Back on the "Friends & Family Trail"

Ted. Judy and I had made the most of our month back in Athens, Georgia but now it was time to hit the road again. This would be our second two month road trip in 2026, but now we would focus on Western North America. As with our recent journey, our route was shaped by our friends and family. We knew it meant driving a lot of miles but these people are important to us and it had been too long since we had seen some of them. 

On Wednesday, August 26, we flew to Denver, Colorado, rented a truck (cheaper than a car!) and drove to the nearby home of my sister, Kathy and her husband. We had lots of good food and conversation and Steve (a Yankees fan) even put my Atlanta Braves baseball games  on his TV so I could watch my team sweep the LA Dodgers! 

At the end of our short but sweet visit, we exchanged hugs and headed out on the road, bound for our next destination. Missoula, Montana. 

This is one of our favorite towns in the US. It’s a perfect size, with lots of things to do, especially hiking, as it sits at the junction of five valleys. 

We were able to stay with our good buddy, John which was important to us. When we first met John, he was married to a wonderful woman named Susan. Sadly, she passed away two years ago so on this visit we tried our best to lift his spirits. 

At the Nat'l Museum of Forest Service History

Leaving Missoula, we drove north, across the Canadian border to Lethbridge, Alberta where we stayed in the home of a great couple named Eller and Tess. 

We had met them two years ago on a Transatlantic cruise during which Eller and I and some other nice folks played pickleball every day. One evening, we were able to have dinner with Eller and Tess and their group of travel companions. It was a memorable night and Eller said, “If you’re ever in Alberta, please look us up.” Well, you know how that usually ends… 

Back on the courts!

From Lethbridge we continued our wanderings of Alberta with a visit to Dinosaur Provincial Park in the “badlands” region of the province. We took a fascinating hike through outcroppings that were full of Cretaceous fossils. Bones of over 60 species of dinosaurs were literally emerging from the soft rock formations all around us. The most famous variety is called a Centrosaurus which is the size of a rhinoceros but looks like a one horned triceratops. 

An emerging Centrosaurus horn

Not a souvenir - a sample from our guide!

After our walk through the badlands, we drove on to Calgary for a stay with Judy’s good friend, Patty. 

The two ladies first met in 2018 at a church in Santiago, Chile. Patty's husband, David works in the mining industry and was temporarily assigned to an operation in Chile. During our six weeks in Santiago, Judy and Patty became very close. We visited them once four years ago but the two friends still chat weekly over the internet. 

When we arrived, they hugged like sisters and the party immediately got underway!

Together again!

There was one more person we wanted to visit before leaving Calgary. We first met Mavis, a sweet Jamaican woman, at our church in Georgia more than 20 years ago. Mavis is now 101 years old and still retains that spunk that we so admired on first meeting her. We see her from time to time when we are in Georgia and she always keeps up with our travels. Four years ago, upon hearing that we were headed to Calgary, she asked us to call on her niece, Connie. We immediately hit it off back then and promised to come see her again when we returned. Connie, is now into her 90's but still stays extremely active and we had a fun visit with her.

Judy and me with the always lovely Connie

After a final day catching up with Patty, it was time to head west on the Trans-Canada Highway as more adventures awaited in British Columbia.

The glorious Canadian Rockies

Quote du Jour

 "The moment when you think that you've learnt everything is the moment when you stop growing. So practise the art of staying interested. The world is full of extraordinary people, places and ideas, and I have found that curiosity has opened more doors than any grand plan ever could."

Tara Bernerd, British Interior Architect

Back home in Georgia

Ted. Our eight week road trip has ended and we are back in Athens, Georgia. In our dusty old truck, Raymond we drove nearly 5,000 miles without a hiccup. We took around a dozen hikes without an injury and didn't get sick once.

For the first time in almost 10 years, we did not have to move into an Airbnb and retrieve our few possessions from a storage unit. We just walked into our apartment which had all of our clothes in the closets, food in the freezer and chilled beverages in the refrigerator. How wonderful! 

We are now spending time getting annual checkups with doctors and reconnecting with friends and family. 

Pool time with grandsons Oliver...

...and Callum

Meetup with friends Mallard & Althea

Judy, daughter Leslie & friend Carolyn

Judy with theatre friends, Karen & David

Judy's former theatre students at their school reunion

We are also finalizing the details for our next road trip which begins shortly.

On August 26 we will fly to Denver and rent a truck and then head out on another road trip through Wyoming and Montana to Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. From there, we'll head south to Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona and New Mexico before returning to Colorado.

Over an eight week period we will probably drive over 6,000 miles. Once again, there will be lots of friends and family along the way since, more and more, our journeys are shaped by the people that we know.

We expect to have lots of adventures, some planned and some unexpected.

Don't worry, we'll keep you in the loop!

The Appalachian Trail

Ted. This legendary 2,400 mile hiking trail meanders through the Appalachian Mountains from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mt Katahdin, Maine passing through some of the most beautiful regions of the Eastern US.

Over the years, Judy and I have taken many day hikes along stretches of the trail in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. 

2019 - Charlie's Bunion, TN

At some point we came up with the notion of taking at least one day hike in each of the 14 states through which the trail passes. 

Five years ago we took a road trip to Pennsylvania to visit our friend, Vishal and that was when we took some of the first steps (literally) towards achieving our goal. 

2021 - Grayson Highlands, VA

At one point on that journey, we spent a month in Frederick, Maryland. This beautiful town lies strategically near the AT as it passes from Virginia to West Virginia to Maryland and then into Pennsylvania. During that stay, we got to know Ian and Cari who were Servas hosts and hikers with three great kids. 

2021 - Weverton Cliffs above Potomac, MD

By the end of that trip, we had hiked a small portion of the southern seven states. 

On this road trip, We were able to take at least one day hike in each of the seven northern states. 

One shouldn't generalize about an entire state's trails based on a day hike but it sure seems like the northern states are tougher with lots of rocks and steep trails. Apparently, northerners don’t believe in switchbacks. Rather than slowly zig zagging up a mountain, the trails always seemed to shoot straight up. 

2026 - Mombasha, NY

However, the AT was remarkably consistent in several ways. The trail was invariably well marked and easy to follow and the folks we met were always friendly. 

Since we started in Maine and worked our way south to New Jersey, we didn’t run into any thru hikers (folks walking from Georgia to Maine) until we got to Massachusetts. But then we saw plenty. We also met a number of section hikers. These people break the trail up into sections of several hundred miles and walk one of them each year until they have eventually hiked the entire trail. They all have a trail name which they proudly tell us.

"Romper" hails from Georgia

L to R, "Speed Bump," "Avalanche" & "Captain"

The Appalachian Trail is world famous for a reason. It’s sheer length makes it daunting. It is also a great way for visitors from other countries to learn about the America. Most hikers are young Americans and this often gives them a good look at their own country. 

"Angel"

In the end, though, whether one hikes the entire trail, a multi-day section, or a simple day trip, there is always a wonderful sense of accomplishment. “Hey - I can do whatever I set my mind to!” And in this time of great frustration, that feeling is especially important.

2026 - Annapolis Rock, MD

We love a rendezvous!

Ted. Judy and I have had the good fortune to meet an incredible number of wonderful people around world. Occasionally we really “click” with someone. When that happens, we make a quiet vow to ourselves to try to reconnect with them at some point in the future. Don’t ever tell us, “Come see us sometime!” if you don’t mean it because we might just show up on your doorstep one day. 

When we left the Hudson Valley in New York, we drove to Frederick, Maryland, home to Ian and Cari. We had gotten to know them, as well as their three teenagers, five years early when we spent some time in the area for hiking and exploration. 

Our reunion was everything we hoped it would be. Their three children updated us on their lives, Cari and Judy had lots of long talks and Ian and I did a bit of hiking. 

During our stay in Frederick, we took some time to drive to Columbia, MD for a lunch with another niece, Becky and her husband and son. We had a wonderful, extended lunch catching up on everything in their lives. 

From Frederick, we drove on to Richmond, Virginia, home of Doug and Laurie. The four of us first met in Bermeo, Spain three years ago. Though we only spent 24 hours together at that time, we departed with hope that a reunion would occur one day. Having enjoyed their hospitality for two days, we now feel like we really strengthened those earlier ties. 

We also made the short jaunt from Richmond to Williamsburg, VA so we could have a lunch with Matt, the son of a friend of Judy’s and Matt’s wife. 

Leaving Richmond, we drove to North Carolina and were able to reconnect with two folks we had known for decades; Faith, who lives alone in Madison and Brad, who lives with his wife in Monroe (funny - two Presidents). 

By my count, that makes around 30 friends and family with whom we shared a meal or two on this two month trip. Now that’s what we call fun!

America's Birthday, Part 2

Judy. I’ve never spent much time in New England or the Mid-Atlantic states, so I was surprised and delighted to discover the authenticity of the towns and cities here. I’m so used to towns looking just like any other—I could be in Atlanta or Denver, and, unless I saw the signs, or spent more than a few days there, wouldn’t know for sure just where I was. The plethora of big-box stores and restaurants makes all those towns seem alike. 

But here in the Northeast, cities seem to celebrate their own individuality. Mom and Pop restaurants, home-grown hardware stores, and patriotic bunting everywhere lead me to believe that this is the home of America’s grit. 

Foothills Restaurant in Sandwich in an 18th century house

As we’ve hiked portions of the Appalachian Trail, we see the massive stones that our forefathers and -mothers dug out of the ground to clear space for crops. The stone walls they built with those rocks still stand, even if some are crumbling a bit. This was no Utopia they came to. The work they put into making it their own was overwhelming to me. They must have really wanted to come here. 

Remnants of a once-thriving village in New York. Rocks pulled out of the ground.

How did they survive this rocky ground?

The South, where I grew up and live, has a different vibe. My ancestors, escaping religious persecution, had warm weather and months to build (in many cases, with enslaved peoples) their homes. Buildings are bigger, more sprawling, and I love that. 

This old general store really is old and general

Burlington, VT, has retained much of its charm

But the Yankee fortitude as seen in the tight, small houses tell me the winters were harsher than mine, and that the stones not dug by autumn would be waiting in spring. The flags and bunting here have a different meaning. Nothing political, just a proud celebration of 250 years in the making of a young country. We may be still figuring everything out, but the fortitude I see here stands strong and brave.

Banners like this were everywhere.

America's Birthday, Part 1

Judy. Like so many people, I had mixed emotions about celebrating Amerca’s 250th birthday. Our country is so divided now, and the stress of returning from visiting abroad is often difficult for us. 

I’m also a cynic about FIFA. It’s a corrupt football (soccer) organization at best, and the way they jacked the ticket prices for this series of matches was just lousy. I decided I’d boycott the whole thing. 

Then, while we were in Boston, the Tartan Army came over to celebrate the Scottish team, putting traffic cones on the heads of statues, drinking Boston dry, playing the pipes at any given moment at any given place, and being truly wonderful tourists. 

George gets a cone in Boston

Lawrence, Kansas, hosting the Algerian team, greeted their arrival wearing green shirts (team color) and singing their national anthem. 

Some guy named Fred from Germany posted about the wonders of all foods American—soda refills, huge portions, and ranch dressing, for crying out loud. Folks were packing bottles in their suitcases to return home. 

Buc-ee’s, Waffle House, Costco, and Walmart, businesses I’m not usually fond of, were sought after and celebrated. 

Americans took photos with, drank with, and talked with fans who were delighted to be here. 

We found ourselves in sports bars all along the East Coast, cheering on our teams with people we’ve never met. 

Yeah, there were some issues, and FIFA is still corrupt, but what I’ll always remember is that the world embraced us, and we, the world. Political junk took a back seat. And for the first time in years I am really proud of my country. 

Happy 250th, America.

On the Bed & Breakfast Trail

Ted. On our road trip Judy and I have stayed in hotels and Airbnbs and in the homes of friends and family. Now we decided to try a different style of accommodation: traditional bed & breakfasts. It seems to me that their popularity has diminished in the Western and Southern US,  but they appear to be flourishing in the Northeast. We enjoy bed & breakfasts because they are typically family-run establishments with less than ten rooms. One gets to visit with the innkeepers as well as other guests, and there are often good stories about the property. They are a bit pricier than hotels but often more comfortable. And of course, the breakfasts are often superb. 

On leaving Lake Sunapee, we traveled south to the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts. This is a beautiful area with lots of well-preserved old towns. 

Wilder House B&B, Sheffield, MA

Our inn was very near the Appalachian Trail where it crosses East Mountain. 

A tricky bit

The Housatonic Valley

NY's Catskills in the distance

After a relaxing stay with good breakfasts and nice folks, we drove south following the Housatonic River for a while on our way to New York’s fabled Hudson Valley. Along the way we took two short AT hikes. In Connecticut, we strolled along a gentle path from a covered bridge called Bulls Bridge to the point where the Tenmile River enters the Housatonic. 

Housatonic River

Our next stop was at the Bear Mountain Bridge in Garrison, NY. This is where the Appalachian Trail crosses the Hudson so we were able to walk the AT across that famous river. 

Getting back into our faithful truck, Raymond, it was a short drive to another gem of a B&B. The rooms were museum-like and the grounds were beautifully landscaped. 

The Inn at Stony Creek, Warwick, NY

This location also served as a base to take two more hikes on the AT. First up was the Mombasha View Point hike. 

Fitzgerald Falls were pretty pitiful

We finally encountered thru hikers who had started in Georgia

Indian (Ghost) Pipes are a rare sighting

Canadian wildfire smoke partially obscured the view

We then made the short drive across the state line to New Jersey to stroll the Pochuck Boardwalk, the longest elevated boardwalk on the AT (making it wheelchair accessible). Unlike the boardwalk in Atlantic City, this one crosses one of the largest wetlands on the trail. Yes, we needed mosquito spray, but the walk was nice and flat.

The blaze is familiar, not the boardwalk

The smoke was getting worse

This was a birder's paradise