Last August 2008 while at Yellowstone Gerrit and Heidi began the license plate game. You play by finding in alphabetical order the states on license plates. As they were driving out of the Lake Powell parking lot they saw the last one they needed: Wyoming!
With each state came new challenges, joys, and excitement. I remember driving around the whole Old Faithful parking lot just to find an Alaska. We finally found it at the very end. On our way home from visiting Luke in Montana we had been searching for an Iowa. We saw a Kansas and then a few miles down the road we saw the Iowa. We pulled off the freeway hoping to the let the Kansas pass so that we could pass it again. Our tricky trick worked!
Our patience was tested. It took forever to find a Georgia. Sometimes we were lucky. Just a few days after the Georgia, Heidi was right behind a Hawaii. Sometimes we had to travel great distances. Gerrit saw the Delaware we needed on his trip to New York to see Radiohead in concert. On our last trip to Maryland we looked all day for a Rhode Island while in D.C. We saw it on our way out of the city.
They prepared. Gerrit and Heidi would look on the internet to see the possibilities of the next plate they were on. They plotted and schemed. They would keep in mind where they had seen different plates that were further along in the alphabet. One time they went for a drive just to see if they could find a particular plate. They ended up driving down a twisty private parking garage to find a gated entrance. With no room to turn around they had to back out of it. (Heidi was driving which made it all the more thrilling.)
Driving wasn't just driving--it was noticing every plate on the road. They got good at spotting old favorites from far away. Of all the states it seems like Montana has the most varied license plate designs. It was semi consuming and at times did not lend itself to the most safe driving practices.
One year and a few short months later they came out as champions!!!! They have already commented how it feels weird to be on the road and not have a license plate that they are looking for.
Congratulations Heidi and Gerrit!! You rock at the license plate game!! Your teamwork, collaboration, and enthusiasm sure paid off!
If you're interested in having some fun here is a website to get you started. http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/world/NA_USAX.html
1 comment:
Well done you two! That must have been quite the challenge.
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