Illinois is the 25th largest state in area. Wikipedia also tells us this:
An Associated Press analysis of 21 demographic factors determined Illinois was the "most average state."[4] (Gee, thanks. - DG)
I live just across the Mississippi from St. Louis, Missouri.
I started this thread with the hope of showing those outside the US just how large the US really is. (Also to show those on the East Coast of the US just how large the Western states are.) I was speaking to MrsS this morning, who was leaving shortly (hahahaha) to pick up her husband. She has a 10 hour drive ahead of her just to get him. She felt that a 10 hour trip was no big deal. How many US citizens on the East Coast would feel that a 10 hour drive was "no big deal"?
How big is your state? How long a drive is it from North to South and from East to West?
Posts: 16560 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Well- my road trip got cancelled by a change in the assignment of Craig's aircraft, so, what actually happened today was that I made a 120 mile round trip to get a 6 piece honey BBQ wings from KFC and listen to a chapter of the audio edition of the first Harry Potter book...alas.
Montana is about 600 miles wide by maybe 400- 4th largest state in the union- When I drive to California, I typically take the interstate west to Spokane, Washington, go south to follow the Columbia River Gorge to just outside Portland, Oregon,where I usually stop for a bit of sleep, then follow another interstate route to Grants Pass, Oregon, where I get on Hwy 199, which takes me to hwy 101 and on to my destination- not quite 1800 miles- about 22 hours of actual driving time (Yes, I have a lead foot) a bit more in the winter, if I leave home by 10 AM, I'm usually in Eureka, California around dinnertime the next day... I once made the entire trip in less than 30 hours, stopping only for gas.
Posts: 2230 | Location: Western United States | Registered: 06-03-02
According to Mapquest, the state of Georgia is about 320 miles north to south or five hours, and 250 miles or four hours east to west at the widest part of the state.
Posts: 6404 | Location: Grayson, Georgia, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Driving time across the state is complicated by it's geography. From Spokane to Seattle, for instance, it's a straight shot across I-90 of about 280 miles, doable in about 4 1/2 hours. But if you want to head to the coast, that adds at least another couple of hours (including a ferry ride if you want to save time by going across Puget Sound rather than driving around it). Until the format was changed last year, the state basketball tournament for the state's smallest schools was held at Spokane, right near the Idaho border. And among the most avid fans came from the small town of Neah Bay, located on the very northwest tip of the state. For them, it was about an 11 hour, 450 mile drive. Over, in some cases, rotten roads at best.
North-south through Washington isn't too bad. It's about 240 miles north to south on I-5, which is less than 4 hours. Taking other roads, it can be done in about 4 or five hours.
Posts: 3474 | Location: Colfax, WA--the home of the world's largest chain-saw sculpture!! | Registered: 06-03-02
New York State’s capital city is Albany, and its largest city is New York City. Unlike Washington D.C. and Washington State, both New York State and New York City are on the same coast, and the City is part of the state. Living in France, I found that this was always a source of confusion. The state is 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²). East to west it is 285 miles (455 km), north to south it is 330 miles (530 km).
For comparison: The longest trip you could make on mainland Britain would be from Land's End in Cornwall, the south-western tip of England, to John O'Groats in Wick, the north-eastern tip of Scotland. It's 836.65 miles and would typically take 17 hours 45 minutes, according to the Royal Automobile Club's route planner (Like the '.65'? After nearly eighteen hours that bit makes all the difference ).Not sure why you'd bother, but that is the traditional journey made e.g by walkers for charity. And no need to wonder why the English like the sea and are so familiar with the coast: no place in England is more than 75 miles from it, the country is that narrow.
And no need to wonder why the English like the sea and are so familiar with the coast: no place in England is more than 75 miles from it, the country is that narrow.
Fred, I think you will agree that driving 75 miles to the coast in the UK, isn't nearly the same as driving 75 miles in North America. The roads aren't nearly as congested out here.
Britain is a crowded island with too many people and cars. Have you ever been stuck on the M25, just trying to get to an appointment?
When I was a child, growing up near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, a trip to the seaside was a major undertaking. It must be one of the English towns that is furthest from the sea. I never became familiar with the English coast until I left home.
Childhood vacations were always spent in Scotland, so we rarely saw the English coast, except perhaps as we left it, on our occasional trips to France. I just wanted to offer you a different perspective on what it's like to grow up on a relatively small island.
The village of Cotton in the Elms, Derbyshire, is in fact the furthest place from the coast, according to the BBC
).Not sure why you'd bother, but that is the traditional journey made e.g by walkers for charity. And no need to wonder why the English like the sea and are so familiar with the coast: no place in England is more than 75 miles from it, the country is that narrow. 
