GREETINGS FROM BERTHOUD, COLORADO

 

 

 

 

IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO READ THIS TRACKCHASER REPORT DIRECTLY FROM WWW.RANLAYRACING.COM AND SEE THE PICTURES FROM THIS TRIP SIMPLY CLICK ON THIS LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IT IN YOUR BROWSER:

http://www.ranlayracing.com/april13152007.htm

I WOKE UP IN AN INTERSTATE 20 REST STOP NEAR ATLANTA.  THEN I WENT TO SLEEP AT HOME IN SAN CLEMENTE.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy                                                                                    

 

The 2007 season is coming along well concerning my overall trackchasing strategies and goals.  I am making good progress against each of my goals.  I am pleased to report that after my first 29 days of trackchasing I am at 93% of my year to date trackchasing expense budget.

 

The only category where I am exceeding budget is with rental cars.  This is a direct result of using more drop-offs at a location other than where I picked the car up. 

 

Just when I think I could not add one more piece of armor to my technology/information chest, I do.  Have you ever heard of the “Executive Travel Skyguide?”  As a young pup, I knew it as the “OAG” or the “Official Airline Travel Guide.”

 

This is a little paper back book of sorts not dissimilar in appearance to the National Speedway Directory.  The guide is published monthly and provides flight schedules for every North American and several key international cities.  For the business road warrior or, indeed, for the flying trackchaser it is indispensable.

 

The book has 480 pages of flight listings.  The print is so small I can hardly make it out even with my reading glasses.  There are more than 300 flights listed on each page.  I just began my subscription last month.  This travel aid and information source will be one of my most valuable trackchasing travel tools.

 

Yes, just when I thought I had every bit of information that could possibly be of value to my trackchasing I come up with something new.  What could possibly be next?

The Trip

 

Traveling from my Saturday night track to my Sunday afternoon track.

 

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.  I left last night’s show in Dillon, South Carolina at 10:15 p.m.  I had a flight scheduled the next morning at 8:38 a.m. to take me from Atlanta to Denver.  If I made that flight then I would be able to reach the Valley Dirt Riders flat track in Berthoud, Colorado.  Berthoud is about 60 miles north of Denver.  I would need to be at the airport by 7 a.m. so I could handle the Atlanta airport security.

 

That was one minor challenge to the trip.  I had just eight hours and forty-five minutes to make it from the Dillon Motor Speedway to the Atlanta airport.  The distance between these two locations was 326 miles.  My Garmin GPS unit told me I could cover this distance in five hours and twenty-nine minutes.  Gee!  I would have three hours and sixteen minutes left over.  Yes, three hours and sixteen minutes of free time!

 

I would not have enough time to get a hotel.  My only choice was to compute how much time I could stop in rest areas along the way to catch a few winks.  I figured I could drive for a couple of hours, then sleep for an hour or so, and then repeat that process.

 

To add some complexity to my situation was the fact that I was now driving into one of the largest low-pressure area rainstorms of the year.  The rain helped keep me awake.  I am not certain how long my first stop lasted.  I set my portable alarm clock and cell phone alarm to allow for 90 minutes of sleep.  Before those alarms could go off, one of the loudest thunderclaps I have ever heard awakened me.  I had only been asleep for about 15 minutes.  Since I couldn’t get back to sleep, I decided to trudge on.

 

I drove and drove.  There wasn’t much traffic.  I don’t know if the heavy rain and it being 4 a.m. in the morning or not was the cause of that or not.  My next rest stop was more productive.  Again, I set two alarms.  I certainly didn’t want to miss my flight.  I must admit I did have some difficulty doing the math at this time of night so that I could sleep the maximum amount and still make it on time.

 

I must have made a miscalculation.  I had enough time to eat a 5:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m. San Clemente time) Waffle House breakfast.  If I am ever a movie producer I’m going to visit a Waffle House at this time a day just to pick out “character” actors for my films.  The strangest folks hang out at Waffle Houses at 5:30 a.m.

 

Would there be a reward for all of this “inconvenience?”  I certainly hoped so!  The first reward of the day was getting a first class seat on my flight to Denver.  Yes, maybe things were going to work out.

 

Getting home after Sunday afternoon’s new track.

 

This is the weekend after Easter.  Why is that of significance?  Many students get the week after Easter as their Easter vacation or spring break.  That meant that today, Sunday, they would all be returning home from their vacations.  That meant today, Sunday, would be a very busy day at the airports.  Would you like to try flying standby on such a busy flying day?  Me, neither, but then this is trackchasing.  It has to be done.

 

My plan was to fly from Denver to Orange County, California and be home in time to see 60 Minutes.  When I arrived at the Denver International Airport, I saw the flaw in that plan.  My planned flight to Orange County was way overbooked.  I would not be getting on that plane.  I explored other Denver to California options such as San Diego, Ontario, Oakland and San Francisco.  The gate agent told me, “Everything to California today and tomorrow is sold out.”  Wow!  I didn’t fancy hanging around Denver for two more days.

 

I simply needed a location I could fly to that would be closer to home than Denver.  Denver would be more than a 1,000-mile drive back to my place.  I didn’t want to take on that drive.  Could I fly somewhere, anywhere that would shorten that drive?

 

I inquired about flying to Phoenix.  “Yes,” the agent told me.  There were a few seats on the plane from Denver to Phoenix but it was leaving in 15 minutes from the farthest gate from my current position in the entire terminal.  I was off.

 

When I arrived, I was told the agent didn’t have time to process my request without my already having a reservation.  I quickly stepped over to the corner and made a cell phone call to United.  I then returned to the gate agent with my confirmation number.  He was impressed I was able to handle his request so quickly.  Soon, I was on the plane bound for Phoenix.  When I arrived there, I would try to hop a plane to California.  If I failed in that endeavor, the drive home from Phoenix was only 365 miles.  I was getting closer.

 

When I landed in Phoenix, I discovered a flight going to Los Angeles in just 15 minutes.  I quickly made another cell phone call and made a standby reservation for this flight.  Armed with my confirmation number I confidently approached the gate agent.

 

At first, she told me, “You’ll never get on this flight.”  Then she thought about it again and said, “You’re right on the cutoff, you might make it and you might not.”  That was better than a 100% no.  When I returned from buying a Cobb salad, I heard the name “Lewis” being called.  I was going to get the last seat on this airplane.  Ya!

 

When I landed in Los Angeles, my plan was to try for a flight to the Orange County airport.  That’s where my car was parked.  Landing in Los Angeles, I was only 65 miles from my parked car.  If I could not get a flight to Orange County, I could surely rent a car and drive that distance.  The flight distance from the Los Angeles International Airport to the Orange County Airport is one of the shortest commercial airline flight distances in North American.  The distance?  Thirty-six miles!!

 

I was now getting the hang of this hop, skip and a jump trackchasing travel method.  This time I made my phone reservation while we were still taxiing into the Los Angeles terminal.  The United Airlines reservation system is a “voice activated” system.  There is one major problem with that when I’m using my cell phone.  Every time there is a P.A. announcement in the airport or on the plane, the United system hears that over my cell phone and things get screwed up.

 

Finally, I was able to make a standby reservation from the plane for the Los Angeles to Orange County flight.  Of course, when I landed that flight was leaving in just ten minutes and the gate was more than one-half mile away.  I definitely get my exercise walking through these airports.

 

When I arrived at the Orange County gate, I found a frantic and frazzled gate agent who appeared to be in over her head, job-wise.  I told her I had a reservation on this flight.  The flight had several open seats on it.  I was in luck.

 

However, she could not find my name in her “system.”  I told her I had a confirmation number.  She told me that didn’t matter; she could not find my name “in the system.”  The flight was getting ready to leave.  After much more angst on her part and mine, she concluded I was not going to be getting on this plane.

 

She radioed to the plane that all passengers who were going to board had boarded.  She shut the door to the jet way.  That definitely meant that I would not be getting on this flight.

 

Now the gate agent returned to her system a little more relaxed.  The flight was closed.  With a little less pressure on her, she realized there was another computer screen where my name might appear.  Since I had not checked in in Los Angeles, but had flown in as a connecting passenger, that’s where my name would be.

 

The gate agent was a little embarrassed.  Could she still save my day?  She used her two-way radio to contact the plane’s pilot.  “Could we still add one passenger?” she asked.  She reopened the jet way and went down to talk to the pilot.  She returned and told me, “Go!”  “Go!” “Take any seat you can and they’ll handle your rolling bag.”  I walked down the jet way.  The plane was waiting for me.  The flight attendant strapped my bag into an open seat.  I was on the flight.  I had flown from Denver to Phoenix to Los Angeles to Orange County, all on a standby basis, on one of the busier travel days of the year.

 

I had been gone for about 60 hours on this trip.  I had cleared airport security in four different airports.  I had driven nearly 900 miles on this trip.  I had rented three different cars.  I had flown on seven different airplanes.  More important than not, I had added four new tracks to my worldwide leading total.  I was exhausted.

 

I suspect that you, the loyal Trackchaser Report reader, might be exhausted from just reading about this adventure.  Therefore, I have a reward for the first two folks who email me that they have read this far.  Those ever popular Wal-Mart $5.00 gift certificates will be the prize.  I know that in the past I have been so kind-hearted as to award more prizes than promised.  However, I am on a strict budget this year and must stick to just two prizes.  Those prizes will go to the first two messages that appear in my email in box today.  This way I can offer more and better prizes as the season goes along.  Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

The People

 

I wrapped up my trackchasing weekend with four tracks.  There were several times during the trip that I thought I wasn’t even going to get one track because of the weather.  The weather was terrible nearly everywhere in the United States.  There was snow in the Rockies and the Northeast.  There was rain in the Northwest, South, Midwest and Southeast.  The weather was bad everywhere.  Getting four tracks would certainly give me an advantage over everyone of my fellow trackchasing competitors.

 

Wrong!  I had literally bumped into one of the more prolific trackchasers at the Dillon Motor Speedway last night.  That would be Ed Esser of Madison, Wisconsin.  Ed had seen an incredible five tracks in just two days.

 

Ed’s back in seventh place in the worldwide rankings with 987 lifetime tracks.  I remember being back in seventh place a few years ago.  There is something about being in seventh place.  It’s just the way the numbers work out.  When you reach seventh and look up, you find yourself some 200 tracks or more behind the top 6 worldwide trackchasers.  At that point, you can visit an awful lot of tracks and never pass anyone in the top six.  That’s what happened to me and that’s what’s been happening to Ed.

 

Ed has seen more than 100 tracks in each of the past four years.  No one has ever strung together that many century years in a row ever.  Finally, Ed is gaining on his fellow competitors.  This will be the first year in a while that Ed will begin to pass some folks in the lifetime standings.

 

Let me let you in on a little secret.  It’s not going to be long, maybe two years, before Ed gets up to the second spot.  I certainly hope that every trackchaser maintains good health and can trackchase for as long as they want too.  That way we’ll be able to find out who the very best worldwide trackchaser was/is.

 

I believe my strongest competitor near term (three years or less) will be Mr. Esser.  Ed’s a very positive trackchaser.  He does not complain about anyone else’s success.  He works hard to create his own success.  He works hard to create his trackchasing combinations.  He is a tough fellow competitor.  I wish him luck as he climbs the rungs this year and next.  Soon, he will be in second place.  I won’t be able to let my guard down with Ed in my rearview mirror.    

 

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

VALLEY DIRT RIDERS, BERTHOUD, COLORADO - TRACK #1,176

 

 

This was my 11th lifetime track to see in the Centennial state.  I moved up one position and now tied with NGD lifetime competitor Gordon Killian for second place.  Today’s track broke my tie with Ed Esser and he is now relegated to fourth place.  Allan Brown leads the state by the slimmest of margins, just one track with an overall total of 12 tracks.  Today’s track supports my primary trackchasing strategy of trying to become the #1 ranked trackchaser is all 13 Western states by 2009 (except California).

 

At the bottom of this report you can see where I rank in each of these states as of today.  You can also find out what the state bird of Colorado is! 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

VALLEY DIRT RIDERS

 

The Valley Dirt Riders flat track is a labor of love for its originators, Bob and Kris Lawrence.  I had been in contact with Kris prior to coming today.  She had been most helpful in answering all of my questions.

 

The Colorado forecast had called for a snow blizzard to hit on Friday.  It was touch and go as to whether this race would come off on Sunday or not.  The snow ended up falling south of the track.  Today it was t-shirt weather with temps in the low 70s under a sunny sky.

 

Travelers can see the Valley Dirt Riders motocross track from Interstate 25.  When you’re heading north of Denver about sixty miles, you’ll see it on the left.  I’ve driven by this location in the past and seen the moto boys and girls doing their fantastic jumps.  I had concluded there was nothing countable here.  Wrong!

 

The Valley Dirt Riders flat track sits behind the motocross track and further from the interstate.  The track is leased from the motocross people and was built by the Lawrence’s in the spring of 2004.  The flat track caters mainly to two-wheelers but they do run Micro and Mini-sprints.  They ran only two races in 2006 due to financial limitations but have eight races scheduled for this year.

 

Today, there were just four micro sprints attending.  The micros ran two heats and a feature.  One micro did not make the starting grid.  When the first heat was finished, I noticed that two of the drivers appeared to be about 15 years old.  I ask owner Bob, if there was an age limit with this division.  He told me, “No, people as old as you and me can drive ‘em.”  That meant that what I had seen was a countable racetrack since trackchaser rules call for racing by “adults.” 

 

This track races during each of the summer months, except July.  They are “closed for Sturgis” during this month.  This proves they are motorcycle people at heart, but I’m glad they allowed some four-wheel cars to race at their track.  The promoter told me a few cars from Texas normally race with them but with the predicted snow they couldn’t make it.

 

The track is a one-quarter mile flattish oval.  There were two separate small bleacher-type grandstands.  There are no lights and the P.A. is used only to call the drivers to the starting line.  Maybe in the future they will use the P.A. to tell the crowd what is happening during the race.  I had a delicious cheeseburger cooked on an outdoor grill with chips and a drink for four bucks.

 

Admission was a somewhat steep fifteen dollars.  However, it didn’t look like anyone was getting rich from my observations, so I was O.K. with helping defer some of the expenses.

 

The trackchasing countable racing (meaning three micro sprints) was not anything to write home about.  However, the motorcycle racing was great.  Check out www.ranlayracing.com to see some great photos of the two-wheel action.  I cannot explain why we trackchasers do not count motorcycle racing.  I guess it’s just because the founders had no interest in this form of racing when they formalized this hobby.  Today, the motorcycles were much more entertaining from a spectator point of view than the micro sprints.

 

This was a motorcycle crowd today.  Unfortunately, I do not present much of a motorcycle persona even though I was the proud owner of a Ducati 250 while I was a college student.  I displayed the reason I am often labeled as not “being from around here” no matter where I go by “high-centering” my rental car.  This was somewhat embarrassing since I was driving a fire engine red Dodge Magnum.  I could not have stood out more.  Fortunately, several kind souls came to my rescue with a shove.  Also fortunately, I didn’t rip off the oil pan and I was on my way.

 

Everyone I met was very friendly today.  I enjoyed myself at a very unusual Sunday afternoon track.  If you can make it out to this area, you’ll enjoy your time watching all of the motocross and flat track activity.

 

 

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

Considering that the forecast called for a Friday snow blizzard with white out conditions, it was miraculous that there was not a snowflake to be seen anywhere on the ground.

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

For the first time ever, my ride of choice will be a bright red National Rental Car Racing Dodge Magnum.  I either looked like a “low rider” or a local fire chief.  Unfortunately, I was most disappointed with this ride.  It was hard to see out of the mirrors.  The front door took a good deal of effort to open.  Overall, one of my worst rental car experiences ever.

 

I took the 470 toll way from the airport to the track.  Of course, to get on they wanted 75 cents from me at an unmanned toll collection machine.  As you know, I never carry any change and didn’t have any today.  I simply drove through the toll collection entrance without paying.

 

At my next toll stop, I asked what the penalty was for not paying.  The toll collector told me they had taken a picture of my license plate.  If I did not pay within 48 hours, there would be a $100 fine.  Rather that challenge the system, I asked how I could pay.  She gave me an envelope.  I could pay by check.  When I returned home, my assistant aka Trackchasing’s First Mother wrote a check for 75 cents to the “470 Toll way” and as far as I know, we’re back in good graces with the state of Colorado.

 

 

Friday total driving miles – 62

 

Saturday total driving miles – 3 (Saturday morning in Huntsville) and 717 (Atlanta on Saturday and early Sunday morning)

 

Sunday total driving miles –  99.9

 

 

I traveled just 99.9 miles with today’s rental car.  I paid an average fuel price of $2.96 giving me a 12.4 cent per mile fuel charge.  The Dodge Magnum provided fuel mileage of 23.8 M.P.G.  The car cost a hefty 32.6 cents per mile to rent, all taxes included. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 100 tracks (plus or minus) of my current trackchaser total.

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,176

 

2.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,106 (-70)*

 

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,090 (-86)*

 

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 992 (-184)**

 

* Warning, you are within 50 tracks of being removed from this list. 

 

** Special exemption.

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY STANDINGS

 

2007 (current thru 4/17/07)**

 

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 6.92

2. Gordon Killian, Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania – 7.08

3. Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 7.55

 

**Until the end of the year, NGD rankings are unofficial.  Rankings are affected not only by the leader’s activities but also by other trackchasers impact on the leader’s position in each state. 

  

 

 

Other notables

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 10 tracks (plus or minus) of Carol’s current trackchaser total.

 

31.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 310

 

32.  Chris Economaki, Ridgewood, New Jersey – 302 (-8)

 

33.  Gary Jacob, Turlock, California – 301 (-9)

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 38

 

2.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 27

 

3.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 17

 

4.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 15

 

5.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 13

 

6.  Rick Young, Maxville, Ontario, Canada - 8

 

6.  Roger Ferrell, Majenica, Indiana – 8

 

8.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 7

 

9.  Linda Rixon, Watford, England – 6

 

9.  Spike Rixon, Watford, England – 6

 

9.  Paul Weisel, Orefield, Pennsylvania – 6

 

 

Tracks have been reported by 30 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

#1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi

It’s ain’t trash talkin’ if you can back it up.

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Santa Ana, CA – Atlanta, GA – 1,919 miles

Atlanta, GA – Huntsville, AL – 151 miles

 

RENTAL CAR – HUNTSVILLE

 

Huntsville International Airport – trip begins

Huntsville Speedway – 31 miles

Huntsville International Airport – 66 miles

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Huntsville, AL – Atlanta, GA – 151 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR – ATLANTA

 

Hartsfield International Airport – trip begins

Low Country Kartway – 347 miles

Dillon Speedway – 389 miles

Hartsfield International Airport – 717 miles

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Atlanta, GA – Denver, CO – 1,198 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR – DENVER

 

Denver International Airport – trip begins

Valley Dirt Riders Kartway – 46 miles

Denver International Airport – 99.9 miles

 

 

AIRPLANE

 

Denver, CO – Phoenix, AZ - 602 miles

Phoenix, AZ – Los Angeles, CA - 369 miles

Los Angeles, CA - Santa Ana, CA - 36 miles

 

Total Air miles – 4,426 miles

 

 

Total auto and air miles traveled on this trip – 5,309 miles

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Huntsville Speedway – $10

Low Country Kartway - $15

Dillon Motor Speedway - $12

Valley Dirt Riders - $15

 

Total racetrack admissions for the trip – $52

 

 

 

 

 

Past trackchasing reports are available at:

www.ranlayracing.com

 

 

Official trackchaser standings can be viewed at:

www.trackchaser.net

 

 

Some of the data in this report comes: www.trackchaser.net

Garmin GPS

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

It’s time for my annual golf trip with my college fraternity brothers.  They are the men of Delta Sigma Pi.  We’ll play golf on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Could there be time for just one new track next Sunday?

 

 

 

 

 

RACETRACKS VISITED IN 2007 (** not the first time to visit this track)

 

 

1,139.  Meremere Dirt Track Club, Meremere, New Zealand - January 1

 

1,140.  Meeanee Speedway, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand - January 1

 

1,141.  Top of the South Speedway, Richmond, New Zealand - January 2

 

1,142.  Woodford Glen Speedway, Christchurch, New Zealand - January 3

 

1,143.  Robertson Holden International Speedway, Palmerston North, New Zealand - January 5

 

1,144.  Taupo Motorsports Park, Taupo, North, New Zealand - January 6

 

1,145.  Waikaraka Park International Speedway, Auckland, New Zealand - January 6

 

1,146.  Angels Stadium of Anaheim (inner oval), Anaheim, California - January 13

 

1,147.  Angels Stadium of Anaheim (outer oval), Anaheim, California - January 13

 

1,148.  West Valley Speedway, Surprise, Arizona - January 14

 

1,149. Sandia Motorsports Park (road course), Albuquerque, New Mexico - January 28

 

1,150. Grand Prix De Lanaudiere, Lavaltrie, Quebec, Canada – February 3

 

1,151. Ste-Eulalie Ice Track, Eulalie, Quebec, Canada – February 4

 

1,152. St Guillaume, St Guillaume, Quebec, Canada – February 4

 

1,153. Caldwell Rodeo Arena, Caldwell, Idaho – February 10

 

1,154. Balsam Lake Ice Track, Balsam Lake, Wisconsin – February 18

 

1,155. Northeast Pond Ice Track, Milton, New Hampshire – February 24

 

1,156. Lee Pond Ice Track, Moultonborough, New Hampshire – February 25

 

1,157. New Hendry Country Speedway, Clewiston, Florida – March 3

 

1,158. Florida Sports Park, Naples, Florida – March 4

 

1,159. Honeoye Lake Ice Track – Road Course, Honeoye, New York – March 10

 

1,160. Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas – March 16

 

1,161. Houston Motorsports Park, Houston, Texas – March 16

 

1,162. Dawgwood Speedway, Chatsworth, Georgia – March 17

 

1,163. Toccoa Speedway, Toccoa, Georgia – March 17

 

1,164. Tazewell Speedway, Tazewell, Tennessee – March 18

 

1,165. Malden Speedway, Malden, Missouri, Tennessee – March 23

 

1,166. Dacosa Speedway, Byhalia, Mississippi – March 24

 

1,167. Swinging Bridge Raceway, Byram, Mississippi – March 24

 

1,168. Florence Motor Speedway, Florence, South Carolina – March 25

 

1,169. Foothills Raceway, Easley, South Carolina – March 30

 

1,170. Mileback Speedway, Gray Court, South Carolina – March 30

 

1,171. Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Florida – April 1

 

1,172. Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada – April 8

 

1,173. Huntsville Speedway, Huntsville, Alabama – April 13

 

1,174. Low Country Kartway, Aynor, South Carolina – April 14

 

1,175. Dillon Motor Speedway, Dillon, South Carolina – April 14

 

1,176. Valley Dirt Riders, Berthoud, Colorado – April 15

 

 

 

 

 

The Colorado state bird is the Lark Bunting!

 

 

 

 

 

In the business world, the U.S. is often divided up into geographic areas that are referred to as East, Central and the “eleven Western states plus Alaska and Hawaii.”  No, I don’t know why they don’t just say the “thirteen western states.”  Those states include  Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming and, of course, Alaska and Hawaii.

 

The far west probably has the most beautiful scenery per square mile anywhere in the United States.  This got me to thinking.  Over the next 2-3 years, I’d like to put a “full-court” press on these far west states for trackchasing purposes.  I want to establish a goal of becoming the number one trackchaser in each of these states except California by the end of 2009.  Becoming #1 in California is not a realistic goal at this time. 

 

Below is a listing of these thirteen Far Western states.  The state’s name is followed by my current rank and how many tracks I need to see to gain at least a tie for 1^st place.  As an example, I’m currently in ninth place in Alaska and trail first place by three tracks.  I’m looking forward to spending more time than usual is the Far West, a great part of our country.

 

Alaska – 9^th - 3

 

Arizona – 1^st

 

California – 2^nd – 51

 

Colorado – 2nd – 1

 

Hawaii – 3^rd – 1

 

Idaho – 3^rd – 2

 

Montana – 2^nd – 1

 

Nevada – 2^nd – 2

 

New Mexico – 5^th – 2

 

Oregon – 1^st

 

Utah – 2^nd – 1

 

Washington – 2^nd – 2

 

Wyoming – 2^nd - 2

 

As you can see I don’t have far to go in most states.  However, if I have to get most of these tracks on a one track per trip basis, it could take some time.  Each time I see a Far Western U.S. track, I will keep you posted on my progress.  We’ll see how it goes.