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Word Picture of Travel Terms

There's something undeniably magical about a road trip-the sense of boundless freedom, the ever-changing scenery, and the thrill of the unknown. It's not just about reaching a destination; it's about the experiences along the way. The hum of the engine, the wind rushing through open windows, and the endless stretch of asphalt ahead create a rhythm that lulls you into a state of adventure.

The Beginning: Anticipation and Excitement

Every road trip starts with anticipation. The night before departure is filled with last-minute packing, checking maps (or GPS), and that giddy excitement that makes sleep elusive. The car is loaded with snacks, playlists, and a mix of essentials and just-in-case items. As the engine starts the next morning, the journey truly begins-windows down, music up, and the open road calling.

The first miles are electric. The cityscape fades into suburbs, then into open countryside. The world feels full of possibilities. Conversations flow easily-plans, memories, jokes, and comfortable silences. The road is a companion, always moving forward, urging you to see what's around the next bend.

The Middle: Unexpected Discoveries

A road trip is never just about the highway. It's the detours that make it unforgettable. A hand-painted sign for a roadside attraction, a local diner with the best pie you've ever tasted, or a scenic overlook that wasn't on the itinerary-these unplanned moments become the heart of the journey.

Small towns welcome you with their quirks-a vintage gas station, a Main Street frozen in time, or a friendly waitress who calls you "hon." The landscape shifts: rolling hills give way to deserts, forests morph into plains, and mountains rise in the distance. Each mile brings new textures, colors, and stories.

There are challenges, too-wrong turns, sudden rainstorms, or that one rest stop with questionable bathrooms. But even these become part of the lore, the tales you'll laugh about later. A flat tire in the middle of nowhere leads to an encounter with a kind stranger. A missed exit becomes a chance to explore a hidden gem.

The Rhythm of the Road

Hours blend together in the best way. The playlist shifts from upbeat anthems to mellow tunes as the sun dips low. Golden hour bathes everything in warmth, and the world feels slower, softer. Conversations deepen as the miles pass-dreams, fears, and the kind of talks that only happen when you're untethered from daily life.

Night driving has its own magic. The road is quieter, lit only by headlights and the occasional glow of a distant town. The stars seem brighter out here, away from city lights. A 24-hour truck stop becomes a beacon of coffee and greasy comfort food, the neon sign a welcome sight in the darkness.

The Destination-and the Journey Home

Eventually, the destination appears, whether it's a national park, a coastal town, or a loved one's doorstep. There's satisfaction in arriving, but also a quiet longing for the road itself. Because the truth is, the trip isn't just about where you're going-it's about who you become along the way.

And then, there's the return. The road back is different-familiar yet changed. You're wiser, wearier, but full of stories. The car smells like adventure: sunscreen, fast food wrappers, and the faint scent of pine from that hike days ago. Home feels both comforting and strange after so much movement.

Why We Keep Going Back

A road trip is more than travel; it's a reminder of life's spontaneity. It's about control and surrender-planning the route but embracing the detours. It's about connection-to the people beside you, the strangers you meet, and the land unfolding outside your window.

And when it's over, you'll find yourself dreaming of the next one-because the road never really leaves you. It whispers in the everyday, calling you back to where the horizon never ends, and the journey is everything.

In the report below, the county's county seat is used as a starting point for a county. From there, all county seats within 250 straight-line miles from that county seat orgination point are shown. In those instances where a county does not have a county seat, than the largest city within that county is used as a reference point. There are a few cases where a county has two county seats, in that case, one is arbitrarily selected.

 
Spokane (Spokane County, WA)
Seattle (King County, WA)  
Dallas (Dallas County, TX)  
Manhattan (New York County, NY)  
Chicago (Cook County, IL)  
Wallace (Shoshone County, ID)  
Atlanta (Fulton County, GA)  
Los Angeles (Los Angeles County, CA)  
Bonners Ferry (Boundary County, ID)
Cascade (Valley County, ID)
Challis (Custer County, ID)
Coeur d'Alene (Kootenai County, ID)
Council (Adams County, ID)

Grangeville (Idaho County, ID)
Lewiston (Nez Perce County, ID)
Moscow (Latah County, ID)
Nezperce (Lewis County, ID)
Orofino (Clearwater County, ID)

Payette (Payette County, ID)
St. Maries (Benewah County, ID)
Salmon (Lemhi County, ID)
Sandpoint (Bonner County, ID)
Wallace (Shoshone County, ID)

Weiser (Washington County, ID)
Anaconda (Deer Lodge County, MT)
Boulder (Jefferson County, MT)
Butte (Silver Bow County, MT)
Chester (Liberty County, MT)

Choteau (Teton County, MT)
Conrad (Pondera County, MT)
Cut Bank (Glacier County, MT)
Deer Lodge (Powell County, MT)
Dillon (Beaverhead County, MT)

Fort Benton (Chouteau County, MT)
Great Falls (Cascade County, MT)
Hamilton (Ravalli County, MT)
Helena (Lewis and Clark County, MT)
Kalispell (Flathead County, MT)

Libby (Lincoln County, MT)
Missoula (Missoula County, MT)
Philipsburg (Granite County, MT)
Polson (Lake County, MT)
Shelby (Toole County, MT)

Superior (Mineral County, MT)
Thompson Falls (Sanders County, MT)
Townsend (Broadwater County, MT)
Virginia City (Madison County, MT)
White Sulphur Springs (Meagher County, MT)

Baker City (Baker County, OR)
Enterprise (Wallowa County, OR)
Heppner (Morrow County, OR)
La Grande (Union County, OR)
Pendleton (Umatilla County, OR)

Vale (Malheur County, OR)
Asotin (Asotin County, WA)
Colfax (Whitman County, WA)
Colville (Stevens County, WA)
Davenport (Lincoln County, WA)

Dayton (Columbia County, WA)
Ellensburg (Kittitas County, WA)
Ephrata (Grant County, WA)
Newport (Pend Oreille County, WA)
Okanogan (Okanogan County, WA)

Pasco (Franklin County, WA)
Pomeroy (Garfield County, WA)
Prosser (Benton County, WA)
Republic (Ferry County, WA)
Ritzville (Adams County, WA)

Spokane (Spokane County, WA)
Walla Walla (Walla Walla County, WA)
Waterville (Douglas County, WA)
Wenatchee (Chelan County, WA)
Yakima (Yakima County, WA)

1019
736
758
949
748
 
831
858
881
852
869
 
700
924
807
990
939
 
711
879
906
875
1072
 
1006
1033
1057
906
832
 
1035
1002
874
931
1003
 
1004
917
892
970
1056
 
929
952
924
851
951
 
744
790
785
781
806
 
691
854
892
1004
942
 
850
904
920
981
993
 
846
862
845
1011
906
 
944
832
946
932
876
 
1931
1835
1748
1929
1858
 
1863
1912
1919
1874
1880
 
1872
1911
1745
1932
1886
 
1876
1730
1688
1704
1702
 
1732
1732
1762
1719
1688
 
1668
1686
1780
1692
1834
 
1891
1788
1743
1813
1738
 
1834
1863
1663
1657
1642
 
1925
1909
2016
1945
1985
 
1886
1913
1938
1996
1988
 
1956
2085
2044
1951
2066
 
2008
1941
2037
2034
1989
 
1957
1968
2074
2082
2079
 
86
205
221
44
191
 
107
90
72
87
70
 
239
32
186
63
0
 
228
162
199
189
240
 
176
191
184
168
221
 
246
216
119
194
90
 
65
98
147
84
201
 
52
28
223
242
245
 
208
156
227
181
185
 
249
95
78
118
105
 
126
219
169
72
180
 
173
105
202
153
118
 
72
150
194
206
226
 
1461
1434
1344
1474
1452
 
1436
1479
1480
1442
1444
 
1479
1462
1327
1468
1433
 
1480
1294
1246
1270
1218
 
1263
1257
1281
1276
1266
 
1194
1219
1343
1243
1366
 
1423
1340
1302
1352
1258
 
1383
1407
1218
1232
1191
 
1520
1492
1603
1531
1566
 
1495
1481
1496
1531
1537
 
1525
1648
1600
1490
1606
 
1580
1507
1611
1570
1546
 
1504
1542
1626
1638
1648
 
2120
2130
2041
2144
2147
 
2122
2161
2159
2126
2125
 
2178
2136
2020
2132
2105
 
2178
1979
1929
1956
1875
 
1930
1919
1938
1958
1959
 
1859
1889
2027
1924
2029
 
2085
2018
1985
2021
1916
 
2058
2077
1900
1924
1871
 
2214
2182
2292
2221
2253
 
2194
2163
2174
2192
2208
 
2208
2324
2274
2155
2270
 
2263
2189
2293
2230
2221
 
2174
2227
2297
2310
2327
 
1493
1312
1237
1467
1337
 
1369
1422
1435
1386
1396
 
1335
1443
1251
1483
1425
 
1343
1263
1233
1237
1312
 
1313
1324
1359
1263
1205
 
1266
1269
1307
1247
1403
 
1452
1330
1279
1372
1338
 
1376
1410
1217
1183
1208
 
1398
1397
1491
1427
1470
 
1346
1421
1455
1543
1516
 
1458
1587
1557
1497
1598
 
1503
1449
1527
1578
1504
 
1489
1464
1590
1593
1573
 
288
371
445
259
346
 
317
266
259
304
298
 
358
271
437
272
300
 
348
447
492
474
529
 
473
483
467
461
491
 
543
515
398
491
374
 
318
394
436
382
488
 
349
326
518
521
543
 
292
285
205
257
215
 
352
266
240
215
196
 
225
95
133
248
138
 
179
237
156
181
189
 
229
218
106
95
111
 
87
228
267
30
208
 
135
90
68
114
99
 
249
47
241
59
72
 
237
230
269
257
304
 
244
256
244
238
284
 
315
286
183
265
149
 
100
169
216
153
263
 
123
97
294
308
317
 
201
155
189
165
152
 
255
94
53
64
33
 
97
153
101
39
110
 
126
83
149
91
58
 
0
118
123
136
164
 


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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