25. New Mexico

We finally have reached the midpoint of the list. And how fitting is it that highlighting the very center is the last state I visited.

I urge you to please go read my introduction to the list if you want to hear more about my story leading up to my final state, but there is much more to the story. Living in the dead center of the US, I was very lucky to have easy access to most of this country. And because of that, it meant that most of the farther corners of this country were the later states I went to: Alaska, New England, and especially the Southwest. And New Mexico is a state that I never really heard anything bad about, but there isn’t a major airport that made it easy to access. Also, unlike Alaska, it isn’t like a huge deal to make it out there, and unlike the Northeast, I couldn’t hit multiple states without a lot of driving.

So once I hit 49, I couldn’t not make a full trip of it. I packed up in an RV with my mom and we did a full circle from Missouri to Southern Utah and back through Santa Fe. And based on my placement here, maybe you might think it’s not as fitting of a finale as a state like Alaska would have been. But I think 25 is perfect for my final state.

I thought Arizona was a little underwhelming on my trip so I was a tad worried about coming into New Mexico. But we remarked on how hillarious it was that it became so much prettier as we were miles from crossing the border. Then it was the exact same as it got immediately uglier the moment we cross into Texas. Many states in the Southwest are at a point where the desert meets the mountains. But it’s that case throughout the state. The contrast of the Rocky Mountains and dense forests sticking up from tumbleweed scattered deserts is so cool. You can’t not appreciate it.

But the true highlight of the trip and the destination was Santa Fe. And I don’t think there could be a better town to end my 50 state journey. People have a lot of ideas of what America is, but to me, Santa Fe is what America is. So unique from everywhere else in the country and filled with people of many different backgrounds. It stands out so well in such a beautiful way.

The Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe. Built 1610

And you know I like my history. I mean come on, it is America’s second oldest settlement dating back to the 1500s. I was able to walk in a building that was originally built in 1610. It doesn’t get much cooler than that! And the architecture is so cool. The adobe homes are so ingenious that they have been built like that for centuries. And they are especially important for a place that gets pretty cold in the winter, but hot as heck during the Summer. 

You can try to get me to say something negative here, but I’m not going to, because I really don’t think of much. New Mexico might not be the fanciest or in the best shape economically, but that doesn’t matter all that much to me. This state is my final state, and that’ll never be taken away from me.

I’m thinking of having a little epilogue at the end of my list to highlight my thoughts on completing my lifelong journey. But I think after going to New Mexico and finally being “done” with it all, my perspective has shifted a lot. It’s not about marking something off a checklist. What this journey was really about was getting to explore the whole country for myself. And there’s a lot more New Mexico for me to explore. So if there’s one thing I can take away from a state like New Mexico, it’s to take that leap. Go out to find something new and see something you’ve never seen. And you can find that anywhere in this country. Especially in New Mexico.