Crossing the line

Theres something about crossing a state line that just feels good.  I'm not entirely sure what it is, i mean, It's not like your crossing into a foreign coutry with a different language or something (Texas excluded) but there is a small sense of accomplishment. I suppose with some states (Texas included), there's a feeling a relief because maybe the roads were in terrible shape, like louisiana. Or Maybe you just didn't find it all that exciting...Oklahoma for example. Or, you are looking forward to the next state. I know I was excited to see the North Carolina state line because I was looking forward to roads such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Tail of the Dragon!  Whatever it is, I always feel the need to pull over and snap a picture. Now, whats interesting about this is that it isnt always as easy as it sounds. Sure, crossing into North Dakota on a 2 lane backroad was a piece of cake. Hell, there was even a parking area in front of it that I found a little funny considering I hadn't seen a car in a half hour and quite frankly most people probably want to ignore the fact that they are entering this state. Not me, I took this as an opportunity to stop, enjoy the peace and quite and take a picture. North Dakota isn't as bad as most people think. On the other hand, there are a handful of state signs that a person would have to risk life and limb to get a picture of. The ones in the middle of high traffic bridges, gang territory, and wild lion sanctuaries for example. Ok, I might be exagerating the last two examples but they are often on bridges. I always try to assess the risk level of the photo opportunity to decide if its worth it. One of these examples was the California state line this last summer. California for me this year marked the 48th state of the summer so I was pretty committed to getting a pic almost no matter what. I came upon the sign while barreling south on I-5. There it was, the sign I had been waiting for all summer!  I was pretty damn excited!  As I approached the sign I realized that there was no parking area, no real shoulder and traffic was moving along at a rather incredible speed. So, screw it, I looked over my shoulder, slammed on the brakes and came sliding to a stop perfectly in front of the California state line. This was a moment that im not embarrassed to say was a bit emotional for me. Not only was I excited about accomplishing my goal of riding all 48 states in one summer,  but I was also a little sad because it meant my adventure was over for now. I sat there for a while. It was nice to enjoy the moment, reflecting back on the experiences of the summer and the events in my life that got me there, some good, some not so good. But all exactly as they are suppose to be. So, whatever it is that encourages you to cross a state line I suggest taking a few minutes to stop and enjoy it, not as many people do it as you might think.