> Funny how scale can throw you off, though. I looked at the zoomed in map of New Hampshire and thought "Hey, that's not so small" before looking at the scale... The length of New Hampshire in the LONGEST direction is less than the distance I would have to drive to visit either my family or Kaz! and [Spacebar]. Later on, I think I'll go boggle at how small European nations are. :-)

At its widest point, it would probably take 1.5 to 2 hours to traverse the state. From one end to the other it takes more like 4 to 4.5 hours. Less if the roads stopped being highways once I-93 hits the northernmost point.

> One other thing: There are both a Virgina and a West Virginia in the US. HUH?!?!? That seems weird... Every other "directional" state has a paired state in the opposite direction, like North and South Dakota and North and South Carolina. So why do you not have an East Virginia? I think someone should start a petition or something... West Virginia seems a bit like an afterthought to me.

It was. Virginia is one of the original 13 colonies, and, if memory serves, originally included the geographic area now separated into West Virginia. I'm not clear on the history of the split, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the Civil War had something to do with it.

At any rate, Virginia is a beautiful state and a beautiful name. Don't mess with it! :-)

S "wishes New York and Pennsylvania did not exist, so Virginia's beautiful countryside, flowering trees, friendly people, and high standard of living were closer" am