Adventures

 Thanks for the adventures, Now go have another one!

In the middle of March, 2023, Maria was very tired and weak and wanted to watch a show that would make her laugh and smile. We picked the Pixar movie Up!  Perhaps not our best choice; for the first half of the show we were both crying -- this old man having to go on after losing his life partner. At about the half-way point, he was reading his wife's adventure book that she had started in high school. On the last page she said the above (or close to it). and Maria turned to me and said "that's what you have to do, have some more adventures". 

We were lucky, we had some wonderful adventures!

• In 1992 our first adventure was when you were brave enough to invite me to a family wedding. What an adventure. Part way through the evening I asked you to dance, and it felt like we had been dancing for a lifetime.  It really scared me; I took you to your home and ran away. You gave me two weeks to call, and I called on the 13th day. Lucky me!
• In 1993 we shipped two motorcycles to Germany - presold. When we got to Germany we rode motorcycles all around Germany; what a great adventure. Going somewhere where there is no speed limit and riding a motorcycle was thrilling!

• You always dreamed of flying, so for your birthday in 1995 I gifted you a tandem sky-diving experience. I stayed with both feet firmly planted on the ground. 

• In 1995 we also took a family holiday in Germany. One of my best vacations ever. It was so much fun staying in Berlin with all of us!
• In 1996 we started an adventure that is still warming my heart. We started our married life! Such a beautiful bride! Such a happy day!

• In 2001 we traveled across Canada in our truck and camper. My goodness you loved that camper.  We spent 9-weeks on our travels and only ate out three times. Talk about being compatible!

• In 2003, in  San Francisco, California, at the annual conference of the American Association of Medical Colleges, we gave a workshop together on using Microsoft Word and Excel to manage databanks of examination questions rather than more expensive proprietary software. You were a star, and will always be listed as a presenter at that conference. We extended that adventure by going to Kauai, the only time we were in Hawaii at the same time. You loved this beach picture and I am glad I can post it here. 

• In 2004 we had the privilege and honour of attending our son's graduation from Stanford. Such a good day, and you got such a sunburn - sitting in the football stadium in the hot sun. 

• In 2002 and 2003 we adventured down the Washington and Oregon coasts to visit the family in Mountain View, California. We fell in love with the aquariums down the coast - especially in Newport, Oregon. 

• In 2007 we adventured to Yellowstone National Park for the first time -- and definitely not our last. For a while it was our favourite vacation; until we went to the Yukon. On our first day in Yellowstone we found Bison babies. So fabulous! You said that they babies were frolicking! 

• In 2012 on our way to AVCA exams, we adventured to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, both near Moab, Utah. I remember looking at the view and being overwhelmed that I could share it with you. You hold my heart!

• In 2015 we adventured to the Yukon. You always said it was the best vacation ever. In Whitehorse one day you walked 50,000+ steps; best walk day ever! We walked everywhere! We saw more black bears than black flies as we arrived in the Yukon in late May. An amazing adventure. 

• In 2015, for your birthday I gifted you (and me) a balloon ride in Columbus, Missouri. It was a magical morning with fog covering the ground. We had a wonderful adventure together! Look how tanned we were! Look at that smile!

• We adventured on so many camping trips, near and far.  Tunnel Mountain in Banff, Interlakes and Elkwood in Kananaskis, Lions Campground in Red Deer, Writing on Stone, Drumheller Badlands, Jasper, Basin in Montana, Cape Lazo on Vancouver Island, Riverside in Cochrane, South Dakota Badlands, Yellowstone, Amana Colonies, Miami OK, Ennis in Montana, Roosevelt National Park, Moab in Utah, Interstate in Davenport, Kentucky Horse Park, Clear Lake in Iowa, Dawson in the Yukon, Kathleen Lake in the Yukon, Whitehorse in the Yukon, Clinton State Park in Kansas, Mystery Cave State Park in Minnesota, Wallace Campground in Idaho, St. Malo in Manitoba, Linden Coulee Campground, and countless Walmart parking lots. 
• In 2020 we ventured to Linden, Alberta because covid was placing greater demand on the mountain parks. We fell in love with Linden and adventured there for the next three years. In 2020 you were feeling pretty well and you walked and walked and walked every day. The locals would say "Hi, oh you are the folks that walk everywhere!". It became your favourite place to go camping and you loved the village.

Simply too many adventures to list them all, but these are a few.  Love you sweetie!

Thanks for the adventures, Now go have another one!