My final posting EXCEPT...

Hello from NH! Got in last evening to be greeted by a very excited dog! All freshly groomed! We bought him a new squeeky toy on the way home as it turned out he ate his last one.

Before leaving NYC, I visited the United Nations and took the tour. An interesting fact here. NYC spends more than $2 Billion on security for NYC. That, minus the PeaceKeeping forces, is MORE than the ENTIRE budget of the UN. Also, did you know that the International Court at the Hague is part of the UN? Did you know that the International Court is a holdover from the League of Nations?

I also visited Ground Zero in NYC before leaving the city. Not a lot to see per se except the huge amount of building and continuing demolition going on. Still, I found it very powerful to stand there and attempt to envision the moment on September 11, 2001. Toured a nearby [very very nearby] St. Paul's Chapel where there was an exhibit set up on that time. Simple but powerful. Made me wonder about the low budget of the UN all over again.

Easy ride home. Disoriented when we walked in and just walked around for about an hour....so funny. Even the dog wondered about us! My deep love and thanks to my wife for her willingness to spend 2 months in a small metal container and enjoy and share the country with me. Onto our next adventure!

I will post the link to the photos when we get them done so check the blog in about a week.
Good to be home!

Love, Matt

The Big Apple and the end of the road trip

We arrived in the Big Apple and abruptly came to a standstill as drivers jostled to weave their way into three lanes from six lanes. I noted that cars were crammed into the lanes reserved for emergency vehicles only. Our GPS system skillfully guided us through the maze of streets, except that he didn't quite realize that we wanted West Broadway instead of East Broadway. So you can imagine our surprise when we expected to find the Marriott in Times Square and we pulled up to a rundown building. OOPS! Now you're thinking, what's the bid deal, right? Well, we'd just driven 9 miles in bumper to bumper traffic narrowly missing taxis, bicyclists, trucks, pedestrians, horse drawn carriages who found sport in cutting cars off without warning. We'd just driven four hours from Washington, DC. So the thought of driving 9 miles in the opposite direction was a bit much to take. Matt was patient and did a superb job maneuvering the car through the maze of traffic. Surprisingly, I kept my screams to a minimum. My nerves were so shot by then that my synapses for fight or flight had stopped firing! We had to circumnavigate the block once we'd reached the hotel in order to reach valet parking. We pulled in and the valet checked our trunk full of bags, etc. After all, this is New York. Even the taxi cabs' trunks are checked as they pull up to the hotel. Suffice to say, we parked the car and vowed never to use it while in the city, except for the drive our on our trip home.
Ah, the broadway stage hands were still on strike. Matt secured tickets to Forbidden Broadway: A Rude Awakening. While standing in line we stuck up a conversation with a woman and her daughter. It turned out that the young girl was starring in Mary Poppins in the role of Jane. She was at this perfomance because she had to write a review on a broadway show for a school assignment. She goes to school every day, then appears in the show eight times a month, then is on standby for eight perfomances a month. There are actually three Janes who rotate through the show. One night while on call, she was doing her homework, when she learned that the Jane for the night became sick, so she had to jump in at intermission in her place. She was one poised, young lady. Her mom shared the life details of having your child in a broadway show. And you thought being a soccer mom was difficult!
Well, we are headed home today. Oddly enough, the time passed quickly, although re-entry should prove interesting, in addition to being a comsummate challenge. What, we don't have a housekeeper to change our bed? And I have to go back to setting an alarm clock? A loving thanks to Matthew for an incredible adventure on the road. His patience was appreciated as I'm not a morning person and he allowed me to sleep in . In turn, I tried to keep up with his energy level, OK, so I can't even come close, but I tried anyway. Perhaps the best test for any marriage is an extended road trip. I used to think it was home renovations!
Would I do a road trip again? Yup, in a heartbeat! See you soon. Love, Kare

Washington, DC

The last time I was in Washington, I was chaperoning 15 teenagers and we stayed in a youth hostel after driving 11 hours in a van. The city is crawling with families seeing the sights over the Thanksgiving recess. Suffice to say, that this trip is just a bit different! So today I spent the day in the company of another adult (that would be Matt)at the Corcoran Museum of Art. Two photography exhibits were featured: one by Annie Leibowitz and one by Ansel Adams. Ansel Adams is my favorite photographer--- this exhibit traced his roots as a 14 year old intern at Yosemite and his first landscape photographs to his last photographs. I was in visual heaven, immersed in his photographic world. Not only was he a talented photographer and an avid hiker, he was an environmentalist and worked tirelessly to save our national parks. He actually trained as a pianist, but once someone talented saw his photographs and talked him into pursuing photography. I'm hoping to take a photography course this winter, he was that inspiring! We walked and walked and walked all over the city taking in the monuments and an exhibit at the Air and Space Museum. Hey, Sarah and Ben---- remember when we took the train to Washington years ago? So many great memories from that trip! I'm so ready to be home, Kare

Matt here.
We head further north into the frozen tundra this morning arriving in NYC in about 4 hours. Our last night [Monday] will be spent on/in Times Square. We are both looking forward to being home but having said that, it has been an amazing trip. We have both learned an incredible amount about our country, our heritage and ourselves in the bargain. To finish the trip [well almost] in Washington DC is hugely appropriate and seems at least for me, to sort of wrap things up by touring so much of our history in this one area.

We both want to thank Devin Reed who most graciously and ably cared for our dog and our home while we were away. Thanks to her boyfriend and others who assisted her when the inevitable little oddities of our home reared their charming heads.

We also want to thank our friends on the road: David and Jane for the camp and the graceful beginning to our trip, Bryan and Linda {twice!} for Bamff, Lake Louise and for the Jamaican hot tub, Ric and Kathy for our extended stay, our dog and kid 'fix', Salli and Doug [x2 as we both traveled and had thanksgiving with them], Kris Bastian and her warm little cabin in the woods, George, Elwood and Terry for the great meal and rememberances, Garth my nephew for his company and for my dog 'fix', Travis and Stephanie in Phoenix for openning your heart to us and Sarah and Ryan in their new abode. You all provided warmth, humor, food, wine and great good friendship. MANY thanks from both of us! Know that you have a place to alight in NH at any time of your choosing.

And finally to our family and friends in New England to whom we return. We thank you for your patience as we show and explain in excruciating detail every one of our 3,300 pictures. [just kidding] Thank you for writing and keeping us connected to home.

Love, Matt

Onward and upward

As we work our way north, we spent a few days in Atlanta. As was noted in our previous blog, we spent the day at the Martin Luther Center and the following day at the Carter Center. Both were well worth it and had a huge benefit of giving us hope about America. It was rewarding to stand in a place dedicated to a US President I could actually be proud of. Also, relative to Martin Luther King I noted that one of his major influences was Ghandi. The picture is a quote from him.

Drove all afternoon up to Pigeon Forge just outside the Smoky Mountain National Park. Scenery was all about fall foliage and the dramatic mountain background. Very different type of mountains - much older than the Rockies and therefore more rounded and frankly more pleasing to my New England eyes.

Drove most of the day today to Charlottesville Virginia through soft, pristine rolling fields with immaculate farms in the warm sunshine to stay a few days and Thanksgiving holiday with Salli and Doug and their family. It is nice to be at a home and all that being in a home might mean. They even have a sweet 13 sweet dog who although he is blind, finds his way around easily and with grace.

Greetings to everyone and happy Thanksgiving!

Matt

Hello from Kare: The highlight of the Carter Presidential Museum for me was the Post Presidency section that displayed the work currently being done by the Carter Center. This organization works to eradicate specific diseases in third world countries through education and by introducing simple techniques that have successfully decreased the incidence of disabling diseases. I have so much respect for Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn and the work that they've done to help the disadvantaged. They've been involved with Habitat for Humanity and

other organizations. Incidently, both Carter and Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize. They both believed in the power of diplomacy and negotiation and using non-violent methods. Hmmm, what a concept!

The latter part of our trip has been more museum focused. Mostly because we've been based in city settings rather than National Park natural settings.

Hello to the ladies of the Birth Center. I'll be returning soon. I hope the unit has been completely renovated during my abscence. Happy Thanksgiving to all !

On our way, reflections of the road behind and ahead

Well, our trip East has covered considerable ground. We spent a night in Houston to meet up with several former colleagues [and I hope now friends] to get caught up with what is going on in everyones lives. We spent a bit of the day touring the Houston Space / Johnson Space Center. Although we both learned a bit, I personally found it kind of lame. Granted, I am keenly interested in the space program and therefore had greater hopes than perhaps most but we saw little of the current program.

Had dinner out with the aforementioned friends and had a great time. Thanks George and Barbara, Elwood and Lisa, and Terry!

Headed East to the Louisiana Bayou. A very pleasant drive along the coast seeing wildlife, the scenery and of course left over damage by Hurricane Katrina. Took a route up along the coast to Baton Rouge for the night. Today, made our way to Atlanta from Birmingham.

Reflections on the trip include first and foremost how incredibly lucky we have been to have this experience. An open schedule, enough funds and the energy and health to make it happen.

We met countless people, mostly informally, who have have been interesting to talk to, warm to the 'touch', and gracious in their service to us. Of these, the many waitstaff stand out. All have been more than willing and even eager to engage and to offer their perspectives of their home and environment. We were often steered in the right direction based solely on their guidance.

Other reflections include: We are further impressed that the Peace Corps, if it continues to look positive, is absolutely the right thing to do. Challenging and intimidating to be sure but still, the right thing to do if we can.

Finally, the goals of the trip, are only somewhat accomplished. As far as leaving Tyco behind, well, mostly that has happened. I will always miss being at the center of the action in terms of making positive things happen but I don't miss some of the elements of the corporate life and the way it is played.
We have seen a lot of the country but it has only whetted our appetite for more. We do have a better sense of where we want to go back to.

We have seen a lot of our friends but alas, not enough. That hole will never be completely filled and we both were sad as we drove away to continue our journey.

Finally, spending time with my wife has been a great experience. Not without some level of friction ,mind you, as we both tend to critique each others driving and the car does get small after two months. However, we had countless discussions about books, lives [others and our own], current events as well as the logistics of the trip itself. I would not trade this for a moment and wish all the same opportunity.

All from me for now, Matt

Kare here now: Just finished reading the book: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Thank you Salli for placing this book in my hands at a time when I dearly needed to reflect on the spiritual
side of my life. The same day that I started to read it, the author was featured on an NPR program. The program explored Americans heightened interest in eastern philosophy and meditation. Today we visited the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change in Atlanta. It's actually partnered with the National Park system. The exhibit captured key moments in MLK's life and featured audio clips of his speeches. I remember being in French class in high school when the news of his assassination broke. I came away with a real sense of who he was and what he accomplished. Of course I had to buy a book of his most famous speeches! The Freedom Hall had an exhibit of personal items, awards and medals awarded to MLK, his wife Coretta and Mahatma Gandhi. I paused at the marble casket in the midst of the reflecting pool along the Freedom Walk that holds MLK and his wife. I've been keeping an extensive daily journal and look forward to reflecting on various aspects of the trip when I return home. Lots of funny stories and memories to digest. A bit sleep deprived at the moment as have had a couple of rough nights sleep-wise. But, underground Atlanta is on the agenda for this evening!

El Paso onto San Antonio

Greetings all! Our trek East continue with a bit of a layover in San Antonio. I had been here some years ago and remembered my first Corona with Lime on the Riverfront. I had to show this very delightful town to Karen.

San Antonio, home of the famous Alamo story, is situated appropriately enough on the San Antonio River which winds its wayright through the heart of the city. The drive from El Paso was meant to be broken up midway but when we saw the halfway point we agreed to keep on trucking. It made for a longish day driving but like the northern equivalent of South Dakota, the only thing to do is to keep on trucking through it....and we did.

We arrived late but had reservations and EASY access to the downtown riverwalk. Warm, balmy, scented by flowers and vines, soft lighting in the trees all along the riverfront....well, it was well worth the effort to get here. We found a great restaurant overlooking the river with a deck outside that would have allowed me to gently toss a pebble into the water should I have been crass enough to do so.

Toured the Alamo the next day, along with Ripleys believe it or not, did some browsing and walking along the riverwalk, had another meal on the walkway and later that night went to a comedy club. Very small crowd but a few of the comedians were worth seeing. Intended to move on to Houston today but I wanted to try a tour offered on the Segways. Those segways are way way cool. My guide and I covered about 8 miles in 2.5 hours. Easy to learn to operate and very forgiving. I got a chance to see parts of San Antonio I never would have seen without a guide and the segway. We decided to stay in SA for one more night and head to Houston for the Space Center in the morning. Dinner tomorrow night with some former colleagues and now friends in Houston. Then we have to start making some serious time to make it to Virginia for Thanksgiving at Salli's and Doug's.

Anyone have interest in meeting us in NYC for a few days (Nov. 26, 27 and leave on the 28th back to NH) to see a few shows and eat great food? Let us know! matttowne@metrocast.net

Love, Matt

South of the border

Having arrived in El Paso, Texas we just couldn't resist walking across the border to Juarez, Mexico. It was a bit odd to walk across the pedestrian bridge along with many Mexicans. We paid our 35 cents to cross into Mexico and for that miniscule amount we gave the street vendors permission to beckon to us at every store. I haven't said no that much since I've had a 2 year old at home! (always with a polite smile, I might add) We sauntered around trying to read Spanish and I even spoke a few words here and there: like margherita, gracias, de nada. We did order a margherita and I eyed my ice cubes suspiciously wondering what organism they harbored. We stopped for lunch and I noted that we were being sized up by a trio of musicians seated on a bench in the restaurant. They were dressed in white embroidered shirt, boots, cowboy hats and carried well-worn instruments. They were more than happy to serenade us with the song called Margherita for the mere price of a tip. On our return trip to the US we walked through the Homeland Security building and while waiting in line I mentioned to Matt: "at least I don't have any fruit in my bag for once." Wrong again! When Matt placed our hiking pack on the screener he was pulled aside by security. OK, so I'd forgotten about the two apples I'd stashed away for hiking. Why they could have saved our lives on the trails. Fortunately, the security guy smiled as he tossed the apples in the trash can. Remember the knives in my backpack in Boston, Bonnie? We didn't escape Mexico without purchasing a large, colorful platter. It'd been awhile since I'd heard the expression:"Almost free!" All kidding aside, it was sobering seeing the drastic difference in worlds separated only by a bridge. I'm ever aware of how fortunate I've been in life and am ever grateful for the special people in my life: family, friends and Sarah and Ben and our newest member, Ryan. Adios, Kare

Sedona, Phoenix and thoughts at the turn

Sedona, with all of its gorgeous red rocks and cliffs was worth seeing at least once. Somewhat underwhelmed by the number of people on the hussle to sell us something. On the other hand, we got a great suite overlooking the red cliffs for very very little cash. Just won't do it again that's all. We did take a great hike that required a 5 mile off roading adventure to find the trail but the hike was easy and amounted to 4 miles up an easy trail to a great overlook for the valley and a nicely formed arch.

Moved on to Phoenix for the sole purpose of meeting up with my nephew [son from my estranged brother Ken] and his family. I hadn't seen Travis in several decades and had never met his wife. The evening meal was everything one could hope and we immensely enjoyed reconnecting. Travis is a school principal at a Christian school in Phoenix and his wife, trained as a clarinetist, is now active in the school as well. They are hosting a strong young woman from Korea for several years now and we had the delight of meeting her as well.

We moved on to El Paso as per the 'plan' and plan to spend a day or so here in Mexico and El Paso just to get reaquainted with Mexican culture. LONG day driving though on a highway with little to recommend it except for speed. Along the way however we did visit the Saguaro National Park and got reminded that these plants fight back. Beautiful in all its bleakness if that makes any sense.

Phoenix was our turning point back East. As of this morning we are now getting closer to New England and not further away. Our odyssey continues but it now has a flavor of 'going home' now that it did not have before. So far, nearly 8,000 miles travelled and most of Texas is out in front of us yet.

Btw, if you post to this blog, it automatically sends your email to us on my blackberry...I don't have your email addresses and the blog strips the email address from the message before it sends it to us. But we get your emails!

All for now. Love, Matt

Huge amounts to share!

Greetings all! It has again been a while since we have shared our travels with you. Internet access and campfires have kept us from posting. At any rate, the journey continues!

We met up with Salli and Doug late last Thursday and the next day headed to Bryce Canyon. Salli's comment sort of says it - this may be why the aliens [remember site 51 and Roswell?] chose to land out here. A very bizarre and DRAMATIC landscape. As has been the case we hiked deep into the canyon through many arches and up and down steep, open cliff facing. As a ranger would tell us later at the Grand Canyon, he didn't worry about us as we didn't fit the idiot profile of being between 16 and 35 with a six pack. Having said that, the path we walked was absolutely FULL of opportunity to have a mishap.

We spent the night at Bryce [my birthday actually], saw some more the next day and headed to a new dinosaur museum in St. George - Doug is into dinosaurs. In 2000 a man was digging a hole on his farm when he dug up a piece of sedimentary rock that had a large dinosaur footprint on it. Hence, the new museum on the site which is still actively being explored.

The weather in the mountains [elevation here is about 9000 feet] is getting cooler as we are chased by winter south. It was 17 degrees when we woke up in Bryce. I personally think Zion will emerge as my personal favorite. We did three hikes but our favorite was an 8 miler, involving paths that were absolutely beyond belief for views and hazard as the upper part of the path was about 2 1/2 feet wide and sloped toward the canyon and had no rail or other implement to stop your free fall down more than 3,500 feet. Look at it this way, you would have enough time to contemplate exactly what misstep that put you on that trajectory. The path gained 2,000 feet of elevation in 4 miles. It was a GREAT hike with my canyon buddy, Kare.

They had a great lodge and we stayed in a cabin. We were impressed with the food and service while there. We learned that the Xanterra employees agree to work in a variety of jobs and only pay $11 a day for lodging and 3 meals a day. Lots of laughs with Salli and Doug as they are easy travel companions.

And now for the Grand Canyon adventures from Kare............ Matt

OK, we'd seen all sorts of reddish,orange cliffs and canyons, so I wasn't prepared to be wowed by the immensity of the Grand Canyon. I think I was suffering from scenic vista overload. We took a flight on a Cessna 207 over the North and South rim. We actually flew over the prescribed burns that were happening in the North rim. Just amazing looking down on the scene below. While watching a sunset at Hopi Point Matt was almost bowled over by an enthusiastic hug from a tiny woman. Lo and behold, it was Linda, of the famed Brian and Linda, our friends from Calgary. Talk about serendipity. So we joined them for dinner and caught up on travel adventures! What are the odds of that happenng? We finally camped out under the brilliant stars in the Mather campground. Of course we had a campfire complete with S'Mores. Salli and I found an actual kit that included 4 long sticks for toasting the marshmallows. Happy to report that our new sleeping bags were toasty and comfortable. Nice change from the hotel scene. And after all, the Red Sox series has ended so we didn't need a TV! Met a couple from New Durham, NH on the shuttle bus. Hiked a piece of the Bright Angel trail, but my favorite hike was the hike in Bryce. Said good bye to the Grand Canyon and drove on to Sedona. All for now, Kare

A very good day - a lesson in following my nose to adventure.

Well, today, as the title would suggest was a good day. It had inauspicious beginnings at 2:30 AM when the hotel smoke alarm woke the entire hotel. I wandered out, sleepy and a bit dazed to find that the hotel staff was directing everyone back to bed. Good idea.

Roused myself to offer my services to the balloning pilots in a field nearby. Walked up and said that I was willing to help and literally seconds late Maggie grabbed me by the arm and said we could use you....and off we went. Moments later I was helping to assemble a 70 foot balloon in the shape of an indian clown. The pilot and his wife gave great directions and the other crew and I [all novices] spend about 30 minutes arranging and assembling the various components to the balloon. As we did our various assigned chores, we worked pretty well as a team. At one point I was holding the line attached to what would become the top and Tom, our pilot, said, "just keep it firm and when I add hot air I'll let you know." I am very very glad he did and had shown me how to hold the line in the event of having to let go....NO way was even my substantial weight going to keep that puppy from going airborne.

As we added our weight to the basket, he turned and said "ok, Matt and Karen [a different member of the crew], get in." This was totally unexpected and a great bonus. My expectations were to be part of the launch! We flew for about 45 minutes at 1000 feet over the Lake Powell Dam and the canyons. Absolutely spectacular!!!! We decended in a field and the chase crew caught up with us to allow the others of our crew to get their flight in.

Ultimately, the balloon landed in a badlands area that required a bit of pushing and shoving to get the balloon up the small cliff to where we could disassemble it.

As we went through the 'first flight' ceremony later with all the attendant hoopla and gravitas, we were invited to spend the afternoon on Lake Powell with 5 houseboats with all the crews and balloonists out floating on the water.

Once the balloon was safely stowed, I picked up Karen and off we went to an afternoon of meeting new people, seeing the cliffs from a new angle and drinking beer. A great group of people to meet and laugh with. Even a few of the folks went skinny dipping. NOT a shabby way to spend a day no?

Doug and Salli, two friends from Virginia are driving out to meet us tonight. Be great to see them again.

All for now - the festival continues tomorrow and Karen is also going to try to crew.

Remember, we love to get your comments! Kris, we've added more pictures but will, when all this is over, post a link to Picassa where you can view at your leisure....or not.

And tomorrow is yet ANOTHER sunny day...

Matt

One month today

Matt and I have found a natural rhythm to life on the road. It seems like we just left. Life on the road is not without its own stressors. Not knowing the territory, road systems, local culture with its unspoken rules and customs, and finding a place to call home for a day or two can be unsettling. Yet there are times when I feel a sense of pure joy while viewing the incredible scenic vistas, the natural wonders of the western landscape. Then there are times while driving long stretches of repetitive scenery that the Village Folk channel on XM radio adds a fun , nostalgic element to the experience. Yesterday we toured the Antelope Slot Canyon with a Navajo man as our guide. He was a bit irritable at first, but once I showed an interest in his talk and asked questions, he took me aside and showed me where to get the best shots and pointed out the various shapes. I'm sure it get tedious giving the same talk day after day. He was quite personable the rest of the tour. He kept saying stand over here, girl. I finally said to him: " How old are you anyway? He said he was 56. I kiddingly said: " I'm the same age." And I chided him when he said that he was old! We both have a lot of living to do yet! Hot air balloon festival is in town, Page, Arizona. I might just jump in one and take off! The freedom to come and go at will is totally freeing and exhilarating.

More later, Kare

Road signs

Greetings all!

It has been a few days since we've written. Between fatique, a lack of internet connections and of course traveling, we've gotten behind. At any rate, today finds us in Monument Valley having arrived late last night. We toured Canyon Valley en route here [well a third of it since it is very broken up in terms of access] and totally enjoyed the massive buttes and mesas. The pictures we have taken, while technically good, are hugely inadequate to the task of describing the landscape.

One of the things we've made a point of doing is to hike nearly every day we are in a park. Today was no exception. We took a 4 wheel drive road as far as we could and then hiked maybe 2 & 1/2 miles to the lip of a canyon. Our goal was to find the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. Alas, we did not and we might even been within a short distance but not have known it. No matter really - we found a large flat rock and enjoyed the moment with not a soul within 10 miles of us.

The title of this blog speaks to a feature of American roads that I've not seen as much elsewhere. Roadside signs marking events, topographical features and quirky little stories. These signs are literally everywhere and while in NH, I would occasionally stop by them for the 2 minute it took to read them. Out here, we've really made an effort to stop by as many as we can. They tell of stories important enough to someone out there that they research it, fund it, make a lasting posting, and go to the effort to erect it at the spot. They speak of outlaws hiding out in a canyon and being starved out and feeling grateful it was not the ranchers that they had robbed that found them. They tell of geologic uprisings, hardy travelers with 7 children and a tolerant wife living in a dirt floor hut for 10 years. They tell of prairie dogs, antellope, elk and that bears have been recently sighted. They share animal protection strategies such as don't fight a bear if he attacks [right.....] but do fight a mountain lion. And mind you, this is all contextual in that you, while reading this sign, are actually IN bear or mountain lion country so it is QUITE relevant.

So, for what it is worth, take the time to read these signs. Even around the area you live. Amazing stories can be found. And it has the added benefit of slowing you and [and us] down.

Spent a few days in Salt lake city - saw the major buildings of the Mormon faith. Had my usual aversions but a pleasant day nevertheless. Found an art gallery and a comedy club later that night. Also a very nice Italian restaurant.

Wound our way down to Arches National Monument and took three hikes the later of which was to delicate arch [photo] and brought us down in the end to nearly total darkness. Good hikes though totalling about 8 miles. Spent last night in Moab Utah.

I will be thinking of that restaurant as we dine tonight since Monument Valley is in a Navajo reservation and there is NO alcohol.

Don't forget to write!

Matt

We PASSED our Peace Corps Medicals!

Well that sort of sums up the BIG news on this end. We have the final review to go through but based on everything we've heard from them, we have two slots reserved in a english speaking Central or South American country. For us this is really big news and we are both delighted and scared to death...in just about equal measures.

Spent the day in Boise and will until we leave on Friday. Did an 8 mile hike high into the foothills overlooking Boise. VERY dry but oddly enough, there were the occasional puddle at 4,000 feet all by itself without any other water around. Plus, they have had no rain for some time. At any rate, a good hike in a very different climate than we are used to. Ric and I spent the evening at a sports bar [Cheerleaders] with our wives watching the Red Sox crush the Rockies. Ric and Kathy have been extremely gracious hosts - something we have been blessed with the entire trip. It was wonderful to meet their family, new baby and of course to play with Dexter their Golden.

The next day, did some mandatory car cleaning [do you have any idea just how groddy the car can get essentially living out of it?} and then played 18 holes of golf with Ric and one of his buddies. Played pretty well considering that I haven't hit a ball in 2 months. Then to dinner at their favorite downscale and very fun restaurant. Enjoyed the evening.

Took off for Salt Lake City and made a few stops along the way. One was a huge canyon that outlaws used to hide in until the local constabulary realized that all they had to do was to starve them out. Then on to Salt lake and to tour Antelope Island in the middle of the Salt Lake. Very beautiful and essentially unchanged since it's creation. Among other considerations on the island is that they raise Bisson to help repopulate Yellowstone National Park.

Onto SLC to find that the hotel we had booked had changed its address on our nav system so that was a bit of a pain to find out where they actually were. Plan to stay here tomorrow and then off to Monument Park.

Finally, just for curiosityI signed on to the VITAL website to see how the project I managed was going....to find out that my sign on had been revoked. VERY odd and disquieting feeling. Guess it is over?

Matt

Boise, Idaho

Arrived at Ric and Kathy's after a long day of mountainous,curvy roads. Drove past the Snake River and the Salmon River. Yesterday set out to discover downtown Boise, a city nestled in the valley surrounded by mts. Happened upon the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, a park whose purpose is to educate the world abouy human rights. There were a series of 40 quotes from people discussing the human condition. Some of Anne Frank's quotes were included as well. I was as moved by the park and it's surroundings as I was when I visited Anne Frank's place of hiding in Amsterdam. A tree was planted by a friend of Anne's whose parents gave Anne the diary that she wrote in. They presented it to her at her 13th birthday party. How ironic that the diary would prove to be her saving grace while she was hiding. Incredible coincidence. Matt and I strolled along the Greenbelt parks bordering the Boise River. Temp was in the 70's ( yeah, I actually wore sandals), then sat by the river enjoying the soothing sound of the river, the sun, the foliage. This is actually the first time on the trip that we've sat in one spot and just contemplated life, being in the moment. Then we visited the Boise Art Museum which had a display of photographs by Laura McPhee. The exhibit was actually assembled by the MFA in Boston! An elderly man who was obviously a docent followed me from exhibit to exhibit pointing out unique features. His sharing of his knowledge of the exhibits added immeasurabely to my enjoyment and understanding of the art. He was incredulous that we were on the road for two months. He recommended that we drive through Hell's Canyon. I replied that's how we arrived in Boise, all downhill! Yikes! The diversity of the landscape is mind boggling at times. All in all it was a perfect day and much appreciated after the long drive the previous day. Met Ric and Kathy's daughter, son-in-law and their 10 month of daughter, Audrey. Oh, and their golden retriever, Dexter. Capped off the evening by having dinner at restaurant with an Argentine flair. Great fun! A man came to our table and made delicious guacamole from scratch--- from cutting the avocado in half, depitting it, chopping it, mashing it and adding seasoning! First time I've witnessed that feat! Hope all is well with all of you, Kare.

The day in Yakima Washington

Today was a 'down' day in that we needed not to drive and to attend to some details. Items such as clean laundry allow our friends to let us visit and not attract a pack of wolves looking for the road kill. Changing the oil was also on the agenda with oOver 5,000 miles so far this trip. Also, Kare had a minor fender bender last night in her mission to get our dinner at the local Chinese diner. A somewhat impatient driver attempted to pass her on the right as she made a right hand turn. Basically a bumping but still a bit of a pain. These days make it possible to enjoy the sights later and see what is right here in front of our noses.

I wandered about town, went to a farmers market found a small but intriguing little park that had the original copy of the treaty between the Indians and the US Government ceding so much of their land. Also a copy of a letter / telegram from WWII informing the next of kin of a soldiers passing on the battlefield. Too much of that going on today as well.

Visited a bunch of wineries today and bought some to ship home and some to bring to our friends in Boise Idaho. met a guy who worked for the BLM and got some interesting perspective on what their job is. VERY broad responsibilities. Caves to trees, to mining, to vast tracks of open prairie and much more. We also visited a town nearby where they had painted maybe 30 murals on their buildings (LARGE murals) showing their history. This is an indian reservation and I think it was pretty balanced in the subject matter considering their history. Town was largely deserted as we wandered from mural to mural all about the town. A bit of a ghost town quality to it.

THEN THE RED SOX WON THE AL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!

Idaho bound tomorrow!

Matt

Bellingham to Yakima, Wa

We had Dinner at the Black Cat, a restaurant in a restored building with balconies all around each level with a direct view to each floor below. After dinner Garth took us for a walk around the oceanside walkway. He pointed out the ferry that transports people and cars to Alaska. Ah, another dream destination! Not this trip though. Saturday drove through a mountain pass: when we entered Mt. Rainier Nat'l Park rain turned to snow. Rangers were posted in the park advising motorists without all wheel drive or chains to turn back due to 6" of snow and more falling. Keep in mind that there are no railings in the park so one slip is into a ditch 1,500 feet or more deep! The larch trees were a brilliant yellow and the only deciduous evergreens in the area. Massive, snow covered evergreens were a striking contrast to yellow larches. All of a sudden ,the tune Let It Snow came to mind and of course I had to sing it! We entered White Pass and discovered two cascading waterfalls. It was 32-39 degrees F. The sun eventually emerged and the terrain changed dramatically to sheer, treeless cliffs that had a blocklike appearance as if someone had purposefully chiseled the columns. The culprit was actually lava that had flowed over uneven terrain. Learned that they are referred to as entrapments. Will have to discuss it with our son-in-law, the geologist. Hi Ryan and Sarah! I'm still amazed at the rivers and lakes within Washington State. The perpetual cloudy days with clear nights, and frequent rain would deter me from living here. Plan to explore the wineries today as there are 40 within the Yakima area. A delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon, don't you think? All for now, Kare

Vancouver, Canada!

Today was Vancouver day - in spite of the heavy rain that fell most of the day. Toured a compact and beautiful Chinese garden dedicated to peace between two peoples. I have always been inspired by oriental gardens of any sort. The art of simple expression - well placed and crafted shapes that calm the mind while creating energy.

We did something we've not done for many many years and that was to go into a 'head shop'. They are somewhat casual in BC about pot use [no we didn't and don't] and the shops around show it. It was very much like walking into the 60's in a somewhat limited way.

Had lunch on the revolving restaurant of the Towers...very nice very long lunch.

Off to visit my nephew Garth in Bellington Washington. Very nice after all these hotels to sleep in a home and be with Garth as family. His roommate, Dave, very personable and both young men interesting to talk to. Would have liked to meet Emily Garths GF but no luck on this visit. Also got my dog fix with Garths very active VERY well mannered Yellow Lab. Had my first dinner in a brothel last night. Interesting to say the least!

Off to Yakima tomorrow over the two mountain passes. I will let Kare describe those sections. Surfice to say, I am glad we have an all wheel drive and had chains on board.

Btw, in case you are wondering...the brothel was a brothel 50 years ago and restored to original condition.

Matt

First encounter with snow

It was bound to happen sooner or later and today was the day. We left Kelowna, BC on a cloudy, rainy day. We weren't complaining as we've been blessed with sunny days since our departure. What we weren't planning on was driving in snow. Driving through a mountain pass ( man, Canada certainly has its share ) we encountered rain, then sleet, then snow. It certainly made for great photos, however, the curvy up, up, up, then the down, down, down made for some tense moments. Let's just say that while Matt was driving I was super attentive looking for animals along the side of the road. We'd seen far too many wildlife along the roadside, [we had a very close call missing an elk by less than a foot yesterday in broad daylight] so we both stayed focused. We stopped at a trucker's diner called Eastgate ,where we overheard the locals discussing an accident that had just occurred on the section we were about to drive on. Fortunately, with Matt's driving prowess and the help of XM radio folk Village station, we arrived safely in Vancouver, Canada. He's watching the Red Sox game as I write. Go Red Sox!
The trucker's diner [also, a lonely outpost]had magazines to read so I grabbed British Columbia and Matt grabbed an issue of National Geographic. Not exactly what we expected at a truck stop. There was actually a pay phone ( hard to come by in the US now), post office boxes and a Greyhound bus terminal. We were 30 miles from the next town, in an area with NO cell phone coverage and had to traverse yet more curvy, mountainous roads. I think I'll be able to go up and come down the Mt. Washington auto road in NH with my eyes open from now on! Can't wait to see the city of Vancouver tomorrow before we head to the Seattle area to visit our nephew, Garth. Wishing for the straight roads of the midwest! I never thought I'd say that! Happy days, Kare

Dream of a lifetime

Yesterday I fulfilled my dream of visiting Banff National Park. Linda and Bryan Stearnes were kind enough to provide lodging in their lakeside home in British Columbia and chauffered us to the Park. Not only are they funloving, interesting people they are superb tour guides as well. Aside from the fantastic scenery, the highlights of the day were: seeing a gray wolf running along a roadside forest, a bull elk grazing in dowtown Banff, and enjoying a drink while gazing out of the Chateau's large window with a view of Lake Louise. The color of many of the lakes and streams are a Caribbean turquoise blue. Matt and I look forward to hosting them on the east coast soon. After a great visit, we departed for Roger's Pass through Canada's Glacier National Park. Fortunately, the snow was limited to the higher elevations as we drove through the pass, so we didn't have to drag out the chains. We were prepared anyway. We finally descended into a valley with green pastures. Lots of photo stops along the way. Stopped briefly in Revelton, a town that reminded me of No.Conway, NH. Tonight we are calling Kelowna, BC our home base. This trip hasn't been just about sight seeing and visiting friends, I've learned some new skills. I've learned how to use cruise control (yup that's right, Ben), how to use a blackberry for calls and sending emails, and how to navigate a laptop without a mouse! Reading two books along the way: Three Cups of Tea and Mountain Time, A Yellowstone Memoir by a park ranger, Paul Schullery. It's fun reading after having seen Yellowstone. Lots of info about the native plants and animals. On to Vancouver tomorrow! Miss you all. Love, Kare

En route with a detour

Hello all,

First of all, we know that we might have left some folks off distribution of this blog site by pure task overload on our part. If you know of anyone contemplating such an adventure or if you know of anyone who might be sufficiently bored and needs to get out more, feel free to share the URL around. Even strangers! One never knows where their next friend is coming from.

We spent the night in Bozeman Montana purely on a whim by me. One of my all time favorite books is "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig. This is not a quick nor easy read but it is an interesting read and I recommend it. It most likely is NOT an airline book [the kind I used to buy at one end of a trip and discard into the trash on the other end]. At any rate, the author used to teach at the University of Montana in Bozeman. For only that reason I wanted to see the English department he taught in while he was going through his trials and tribulations. Hence the night in Bozeman. It is nice to indulge one's whims now and again.

The scenary and such at the park yesterday was once again spectacular. I find that we are very quickly running out of superlatives in describing what we are seeing. I ask for your indulgence in this as we try new ways of describing what we are witnessing. After all, it isn't every day in our little town of Rochester that we encounter a herd of elk pooping on the sideway with a nervous male elk huffing his hormonal message to his harem on the front lawn of the park service hotel. Hot springs everywhere and it made me very mindful of another book by Bill Bryson where he describes the caldera that is Yellowstone Park and what it means for our planet. Let me just say, it makes global warming irrelevant in either the near or far term.

Trek north to Somers Bay just outside of Kalispell. Actually the scenery was mostly New England like so while pretty, it felt more like 'home' than any place we have been to thus far on the trip.

We have enjoyed the chance encounters with all manner of people, some longer than others, that one meets on the road. Vastly different than business travel in the most part where the emphasis is often on speed and efficiency. I suspect the difference is less with the style of travel and more with where I am at.

We are headed to Bryan and Linda's camp in British Columbia in Canada tomorrow for a few days. Very much looking forward to seeing them again as they are also Jamaican Graduates. Very easy company.

Hope all is well with everyone who reads this note. Write when you can as we both enjoy getting your comments which come out on my blackberry as we drive along.

Matt

Oh, my god--Yellowstone is amazing

We entered the East entrance of Yellowstone Nat'l Park and within minutes found 3 bison grazing right by the roadside. I could actually have reached out my window and touched one. Then while driving along, an owl swooped down towards the front window of the car: wings outspread within 4 ft. of us. That was an OOO, Ohh moment. All told, we saw herds of buffalo, herds of elk, a coyote, 2 bald eagles, a huge elk with a 6 foot wide antler span, mule deer and a few scampering chipmunks! The geothermal areas were numerous, some descended into lakes. On the drive back to our hotel, we noticed cars stopped. Ten bison were crossing the road single file. Five cars were held hostage until while the bison decided to cross the road. The cars just had to drive around them.
The traffic in the park and the surrounding highways has been surprisingly minimal. A bit spooky at times. Hmm, maybe I should listen to the news! All entrances to the park close Nov.5 to the public. There were traces of snow from last weekend here and there. Now they are offering winter tours in snowcats used at ski areas. I'll pass on the winter tour, thank you very much. See ya in Montana and Alberta. Love, Kare
Today we'll be entering the park and traveling northward towards Montana.

Other stuff while traveling

Hello all,

We have probably bored you with all manner of trivia of our travels so I thought I would extend the streak in a new direction and talk about what it feels like to be gone for two months....or how I expect it will be when I / we are actually gone two months instead of the two weeks we have actually been gone. The particular focus will be discussions in the car between my wife and I.

My wife and I find that faced with the seemingless endless Dakota and Wyoming prairies, we actually interact on a different level that is not task driven, not driven by her work or my work [since I have none], or by what the kids are doing in their own lives since we rarely hear the minutia that adds meaning to the conversations. The discussions, often light hearted, occasionally not, often tangents to what we finally get around to saying, are surprising, warm, maddening and more. This is a bit of a surprise as we've been married for 33 years now and thought we had pretty well covered the waterfront of possible discussions. I know that I have had an epiphany or two along the way. I suspect that she has as well.

Interestingly enough, this driving and talking thing worked really well with our children when driving them to and from various sports/games that they had over the years. Somehow it seemed easier when they were facing forward and not at you and really had to have second thoughts about leaping from a car doing 60 miles an hour on the highway in order to escape the conversation. Perhaps this ought to be tried for more people who really need to discuss things. Imagine, you could invite your troubled boss out for a 60 mph ride for an hour or so to 'sort things out'. Make sure you are the one driving though. Or perhaps that young thug who is terrorizing your neighborhood or the grumpy old man who always kicks your newspaper into the puddle.

Who knows? It might even work on a global level with Bush and Putin! They would of course have to do this on Air Force One or whatever the Russian equivalent is. In that case, to escape, they would need air tanks and a mask which would be a certain giveaway that they were not engaged in the conversation.

At any rate, on to Yellowstone in the morning. Hope you try this technique and that you let me know if it works for you. I'll cut you in on the profits.

Matt

Wyoming

Yesterday we visited Mt. Rushmore. It was a clear day and the photos we took had a blue backdrop that was stunning. The museum that documentated the carving of the presidents heads was well done and the facts were presented in a fascinating manner. Really worth the trip. We stayed at the White House Resort! Drove on to Wyoming and had lunch in Sundance, the home of the film festival and Robert Redford. He was out of town, so we missed connections! When we arrived in the town of Buffalo, we happened upon a charming hotel that has the original furniture from 100 years ago. We stayed in the Herbert Hoover room (local lore has it that he stayed in this very room. Each room had old tube radios in them and the owner broadcast old radio shows on them.

We took a walk along the river trail and then through the charming town. The waitress at dinner told us that mountain lions were seen in town this summer. Cut down on the joggers for awhile. Town was miraculously plunked down in the middle of an massive expanse of grazing land. Had bison medallions for dinner. Off to Yellowstone today! Matt says hello and yes, we are still talking to each other. Sorry, Sylvie!

The Badlands

Greetings all!

Yesterday we found ourselves in the midst of the most dramatic scenery I've ever seen... the Badlands of South Dakota. Amazing what time and erosion will produce. We toured as much as was possible without actually going down into the canyon. Since we didn't have the water and the requisite maps, that option was not available.

Kare here We arrived in Sioux Falls and had just settled down for a long autumn sleep, when what to our ears did we hear? The droning of the fire alarm at the Residence Inn. It was 1 am and most of the residents,that would be us, vacated to the parking lot waiting for the fire dept to arrive. Our room was saved, so we went back to sleep. En route to Keystone, had the thrill of seeing scores of prairie dogs popping out of their holes. Then in Badland Nat'l Park happened upon several herds of deer. And we drove for 35 miles through the Badland area. Now all I have to see is a bear, bison and where the antelope play. I would not want to be home, home on the range here. Way too isolated for my taste. Visited a mock up of a prairie home with sod walls and read the sign that the US govt hoped that the settlers starved to death before they had to turn over 160 acreas to them.
Today we're off to see Mt. Rushmore before we drive to Yosemite Nat'l Park. Oh, and forgot to mention that we did stop at the World's only Corn Palace in Mitchell. Now can we be official Midwesterners, Pam and Brian? Breakfast and Matt are waiting, so hope to check again tonight, if the Almighty internet allows it. Miss you all, Kare

water, water, corn fields and farm after farm

It was great to see Sarah and Ryan's new apartment with two views of Lake Superior. The upper living room gives the impression of being in a tree house. So great to just kick back and chat. We hit the road headed for Sioux Falls, today's destination. Stopped at Pipestone National monument where Indians quarried for a special rock to create peace pipes with. The prairie surrounding the site created a lovely backdrop for the rocky outcropping, cliffs that seemed to rise out of the fertile ground. A welcome relief from farm after farm and field after field of corn. Today was a driving day: left Duluth at 10 am and arrived in Sioux Falls at 7 pm. Can't wait to see Mt. Rushmore tomorrow. All for now, Kare

1,700 miles in...

Greetings to all!

We are now in Duluth MN visiting with our newly married daughter and her husband. We walked in on the extended Erickson family who also happened by at that moment so it was a bit of a family reunion. Good to see everyone without all the hubbub of the wedding [Sept 1st].

Spent the last few days visiting with Kris and Tom at Kris's 'cabin' in Birchwood Wisconsin. A very quiet and charming place that Kris has been refurbing for some time now. A beautiful loft guest bedroom with a king bed that defied any explanation as to how they got the massive thing up a tight circular staircase. Great company and good to get caught up with things since we've not had a chance to talk for months. Sat on her back deck eating great food and watching the deer walk by and lick the salt lick and 'huff' when they caught our scent. Big bonfire one night just to drink wine by.

The road to Wisconsin was longish after leaving Dave and Jane's idyllic setting on the lake. About 450 miles and probably the most we would want to do. We did have a goal and this was contrary to how we really want to conduct this trip. However, the passage over the great lakes past Lake Huron, Lake Ontario and Lake Michigan was interesting for the many many many small towns we passed through -many with 400 residents or less. We could not figure how such towns create enough 'critical mass' to survive. Still can't. Some are as much as 30 miles from each other with wide swaths of unincorporated land in between. Certainly no place to run out of gas...

Stopped in one "bar/restaurant" to buy a cup of coffee. It was very odd. They sold nothing for food and only ETOH. The barkeep responded to my query about buying a cup of coffee with a blank stare and the reply, 'we don't sell coffee'. Ok, not so much of a restaurant then... Once we knew to look for them, there was one of these places about every 5 or so miles.

Off to Sioux Falls tomorrow trading long views of forest for long views of corn. Then onto the badlands. XM radio has been great and it has been good to have long conversations with my wife on 'stuff'. At the same time, neither of us feels compelled to talk either and silence is sometimes nice. 33 years of marraige I guess wears a few edges smooth.

Devin is doing a great job of managing our home in our absence. Thanks Devin!

Matt

Kare is alive and well!

I bet you've wondered where I've been?
When we left Plattsburgh,NY we drove to Cape Vincent,NY. Enroute we stopped at Thousand Islands Winery and sampled some of their wines. Found the lighthouse hostel but alas no one was home. We decided to hop the ferry [actually 2 with a stop on an island halfway over] to Kingston Ontario, a charming city that was once the capitol of Ontario. Stayed at the Briar Patch B&B where we conversed with a dying breed - a Bush supporter. Of course, she was an American living in Canada....hmmmm.

Next day drove to Toronto to visit with an old friend of Matts. David and Jane immediately made us feel welcome. From the moment I met Jane I knew we would hit it off as she has a delightful sense of humor. We drove two hours to their island cabin, threw our gear in their motorboat and zoomed off to their 28 acre Harbor Island. Their cabin was perched on top of a rocky promitory. The welcome quiet and isolation was welcome after so many hours in the car. Matt and I could see spectacular sunsets across the island and it was a perfect ending to the day. The quiet was punctuated by our laughter over dinner on the open front porch over the water and the occasional loon call.

Kare

Just a few additions to Kare's comments: The cabin on the water was actually two cabins and we had our own bedroom cabin with wide open deck and window facing over the water below. The temps dipped into the low 40's and we slept under heavy quilts with the doors to the deck open. It was spectacular. Thank you David and Jane! Say hi to your two silly bull terriers for us!

We then, under duress as we really wanted to stay, headed out to Sault Ste. Marie Ontario to cross the border in the morning to visit with Kris and Tom in Wisconsin tomorrow night. We will publish the link to the photos shortly. So all this will make a bit more sense. Enough to say, everything is going great. We are having some difficulty getting an internet connection reliably so expect posts either every night or not at all depending on the connections we can find.

Matt

We are off and away!

Greetings to everyone!

First day out and we are now in Plattsburg NY or about 10 miles from the Canadian Border. We did about 350 miles today and probably was about as much as we want to do. That calibration is important as we keep our eye on seeing friends and being able to chill out in places that we find that we particularly like. We are mindful that if anything happens to the car, we will need to hire a cargo plane to get our stuff back!

Kare drove across most of NH and all of Vermont. Hard to get her hands off the wheel of her CRV! At any rate, we did stop several times to stretch legs and see sights. One of the places was Queechee Gorge in Vermont. At the moment it was impressive but we both know that once we see the Grand Canyon.... The scenary was spectacular on this bright, cool autumn day in upper New England. Colors really just starting to turn.

While we both wanted a quaint sort of place for our first night, we also both ran out of steam at about the same time so crashed in the first available hotel that didn't look like you needed a weapon in hand to cross the parking lot.

Off to a nice dinner and glass of wine. Touring the St. Lawrence Seaway tomorrow en route to the Hostel in a lighthouse tomorrow if we can find a room there. As most of you know, I tend to plan the trips in some detail and this whole aspect of 'appearing on an unplanned basis' to ask for a room is a little bit unnerving. Shades of Nicola having surrender her room to me in Birmingham UK one night as my room got cancelled...Although she drove the short distance to her home for the night, I had to be Mr. Mann for the night or they would have bounced me out. A little unnerving to be sure.

Matt

September 29

And looking back, this is what we are leaving for two months! Kare just mowed the lawn and our niece was just given the house key! Getting closer!

Final prep

Well, the final day of my work at Tyco has come and gone. Spent most of the week transferring information to others to carry the project forward. Thanks to those involved with that process.
We had friends over last weekend as a parting gift to them before we leave. Significant wine was consumed and a lot of laughter was heard.

We have all the gear we need now and have only to load it up.

Our final tests for the Peace Corps have been submitted as of Thursday so we hope to hear from them in the near future. We'll let you know!

Matt

Preparation for the trip

September 9, 2007 - Man room office.
Writer: Matt

Greetings to you!

First of all, thanks for signing on and taking a look at our travel log! Second, many many thanks to all for the support shown to both Karen and I as we make our way into this next chapter of our lives. Special thanks to Devin, our niece, who is caring for Toby while we are away. We expect and hope to be able help you in crafting your own next steps.

We are slowly accumulating our gear for the trip. As we have not planned this trip in our usual fashion, we have had to be more prepared for contingencies of weather, depleted cash funds, lost credit cards and being snowed in if we take an errant turn in the Rockies. [shades of the Donner Party? As Karen is on a fat free diet, I am safe]. The challenge will be to strike that balance between having enough 'stuff' to be able to enjoy the outdoors but not so much that we feel like a moving van gone awry.

The goals for each of us varies a bit but I think are compatible. Karen can and will speak to her own goals as she sees fit. For me, the # 1 is to leave Tyco behind. It has been a wild and wooley run and I have no regrets. Having said that, I am mindful that after nearly 20 years the groove runs pretty deep. The # 2 goal would be to see the country in a way that I haven't had the opportunity before in spite of the travel I've done. This will be much more circuitous and meandering about...not exactly the normal business mode. The # 3 goal is to see friends scattered about the country we've not seen for a while and rarely in their own environments. Seeing their area through their eyes has always been a wonderful way to see the area and "see them seeing it" if that makes sense. Finally, and perhaps most important is to spend time with Karen without a schedule [ok, you can all stop rolling you eyes at the impossibility of me not having a schedule]. Kare has spent a lot of nights alone while I travelled and in some manner, this is a 'give back'.

So, again, thanks for signing on. I won't promise a post every day but we'll try to keep you up to date on where we are and what is happening. And no, there will be no "Jamaica" photos. We would love to see your comments if the spirit moves you and you want to share.

Love to all,

Matt