The Lure of Brisket and Pals

A teeny blossom hangs onto the morning dew

So, we’ve decided to stay another couple of days at Alafia River SP. It’s just too darn nice here and we can’t bear to rip ourselves away so soon.

First of all, the weather has been perfect. I mean ideal, lovely, warm, sunny days and cool evenings interspersed with brilliant sunsets, star-filled nights and gorgeous afternoon walks on the trail (I must apologize to those folks stuck in the frozen North -> all I can say is, get your RV’s down here!).

Paul and Freddie

Second of all, Paul’s old pal is here. The two Cubanos love hanging out and even joined us for a week-end camp-out with the kids at the park. We had a blast walking the trails, drinking wine and burning marshmallows on the campfire. There’s nothing quite like the great outdoors in the company of good friends and good food to create the perfect day.

Then, there’s the brisket…

Smokin' Joe's....drooooool....

Now, as you may know we’re both rather foodie-crazed, and the lure of a good meal can be quite the draw. We discovered Smokin’ Joe’s (10252 County Road 39 S
Lithia, FL 33547) last time we were here, and have been haunted by smoked meat fantasies ever since. Paul was literally drooling the entire drive North, and we rushed hungrily to the place almost as soon as we arrived.

A picture-perfect morning at Alafia

And believe me, it’s worth it…EVERYthing is good here. The small family run business serves up an assortment of meats with the absolute perfect mix of smoke, flavor and tenderness highlighted by luscious, deep, homemade BBQ sauces. It’s no surprise that those in the know, know…. In fact the beef brisket is such a star that it sells out the day after they make it, every single time, and it’s rare to find the place without a queue of enthusiasts salivating in the driveway.

So, with a good stock of smoked meat in the fridge (and the plan to go back and stock up again before we go), we’ll relax for a few more days in this swamp paradise. After all there’s no rush, and with surroundings as nice as this why would we be in any hurry to leave? Bon Appétit, everyone!

Armadillo’s, Grunts and Spanish Moss

Eerie and beautiful Spanish Moss

It’s like a scene out of Jurassic Park. Swamp lakes, green algae, and oak trees with long tufts of hairy growths swaying eerily in the wind. To complete the picture I hear a long, sonorous growl coming from somewhere on my left followed by a rustling and…how can I put it…a sniffle-snort-grunt coming from right in front of me. It feels exactly like I’ve time-warped back into the primordial goo of a past Ice Age and yet I know, consciously, that I’m still somewhere in modern-day Florida.

As it turns out the hairy green tufts are Spanish Moss, the growl is an alligator (the bigger the growl, the bigger the gator in case you’d like to know) and the rustling brings forth the surprising picture of an Armadillo. It’s the nature of the swamp and once you get over your initial terror, it’s rather a cool place.

The primal and comical Armadillo

I’d never actually seen an Armadillo “in the flesh” so to speak until I came to Florida, and I have to admit the first time I did I burst out laughing. It’s almost impossible to believe that an animal can look so prehistoric and yet so ridiculous at the same time. The “little armored one” as the Spanish named them are leather-shelled animals with long, sharp claws (for digging) offset with soft, pink noses and hairy legs. Their closest living relatives are anteaters and sloths, and the most common american version, the Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus) ranges all the way from Florida to Nebraska. I spent a good hour “tracking” the elusive little animal who, despite its apparent clumsiness and almost complete blindness can really leg it when it wants to.

Spanish Moss casts long shadows in the afternoon sun at Alafia

The Spanish Moss I find equally enthralling. This hairy, green growth is actually not a moss, but an Epiphyte, a kind of “air-plant” that grows solely by picking up nutrients and water in the air. The long, grey-green-scaled tentacles elongate and intertwine like a complicated dance up to 20-feet long and propagate by seed and fragments that blow in the wind. It’s a gypsy of the air and it grows all over the South, reminding us that life flows to a different rythm down here.

The gators…well, lets just say I’m happy to leave them be for now. I think I’ll stick to the rest of nature and stay in my own little naive dream of prehistoric fun. Now, if just Tarzan would come along……

The Adventure of a Lifetime – Mongolia 2011

Vista Magic in Nepal, 2007

My life is definitely a bit of an adventure in motion, but there are highlights which sparkle and define themselves in my memory as particularly special and unique. One of these was a trip I did to Nepal in Oct 2007. I’d always dreamed of seeing the Himalayas and in 2007 I met a friend who presented just the trip I’d been looking for -> a remote, off-the-beaten-track 1-month trek to Ganesh Himal.

The fellow I met was Leo Murray and this energetic young soul had been travelling the world for more years than I’ve been around. He started in his youth and basically never stopped, planning unusual and explorative trips to places that are rarely visited. He invited some friends who invited some friends and from thence it grew. I heard about him from a friend, of course, and immediately signed up, leaving Paul holding down the fort in Hong Kong while I whisked myself off to a fabulous adventure in the mountains. The people I met on the trip became firm pals and the trek cemented itself in my memory as one of the best I’ve ever done (you can see pics here)

An outstanding shot taken from one of Leo's previous Mongolia Trips

So, why bring this up on my RVing blog? Well, RVing is part of my life adventure and my goal is (hopefully) to help other people find their own life adventure too. As it so happens Leo is doing another one of his outstanding trips this summer, a horseback Expedition to a remote and rarely visited part of NW Mongolia and I’ve been drooling over the details. It’s his 12th trip to Mongolia and they just keep getting better every time. It’ll be from July 20th-Aug 5th 2011 through the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, a region of glaciers, snowfields, forests, lakes and the highest point in the country Mt. Khuiten (4,374m/14,350 ft). If you’re looking for something totally unique and different to put down in your highlight of life adventures, this would absolutely be the trip to try.

Location of Leo's 2011 Mongolia Expedition

I’m not affiliated with Leo’s trips in any way, except as a friend, so I’m putting this one out there purely for interest. You can check out the YouTube videos from his 2010 trip here, and if you feel the tug to go give Leo a shout at his e-mail click here. Oh, and let me know how the lifetime adventure turns out.

My friends from Nepal. Leo is the tall fellow front 3rd from the right.

On The Road Again & Girls At the Wheel

Goin’ places that I’ve never been.
Seein’ things that I may never see again
…I can’t wait to get on the road again.
On the road again
(Willie Nelson, “On the Road Again” 1980)

Yours truly commands the wheel

Oh yeah baby -> it’s up with the jacks, on with the cowboy hat and off to the road we go. Yesterday we started off our 2011 season with a gorgeous, weather-perfect drive back to Alafia State Park and like natural-born nomads we revelled in the feeling of the wind in our hair (or, more precisely in our case, the bounce of “the beast” on the road). Even the RV seemed happy, having become rather fat and lazy during her winter sojourn. After all, the whole point of being on wheels is using them, n’est ce pas?

Since we had a longer drive yesterday (250 miles compared to our usual realxing 150 or so), hubby and I shared the work at the wheel going 50/50 on the drive. I actually love driving and started learning to wrestle the monster early last year back in Quartzite, AZ (our very first boondocking trip). There were a few first-time nerves, a bit of practice getting used to turns and some freaky initial moments on the freeway but after a while I got into the groove and started enjoying the road just as much as Paul.

Paul enjoys the other side of RVing

Another bonus to wheeling power are the rather  surprised looks I get from truckers and other RVers on the road.  You see, it seems men do most of the driving in larger rigs and I think that’s a shame. Not only is RV driving rockin’ fun, but I consider it an important safety net to make sure both partners can take the wheel. Should something happen to either one of us, both of us are able to run the RV and I’ve wanted it that way since we started.  I self-learned the art, through practice and geometry but there’s plenty of places to learn for those that seek other means:

1/ Empty Parking Lots/Roads – If you’re taking the RV for your very first spin a big, empty parking lot or a lonesome road are great spots to try. Wide, open spaces allow you to get a feel for the turning radius and practice driving without pressure from other cars on the road. I started on BLM land in AZ, progressed onto deserted and low-traffic roads and then finally took the wheel for a freeway. Going slow and taking your time is my driving motto, and I still drive that way today.

2/ Online YouTube Videos – For those who like visual aids, there are LOTS of excellent online videos that teach RV driving. Just google “RV driving” on YouTube and check out the links. There are even safety and maintenance videos too, as well as excellent tutorials on tire blowouts and other specialized topics.

3/ RV Driving Course – Although you can legally get into an RV in most states (depending on size) without a special license, doing an RV driving course can be a really positive and useful experience. Of course, I never did one (rather typical of me, mind you), but I’ve heard great things from others. Google the web for hits and ask for references and checks from others who’ve taken the course. A good tutor should always have excellent references.

So, this is a shout-out to the gals out there. If you aren’t already driving I encourage you to give it a go. If you need a bit of motivation here’s my own little message to get you started, once again proving that girl power is the way to go (click the video link):

Girls at the RV Wheel from Paul Novell on Vimeo.

Online RV Forums – Beacons of Help on the Road

I’d love to be able to tell you that I’m a self-learned expert. You know, the type that learns by books and elbow grease, becoming a leading voice on the subject of RVing through hard-earned grit and experience. The truth is that I (we) needed a lot of help, especially when we first started out, and a lot of that came from on-line forums.

In fact, these places have been absolutely wonderful sources of information and continue to be shining beacons of experience and social support for us as we go on our RV journey. Whether you’re baffled by camping etiquette, stumped by wiring, befuddled with tank breakdowns or just looking for a driving route that won’t give you premature grey hairs the online forums are here to help. It’s amazing, in a way, to think that so many people willingly bond together for absolutely no reason other then to help each other, but that’s absolutely what happens. I’m an active user and an active learner and I definitely recommend you be too.  Here are my favorite free online forums:

1/ RV.net - This is an incredibly active community. Many sites “feed” into rv.net including Good Sam’s, Motorhome Magazine, Woodall’s, Trailer Life (and probably a few others I don’t know) and they all use the same forum. Their Class A forum is very active and they always have good tips in their campground section.

2/ Escapees - Escapees is a smaller group, but always very responsive. If you want to go in-depth this is a good place to be. I particularly like their volunteering and boondocking sections. You don’t have to be a member of Escapees to use their forum.

3/ iRV2.com - This rapidly growing group is very technically-minded and have  dedicated “owners” forums for each manufacturer as well as forums by chassis and power-train. If I have a tech question I go here. These guys have a great little Android App too.

These are probably what I consider the “top 3″ in terms of forum activity and response. There are lots of other communities, some of which are growing and worth checking out including rvforum.net (just discovered them recently and learning as we speak), nurvers.com (a group for younger RVers…still a small outfit currently), womenrv.com (a group for women RVers, run by women RVers!), and probably many more I have yet to discover.

So, if we haven’t met in person yet I’ll look forward to seeing you online. You’ll know it’s me when you see my mug shot on list  :)

Simply Beautiful

“Simplicity is the nature of great souls”
Swami Ramadas

Morning dew...simply beautiful

The day today started out very singular. A foggy morning, a misty sun and morning dew weighing the sawgrass. The air was silent and heavy with thought, and I lost myself in the simplicity of water drops and the crunch of my feet on the earth. In a word it was all….simply beautiful.

I often find myself moved by these quiet moments. As both a scientist and a human, I find the art of simplifying and enjoying individual moments as one of the most liberating things I can do. Whether it’s a complex mathematical problem resolved down to its simplest solution, or a morning walk enjoyed to its very essence, both are beautiful and joyful endeavours.

Yes, I’m feeling rather philosophical this AM, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow. If simplicity can bring joy, as so many philosophers have theorized, then perhaps, just perhaps, I can bring a bit of happiness to your day too. So with that thought in mind, may your world today be…simply beautful.

Finding Cheap & Natural Campgrounds

The road to our kind of place....

We’re in the very midst of planning our 2011 trip. Having wintered happily here in Markham, FL we’re starting to get the itch to move again and have decided (for better or worse) to start moving around Jan 24th. Since it’s still the cold period we’ll be hugging the South, travelling the West coast of FL, then along the Southern coast of Alabama, Mississippi, and on towards  Texas. There we’ll wait for things to thaw out before moving North to the mountains.

Now, all of this means we need to do some campground planning. We don’t always book ahead, but during “high-season” and for specific locations we’ll usually try to have a basic plan. On top of that we like to stay in unique and natural settings and, as a final cherry point, we want to keep our costs down. It’s not that we’re cheap as such, but campgrounds can take up to 40% of the monthly budget and since our budget varies with our investment income we like to keep things flexible. Choosing the right campground can mean the difference between spending $400/mo to $1000/mo in campground fees….or…camping for free! So, how does one go about finding these exclusive, natural, dog-friendly, frugal spots?

When we first started RVing we used to stay at private parks and used Trailer Life and Woodall’s as our campground guides. It was a tad pricey and most of the campgrounds weren’t exactly the “natural setting” we were looking for (plus some had dog restrictions). So, we ditched this approach and started looking elsewhere which brought me to the set of references we use now:

$5/night camping in South Carolina (Sumter Forest)

1/ Public Campground Locations - Public Campgrounds are usually great deals and include lovely, natural (and dog-friendly!) spots like National Forest, State Parks, City Parks, Army Corps of Engineers, Provincial Parks and so forth. There’s a ton of them around, and they’re not always easy to find. I used to laboriously work through each choice individually going to up to 5 different sites (city, state, forest etc.) to locate my sites. Recently however, I discovered http://www.uscampgrounds.info/ which magically combines everything for me. Just click on the map, or download it to your laptop or iPhone and presto! You have almost every public spot out there! The site gives  basic  details on each individual campground plus locations on the map. This has become my #1 reference site and from there I go check further details using the following:

• Army Corps of Engineers – http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/  is the best listing.
• National Forest – http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/finder.shtml and http://www.forestcamping.com/ are the two best references. The first is the “official” forest website. The second is compiled by 2 full-time RVers who do all the research themselves.
• State Parks – Most states have their own website (e.g. For FL, there’s  http://www.floridastateparks.org/), so just search on the State you’re visiting
• RVParkReviews.com – http://www.rvparkreviews.com/is the biggest, free campground review site out there and I always, always use this as a back-up to the above sites to see what people actually think of the campgrounds. Not all public campgrounds are listed, but many are. The reviews give you “insider” info on the campgrounds with real experiences from people who’ve stayed there. Invaluable stuff!

Boondocking on Quartzite BLM land, AZ

2/ Free Campgrounds & Boondocking - The next step over from public, developed campgrounds is to go totally free. That means zero $$, nada moolah and likely no facilities either. What a great combo! The art of camping in these remote locations is called boondocking and most of the sites are well-kept secrets by those who know them. But, there’s a couple of resources to help you discover the main ones and get started on discovering some of your own:

• Online Free Campground Listings – http://www.freecampgrounds.com/, http://freecampsites.net/ and http://www.boondocking.org/ seem to have the most complete listings that I’ve found.
• Online communities – Lots of online RV communities such as Escapees, iRV2.com and RV.net have forums dedicated to boondocking. If you ask around and read the threads, you’ll often get ideas on where to go. If you become a member of Escapees, you can also get access to their ”Days End” list with details of low-cost and free sites.
• Books - Don Wright’s “Free Campgrounds” books seem to be the best we’ve found. Not all the campgrounds listed are free, but there’s a good choice of low-cost and free alternatives together with map locations.
• Forest Service - Many National Forests will have “dispersed” camping locations  especially if they don’t have a lot of developed campgrounds. Your best bet is usually to visit the office in your area and ask them for tips. There’s a stay-limit (often 14 days), but you can usually also move between sites.
• BLM Land - The Bureau of Land Management manages a ton of public land, a lot of which allows dispersed, free camping. They have a website http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en.html, and the local office can usually help to give more precise info on areas to try. Many BLM locations do have a stay-limit (again, often 14 days), but some areas allow longer term stays (LTVA – Long Term Visitor Areas) where you can stay up to 6 months at a time for a small fee.

This coming year we’re planning on sticking to public campgrounds, leaning towards more boondocking as we get out West and I’ll be sharing all our locations on the blog.  Should you should feel a sudden and generous urge to share your own secret spots with us, we’ll be more than happy to get the tip :)

Capturing the Perfect Shot -> Cheap Macro

Shot in CO with my 50mm lens and 20mm extension tube

So, it’s another gorgeous day here in S.FL, and with a tad less wind it would have been the perfect opportunity to get in close and tight for some macro shots. That thought brings me smoothly into the next chapter of my photography series and a few more juicy tips for those budding shutterbugs out there. 

 

Close-up shooting is a fascinating little activity, usually involving yours truly lying flat on my stomach in the dirt, riveted to my “subject” and waiting patiently for a half hour or so for that perfect 1 sec lull in the wind to get the shot….ahhh, fun times indeed.

 

Nov bloom in TN. Taken with 20mm extension tube.

 The problem is that it can also be rather pricey. For those of you with SLR-type cameras a dedicated macro lens can cost upwards of $700+, and if you’re just a macro-hobbyist like me that’s a tad pricey. So, let me change your life and introduce you to “home-made” macro. You see there are  2 “tricks” you can do with removable lenses that allows you to get closer to your subject, and they can be done really cheaply!

Reversal Ring

1. Lens Reversal - Reversing your lens (putting it on your camera the wrong way around) will actually give you instant macro power. Instead of the lens taking big things (whatever you’re looking at) and making them small (for your sensor), it now does the opposite. How cool is that! You can buy a cheap $10 reversing ring (like this one), and off you go! Just make sure the reversing ring you buy fits the lens you’re going to use. Your auto-focus won’t work anymore, but with a bit of fiddling back and forth manually, you can get some amazing shots.

Typical set of extension tubes

2/ Extension Tubes
- Another little trick for getting closer is to put distance between your lens and your camera body. The more distance the closer your picture and any old, empty tube will do as long as you can get a light-tight fit at both ends. For the super-cost-conscious you can use an empty can of Pringle’s chips (like this example). For the more refined a $80 or so set of Kenko or Zeikos extension tubes (like these) will do the trick. Make sure to buy the version for your camera brand. I’ve used extension tubes for years and love the fact that they’re so light and easy to carry around. The other neat thing about extension tubes (if you buy the commercial version) is that your auto-focus will still work. It still takes quite a bit of fiddling since your range of focus gets a lot smaller, but it can be soooo much fun to try.

Summer bees in France. Taken with extension tubes and a bit of fiddling

Neither of these methods are, admittedly, as versatile as a “real” macro lens. The “tricks” allow you to bring your camera closer (so, for example instead of focusing out a few feet from your subject, you can bring the camera as close as a few inches to the subject). Macro lenses allow you the get close-ups without having to get so close, if you see what I mean, which can be useful for easily-spooked insects and such. But, the methods work and with a bit of practice can produce some really stunning results.

So, if you’ve been put off macro by the costs, hopefully these tips give you some ideas to get started. Happy shooting, everyone!

CP Campground Rating – Markham Park, Sunrise, FL

Afternoon walk alongside the lake at Markham

This is actually a City Park, rather than a State Park so it allows long-term camping. We liked it so much that I can’t imagine spending winter in S.FL anywhere else!

Link to campground here: Markham Park, Sunrise, FL
Link to map here: Markham Park, Sunrise, FL

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   Very decent sites here. There are a mix of plain grassy ground and concrete pads with full hook-ups (50Amp/sewer/water) on level ground. All sites are more than large enough for the biggest rigs. Generally very good site separation with nice, open green “sitting area” outside each RV with fire-pit and picnic table. Several river-front sites as well as sites that back-up to open grass areas. Natural views everywhere. The loops in the front of the park (A to H) are more “open”, while those in the back (J to L) have more trees and shade. There is also a dedicated concrete-pad pull-through section (F). A few sites have softer ground and a sprinking of ant piles, but it’s a small price to pay for so much space.
2.  Facilities = 4/5
   Good facilities. They’re not the most modern, but showers are large and clean with good pressure. The one “ding” is that there’s only 2 major toilet facilities in the whole camping area, so if you’re in the furthest out loop you might need to drive or bike a good 10 mins to make it back. Tons of additional facilities on-site -> shooting range, mountain-bike range, tennis courts, picnic areas, water-ski lake, watercraft lake, observatory, playgrounds….etc. Enough to keep kids and adults happy for months! On-site dump station, but no laundry.
3. Location = 5/5
   I really can’t imagine a better location in S.FL. The park is right on the edge of the Everglades, within 30 mins of Miami and right next to all the shopping you’ll ever need. Best of all, it’s a huge, green, peaceful place with lakes, grass, birds and nature. City and nature in perfect harmony.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   A fabulous place for pets. Not only does doggie have plenty of space to romp and play in the park, but there’s actually a huge off-leash dog-park on-site (the nicest dog park for many miles) with agility props, rinse area and separate small and big dog fenced areas. Also, there are “deserted” (non-marked) trails alongside the ski-lake where you can peacefully walk pooch. People come from all over to bring their dogs here, but as a camper you have it all to yourself most of the day. Doggie heaven indeed!

Overall Rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = Oceans of green space, lakes, nature and dog-happiness in the midst of S.FL!

Summary: This park is an oasis in the concrete jungle of S.FL and I can’t imagine a better place to spend the winter! RVers at other parks may be squeezed together like sardines, but at this place you’ll get space, greenery, and nature in a fabulous 665-acre park with lakes, trails, mountain biking, playgrounds, tennis courts, dog park and a slew of other family and dog-friendly activities. You’re within only 30 mins of Miami, just on the edge of the Everglades, next to all the shopping you’ll ever need and yet you’ll be enjoying peaceful and natural evenings with lovely sunsets, space and room to breathe. There’s also a Sheriff on-site for security. Sites are flat with full hook-ups and nice separation. Many trees in the park were destroyed in the last hurricane so the front loops (A through H or so) are more “open” while the back ones (J onwards) have more trees and shade. Sites facing the stream have water-front views. Around the rest of the park there’s lots of green space, including several “hidden” walking trails (along the lake behind the sheriff’s house and facing the dog-park). The *only* possible negative I could give this place is the sound of the shooting range. Towards the front loops (A-C) you won’t hear it, but at the back you definitely will. It didn’t bother us, but it might bother some out there. Overall, our experience here has been fabulous. This is a city-park and seems empty most of the week (filling-up with locals in the week-end). It’s not the cheapest park in the area, but nothing is cheap in S.FL in winter and you definitely won’t get an oasis of green like this anywhere else. We loved the place and would winter here again in a heartbeat.

 Extra Info:  Verizon worked, but our aircard benefited from the amp/antenna boost. Sites are reservable $40/night  for non-resident or $30/night for tricounty resident with 50Amp/water/sewer. On-site dump station. No Laundry.

J Loop in Markham Park. We stayed for a month in J1 on the right. The white RV on left is in J3. Only 5 sites total in this loop.

I Loop in Markham Park (Site I1 is on the right). Only 5 sites total in this loop.

Pull-through sites in F Section. Site F5 on left.

View of A Loop near the front of the park. We spent 3 weeks in A1 (you can just see us peeking through on right). Total 10 sites in this loop, but most are empty most of the week.

View of more open G Loop (site G1 on right, G2 in middle and G3 on left). 5 sites total in this loop.

One of the lovely water-front sites (Site K3)

Oceans of green space all to yourself. This was taken between F & G loops. If you look closely you can just barely see some RVs in F section in far, far background.

Quirks of Life and Truths in RVing

Clouds on the horizon? You must have been doing #2

So, the last few days we’ve been prepping “the beast” for rolling by spiffing her up with a full wash and hand-wax. It’s been hard work and as luck would have it, despite a 7-day crystal-clear forecast, on the 2nd day of work dark clouds rolled in and as we were hand-polishing the very last panel (with our very last ounce of energy I might add), the first drop fell. “Bleeding typical” I thought….and so it was. You see, there are unalienable truths in life and RVing which shouldn’t surprise you, but always do and this situation was a typical example. It got me reminiscing back to some of our most memorable moments of 2010 and what we learned. So, just for fun, here’s our 5 favorites:

1/ Machinery will always fail when you are at your furthest possible distance from a mechanic. Should you have the prescience to visit a mechanic for service, failure will undoubtedly happen a few days and ~400 miles thereafter.

2/ Washing your RV will immediately incur a 95% chance of rain, regardless of forecast. Waxing will push that up to 100%, with possible chance of storm (it did, in fact, storm for several hours last night after our wax-job).

3/ In the epic battle between tree and RV, the tree will always win.

4/ The tool you most critically need is the one you forgot to bring.

5/ You can take the RV out of geekville, but you can’t take the geek out of the RV.

Now, all is not amiss. Every now and then life hands you rewards and we’ve had a few of those too. We started the year with the goal of living off our investments and we managed to do that (we even saved a bit along the way). The 1-foot “no way I can fix that” crack in our windshield from WY has miraculously held, and we’ve met some of the most amazing, generous and fun people on our travels.

We’re starting our 2011 trip soon, so here’s to more lessons in the coming year!