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Max said it best: Papa, the Grand Canyon is amazing, but our home is even better.
A harrowing ending to this part of the expedition, as I will explain. The last few days (before the chaos) were spent in the verdant hills of the Tennessee Smokies and Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. We saw black bears, took a bike trip past 19th century cabins and old baptist churches, and discussed the Civil War. We listened to the cicadas, sat around the fire and film-interviewed each other about the trip. Sweet to hear the thrushes. Then we hit the road for home at last.
It began with a small mishap and escalated. About two hundred miles up the road from Shenandoah, after winding up and down numerous hills, we realized we didn't have Olga's laptop computer. We called back to the campground but they couldn't find it. When we pulled off for a driving break, Zoya found the laptop sitting on top of the trailer. Those little rubber circles under the computer saved it! This began a day of chaos, reminding me of the trip's beginning. (The day we left Accord in January, while burning the trash in the backyard, somehow an aerosol
can had made it into the fire. I was blown off my feet and came into the house with tufts of hair burnt off.) Well, we've come full circle, back to the centrifugal force of the Northeast. After nearly five months and 15,000 road miles, crossing the Jersey border in the last two hours of the journey a trailer wheel flew off and we lost control. But we did land safe and sound on the road shoulder. So we left the trailer in a shop near Route 78 and rolled on home in the Volvo unhitched.
That last, precarious driving day brought us to the bank of Lake Mahopac, where we were reunited with Grandma and Grandpa, and Mark, Chatty and Jason Teirstein. A hugging and kissing fest. Today we skipped up to Accord to see our dear friends Julie and Phil Rose, and Brit and Greta Baker. They greeted us with a Welcome sign, homemade popovers, wild pesto and smiling faces. We left Zoya with her pals Anna and Emma, and tomorrow I leave for England and Germany (More of the Woody Guthrie show). Max will head back to his MCS class, and Olga will pick up a paintbrush
Mostly Vegetarian
90% veggies. But he eats fish, bugs, and kids named Max again. As we tell the kids, the journey continues. All schooling is "home schooling" in the end, steered by the learner. If the kids are just pulled along, their wheels might fly off.
Well, we've straddled the oceans and mountains. We've heard the heartland radio waves, Appalachian dulcimers and also the geologic stories left in rocks and rivers. We owe many thanks to many people along the way. To David Lutken and Helen Russell for being so gracious and inviting the children along to every leg of every tour, to Diane and Alan Holt for hosting us in Ireland, Kelly and Susan in Colorado, Jane Gilman in Texas, Sigfrido, Janet, Tzintzun and Sereno in Guanajuato, Jorge and Iran in Patzcuaro, David and Shishan, Fode and Toby and the Sissoko family in Senegal, Uriel, Moshe and Pam in Phoenix, Dave Randall, Woody and Faithe for being there for Jenny, Paul and Jackie in La Jolla, and numerous Park Rangers and other people who helped us along the way.
Olga and I carved out this time with our kids, and it was an unforgettable education for us. To paraphrase the Talmud: I've learned a lot from my teachers, more from
my friends, but most of all from my students.
Maybe we'll even keep this journal going, at least for a while.
From Max:
WOW! THE TRIP'S DONE! OH MY GOD! IT IS WEIRD TO NOT BE TRAVELING!!!! Here we are back in Manhattan and Accord. The trip is done, So much to say, I remember in January, and I've been remembering to this day. Our friends are all happy, are friends are okay, and I hope we will be happy 'cause I'm done with my say. So let's all stop crying, and let's all stop sighing, we're home, we're happy, and it's good we're not dying.
I'm glad we made it home and now I'm starting to miss the trailer. I'm so glad to finally be home and even now we're all spread out. My sister is in accord, My dad's leaving for Germany, and My mom and I are in the city! Yay! That's all folks!
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