HERE WE GO!! The trip we have dreamed of and that you are probably tired of hearing about! As you can tell from the pictures, we are both pretty darned giddy about this whole deal! We have a very loose itinerary laid out for most of the trip, so we have a general idea of where we will be going, but are not sure about what all we will see, the people we will meet along the way, or what twists and turns lie ahead – those unknowns just add to the anticipation and excitement. But there is one given – there will be plenty of fly-fishing in some spectacular environs. I’ve always looked forward to and immensely enjoyed “road trips” ever since childhood, when a week-end camping/fishing trip or an extended vacation to visit family out west was preceded by a sleepless night of anxiousness to be the first to awake and get the family out the door. Charlcie, Ben, and I have continued to enjoy family explorations, and later, the many treks to soccer venues all around the country. Along with other soccer parents, we have continued this tradition. We are finally lucky enough to take the mother of all fly-fishing road trips – four months together in a big red truck, sharing a double sleeping bag, and hoping we can survive each other!

RETIREMENT (x2)

Having retired once without much fuss, I didn’t anticipate just how busy it could get with the both of us retiring. Although much of the activity has to do with the necessary planning and preparation for our upcoming 4-month journey, a considerable amount of time was spent in celebration with friends, family, and co-workers. It seems like the combination of two retirements and the fact that we won’t see most of our friends and family for a few months called for a number of “Good-bye” gatherings, all of which we have thoroughly enjoyed. There’s no doubt we are going to miss all our friends and family at home as we travel, but we are also looking forward to meeting up with others we haven’t seen in some time. Plus, just about the time you think you are rid of us, we will be back!Thanks so much to all of you for the dinners, gifts, and kind words! But most of all thanks for being such an important part of our lives! We are expecting you to keep in touch