Westward Ho: The Setting Sun in Our Eyes

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October 6th 2006

Published: October 6th 2006

September 13 - October 2, 2006 Chatham, Cape Cod, Mass. - Chicago, Ill. 20,143 miles to date 1,792 miles this leg We’ve been squinting a lot in the last two weeks, now that we’re traveling west into the setting sun. Our generally southern route through New England took a decided right-hand turn when we departed Cape Cod, Mass. All the months we spent driving east, the roadway was nicely back... Read Full Entry

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Shelly & Jeff Randall

Waltzing Matilda

We are a writer/photographer and a land-use planner from Port Townsend, Wash., who quit our jobs to take a year-long "sabbatical" for the 12 months of 2006. Our travel vehicle was a Volkswagen Westfalia camper-van named Matilda, after the Australian phrase (and song) "Waltzing Matilda" -- meaning to hit the road with your possessions slung in a bag over your shoulder. We were glad not to be wandering on foot like those Aussie swagmen! We had a memorable trip waltzing around the U.S. and Canada, learning as much as we could about this vast and diverse continent we call home. So glad we di... full info

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Staten Island Ferry View

We rode the Staten Island Ferry over and back just to see Manhattan from the water. At right, the towers of the Financial District; at left, New Jersey offices.

Liberty Lady

The Statue of Liberty and shipping cranes of one of the world's busiest ports, as seen from the Staten Island Ferry.

South Street Seaport Encounter

We were walking by the ships moored at South Street Seaport and saw this recognizable figure on the float. We hollered his name, and sure enough, it was our friend Dan from Port Townsend! He has a gig captaining the seaport's Lettie G. Howard schooner.

Gillian & Dan

Another former Port Townsendite, Gillian, was also at South Street Seaport, working on a marlinspike at the blacksmith's shop. That's Dan helping out. Small world!

NY Night

A parting shot before we boarded the train for home: Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building.

Pat & Jennifer

We looped back through western New York to re-visit Pat and Jennifer and their family. Pat cooked his special chicken for a special occassion...

Meara's B'day

...daughter Meara's birthday! She is one year old and so interested in chewing on the balloon hat Shelly made for her that brother Donald had to blow out the candle.

Meara's First Bite

Meara started eating her birthday cake very daintily...

Meara's All Messy

...but by the time she opened a card from her great-grandma, she was properly smeared with chocolate.

Greenhouse Fix

We did some chores over the weekend we visited. Here Pat and Jeff grout new glass panes into the greenhouse.

Applesauce

Shelly helped Jennifer turn a bushel of MacIntosh apples into about 25 pints of applesauce. It all went through this food processor!

Lovely House

Isn't theirs a lovely house? It fits perfectly on their Conewango Valley, N.Y., hillside.

Amish Rugs

Daughter Aine surveys the view from her house's porch, bundled in one of four Amish rag rugs Shelly purchased at an auction. The one Aine's wearing was a gift to our hosts; the other three are going back to The Roost.

Holding Hands

The Amish shoe store across the road got lots of business on a rainy Saturday.

Corn Harvest

The corn field across the street was mowed down by horsepower, then the stalks were hauled away to be chopped into silage and stored in a nearby silo.

Corn Wagon

In another Amish backyard, a wagon loaded with corn stalks and surrounded by flapping laundry.

Clearwater Captain

We were treated to a sail on the Hudson River off Poughkeepsie, N.Y., thanks to Shelly's connection with Scott, a former shipmate who now captains the famous sloop Clearwater.

Joan in Galley

Port Townsendites might recognize Joan, currently the Clearwater cook. She cooked aboard Adventuress for a season, then stayed in town to attend our massage school.

Long Lake House

The house we were hosted in on Long Lake, near Akron, Ohio. It belongs to Shelly's first-cousin-twice-removed, Polly, and her husband Tom.

Polly & Louise

Polly and her mother Louise watch for wildlife on a pontoon boat ride on Long Lake.

Only Boathouse

Louise owns the only second-story boathouse in the whole Portage Lakes system and the only boathouse on Long Lake. A little fall color is starting to show!

7th October 2006

Dad and Mom
non-member comment

Looking Sooooooo Good
Just finished reading and looking at the photos of the latest blog. Wow, what a nice write up and photographs. We relive some of our travels every time we see your travelog. What a great experience you are having. Looking forward to seeing you both soon. Love, Dad and Mom

24th October 2006

Sarah Peters
non-member comment

Thank You for Sharing
Hi Guys! We are lookig forward to your return...(when is the big day yo u roll in?) And wanted to say big thanks for sharing the adventure....My sister and her family in Cape Cod were delighted with your visit! Your website and especially meeting the wonderful two of you has opened the world wide open for my nephew and nieces. Miss you... Sarah, Josh, Agnes, Caitlin, and Lilliana Peters

26th October 2006

Jennie Steen
non-member comment

Nice to meet you.
Hi. Just looked at the pictures of family,farm, and the crane leaving the Necedah Refuge. The pictures are great. Also the article. It was nice to meet you and hope to see you again. Sorry you didn't get the job Jeff, but I'am sure there is a better one waiting for you. Take Care. Jennie

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Westward Ho: The Setting Sun in Our Eyes

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