Idea: Palindrome road trip
It’s not unheard of for small American towns to change their name in order to get publicity. So here’s an idea for a large scale coordinated multi-state name changing scheme that’s sure to draw tourists: In every state where it’s phonetically possible, there should be a town that creates a palindrome when combined with the state name. Then the ultimate road trip would be to drive from Aksala, Alaska to Adirolf, Florida visiting every palindromic town in between… and then driving back in reverse.* So far, it looks like Saxet, Texas and Adaven, Nevada are the only ones that already exist (sorry, Zion, Illinois — close but no cigar). Visiting Apollo, PA gets you bonus points.
*I mean visiting every city in reverse order, not driving with the car in reverse.
Comments
Also, see that Ak-Sar-Ben thing in Nebraska: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ak-Sar-Ben
Posted by: Anonymous | July 15, 2008 10:16 AM
I think I’m going to avoid Sttesuhcassam, MA. :D
Posted by: Samuel | July 15, 2008 10:30 AM
While probably similar in other states, I love how in Michigan you can visit Christmas in July, and go to Hell and Paradise all in the same day!
The Palindrome thing is ingenious though.
Posted by: Ben Carlson | July 15, 2008 10:56 AM
@Samuel - I can’t see Ippississim, Mississippi being very popular either.
Posted by: Chris | July 15, 2008 12:01 PM
Lots of luck on driving from any of the others to Iiawah, Hawaii.
Posted by: RichM | July 15, 2008 1:53 PM
Or slightly different: Get a group of cities to all change their names such that when you visit them in a specific order their names make one long palindrome. Of course, that’s not as open to extension.
Posted by: Geoff | July 15, 2008 4:27 PM
Love your idea, and I am sure there would be many Australian tourists who’d go on tours to get them all ticked off!
In the very remote part of Germany where I come from originally, there are 3 towns and a city, called “Gingen”, “Suessen”, “Kuchen” and “Essen”. If you visit them in this sequence, it actually means “Went to eat sweet cake” - not bad :-)
Posted by: Matthias Schreck | July 15, 2008 10:27 PM
My state is a bit tricky. Will anagrams do? Not that we have a Wanton Sigh, Washington.
Posted by: Walt Guyll | July 16, 2008 12:07 AM
@ Chris: You obviously haven’t been to Mississippi. We have towns with names like Pascagoula, Kosciusko, D’Lo, Noxapater, Sebastopol, Shuqualak, and Toccopola, not to mention names like Coffee and Whynot.
To put it simply, Ippississim would fit right in.
Posted by: Chad | July 16, 2008 5:36 AM
Don’t forget the Yreka Bakery!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 17, 2008 9:20 AM
Try some of our New Zealand place names - Waikikamukau for example!
Posted by: Sharon Harper | July 18, 2008 8:08 PM
You mean anagram, not palindrome.
Posted by: Sheryl | July 23, 2008 7:17 PM
I see a future Tom Waits tour schedule in the works…. (PEHDSTCKJMBA!)
Posted by: Justin | July 30, 2008 3:39 PM