PONDERING OUR TRIP

In Search of Extra Milers / After the Senior Games/Olympics

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you...
While cares will drop off like autumn leaves."
- John Muir (Naturalist)

We decided to do something special for our last couple of days on the road. We asked Jeff to meet us at a beautiful Indiana Lake, Lake Patoka. It is less than an hour from our home and we talked him into bringing our dogs, Callie and Angel. He was happy to make the trip...and spent a day and night with us on the lake. It was the perfect way to end our journey - with our family.

In closing...

For the past few days, thoughts and feelings have been tumbling through my head...how can I sum up the trip of a lifetime...our visit through America's fascinating backyard. If I knew tomorrow I would only have a few months to live or to walk, to see or to remember, I would use much of that precious time with Ken...headed back on Route 66 to have another piece of Ugly Crust Pie...visit even more friends...eat more desserts (if that is possible?!?), see the places we missed (Joshua Tree, Zion, and so many more), and revisit those sites where Ken and I felt the spiritual and peaceful contentment we discovered when connecting with the land, trees, mountains, rocks, animals, water, and people. My spirit would fly with the birds and the earth would make me whole. I would hike until my legs could walk no more.

There is something very spiritual about standing on the edge of a canyon and looking out across the vast beauty of God's creation that makes you want to be a better person. Ken and I reacted in tandem as we ohhhhed and ahhhhhed our way through each state, national monument, park and attraction.

I had planned to write a book on this trip, complete several home and work projects, respond to hundreds of piled up personal emails, and much more. However, these things didn't happen. We were too busy with mother nature...too busy with our plans, our hikes, and our laughter. We returned from the land every day, exhausted; sleeping deep and peacefully.

Friends and family would be surprised at how many times we thought and spoke of them during our trip. Everything we did and everything we saw reminded us of someone special in our lives. Since Ken lost his mother just a few weeks before the trip, Mom C. was prominent on our minds and in our hearts. We thought of Mom C. (and his sister, Linda) every single day, as Mom C. synchronized her life with so much of nature. It was natural to think of her as the mighty eagle flew overhead or the beautiful and powerful Redwoods provided an umbrella of tranquility. My mom fractured her spine while we were away...her health has been a constant thought (she is getting better, thank God). My niece, Shelly, inspired me to jump and enjoy the youthful feeling of being outdoors. Another niece, Sidney, became engaged (congratulations!). Anna Sowder kept Ken's business going while he was gone, so they have become close cell phone buddies (she has done an excellent job). We had Jeff, friends, and neighbors caring for our home and pets while we were away and this was a great comfort. Life, with all of its joys and sorrows, continues...

We met many Extra Milers...they are everywhere - people who allow you to cut in line because you only have one purchase - clerks who genuinely ask you how you are doing -people who stop during life's fast paced journey to help when you are troubled - individuals who proudly volunteer their time in order for all of us to fully enjoy our parks and monuments - tour guides who pick up trash left behind so our children can live in a cleaner environment and enjoy the unblemished beauty of our land.

Don't wait to enjoy America and your own backyard...we never know when life will slow us down. I was thrilled to see much of our amazing parks/monuments accessible to individuals with disabilities. The national park service has made great strides to make the beauty of our national treasures accessible for everyone to enjoy.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Mark Twain

Nite ~ Carol and Ken
P.S. Cindy and Jim Kanning, true Extra Milers, brought us a wonderful "Kanning home-made" dinner and breakfast, as we arrived home today. I cannot express what this kind and thoughtful act meant to us. It gave us a much needed respite from the 6hours we spent unloading the RV. Thank you!

Perry Kraus, owner of several McDonald's Restaurants in Louisville (Britiff Enterprises), generously provided us with several coupon packages for free food and drink at McDonalds across the U.S. Thanks so much, Perry!

Judy Lawler, you really must hogtie Mike into the back of the truck and drive him out west - he would absolutely love the history and the marvels our country has to offer. Don't wait.

Sandy Hardee...thanks for encouraging me to make plans sooner than later to make this trip.

To the friends who met us along the way...thanks for your love, your company, and your time.

Thanks for following our blog. We tracked the numbers and one Saturday we had 492 hits to the site. We hope our experience will encourage each of you to step out of your own backyard and into our miraculous, mystical, beautiful, spectacular, entertaining, and enchanting country...and enjoy the many Extra Milers you are guaranteed to meet along the way. God Bless.