Epilogue

It didn’t seem like there was time to do much on this trip, on the other hand, it was quite the adventure. I live for such adventures, even if it simply involves wandering around a nearby or distant town or spending time with family and friends. As for this adventure, it is the first one I’m putting down in writing and pictures, making it the start of many published adventures to come.

Yes, even a simple guy like me with little money can travel. Many seem to think that to travel you need such things as travel agents, tour guides and an expensive hotel. Sure, the hotel I reserved in New York was expensive in my eyes, inexpensive in others eyes, but the most expensive room I’ve ever slept in. That is New York for you. I resolve to never again pay that much for a room. Even if some day I make millions as a travel writer and/or media publisher, I’d prefer something simple and meaningful over something expensive.

You don’t have to spend a lot to travel either. So how can you travel on the cheap and still have your own great adventure? Stay tuned as I continue to learn and in turn share what I learn with you.

Traveling also involves finding places to eat. Unfortunately, that can be hit and miss. I did find a few great places to eat on this trip and I’ll continue to tell you about those eating places that I have particularly enjoyed. Also, eating on the road doesn’t always involve a restaurant or fast food joint. For example, for much less money, one can go to the grocery store and put together a picnic, to be eaten in the car or motel room, or if weather permits, at a nice stop on the road.

On this adventure, I shared with you a bit about my family and my ancestors. My ancestors came from England to Massachusetts in the 1600’s. Eventually, their descendants made their way west, part of that historical migration that populated this country from Maine to California and Florida to Washington State. For example, my dad’s father was born in Iowa in 1889. His father was from New York and had migrated west to settle down in the Midwest, like countless other pioneers. Eventually, my grandfather would make his way to Boise, Idaho, where my father was born, in 1928. My great grandfather made his way even further west, to Fox Island, near Tacoma, WA. In a roundabout way, this is how I came to grow up in the Seattle area. So my own family’s story is also a story of this history of this country, as are the stories of countless other families. I intend to explore a lot more of this history in my travels, in places from Seattle to Iowa to New York. There are 50 states. Could I make it to all of them, and learn about sights and families and individuals in each one of them, in turn sharing the stories of these travels with you? We’ll see…

In some ways, I like to think of myself as normal and simple. In other ways I am not. By nature, travel can seem complicated. My father is a wanderer by nature, so wandering and getting along with any environment seems normal to me. What seems strange to me are those who have not found the strength, braveness and/or means to venture far from their hometown.

The world out there is also complicated with all that we face today, be it family matters, dealing with difficult people, the economy, the weather, addictions, world conflict and such. I try to be a good person and a good neighbor, but I am not faultless either. As we grow, live and learn, perhaps we become more complicated in a good way, as we find ourselves learning to cope with these complications in a positive manner. The key is to be the best person that we can be and to do the best that we can, no matter the adversities and adversaries that we face. I’ve had to deal with all these complications in one way or another, so perhaps I’m more complicated than I think. And I think I’ve become a better person because of them. You can, too. I bring this up because I’m also exploring ways to share of myself so that we can learn from and be a support to each other.

As I start this journey on the road to travel writing and media publishing, I find myself trying to find a niche. Alby Mangels inspired me by sharing his travel dreams through his Adventure Bound series that aired on the Travel Channel. Brad Newsham inspired me by writing about his adventure taking a trip around the world at a cost of about $5,000, with the goal of finding someone that he could bring back to America to share the sights and sounds of this country. They and other travel media publishers have found their own niche. I appreciate their adventurous and generous spirit. How can I better define myself? I will continue to explore that thought as I continue to read and watch for other adventurers to be inspired by. In turn, such ones can be inspired by knowing that they made a difference in someone else’s life.

My sister Teresa, her friend and roommate, Joanne, and Joanne’s mother were very gracious hosts to Jennie, Joshua and me. They made me feel right at home in their house in Hatboro, PA. I very much appreciated their hospitality. I could not help but mail them a thank you card. I had my video camera with me throughout this trip, so I mailed them a copy of the video for a lasting memory of the good, adventurous times that we had. Life is always better when we have such ones to share freely with, whether it is family or friends.

This adventure came to an end, but it is also a new beginning. I don’t know when I will take my next trip. I’m back at work in my office job thinking about all of these things, but at the same time earning money to finance the next trip. I will travel again. When I do, feel free to join me. You never know what might happen, what we might learn or what friends we might make.

And these won't be just my stories, they will also be your stories. I welcome input on stories to tell and ways to make my stories better.