Let's go see the country!

April 23, 2008 - Pittsburgh, PA - Entered by Jim
We are less than a month away from departure now.  The next few weeks will be composed of equipment orders, food and packing preparations, and clarifications of assignments for the crew.  The eminence of this endeavor are very clear now, and the intellectual awareness of what we are doing has been coupled by a physical feeling that makes one's hair stand on end. 

Fear?  Maybe.  It would make sense for all of us to have at least a little bit of trepidation about the task at hand.  Excitement?  Absolutely!  We have invested every available moment getting ready for this event.  We are ready, standing at the starting line waiting for the judge to fire the gun.  Sure, we don't really know exactly what story will show itself to us as we reveal the more remote landscapes of this Nation.  Whatever that story is, we are all ready to welcome with open arms. 

This is an adventure in every way one could be.  It will have the good, the bad, the exciting, and the mundane.  It will be everything we could ever want, possibly accompanied with some things we do not want.  It is, in a true sense, adventure; one that will remain, without repent, in our hearts long after we return.  We are twelve ordinary people who have decided to contribute something to this world in ways in which we are the most competent.

There is a lot that can happen in 8400 miles.  And we are ready to search out ALL of it.  Let's go see the country!