Latest news with #statecapitals
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Traveller visits all 50 state capitals and identifies the worst two
YouTuber Joey Kinsley, known as 'Sir Yacht', completed a challenge to visit all 50 US state capitals in just 30 days, driving approximately 500 miles daily. Kinsley undertook this 'speed run' to raise money for The National Alliance on Mental Illness, describing it as his 'toughest ever challenge' that left him physically and mentally exhausted. Despite previous stunts like running a marathon without training, the state capital journey was uniquely demanding, causing him to hit a wall early in the trip. He encountered both positive and negative experiences, finding some capitals like Olympia, Washington, and Albany, New York, to be the worst two - labeling them underwhelming or 'sketchy'. Conversely, Kinsley praised the beauty of states like Montana, Oregon, and Hawaii, and highlighted the friendliness of locals in places such as Madison, Wisconsin, and Helena, Montana. Kinsley noted that people in underrepresented areas appreciated his visit, eager to share their local history and attractions, and expressed a desire to undertake similar journeys in the future, albeit at a slower pace.
The Independent
11 hours ago
- The Independent
I traveled to all 50 US state capitals in 30 days — these were the two worst cities
"There were people screaming by the capitol building. Everywhere." YouTuber Joey Kinsley, who goes by the name "Sir Yacht" online, is telling The Independent about an odyssey he undertook in which he visited all 50 US state capitals in just 30 days, driving around 500 miles a day (though he had to fly to Hawaii and Alaska, of course). The travel and food influencer, who describes himself as a "professional dumb**s", has previously "eaten only potato chips for 48 hours", run a marathon "without training" and swum in all five Great Lakes in one day. But the state capital adventure was his "toughest ever challenge", one that physically and mentally "cooked" him. The month-long "speed run" gave Joey, from Cleveland, Ohio, a fascinating snapshot of America, with eye-opening experiences coming thick and fast. But not all of them were ones he'd care to repeat. In that category were visits to state capitals he suggests visitors should avoid. One is Olympia, Washington state, where he encountered the screaming. Joey continues: "The screaming was very weird. The locals weren't mean, necessarily. But they were scary. "Unfortunately, Olympia was kind of sketchy." Albany, the state capital of New York, also underwhelmed. Joey explains: "With Albany, New York, I found very little to say positively about that place. Now, I'm sure the suburbs are great. I'm sure the people are great. But I couldn't leave faster." He adds: "A lot of the capitals are just a little rundown." Luckily for Joey, there were plenty of places that he enjoyed. He reveals: "I went through Montana, Oregon, Washington and other parts of California I hadn't been to. And it's just so beautiful out there. "The air is so fresh. I went through the plains of America, like North Dakota, and other places, and it's a little terrifying, but worth it when you get to go to these really beautiful, lush areas. "And it was the first time I'd ever been to Hawaii. And it was awesome. Really cool." Joey also picks out some places as having particularly friendly locals. He reveals: "Madison, Wisconsin — super, super friendly. Little Rock, Arkansas — really friendly. Helena, Montana — very, very friendly." Joey discovered that locals in places that don't get much limelight loved the attention. He explains: "What I discovered is that people love representation. If you're in a place that's underrepresented or not talked about, the locals will ask, 'Why are you here?' When I told them I'm visiting all 50 of the US state capitals they wanted to hear more about the journey and they got really excited. They want to show you the cool spots and the cool history." If Joey repeated the trip, would he do it differently? He replies: "If I were to do it again, it would probably be broken up, so that I could enjoy the areas more, learn more about it. I essentially did a speed run of the United States. "I thought I would hit a wall about halfway through the tip. But I hit a wall on the second day. "It was just the amount of driving. After the second day I was like, 'Holy cow, I'm staring down the barrel of a gun. I have 28 more days after this and I'm already exhausted.'" However, despite the fatigue, Joey says it was a "really cool thing to do". He says: "Talking to people from every walk of life, meeting people on the open road… it was a really cool thing to do. And I'm eager to do something like that again."
