Reader Appreciation Three-fer Friday: Of Pucks and Paddles

So this whole Flyover America thing kicked off a year ago. A whole year. One of the best bits about writing Flyover America is, post posting, waiting for the comments to come in. The back and forth with all of you is just great fun (and you crank up our I-want-to-see-that! in a big way).

From our early days as a bloglet living on the site of our birthparent, World Hum, one reader has joined in the conversation more than the rest. If we gave out FoFA badges, Chris Brown would, most certainly, get a gold-plated one. A “faithful FA reader since day one”–his words, not ours–Chris has been to 49 states (he just needs Alaska to complete his collection) and a bunch of other countries. So we thought it fitting to invite the Huntsville, AL-based aerospace engineer, registered patent agent, and paintball field owner in to add his voice to this week’s Three-fer Friday. Oh, he also chose the topic: I went for the sports, stayed for the place.

They're waiting for you in Bemidji.

“Only in college hockey could Alabama-Huntsville and Bemidji State (Minnesota) be bitter rivals. And without college hockey I would never have driven nineteen hours from Huntsville to Bemidji in my 1986 Cutlass Supreme. Fortunately for me, I did get to see beautiful Lake Bemidji and the Headwaters of the Mississippi. I got to see the famous statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox, who local legend says was made anatomically correct but later neutered at the insistence of offended townspeople. Best of all, I learned the meaning of Minnesota Nice from guys like Millsy and the Beaver faithful at watering holes like the Corner Bar. I really only hate those guys for 60 minutes at a time.”–Chris

West Virginia is cash poor but beauty rich. Photo by Sophia Dembling.

I’m not big on spectator sports; the last team I followed was the Amazin’ Mets. Yeah, I’m that old. But had my first travel-writing assignment not been whitewater rafting on the raucous Gauley River in West Virginia, I might not have visited this exquisitely beautiful state.

West Virginia keeps a low profile, probably because it can’t afford to get our attention; only Mississippi has a lower median household income. But since that first trip, I’ve returned to WV a couple of times, exploring Charles Town, taking the waters in Berkeley Springs, learning a thing of two at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. West Virginia is our Cinderella state–poor but beautiful.–Sophia

This is Rhett. According to his bio, his "favorite foods include corndogs, hotdogs, chili dogs, and BC Eagles." Photo from goterriers.com.

Another college hockey tale. As an undergrad at Boston University (1988-1992), I preferred watching games from the discomfort of the old Walter A. Brown Arena–now games are played at the fancy schmancy Agganis Arena–but, when away games around town called for it, I went. Looking back, I realize I probably wouldn’t have ventured up to the land of the Boston College (blech) Eagles–Chestnut Hill, MA–or out to Northeastern’s section of Boston all that much. I saw more, experienced more, and expanded my understanding of Boston. (But, seriously, those B.C. kids were trouble–during one game they hurled pennies at our heads. Classy, eh?) Oh, um, cause Terrier pride keeps on keeping on: huzzah for the 2009 NCAA men’s hockey champs!–Jenna