The whole point of rushing to New England is to see fall colors, so my sister Julie and her husband Sal wasted no time stuffing me into their car for another (much shorter) road trip today.  I was dazed from driving, but dazzled by the riot of colors - and the spectacular Mount Washington Hotel … Continue reading 10-10-18 →

I wasn't going to drive to New Hampshire - it was just too much to think about. But after examining all the other travel options it became obvious that this was the practical choice. So I did. Drive. All day. Through EIGHT states. (Well, okay, it was less than 10 miles in the Virginias, and … Continue reading 10-9-18 →

It's time to move north! Time to say goodbye to Harpers Ferry and its many fun features, including this appropriately spooky breakfast joint (cemetery and all). Packing up to requires an assembly line but is surprisingly efficient. I'm now grateful for the many hours I spent back in Bozeman rethinking and reducing my stockpile.

The holiday and unexpected summerlike (hot!) weather made this a perfect weekend for wineries. We chose two Virginia vineyards - one small and one large. The first was in a barn, sitting at a makeshift bar in the shadow of the crusher and stemmer (see Carolyn). The second had a patio, a pond, and a … Continue reading 10-7-18 →

Biking on a battlefield - what could be better? I'm dragging my new mountain bike around the country and hoping to use it every day (strike that - at least once every couple weeks, minimum). This morning I rode around one of the more confusing battlefields at Harpers Ferry (it changed hands 8 times). Those … Continue reading 10-6-18 →

This was another day spent mostly with my laptop and doing chores (bank, prescriptions, groceries). The reward at the end of the day was a couple hours at the Hillsborough Vineyard (photo that I swiped from the Web below). Virginia is apparently chock-full of vineyards and tasting rooms - who knew? We sat on the … Continue reading 10-5-18 →

Worked all day (yes, I do work!). I'm still finding it hard to break away from responding to/worrying about issues and events at MSU. Being on sabbatical takes mental discipline. I need to work on shifting from the everyday minutiae to focus on big ideas and long-term goals. I have no useful photos of this … Continue reading 10-4-18 →

New York is great, but being with family is far better. I'm so blessed to have amazing nephews and nieces who are so talented, so generous with their time, and willing to take care of me in my old age (did you hear that, kids?). The best parts of this trip were the casual walks, … Continue reading 10-3-18 →

Today's NYC adventure included an afternoon exploring the Met (the museum, not the opera) while the kids were working. It always seems surreal to stand in front of original works - can you name the three artists below? Jordan's husband Steve (pictured) picked me up for dinner and a trip to the top of the … Continue reading 10-2-18 →

Lots of pictures today! Both Seth and Jordan are now embedded New Yorkers (which means I don't see them nearly often enough). This 3-day visit is a gift of extended time with them, as well as a chance to knock a few items off the tourist bucket list. Jordan and I started early with the … Continue reading 10-1-18 →

What a week - Washington, Shenandoah, and now on to New York City to spend quality time with my amazing niece and nephew and their spouses. Jordan picked me up at Penn Station and wasted no time inspiring that "New York state of mind" with a $1 street dog and a subway ride. We met … Continue reading 9-30-18 →

We spent the night at Skyland Resort in the middle of Shenandoah Park, then continued south to finish Skyline Drive, do more hiking, and take in more views from 3500 feet - pretty impressive when the valley is nearly at sea level. Fall colors are just starting to creep into the hardwoods covering layer on … Continue reading 9-29-18 →

Built by the CCC in the 1930s, Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive is essentially a 105-mile stretch of deliberately slow and scenic driving atop the Blue Ridge Mountains. Carolyn and I went halfway today, stopping for several short hikes - most of them along the Appalachian Trail. Harper's Ferry is actually the midway point of … Continue reading 9-28-18 →

Harpers Ferry is in extreme northeast West Virginia, making it easy to visit Washington, DC (or "go into town" as Carolyn puts it). Thankfully she knows the subway system! With a four-hour window we settled on touring the Capitol and attending a lecture at the Supreme Court. The Kavenaugh hearings added protests and police presence. … Continue reading 9-27-18 →

I took a break this afternoon and had a late lunch in Harpers Ferry. This historic village sits at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. It was the site of an uprising that helped launch the Civil War. It’s the midway point on the Appalachian Trail. And it’s literally 10 minutes from Carolyn’s … Continue reading 9-26-18 →

For those who wonder if I'm getting any actual work done...today I sent emails, had an hour-long phone meeting, printed documents, read an article, and organized a half-dozen piles of records into a file box. This will be the norm for awhile - for me at least, a huge part of putting a book together … Continue reading 9-25-18 →

It rained today. It rains a lot here in West Virginia. And also in Virginia. And also in Maryland. I know, because I drove through all three in the space of 20 miles en route to a Nissan service center. You know that thing where you drive across the country and you start hearing a … Continue reading 9-24-18 →

I'll be here at Carolyn's house for over two weeks - actually for nearly six weeks including a couple "trip within a trip" events. Carolyn is a natural history writer for the National Park Service. Not surprisingly, her yard is a botanical garden and butterfly haven. This weekend I even attended her 3-hour field journaling … Continue reading 9-23-18 →

In the words of my map app, "Arrived"! Good to be staying put for awhile just outside Harpers Ferry, a National Historic Park (think Civil War) that is gloriously situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. It's like living in a museum around here! Today I had lunch in Charles Town, named … Continue reading 9-22-18 →

Last leg! I crossed eastern Ohio and all of West Virginia on roads of all sizes and contours - parkways, freeways, and winding county roads. Interesting sights along the way included an Amish farmer working horses and plow; the Hopewell and Serpent Indian mounds near Chillicothe; and a little burg called Lubeck I found near … Continue reading 9-21-18 →