Home, home at last! In total...6,885 miles! Whew!!! And the RV held up wonderfully for every bit of it! As I was driving the final 250 miles today I reflected on the past 5 weeks....here are a few of the highlights! I completed 17 wonderful hikes with awesome friends and family who were totally into the spirit of my 60 hike adventure! I thank each of you for sharing your time and company!!! I added on 6 more facebook friends! YAY! I conquered dehydration and none of my dogs were sick or hurt at all!!!! I got to spend time with two wonderful 85+ year olds....aunt Roz and Aunt Elsie who prove everyday that aging is not a life sentence...it is a privildge! I did 9 loads of laundry on the trip...and 6 since coming home! haha....well...I needed to wash all of the rugs and dog bedding! I visited 20 states and saw license plates from all 50 states! I purchased very few souveniers and came back with LOADS of memories! I finished 2 books and part of a third...that was nice! I can confirm that Arizona DEFINITELY has some of the best roads in the country! SMOOTH driving!!!! Even up north where they DO get ice and snow!!! Of the five weeks....I dry camped only 2 nights! I also spent two nights checking weather radar due to VERY CLOSE storms! I found 6 ticks on me...and very few on the dogs! I completed 110 agility runs in competition over the course of three shows! I got lost in Washington DC at night! And was able to change my route suddenly in Virginia when a 10 high bridge loomed ahead!!!! I weathered out a sandstorm in New Mexico and a VERY NARROW passage through close trees in Pennsylvania! To the amazement of my sister and my cousin I had no regrets about traveling into New York City! I traveled over the BEAUTIFUL Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Mountains in the FOG with Jaz so we had NO view and LOADS of laughs as we IMAGINED what the view would be like! And this morning...as I was unhooking my electric and water for the last time in the campground a 70+ year old woman came over to me and asked if I saw many women traveling alone like I did. I told her..no...not too many....but some. she said she would love to do it...as she considers herself sort of a gypsy now...having lost her entire house and husband in Hurricane Ike. She was traveling with a male friend from high school....but really wanted to strike it out on her own.... We chatted for a while... And so ends my wonderful adventure. Several of you have emailed me sharing that while you did not have the means or ability to take a trip like this now you felt like you were traveling too. Im happy that vicariously you were able to have your own personal adventure with me the past 5 weeks. My boys were thrilled to see their swimming pool and backyard again. They are exhausted now...and that is good! I will go back to work for a bit tomorrow...and thats fine. Many have asked me when I am going to retire. I do not have an answer. I love what I do (except for the increasing number of students in my classes)...and the people I work with are phenomenal! Going into work everyday is an absolute pleasure! So here is to the start of year 25 at Arizona State University. I have a new role...Director of Undergraduate Programs in the School of Community Resources and Development. there are four majors under me. Keeps life interesting when you change it up a bit every once in a while I guess....although I never would have guessed I would be moving into this position at 60 years old. Ah....60 is the new 45...eh? For those of you in education...our year begins in August.....(the rest of you its January....I imagine!). Heres to a great year whatever month you start it in!
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 04:13:29 +0000