Janette's Blog (6)

Last week I got paid to hike North Rim to South Rim for my new job. It was an awesome hike with 7 park service interpretive staff that knew practically anything there was to know about the Canyon. We took four days to cross the Canyon, which is much slower than most people get the opportunity for, but we were stopping at almost every rock laer change, new plant, insect, etc to share knowledge. Stayed at Cottonwood campground on the way down, Phantom Ranch, and Indian Garden on the way back up,… Continue

If you are headed for Interstates 40 or 55 and traveling through AL and/or MS on AL 78, look out for signs for Appalachian Project Corridor X. They are blue signs, kind of like an alternate route sign. This brand new road will ultimately be designated as Interstate 22, but obviously that has not yet happened. The road is an Interstate by any other name: the brand new parts are 6 lane nicely graded blacktop, older portions are still 4 lane and concrete in places, but it has very light traffic, an… Continue

....and other roadside oddities. I have left Florida behind. Since over-baking myself on the beach I have spent three days in decreasing temperatures, snow, ice and freezing fog. As I travel westward, in the boredom of concentrating on the Interstate lane ahead of me, I see only brief gl… Continue

Today’s episode of my journey westward was a nice short low mileage day. I left my friend Marti’s on a cold foggy late winter morning clad in wool socks, jeans and a sweater. By noon, the Florida winter sun was out in full force. Having a couple of hours to spare until my friend MaryBeth… Continue

As excited as I am to be leaving Florida to travel West, to explore new places, hike more trails, and meet new friends, it is the friends I leave behind that make starting this journey so hard. The footprints in my heart are forged by friends so varied. Some acquaintances leave only a… Continue

I’m almost finished packing up the RV to get on the road. Carrying my accommodation with me is going to be a great benefit, but being much smaller quarters then I’m used to required many difficult decisions. To take, or not to take? has been the question applied to everything I own. The big items were easy, places found for them on a “where will it go?” basis: kayak mounted rooftop, and bicycle on a rack behind. Car, not able to be towed, had to be sold. Smaller but needworthy items were categor… Continue