5/30/17 Thoughts On Our Travels

Most Unexpected 
-One year turned into 2 +
-Not missing the house
-2 years out and still enjoying the nomad life

Worst Experience 
Deb - almost having a head on collision with a tractor trailer truck while passing another truck going uphill when our truck lost power
John - Camped at Strawberry Festival Campground in Florida next to the dumpsters which were loaded all night long

Biggest Challenge 
Deb - Finding campground space during summer and winter in Florida
John - Finishing the first SSG report in between the MANY moves we made in the first year
Both - Waiting around RI for condo to be finished when we stopped traveling in June 2016

Best Places
Too many to count

Places To Revisit
Wow, lots!!!

Best Beach Camping
Point Magu California where RV's bottom step is in the sand 

Best Random Discovery 
Camping and exploring Graham Cave off Route 70 in Missouri

Best View From The RV
Sitting on top of the RV talking to the hot air balloon pilots as hundred of them floated over us during the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

Most Laid Back
Site 24 at Old Pavilion RV Park, Keaton Beach Florida campground on coast (wiped out in a storm shortly after we left :(

Most Beautiful Drive 
Oregon coast through the redwoods

Scariest Drive 
Deb- Pacific Coast Highway, California (large sections closed down in 2017 due to bridge failure from floods and landslides)
John- None, he is a cool cat.

Biggest Effect On Our Life 
-Deb is looser, less of a planner, more go with the flow
-John able to focus on the purpose and meaning of his life


Best Food 
Muffuletta Sandwiches at Central Grocery in New Orleans

Coolest City 
Old Quebec City

Most Surprised by 
San Antonio, pleasantly
New Orleans, dissapointed

Best Advice 
Mississippi Bayou Park Ranger - we asked how big are the gators, he said "how big is your kayak?"


Dumbest Decision 
Trailblazing through the Tucson desert getting teeny tiny cactus hairs embedded in our  bare legs

Saddest
Our kitty Luna passing

Craziest thing we did 
9000 miles the first two months of the Folly; 7000 miles the first month on the trip Virginia to Washington State  to CT, then 2000 miles the second month CT to Nova Scotia and back to RI.  

Most Important
- Jack graduating OCS as a Naval Officer
- Zoe graduating WSU with her PhD
-Vising our Canadian cousins with Steve, Aunt Norma, Uncle Bill and Gayle in Nova Scotia
- Having the courage to undertake this Folly, for finding joy in the adventure and loving and respecting each other even more when it was over

5/12/2017 Doctor Zoe and Oregon

Graduation Day for John's PhD 1991 and Zoe's PhD 2017

ZOE DEFENDED HER DISSERTATION (Yeeha, Yahoo, God is Woman and She is Great!!!) on "Minimizing and Mitigating Wolf/Wildlife Conflicts" in late April then flew to DC for the Smithsonian Earth Optimism Summit where conservation

Earth Day March

organizations discussed positive approaches to nature preservation. We joined her for the rain soaked but fulfilling Earth Day March.  It was more like a "stand" as 40,000ish people peacefully and happily inched down Constitution Avenue toward the Capital. 

 It was a fantastic experience to be back at Frostburg University where in 2009 she defended her Masters Thesis on "Habitat Variations of Bobcats and Fishers".  But this time she was presenting her PhD findings to large enthusiastic crowds at University of MD's Environmental Research Lab and at Frostburg University.  As usual, she gave a poised and engaging presentation which prompted many interesting questions from the audience.

Zoe, Gabe And His Girls

Two weeks later we are at Washington State University watching as Zoe 's PhD and Gabe's Master degrees are conferred.    When someone referred to her as Doctor Hanley, she looked around and replied, "no, that's my father, I'm Doctor Z". Working on this project has been a LONG slog both physically and emotionally for both of them but they should be very proud to be recognized in the wildlife community for their objectivity on this most controversial and politically explosive topic.  Congratulations Zoe and Gabe!

Hiking at Silver Falls Oregon

Couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit cousin Megan in Salem Oregon.  Their beautiful new home high on a hill on the outskirts of town is a peaceful gardened sanctuary.  Hawaii friends (and fellow RV'ers) Dean and Janine were in town for their sons college graduation and a grand time was had by all over dinner at Megan's house.