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GRAND ADVENTURE
- SUMMER 2009
While I don't
expect to leave the planet anytime soon, one of my bucket list items has been to
visit as many National Parks as possible on a drive across the country. From
June 20th to July 19th I decided to drive across the country, with a dual
purpose of visiting relatives and co-workers while seeing as much nature as
possible.
Facts of the
trip...
Miles Driven:
10,232 States
Visited: 31 - California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
Washington DC, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona
National Parks Visited: Acadia National Park, Arches National Park,
Bryce Canyon National Park,
National
Monuments: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Grand Staircase
Escalante,
Photographs Taken: 8851 Birds Seen: 305 species
Life Birds: 48 species Mammals Seen:
Life Mammals: Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer, Nine-banded Armadillo Reptiles Seen: American
Alligator, Brown Anole,
Amphibians Seen:
On June 20, 2009, I set out on an adventure hoping to spend 30 days driving
across this amazing country photographing the natural world I might encounter.
After driving 10,232 miles and crossing through 31 states, while visiting my
mother, my two sisters and two of my brothers along with nephews and
sister-in-law, aunts and uncles, friends and co-workers, I drove back into my
driveway at 1:30 pm on Sunday, July 19th.
This is an amazingly diverse country and when asked what was my favorite moment
or place, I find it is impossible to answer… every moment that I find myself
breathing in the beauty of this world or the love of my family is precious.
There are moments that stand out… seeing my sister Margot’s smiling face in
Cleveland, watching wild horses-pronghorn-badger in Nevada, enjoying the beauty
of Kansas with surprise… I could go on and on. The best way for those following
this blog is to read each day’s experience. I will be writing the pages and
illustrating them with photos as time permits.
I hope you enjoy following this marvelous journey and that it motivates you to
follow your own dream odyssey.
The solution to the world’s problems will only happen when we learn to love and
respect all living things and the planet that we all share. |
