) where we have letterboxed. Thus, when we began making travel plans for 2012, we decided to visit some of the states where we had not yet letterboxed. By March, this goal had evolved into visiting all the 48 contiguous states—and finding and planting at least one letterbox in each state. By the end of the year, we had met this goal and had a thoroughly enjoyable time accomplishing it.
So the year 2012 found us mostly on the road. We logged 220 nights away from our townhouse in Peachtree City, occasionally in the homes of friends or relatives, but usually as a guest of Mr. Hilton or Mr. Marriott. In the process, we logged almost 40,000 miles on the no-longer-new SUV we purchased in December 2011, seeing some remarkable American scenes and meeting a whole host of friendly fellow citizens. Although we viewed both Canada and Mexico across border rivers during the year, we did not leave the United States this year.
While we enjoyed some great adventures on the highways and byways of America in 2012, the times spent with family and friends stood out, as always. The year also brought its sorrows. In January, we attended the funeral of Aunt Helen, who died on Christmas Day 2011 at age 90. And in November, the family was stunned by the sudden death of Don, much too young at age 65.
2012 Summary
Major Trips
- To Big Bend and Back (January 5-28). A 23-day adventure to Big Bend National Park on the Texas-Mexico border.
- Crossing the Panhandle (February 16-23). A week-long odyssey, visiting relatives from one end of the Florida panhandle to the other with Nanamama.
- On the History Highway (March 16-May 14). A 60-day tour of battlefields, monuments and other historic sites along the Eastern Seaboard.
- Travelin' with Steven (June 20-19). An 11-day romp through the heartland with our 9-year-old nephew.
- Highways and Byways (August 15-September 7). A 24-day sojourn through the Midwest.
- Westward Ho! (October 22-December 31). A 58-day expedition to the Great Plains and Far West— national parks and state capitols, historic and scenic sites.
States We Visited in 2012
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- District of Columbia
Countries We Visited in 2012
- United States
Other Events in 2012
- January - Aunt Helen's funeral in Mobile
- June - Woodie's art show in Franklin
- July - Mother and child reunions, Dianne to Charleston and Savannah and Ken to Charlotte
- August - A week in Blowing Rock with Prager family
- September - A long weekend in Tallahassee reuniting with Dianne's siblings and first cousins and their spouses
- September - Ken's birthday in Charlotte with Grandma's jelly roll
- November - Don's funeral in Vernon
