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A goal sixty years in the making

The Fifty-State Goal

Tom began riding in 1948 and eventually turned at least one pedal in every state. These are the surviving photographs that help document the journey.

50 states completed39 state photographs preserved here2008 final state

Tom at the Welcome to West Virginia sign after completing his fifty-state goal. — West Virginia · The fiftieth state

Photographic evidence from the road

One State Line at a Time

Not every state has a surviving photograph, and several pictures document a landmark rather than the exact border crossing. Together, they form the clearest visual record currently preserved of Tom’s fifty-state accomplishment.

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Alabama state line or state landmark. — AlabamaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Alaska state line or state landmark. — AlaskaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Arizona state line or state landmark. — ArizonaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Arkansas state line or state landmark. — ArkansasPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the California state line or state landmark. — CaliforniaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Florida state line or state landmark. — FloridaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Hawaii state line or state landmark. — HawaiiPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Idaho state line or state landmark. — IdahoPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Illinois state line or state landmark. — IllinoisPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Iowa state line or state landmark. — IowaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Kansas state line or state landmark. — KansasPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Kentucky state line or state landmark. — KentuckyPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Louisiana state line or state landmark. — LouisianaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Maine state line or state landmark. — MainePhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Massachusetts state line or state landmark. — MassachusettsPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Michigan state line or state landmark. — MichiganPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Minnesota state line or state landmark. — MinnesotaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Mississippi state line or state landmark. — MississippiPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Missouri state line or state landmark. — MissouriPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Montana state line or state landmark. — MontanaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Nebraska state line or state landmark. — NebraskaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the New Hampshire state line or state landmark. — New HampshirePhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the New Jersey state line or state landmark. — New JerseyPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the New Mexico state line or state landmark. — New MexicoPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the New York state line or state landmark. — New YorkPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the North Dakota state line or state landmark. — North DakotaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Ohio state line or state landmark. — OhioPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Oklahoma state line or state landmark. — OklahomaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Oregon state line or state landmark. — OregonPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Pennsylvania state line or state landmark. — PennsylvaniaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the South Carolina state line or state landmark. — South CarolinaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the South Dakota state line or state landmark. — South DakotaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Tennessee state line or state landmark. — TennesseePhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Texas state line or state landmark. — TexasPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Vermont state line or state landmark. — VermontPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Virginia state line or state landmark. — VirginiaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Washington state line or state landmark. — WashingtonPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the West Virginia state line or state landmark. — West VirginiaPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

Tom or his touring bicycle photographed at the Wisconsin state line or state landmark. — WisconsinPhotographic record from the fifty-state goal

The final pedal

“That first pedal in West Virginia was very emotional for me.”

Read Tom’s fifty-state story