Ready to take one trip or another

"Then came the great time of traveling, Spring, and everybody in the scattered gang was getting ready to take one trip or another."
-- "On the Road," Jack Kerouac

So we're taking one trip or another: Kathy to New Orleans with gal pals and John driving to Arkansas for a five-day kayak trip on the Buffalo River with an old rugby teammate.

Why the Buffalo? Because this is high season for the Okeefenokee Swamp and they limit your trip to two days. That's where I wanted to go when I found out Kathy was heading South on me. But the limit on nights sent me to the computer and a Google search for the "10 best canoe trips in the United States." The Buffalo turns up high on most of them. Plus, it's down South, and I'm hoping for good weather there.

Jerry helped me load the kayaks this afternoon.

Kathy flies to New Orleans; I drive to Kansas City where I pick up Jerry on Sunday afternoon before we head for Harrison, AR. Kayaks are loaded on the truck, which got the high sign from the mechanic a few days ago. I've packed too much stuff, as usual, and hope to put some of the camping gear to use on the drive there.

It sounds as though Kathy and friends plan on visiting all the best restaurants, lounging in a house they have rented and probably laughing until crying, which they report doing at least once or twice during one of their trips together.

I realize that presuming anyone cares about one's vacation or retirement doings is the height of egotism, but I can't help myself. Just because I'm not working for anyone right at the moment doesn't mean I can stop reporting and writing, even if the subject matter is not wide-ranging or of consequence.

And in the end, this is the essence of journalism -- keeping a journal. I hope you will excuse the egotism and drop in regularly as we start the great time of traveling, sight-seeing, kayaking, biking, hiking, etc.

Spring is just the start.