Bummer that all the states on the map show up in red. I'd post mine, which is 46 or so out of 50, but I can't bear to turn Massachusetts, NY and Pennsylvania red. ;)

Yes and it was a real treat, too. Heh.

About 18 years ago, I arrived at the Rapid City airport. My favorite part was when we disembarked (on the tarmac) and were pointed to three glass doors all lined up beside each other. The doors were marked "Gate 1," "Gate 2," and "Gate 3." We were told to enter through "Gate 3." Mind you, each door went into the exact same lobby wth no dividers beyond probably a rope barrier between the three doors. Anyone who thought about opening "Gate 1" or "Gate 2" was reminded quickly that arriving flights from Chicago were to enter through "Gate 3." It would have made more sense to me if there was another flight unloading at the time, but I dutifully lined up with everyone else to enter through "Gate 3."

South Dakota was an attractive and quirky place and I mostly enjoyed my visit. I was on assignment to do a story about an event at Mount Rushmore. I recall the entire state seemed to smell like clover.

Yup.  Pity.

Well, it's hard to go wrong with most of the smallish liberal-arts-college towns in New England in the fall. In Maine's case, the vicinity of Colby or Bowdoin & Bates are winners (but have to remember that fall starts/ends earrrrly there). You could stick to places like Northhampton/Amherst, Williamstown, or Pittsfield in Massachusetts, but IMHO the locals there aren't nearly as interesting as the Mainers. You'll have more crowds from NYC in western/central Massachusetts, too.