Expeditions

“Good planning is important. I’ve also regarded a sense of humor as one of the most important things on a big expedition. When you’re in a difficult or dangerous situation, or when you’re depressed about the chances of success, someone who can make you laugh eases the tension”

Edmund Hillary

Not that any of our expeditions rank up there with scaling Mount Everest, but Leah and I have been blessed with some amazing experiences, all of which involved much laughter. Eventually, we learned that many people enjoy following along and that’s the focus in this section.

This page will simply serve as a launching point to various spots where our reports reside.

The above photo, quite obviously, is me at the South Pole. My four-month experience working in Antarctica is in many ways what opened our minds to the possibilities that have become … and are becoming … a reality.

Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico

We took our desire for longer, deeper visits to a new level when I signed up for an artists residency program in the mountains of Mexico. It provided a small, third-floor apartment with living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom, plus a lovely deck overlooking the tourist district of Chapala in the state of Jalisco. We spent four weeks of March 2019 living there, exploring the streets, meeting locals and other travelers, eating very well and reconfirming our deeply established belief that people are people – and mostly good people – wherever one goes.

Caprock Canyons State Park

This expedition is much more tame than any of the others, but it’s possible the experience will lead to more chances to get away and get in touch. We slipped away to a quiet area of Caprock Canyons State Park in the Texas Panhandle, claimed our own spots and simply soaked up the environment, allowing minds to wander where they may. This article is short with several photos.

Europe 2018

This was one of those trips that simply evolved. I found a pretty good deal on a transatlantic cruise and booked it a year early. Serendipity played her hand and we were joined by friends we met on a previous trip, then we ran into some old friends. Leah’s cousin and his friend in Germany, whom we had only met once, insisted on hosting us and showing us around. Former co-workers from Poland and the Czech Republic arranged a get-together. And our host’s family held a warm going away dinner our last evening. Along the way, we also saw some neat stuff.

Thailand

This was a trip we had been looking for. After quite a bit of traveling, sight-seeing and playing tourist, we wanted to get closer to a community. See behind the scenes, let’s say. When good friends offered a room at their coastal home in Thailand, we jumped at the opportunity and it proved to be more than we could have hoped for.

Walk the Erie Canal

Leah and I spent five weeks in May-June 2016 walking the Erie Canal Trailway from the Niagara River, near Buffalo, to the Hudson River, near Albany, some 360 miles.

All-in-all, it may rank as our neatest experience ever.

Dream trip

Once I had been to Asia, Antarctica and Australia, it seemed natural that I should target visiting all seven continents. On my 60th birthday, we set out on this amazing trip that included a brief stay in Dubai, a week in South Africa and ended with a transatlantic cruise with stops in Spain, Gibraltar and the Azores. It also upped my continent count to six.

Antarctica

One of the great experiences of my life was the opportunity to work as a journalist in Antarctica for four months from October 2006-February 2007. This is a compilation of notes and photos. I love talking about it, so hit me up with any questions.