Caroline writes: My husband and sons and I stick a pin in a map whenever we visit a new state. But we disagree about what counts. They say if we cross the border in a car, even if we don’t get out, we’ve visited. I say no. Where does one draw the line?
Interstates, like airports, are their own separate (dystopian) societies, and so driving on them — even visiting a service plaza — doesn’t count as being there. An argument could be made that driving, say, across Montana via local roads without stopping should merit a pin. But let’s not make that argument. Visiting means stopping by, emphasis on stopping. You don’t have to memorize the state song and drink the state beverage (the most popular choice, grossly, is milk) in order to qualify. Just park, get out and say hello to someone, and you can pin it. (But don’t freak anyone out by doing this really fast and then speeding away. Buy a cup of coffee or something.)