When I was 48, I realized I had visited more than 40 of the United States. It seemed like a good goal to visit all fifty states before I turned fifty years old. I scrambled to make it happen! This report summarizes the three trips I took in the last two months before my 50th birthday. All Fifty States by Age Fifty!
State Number 48: Kentucky
Friday, 13 Mar 2009
For this trip my friend DG and I flew from Denver to Indianapolis, picked up a Chevy Impala rental, and drove a whopping 9 miles to a convenient motel. Weather delays made for a long evening, and we didn't get to bed until about 0200.
Saturday, 14 Mar 2009
We slept in a bit and got on the road at 0945.
Grissom AFB IN (2146, CTGC)
(Central
steam
plant)
(Central
steam
plant)
(Parachute
shop)
(Tower)
(Tower)
(Recreation
building)
(Theater)
(Elevated
water storage tank)
(Chapel)
(Chapel)
(Operations
building and control tower, view from rear)
(Operations
building and control tower, view from flight line)
(Operations
building and control tower, view from flight line)
(Operations
building and control tower, view from flight line)
(Operations
building and control tower, view from flight line)
(Hangar)
(Hangar)
(Double-cantilever
hangar)
(Double-cantilever
hangar)
(SAC
"Molehole" 150-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 150-man alert facility)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, view from observation cab)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, showing observation cab)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, showing observation cab)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, view from taxiway)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, observation cab and bays)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, interior)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, interior)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, rear view)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Bakalar AFB IN (1672)
(Control
tower)
(Control
tower)
(Hangar)
(Hangar)
(Historical marker)
(Chapel)
Freeman AAFld IN
(Row
of buildings)
(Row
of buildings, other side)
We ended the day in Louisville, Kentucky, after driving 333 miles in 9.75 hours. This was my first time in Kentucky! State Number Forty-Eight!
Sunday, 15 Mar 2009
Another lazy morning, not on the road until 0845.
Bowman Field KY
(W.W.II
hangar)
(W.W.II
hangar)
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal building)
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal building)
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal building)
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal building)
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal building)
(Airport
terminal building, flight line side showing control tower)
(Hangar
and historical marker)
(Historical marker)
(Hangar)
(Double-bay
hangar)
Standiford AFB KY (7559, WEAS)
AAF Modification Center #9 KY
(We did not see any historic buildings or structures on Standiford or the former
modification center)
Fort Knox KY
(Active base - no photos except of the Godman Field historical marker below)
Godman AFB KY
(Historical
marker)
(Historical
marker)
(Historical
marker, other side)
This was a very short driving day, only 169 miles in 7 hours! We stopped for the night in Whitehouse, Tennessee.
Monday, 16 Mar 2009
Well, the morning starts are getting earlier -- we were on the road at 0815.
Jeffersonville Arsenal IN
(Central
building inside quadrangle)
(Central
building inside quadrangle)
(Interior
of quadrangle)
(Interior
of quadrangle)
(Interior
of quadrangle)
Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot IN
(Power
plant)
(Elevated
water storage tank)
(Depot
buildings)
(Depot
buildings)
(Depot
buildings)
(Depot
buildings)
(Depot
buildings)
Benjamin Harrison AFB IN
(Building)
(Chapel)
(Parade
ground and housing)
(Parade
ground and housing)
(Parade
ground and housing)
(Parade
ground and housing)
(Parade
ground and housing)
(Parade
ground and housing)
(Parade
ground and housing)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Stout Field IN
(Operations
building and control tower)
(Hangar)
Tonight's stopping place was Indianapolis, Indiana, after driving 318 miles in 9.25 hours.
Tuesday, 17 Mar 2009
The trip from the motel to the airport was just 9 miles, and the return flight home was smooth. A nice trip! Only 898 miles on the Impala (which seemed like a decent little car). And only two states left!
State Number 49: Minnesota
Friday, 3 Apr 2009
I booked a direct flight from Denver to Minneapolis-St. Paul, arriving in early afternoon. My rental car for this trip was a Toyota Prius, my first experience driving a hybrid. I headed north, getting used to the hybrid technology along the way. I had passed through MSP on several occasions, but this marked my first trip to Minnesota when I ventured outside of the airport. State Number Forty-Nine!
Duluth Airport MN (1507, FMLH)
(SAGE
Direction Center DC-10)
(Fighter
alert aircraft shelter)
(Hangar)
(Hangar)
(Building)
(Building)
Duluth Missile Site MN (7146, FMLM)
(Building
outside secure area)
(Elevated
water storage tank)
(Building and elevated
water storage tank)
(Gate)
(Gate)
(Sentry
house)
(Sentry
house)
(Sentry
house)
(Storage
building)
(Storage
building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Water
supply building)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter)
(BOMARC
missile shelter, detail)
(BOMARC
missile shelter, detail)
(BOMARC
missile shelter, detail)
(BOMARC
missile shelter, detail)
(BOMARC
missile shelter, detail)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Warehouse)
(Warehouse)
I stopped for the night at a motel between Duluth and M-SP, logging 289 miles in 6.5 hours.
Saturday, 4 Apr 2009
I hit the road at 0720, after a breakfast of gas station junk food.
Nike MS-90C MN
(View
from front gate)
(Radar
tower)
(Current sign)
Nike MS-90L MN
(Building)
(Gate)
Monticello Airport MN
(Hangar)
(Hangar,
rear view)
(General view)
Nike MS-70C MN
(Radar
pedestal)
(General
view)
(Buildings)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Nike MS-70L MN
(View
from front gate)
(View
from front gate)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Sentry house)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Nike MS-40L MN
(View
of gate)
(Sentry
house)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(Sentry
dog kennels)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Nike MS-40C MN
(View
of gate)
Northfield GFA MN (5266)
(View
from road)
(View
from road)
(View
from road)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(AN/FPS-18
radar
antenna reflector)
(AN/FPS-18
radar
antenna reflector)
(AN/FPS-18
radar
antenna reflector)
Gopher Ordnance Works MN
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Structures)
(Elevated
water storage tank)
(Elevated
water storage tank)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
Rosemount Ammo Storage Annex MN (3658)
(View
from gate)
(View
from gate)
Minneapolis-St Paul Airport MN (1494, QJKL)
(Fighter
alert hangar, showing rare beveled doors and museum sign)
(Fighter
alert hangar, overall view from flight line side)
(Fighter
alert hangar, overall view from flight line side)
(Fighter
alert hangar, overall view from flight line side)
(Fighter
alert hangar, control cab)
(Fighter
alert hangar, control cab)
(Fighter
alert hangar, control cab)
(Fighter
alert hangar, control cab)
(Fighter
alert hangar, control cab)
(Fighter
alert hangar, door)
(Fighter
alert hangar, crew quarters rear view)
(Fighter
alert hangar, crew quarters rear view)
(Fighter alert hangar, detail)
(Warning sign on pavement)
Fort Snelling MN
(Row
of buildings)
(Old
fort)
(Old
fort)
(Old
fort and new building)
(Chapel)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Warehouse)
(Housing)
(Housing)
(Housing)
(Housing)
(Housing)
(Historical
marker)
I quit for the day in Minneapolis, after 348 miles in 10.67 hours.
Sunday, 5 Apr 2009
Wow, according to my notes I didn't hit the road until 1100. No worries, I didn't have much to do before getting to the airport.
Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant MN
(View
from across highway)
(View
from across highway)
(Gate)
(Gate)
(General
view)
Holman Field MN
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal building)
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal building)
(Airport terminal building)
(Airport terminal building,
seen from flight line)
(Airport terminal building,
seen from flight line)
(Airport terminal building,
seen from flight line)
(Airport terminal building,
seen from flight line)
(Airport terminal building,
interior)
(Airport terminal building,
interior)
(Airport terminal building,
interior)
Army Air Forces Modification Center #12 MN
(View
from parking lot)
(View
from flight line)
I only drove 64 miles on this day, before an uneventful trip home. Total drive for this weekend was a mere 721 miles. My compliments to Enterprise for their great service on both ends of the rental car experience. (The Prius was fun, by the way, and I averaged 42 MPG on this trip.)
State Number 50: Rhode Island
Friday, 17 Apr 2009
No direct flights this trip. I flew from Denver to Philadelphia then to Hartford. My rental car was a Mazda 3, my first time and hopefully my last time in one of those (driver's compartment was too tight, and rearward visibility was horrible).
Hillsgrove AAFld RI (7592, WVAD)
(Pre-war
Art Deco airport terminal)
(Airport terminal)
(Airport terminal)
(Large
hangar, side view showing control tower)
(Large
hangar, view from street)
I stopped for the night in Coventry, Rhode Island, covering 146 miles in 3.5 hours. My first visit to Rhode Island! *drum roll* STATE NUMBER FIFTY! WOO HOO!
Saturday, 18 Apr 2009
I hit the road at 0730, heading west.
Groton AAFld CT
(No photos, I didn't see any historic buildings or structures)
New Haven AAFld CT
(Civil
Air Patrol building)
(Civil
Air Patrol building)
Plancor 1383 CT
(Test Hangar No. 1, seen from rear)
(Test Hangars No. 1 and No. 2, seen from rear)
(Test Hangars No. 1 and No. 2, seen from across flight line)
Air Force Plant #43 CT (2531, ACGZ)
(View
from south parking lot)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(General
view)
(Gate)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Stewart AFB NY (1473, WGZP)
(Buildings, SAGE Direction Center DC-2 in background)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(SAGE Direction Center DC-2)
(Dormitory)
(Dormitory)
(Dormitory)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, wide view from rear)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, wide view from rear)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, crew quarters rear view)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, crew quarters rear view)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, wide view from rear)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, wide view from rear)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar, wide view from rear)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
After briefly ducking into New Jersey for a few miles, I stopped for the night in Matamoros, Pennsylvania. The day's drive was 352 miles in 9.75 hours.
Sunday, 19 Apr 2009
Another 0730 start, and I drove from Pennsylvania into Connecticut before doing a lot of tactical work in Massachusetts.
Westover Communications Facility Annex (Transmitter) MA (5908,
YTQT)
(View
of gate)
(Wider
view
of gate)
Westover AFB MA (1028, YTPM)
(Chapel)
(Chapel
annex)
(Flight
line gate)
(Maintenance
hangar)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(Maintenance
docks)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility, view from inside through non-historic window)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar)
(ADC
fighter alert hangar)
Stony Brook AFS MA (4571)
(Building)
(Building)
(View
towards Westover AFB flight line)
Westover Communications Facility Annex #2 MA (1035, YUDJ)
(View
of southern portion of site)
(View
of northern portion of site)
(Signs
for both portions of site)
Chicopee Outer Marker Annex MA (1029)
(View
of gate)
Westover ILS Outer Marker Annex #1 MA (5901, YUDC)
(View
from west)
(View
from southwest)
Westover Comms Anx #1 MA (5902, YTRN)
(No photos, a crowded new residential area blocked access.)
Westover Communications Annex #3 MA (7494, YTRT)
(View
of gate, earth-covered building in background)
(Building
outside fence)
(Building
outside fence)
(Building
outside fence)
(Antenna
tower above facility)
(Gate)
Westover Communications Annex #2 (GLOBECOM) MA (5903)
(View
of compound from north)
(View
of compound from southwest)
(View
of compound from east)
(Current
sign, access road in background)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
This was the longest day of the weekend at 424 miles in 10.5 hours. I must be getting mellow as I reach the half-century mark.
Monday, 20 Apr 2009
I pulled the chocks at 0705 for the trip south to the airport, detouring in West Springfield to spend a few hours visiting with an old buddy of mine. I covered 1,015 miles on this weekend.
The flights home were tolerable and I only drove 91 miles in 6 hours before flying home. This trip accomplished my "All Fifty States by Age Fifty" goal, with two weeks to spare!
