While hitchhiking through New Hampshire nearly ten years ago, I fell over laughing when I saw the state motto written on car number plates: 'Live free or die'. Up until then, the undisputed winner of state slogans and mottos had been Nebraska's 'The good life' (which has since changed to 'Possibilities...Endless').

New Hampshire is a nice state, and when I was there, hiking the White Mountains and trying to climb Mount Washington wearing exactly the wrong clothing, I was determined to live free or die trying. Conway is an enjoyable place and it has a great hostel. There used to be the Old Man of the Mountain, a rock formation, but it fell off in 2003. Wasn't living free enough, I guess.

But back to state slogans and mottos, and there are some pearlers. Like Maryland: 'Seize the Day Off' (it was 'America in Miniature'. Love that!) Arkansas, 'The Natural State', which I guess means you can go nude everywhere; isn't Bill Clinton the former governor? Cailfornia, 'Find Yourself Here', when everywhere else I was lost. Colorado, 'Enter a Higher State,' with what kind of assistance? Wisconsin, 'America's Dairyland'. That makes me want to visit.

And it goes on. Connecticut, 'Full of surprises'. No, it isn't. Texas, 'It's like a whole other country'. That says it all, really. Pennsylvania, 'America starts here,' and therefore so should your visit. North Dakota, 'Legendary'. I've been there; does that make me legendray too? Kentucky used to have, 'Where education pays', while Kansas had 'Land of aahs.'

Who comes up with this stuff? I mean, Illinois, 'Mile after magnificent mile', or Delware, 'It's good being first'. If you're on a road trip through the states, highly recommended I might add, keep an eye out for the state slogans and mottos. They often change, for obvious reasons. It also gives you the chance to think up your own slogans like, California, 'Keeping the silicon industry afloat', or Utah, 'With a better, improved Jesus' and so on.

I love America, and no amount of neighbours spying on each other and those anti-terror full body cavity searches at international airports will keep me out. I certainly can't wait for a return trip to Colorado; I'm addicted to that higher state.