This is the story of an Epic Adventure.......
It all began two years ago as I was driving to Arden, NC to pick up Miss Lizzie from camp at Lutheridge. I was listening to an audiobook of John Green's "Paper Towns", a great road trip adventure. As I enjoyed the story, I pondered some of the great road trips I had taken over the years. In the course of that rumination, I realized that in my wanderings I had visited all but 6 of the United States.
That got me to thinking. I was 56 years old at the time and just like everyone else on the planet, not getting any younger. I figured if I was going to see those 6 remaining states, I'd better get started. So I began making plans. Alaska and Hawaii, I knew, would have to be put on hold, though not indefinitely, but the other 4 states: Oklahoma, Oregon, North Dakota and Michigan, should be within reach.
At first I thought I would do this solo. Just me and my map, on the open road. However, at this time in my life, with Daniel turning 21 that year, I had also been thinking about my children. I got to spend a lot of time with Daniel from his birth until Lizzie came along. That was very special and created a natural bond between us. As a second child, Lizzie and I didn't get to have that kind of experience when she was very young. So, I thought, it might be nice for just the two of us, Lizzie and me, to have this particular adventure together.
We began planning and thought we would aim for early summer 2015 for our journey. A variety of obstacles presented themselves, however, and somewhere along the way our little band of wanderers expanded to include Say and Serra Jo. Dates were set, an itinerary compiled, reservations made and the Epic Adventure was set in motion for July 2016.
As of this writing we are scheduled to depart in 3 days. Some final planning, packing and arrangements remain to be completed, but on Wednesday morning, July 6, the adventure will begin.
