The GPS Four Corners

The last time I took a road trip to the other side of the country and back was in 1993. On that trip one of the prime goals was to drive in all 48 continental states. Borders were a huge focus of the trip as well. I made sure to drive on the road separating Kansas City, Kansas from Kansas City, Missouri, the road separating Texas from Arkansas in Texarkana, the road separating Bristol Virginia from Bristol Tennessee, and the mother of them all the four corners monument where Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico all meet.

I have had a National Geographic book since I was about five years old that has an illustration in it of a rabbit sitting on the four corners spot. Ever since I first saw the picture I had to go and stand there. When I went there in the summer of 1993 they had just built up the fancy monument which is still there today. I remember it only costing $1. It really wasn't busy at all, I remember I had to wait quite a while before somebody else came along to take my picture standing on the spot. From what I hear that despite it's remote location, it is quite a madhouse these days. The fee is now $3.

Recently however, people have asked, "Is it in the right spot?" The answer seems to be - Yes and No. Modern GPS reveals that it is at least a few hundred meters off. The point was legally defined 100 years prior to GPS however and they aren't going to start moving borders around now. Even if it isn't in the exact 'intended spot' it is the spot where the four states meet legally and that is all that really matters. In fact, it seems GPS has been finding issues with all sorts of borders all around the world and it would tie up the courts for years if we were to start changing everything.

We're not sure yet if Arthur Adipose will get to see the Four Corners monument on this trip or not, but I'm just posting this to insure everybody who thinks we are too serious, that we are indeed fine with visiting stupid and pointless roadside attractions. We intend to have fun posing with the world's largest shuttlecock and we will have our reliable GPS to take us there. We just won't be supporting any businesses that promote supernatural nonsense (a redundancy).