If I began a task, I like to complete it. I generally finish any book I start, even those that are less than compelling. When I told myself I wanted to learn how to play the piano again at age 40, I stayed with it until I could perform in a recital . . . before my fellow students, who were of the age 7-12 variety.

That same push to finish what I start is how I ended up in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada this past weekend.

Nevada has an interesting history, becoming the 36th state on October 31, 1864, after telegraphing its constitution to the Congress days before the November 8 presidential election.

“Statehood was rushed to help ensure three electoral votes for Abraham Lincoln’s reelection and add to the Republican congressional majorities. Nevada became the second of two states added during the Civil War (the first being West Virginia).“

Now 160 years later, I crossed the line from California into Nevada to make it the final stop on my bucket list quest to visit all 50 states. After traveling to Alaska last year, I’ve been itching to join the All Fifty Club.

To complete this longtime journey, Candice, Claire, and I left Alameda on Saturday morning for the drive to Lake Tahoe. It was exciting to take in more of the beauty and grandeur of this amazing country.

Of course, Nevada wasn’t always a part of the United States.

“Prior to European contact, Native Americans of the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes inhabited the land comprising the modern state. The first Europeans to explore the region originated from Spain. They gave the region the name of Nevada (snowy) due to the snow which covered the mountains at winter.”

Present-day Nevada became Mexican territory in 1821 and was acquired by the US in 1848 following the Mexican-American War. The discovery of gold and the outbreak of the Civil War changed the state’s history.

Some tasks take longer than others and some—like this—are much more pleasurable than the average to-do list item. It took me almost 70 trips around the sun to reach this goal. The bucket list quest began, unofficially, in 1955 when I arrived in Tennessee. By high school I’d visited most of the Southern states plus Indiana and Illinois. My adventure picked up as I began attending National Trust conferences (the first was 1976 in Philadelphia), and it went into overdrive when I began to work for the Trust in 1996 and traveled all across America.

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It was appropriate that Claire was with me when I reached this milestone. I’ve been to more states with my daughter than with any other member of the family, primarily because the two of us drove on a cross-country tour in 2014 (another bucket-list item for me) in a little less than three weeks. We pulled into our destination after visiting 13 states.

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The trip to Nevada was not just about the joy of travel, but it also signaled that my bucket list—an inventory of things to do before you die (or “kick the bucket”)—was very much alive and well. The key is to have a list with things that you really want to accomplish and would love to do. 

I was in my late 30s when I put together my first bucket list. I say first because they are, by nature, a work in progress. Some begin with very personal items that you are giving yourself permission to pursue, such as learning to play the piano again. Some morph into lists of ways to help others and make a difference. Expectations and situations will change. 

Visiting MLB ballparks is another personal bucket list goal. I have seven left. Among my acquaintances are individuals who have visited every presidential home, every congressional district in the U.S., presidential gravesites, (Washington is full of lobbyists), and state capitols. But I don’t focus only on fun or travel. Building a career around work that made an impact was important, as was retiring early enough to enjoy the next third of life. In that stage I’ve added the goal of reading five books a month for the rest of my life. One bucket list project that I completed during the pandemic year was to write one thank you note each week for a year to 52 people who shaped my life.

Bucket lists are optimistic, by nature. I like the idea of turning from cynicism to optimism. Cynicism is easy, while hope is risky and hard. A bucket list says, “I’m going to be out in the world, I’m going to make a difference, and I’m going to love what I’m doing.” A bucket list should include things you can do in an afternoon and things that will take the rest of your life.

A friend recently asked how many countries I’d visited. That total is now nearing 20, and by the end of next year Candice and I should be able to add about a dozen more. I’ve now added visiting 40 foreign countries by the time I reach 80 to my bucket list. Even with this most recent milestone, my bags are still packed!

With that in mind, let’s enjoy Johnny Cash’s classic tribute to life on the road: I’ve Been Everywhere.

More to come . . .

DJB

View of Lake Tahoe from the Nevada side. Photo from the Carol Highsmith Collection, Library of Congress.