{"id":7477,"date":"2011-03-08T18:24:04","date_gmt":"2011-03-08T23:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/?p=7477"},"modified":"2022-02-18T07:42:55","modified_gmt":"2022-02-18T12:42:55","slug":"pitiful-count","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/pitiful-count\/","title":{"rendered":"It Counts but It’s Pitiful"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019ve had a lively discussion in the comments<\/a> in relation to the “I\u2019ve Barely Been There” article. I described the official 12MC Rules in the original article: if I touch the geographic area, no matter how briefly, I count it as a visit. I defined “touch” as anything more than flying over it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One doesn\u2019t actually have to grab a handful of dirt. Automobiles, trains, horses, white water rafting or shoe leather would all be acceptable intermediaries. Helicopters, airplanes, hot air balloons, hang gliders or winged dragons would be excluded except for where they land. I\u2019m conflicted with ocean-going vessels that bump into territorial waters although I\u2019m inclined to consider those out of bounds too, except where they pull into port and one disembarks. Those are my personal criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Other Opinions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, that\u2019s the beauty of counting. Each participant defines his or her own rules. Here are some thoughts from a few readers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n