for each of the 49 states that can be ridden to. The picture needs to
include my scooter so as to be almost irrefutible proof that I rode
there. This becomes a tricky process. Sometimes signs have been mowed
down. Many times they are located in places where it is suicidal to
stop and take a picture. Frequently on the major interstate
superslabs, they are situated over the roadway so it isn't possible to
get your bike in the picture. One way to seek out welcome-to-photo-op
is Google maps-Street View. This gives you a vehicle-eye view of the
road and it will sometimes allow you to pinpoint the right location
for a sign. The bridges between Indiana and Kentucky are the reason I
don't have my home state yet! It is impossible to stop both from a
legal and a safety standpoint. When I was last into Kentucky via
Virginia I didn't stop because I didn't feel it was safe. This,
however, did not dissuade my crazy friend Vince. The time before that
was from Tennessee and I was on my IBA certification ride, so I didn't
feel like I had time to stop. In routing to the Heart of America Maxi
Scooter rally in St. Louis, I have the opportunity to bag Indiana,
Illinois, and Missouri. The challenge has been finding that photo-op
"sweet spot" where I can get a pic. This has led to some unusual
routing, and the discovery of some interesting roads, one of which is
across the Wabash River on the road named "the Wabash Cannonball"
which seems to be a very long one-lane wooden bridge!
I would also like to take a minute to put a puzzle before you. Using
Google maps, it tells me (for example) my route will take 6:35. Using
the same exact roads turn-by-turn in the Garmin Mapsource software, I
get 7:15! After checking and triple checking, I get the route loaded
from Mapsource to the Nuvi550. When the actual GPS calculates the
time, it is like 5:45! I don't know how the processor & program of
each aspect is working this out, but I would like to know what causes
this variation...
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