Over my 48 years, I’ve done my fair share of travelling across these United States. I thought it would be an interesting experiment go look back at those trips to each of the 31 states I have visited (62% isn’t bad, is it?) and see if, and when, I may be returning. Working in alphabetical order, we continue today with the 28th state to be added to the Union: Texas.
State: Texas
Joined the Union: 1845
Visits: 4
After my dad moved there while I was in high school, I’ve made four trips to the Lone Star State, first in 1992 and most recently in 2005.
My first trip to the Dallas metroplex came in the summer of 1992. My dad had moved there about two years earlier, and this was the first time my sister and I had been invited to visit. I was there for a week, while my sister stayed for two, since I was getting ready to go away to college for the first time. The activities I remember from that week include a trip to the rodeo, spending time in the swimming pool, and going to the former book depository to see the exhibit on the assassination of JFK.
I returned solo in 1998. My only recollection from this trip was making my first visit to The Ballpark In Arlington, seeing the Rangers defeat the Royals in a high scoring affair.
My next visit came three years later, in early May of 2001. Again, I don’t remember much about the trip, other than two additional visits to the Ballpark, first to see the Rangers lose to the Tigers and then, two nights later, to see them top the White Sox 2-0.
My latest trip to the Metroplex was in 2005. The things I remember from this trip include trying to scam free WIFI from the house next doon, since my dad did not have a network set up, and a four game series between the Rangers and White Sox at the renamed Ameriquest Field, which the Rangers took three games to two.
Will I return? Probably, some day. The Rangers have built a new ballpark and I’ve never been to Houston, so I have to make those trips at some point. Thanks to Purdue’s epic collapse in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, I don’t have to worry about traveling to Houston in April for the Final Four.
The Oakland A’s, formerly of Philadelphia and Kansas City, announced yesterday that they may be on the move again soon. After a 20-year saga to find a new, publicly financed stadium in the Bay Area, the team has signed a binding agreement to purchase 49 acres in Las Vegas with the hopes of having a new stadium ready to start the 2027 season. In a statement, commissioner Rob Manfred said: “We support the A’s turning their focus on Las Vegas and look forward to them bringing finality to this process by the end of the year.”
