Dear Friend,

My wife and I were talking today about our oldest child, who is almost eleven years old.

He is a very bright, compassionate, and mature young man, and he has been a great help to us with chores and in dealing with the younger kids. But he is getting quite bored, maybe even burned out, at school.

And we’ve been wondering what to do about his education after the sixth grade. You see, his Montessori school only goes up to the sixth grade.

In the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, who founded the Montessori educational program, a young person should have learned all of the basic knowledge they need to begin their life in the world by the end of sixth grade. I know that this sounds strange to public school-trained ears such as mine, but she felt, and I have become convinced that she is correct, that a great deal of what is taught in traditional schools after that time is just filler, designed to keep kids busy until they are mature enough to attend college or to get a full-time job.

Her idea of a proper middle school was more of a social experience, where kids might work together to build a business, for example. They would build social skills at a time when social interaction was becoming a big deal in their lives. They would learn how to work with their peers on tangible projects toward meaningful ends, instead of cramming theoretical information into their brains in order to pass the next test.

They would also learn the practical skills that they would need to live on their own. How to make money, for example. Or how to balance finances. Or how to wash and fold their clothes. You know, real stuff.

They were expected to have already learned how to learn. Any additional information that they required in their lives was available when they needed it. They would just need to look it up.

The problem that my wife and I face as parents is that we live in a world where education is built around the test. Schools cram information into kids, and encourage them to learn good test taking skills. Essentially, schools seem designed to produce good students, not successful individuals who will live and work in a predominantly non-academic world.

There are practically no formal schools at the middle school level and above that follow Dr.
Montessori’s ideas, though many academics praise those ideas.

Our son can be homeschooled, of course. But that’s not the problem. What he needs are more complex social experiences. Yes, even at his age.

We would never push our son into doing anything that he is not comfortable with. And he certainly knows how to speak up for himself. But at some point, I think that he needs to journey out with other young people and discover the world. All kids do. And, hopefully, they’ll discover the better part of themselves in the process.

I know that some young people have the opportunity to do this sort of journeying through their church or other religious institutions, in the form of “mission trips.”

“Mission trips” are often group trips to poor, third world environments where the kids, with adult supervision, can live together and work for a period of time to make a difference in the lives of less fortunate people who really need it. This sort of experience exposes young people to a world they would probably never otherwise see, and it teaches them that their personal efforts really can make a difference. It is also a bonding and maturing experience for all involved.

I would be glad to be a part of such an effort. But I want my kids to also have such experiences when neither mom or dad are around. That is when real maturation occurs, in my opinion.

So, that’s what we talked about today. Once again, I am curious what you think.

If you have or had children of this age or older, what are/were your views on the best experiences that they can be exposed to? What really is education for a teen? Is sitting in a classroom listening to lectures the best way for teens to spend their day? Or is it just the easiest way to control them while we run around trying to make a buck or two every weekday?

I am really interested in what you think. I look forward to your comments. And thank you for your interest and contributions!

All the best,

Hugh

Dear Friend,

Help!

I have a bit of a conumdrum and I’m not finding much helpful material about it on the web or from folks I talk to, so I thought that I would bounce it off of you and see what you thought.

You see, my kids love computers. I mean, they really love computers. If we’d let them they’d do nothing else but sit on ‘puters all day.

Just when I think that these computers are just a substitute for last generation’s TV addiction, I listen in on what they are up to. And I am impressed.

My oldest is recruiting and organizing others into groups to achieve a task. My other kids are creating virtual worlds and taking care of virtual pets. The creative activities they engage in are really terrific. Mostly.

My kids are very physically active and would rather run around that be involved in sedentary activities, so I’m not worried about them becoming overweight “couch potatoes.” So what, exactly, am I worried about?

I think that the problem is that my wife and I do not know how much is too much. And when we look for guidance there seems to be two camps – or one, really.

The camp of the academic purists, as I call them, basically think that computers are just aggrandized televisions, and that we’d all be better off without them. I notice, however, a distinct generational slant in these folks, with most being too old to have experienced computers in any but an adult professional environment.

The other camp is no camp at all. It is made up of those parents who simply put some random restriction on computer time and content usage, or simply put no restriction at all.

The first camp has reams of data to support their position. All of it written by old dudes from the pre-computer generation.

The second camp has no documentary support at all.

My instinct is to observe each of my children, see how they react to their interaction with technology, and then to meter their exposure based on that reaction. I also always want to see my kids involved in a variety of activities that involve physical activity, different types of challenges and stimuli, and basically incorporate variety in their daily life.

But then there are four of them and it can be tough to work all day and do all the other things that we adults need to do every day and at the same time be closely monitor how many minutes/hours each child has spent each day in each activity. And the computer monitoring software that I have tried just doesn’t hold up well – it’s too rigid or just hasn’t worked well.

In fact, just thinking about manually keeping track of all that they do everyday makes me dizzy. Sometimes watching them run around in circles makes me dizzy too!

I’m sure I will hear from you the same kinds of things that I have read. But I am asking you for your thoughts in the hope that some of your responses will help me and my wife to do what is best by my children.

And maybe you’ll be helping other readers out there with the same issue.

Thanks so much for your thoughts! I look forward to reading them!

All the best,

Hugh

Dear Friend,

If you are a regular reader of this blog then you know that my family is in the process of transforming our lifestyle from a more conventional and ordinary form to a creative lifestyle that conforms more closely to our dreams.

Although this process of transformation has been fun, it can also be stressful at times. And conflicts do arise.

In my opinion, the process of creative family lifestyle design doesn’t really create conflict as much as it can uncover previously unacknowledged conflicts and force you to deal with them.

Many of us have issues with loved ones that go unresolved simply because it is easier to ignore them than to deal with them while we are following a busy lifestyle. Now I’m not suggesting that you should intentionally dig up all of these conflicts. However, if there are issues in your family that are likely to raise their ugly heads while you are also undergoing a lot of other stress in your life, the combined stress may be too much to bear. In such a case addressing these issues in advance may save a lot of unnecessary pain later.

In thinking about the stresses that my own relationships have undergone, it became obvious to me that such stress can be beneficial to relationships in the long run.

You know the old adage, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Well, I’ve come to believe that without tough times, relationships never mature. If you’ve never really experienced true stress together with your partner, then I believe you can’t know for sure how strong your relationship is.

How strong is a rope? There may be a rating from a manufacturer, but only by using that rope, and stressing it, can we know for sure what it can handle. And it’s better to know such answers early on in relatively safe situations where you have some control over the circumstances than later when some truly serious issue arises.

What is true for an ordinary rope is also true in relationships. Unfortunately, relationships don’t come pre-labeled as to their strength and fortitude. I propose that in any important relationship, the participants need to find themselves, at least once, seriously questioning whether they should end that relationship. This sounds harsh, but it is only at this point that you can know for sure what is going on deep inside of your heart.

If a relationship is never tested under fire, I believe that relationship could be more likely to ultimately fail. Strong steel is forged in a hot fire. Strong relationships are forged, and weak relationships fail, as a result of meaningful conflict.

No one goes looking for conflict or negative stress. Certainly not me. And I have found that beginning the process of pursuing my dreams has been relatively stress free, despite all of the changes that we have brought to our lives.

Today my family are living our lives, not just enduring them. We are no longer paying dues. Instead, we are enjoying the ride.

No, we are not being irresponsible. Instead, we are simply aware that life is a finite existence, and now is the best time to live it, not later.

When conflict does arise amongst us, it gives me a greater sense of peace while amidst this negative energy knowing that our strong relationships will come out of that conflict even stronger than before. I don’t fear that all will fall apart. And the absence of that fear makes conflict resolution much easier.

So the next time you find yourself in a heated confrontation with a loved one, remember – you are in the process of forging your relationship into a bond greater than steel.

Respect your partner, and require equal respect for yourself. Resolve issues as best you can and then reassure him or her that your shared love is all that really matters anyway.

I wish you the best of luck in all that you do.

Best regards,

Hugh

Dear Friend,

The Road Warrior crew is resting comfortably at home while we re-provision for our next excursion.

In the mean time, I thought that I would share with you a story of an experience we had in the bayous of southern Louisiana last weekend.

While visiting New Orleans, we thought that it would be interesting to take a bayou tour of the swamps and wetlands of lower Louisiana. We joined a group of folks aboard a small boat captained by a lifelong bayou native, with a unique Louisiana accent that sounded to my ears like a marriage between the deep South and northern New Jersey.

The bayou boat tour was great. It rained while we were out, and I had not seen such intense downpours since my days in the Costa Rican jungle. The weather was hot and humid but the rain felt like I was taking a warm shower.

My kids handled a gator the captain scooped out of the bayou, and a small snake made a new home in one of my kid’s long hair (we finally got it out, to the disappointment of all of the yung ‘uns).

If you didn’t know (and I didn’t), a bayou is a natural waterway or inlet that generally contains brackish water and is surrounded by wetlands of various types. Bayous are the remnants of ancient river bends that have been cut off from the main river channel by the constant shifts in the river’s course. The word “bayou” derives from an American Indian word that had its pronunciation distorted somewhat by the Acadians (now called Cajuns) when they arrived in Louisiana from Atlantic Canada long ago.

Despite these unique experiences, what struck me the most about this excursion was not the beautiful natural surroundings, but rather the boat captain himself.

This man fit the bill of what I like to call call a “marsh dweller,” Where my family is from is full of low salt marsh areas, and the people who live back in these harsh environments always came off to me as tough, harsh at times, extremely independent, often loud, occasionally braggarts, tellers of “tall tails,” yet in matters that count honest to a fault and the salt of the Earth in character.

These marsh folks often seem to be people who put you off at first, even perhaps bowl you over a bit with their loud manners and their rough appearance. But, once you spend a bit of time among them, and show them some basic human respect, they inevitably treat you like close family. And their honesty about themselves and the world around them is so refreshing that I find myself not wanting to leave their presence – except that I would have to endure more loud, tall tails.

This Louisiana boat captain was one of these familiar marshy folks. So in a way I felt at home.

While on our bayou tour captain told us a story about the alarming loss of wetlands all over southern Louisiana.

Apparently, one of the many benefits of coastal wetlands is the role that they play in lessening the impact of hurricanes before these storms reach major coastal population centers. The most common cause of coastal hurricane damage is the “storm surge,” or wall of water that these storms push ahead of them as they approach a coastline. An extensive coastal wetland buffer can knock down the height and force of these surges substantially. When the coastal buffer is lost, coastal cities lie open to destruction from the sea.

Our captain told us a story about a group of Dutch scientists and engineers that were invited to the US a few years back as consultants to the US Army Corps of Engineers. Their job was to advise the Corps on how it might stem the loss of these wetlands. These folks were in the States for two weeks, and had the occasion to take a bayou tour with our captain during their visit.

Apparently in the two weeks they were in Louisiana these Dutch folks constructed a simple demonstration system that pumped river water from the Mississippi river into the bayous, effectively proving that wetlands could be reconstructed in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner, reversing the wetland losses that had so devastated the coastline to date.

The captain explained to us that the Mississippi River used to naturally overflow its banks into the bayous all the time, dumping silt laden waters into these slow moving waterways, where it served to build up the wetlands and counter the effects of tide and erosion.

However, since the Corps earlier efforts to control regional flooding by building an extensive system of dikes, called “levees,” the waters and their precious silt content were being channeled directly into the sea, dumping this silt into the ship channels at the mouth of the Mississippi. The Corps apparently then dredges the silt from the ship channels and dumps it farther out to sea.

At the time our captain was excited to hear about the efforts of these Dutch engineers. Holland is a very low country surrounded by a system of dikes, so Dutch know-how in this area is renowned worldwide. However, our captain was far from impressed by the news that, once these engineers had demonstrated their cheap and simple solution to a problem that the Corps had been unsuccessfully struggling with for decades, these Dutchmen and women were promptly sent home, and their experiment was canceled.

Our captain was convinced that somebody at the Corps was afraid of looking bad, or of being shown up by “foreigners,” or whatever. He said that he was so upset by how things were being handled in the bayous and wetlands these days that he and his wife had already picked out the town in Montana that they will move to as soon as he gets ticked off enough to just chuck it all.

From my life experience, this man’s story rings true. But of course we will likely never know about many simple solutions to expensive, complex problems for the same reasons.

Anyway, I enjoyed this man’s story, and I particularly enjoyed the passion and obvious expertise that this otherwise simple sounding man clearly displayed.

I am a well educated man. I suspect that this boat captain may not have even finished high school. But in the matters that he was discussing, I would weigh his opinion over many a doctorate holder.

I learned long ago not to judge a person’s intelligence from his or her appearance or speech patterns. I have met many stupid people who were wearing nice suits and a surprising number of apparent geniuses in dirty T-shirts driving in rusty pickups.

Anyway, that’s my story from the bayous. I thought it worth repeating. I hope that you have a chance to visit this beautiful and fascinating part of the world sometime too.

All the best,

Hugh

Dear Friend,

For those of you following the progress of the Road Warrior crew, I am writing to you tonight from Stone Mountain, Georgia, outside of Atlanta.

Today as I sat with my family in an Atlanta restaurant, I couldn’t help but notice the guy who was sitting just across from us. You see, he looked a lot like me. It was the look of his eyes, and his eyebrows, I think. But then he was “black,” and I am “white.”

He was an attractive guy (of course). And he was with a very attractive young lady. So we both have good taste. 😉 Could we be related? I have heard that we may have distant family in Georgia. I suppose that we could be cousins.

But then of course we are related. Modern DNA research has proven that humankind is very closely related. We are all, everyone, close cousins.

Yet, despite the familiar looks, I instinctively noticed those features of this man that were different than mine. In fact, I gave those features a name, and I then defined this man by that name (and me too). He was a “black” man and I was a “white” man, remember?

Why did I do this? Cultural training, certainly. But why do we all seem to insist on describing people who are not part of our immediate family in terms of the ways in which they look different from us?

Some anthropologists say that mankind has an ancient genetic tendency to be clanish and tribal. We favor those people more closely related to us over those who are not closely related. This historic adaptation most likely once served to help our ancestors survive in a dangerous and primitive world.

But today, if we do not learn how to quickly shed this genetic drive towards thinking in terms of “we” and “they,” we will destroy ourselves and the world. Today, a few determined people who hate their neighbors (even though they have probably never met them) can do a great deal of damage to us all.

But what could happen that might suddenly bring all of humanity together to overcome this threat to human survival? What hope do we have of changing hundreds of thousands of years of genetic adaptation overnight?

Only the widespread perception of a common threat can achieve such a miracle. Only the survival instinct that created this genetic trait will likely succeed in erasing it.

Perhaps a visit from ETs would unite us? Or perhaps the remnants of human civilization after a devastating world conflict will get the point?

I do not know what the solution will be. Yet somehow, I remain optimistic. I do not believe that we have come this far in order to simply blow it all now. I can envision too many wonderful futures to believe that none of then will come to pass.

I am an optimist, yes. But I truly believe that we can and we will come together.

You can start the process yourself today. Expect nothing from anyone. Spread kindness and compassion to everyone you see. Give without expecting anything in return. Give instead for the good that it does for your soul. Don’t try to change your neighbors, just respect them as they are.

And finally, notice in the strangers around you those things that bind you together, and not those things that separate you.

You just might discover a whole lot of long lost cousins.

All the best,

Hugh

Dear Friend,

Today I write from Mobile, Alabama!

In the ongoing saga of my Twitter twubbles, I hit up a conversation with someone on the getsatisfaction.com/twitter website. My new friend experienced the same troubles as I with Twitter, but he questioned the need of anyone to have the likes of 20,000 followers on a social network.

I thought that he made a good point. Below is my answer:

Hi Trinlayk!

Thanks so much for your reply!

Your points are well taken. As a practical matter, it is difficult to deal with the tweets of 20,000 followers flying by as you try to read them. Annoying, in fact.

You ask an excellent question that begs to be explored further – Why does ANYONE need 20,000 “friends” on Twitter?

Here we get into questions that go way beyond user practicality or fear of triggering spam software. We go into the question of who gets access to the collective ears of the “masses.” Particularly when those masses actually specifically chose to listen to what you might have to say.

As I noted in my earlier post, I have huge doubts that the Hollywood stars or politicos will ever run into the issue that you and I have with Twitter. In effect, this means that Twitter, which is quickly developing into something way beyond a social website into a real virtual space for world community thought, will be governed by rules of prior restraint on speech based on WHO YOU ARE.

Such a result, which I do not think is intentional but nevertheless exists, guarantees that a few who already control access to the traditional media such as TV and radio, will continue that media control in the Internet communications channel that is Twitter. Such a result has huge social and political implications that I assure you are not lost on those who watch these issues.

If our only concern is ourselves and our small group of close friends, all of this is just blather. But if we actually care about who has access to the ears and minds of the greatest number in world society, then we cannot let Hollywood, CBS, Sony, Paramount, Oprah, Disney, and Rupert Murdock and the rest, be the sole arbiters of the points of view that the vast majority of our friends and neighbors accept as truth. And we particularly cannot allow certain voices to be silenced, as you and I have been, by people who are not our followers.

Apparently, 20,000 people cared about what I had to say. They cared enough to take the time to follow me. And then to choose not to unfollow me.

True, many of these folks may have just followed me because I had a lot of followers. At least later on when my follower numbers had grown large. But I can never know for sure what anyone’s reasons for a follow is. No one should know. Decisions like who someone follows, and why, are the most private kinds of decisions that anyone can make. I don’t have a right to know why.

But the reality is that these folks chose to follow me, and perhaps you, too, and I don’t think that it was an accident. Else I could never repeat the feat, and yet I am certain that I could, with a lot more hard work, repeat it. And I would not need any more technical trickery than the big names might use. I am not that technically sophisticated. I didn’t even know to back up my followers! I just did my best to deliver quality tweeting and valuable content.

So, that is why I believe that I need to have 20,000, or even 200,000 followers. Not because it is easy for me. Not because I can easily follow or respond to all of them – I cannot – but because they voluntarily chose, or could choose, to follow me. And to continue to follow me. And at any time they are free to choose to unfollow me. And to act on that choice.

No one should have the power to stop them from making those choices freely. NO ONE.

All the best,

@hughdeburgh

I haven’t had a lot of time to tweet on Twitter as I have been putting in about eight hours of driving each day, with occasional breaks for a rest.

We’re collecting a lot of cool stories that I plan to share with you very soon. Yesterday, we spent the day in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Tonight we will try for Atlanta, where my wife has an aunt. If we don’t make it, some Wal-Mart along the way will surely be our transient home.

But then again, in the Road Warrior, everyplace is our home!

Until next time,

Bon champs!

Hugh

Dear Friend,

Hello from sunny New Orleans!

I was preparing to write today’s post when I received a note from a fellow Twitter user regarding his account’s suspension from the Twitter social network. I found myself writing a rather long reply (as you know I often do), and I thought that it might be worth posting here.

Some of the material is very specific to my issue with Twitter, but I thought that there was enough there that went deeper to make it worth sharing with you. What do you think?

So here goes…

Dear quincy –

I agree completely.

My twitter.grader.com grade for @hughdeburgh was between 99.95 and 99.99 when my acount was suspended. I was growing like gangbusters without really trying. I had about 20,000 friends on the Twitter network. And I sell nothing. I simply liked to retweet things that I thought my followers would enjoy, and I also included thoughts of my own. Sometimes, of course, I would chat with friends.

I talked about the death of a close friend. I talked about the beauty of a rainy evening. And the humor of insects attacking my windows. I was inspired by the people I followed. And I tried to pass that inspiration on to as many people as I thought would enjoy it. And clearly they did enjoy it.

But I was suspended.

Why?

As you said, users with large followers cannot be expected to do everything manually like a user with 200 followers. And we have no clear guidance as to what exactly we have done that might trigger their automatic suspensions. For all I know I may get up to 20000 followers once more only to be kicked in the groin again (for that is exactly what it feels like).

I wonder if Oprah or the other big name “stars” are held to this standard? Can you imagine the press reaction when the Twitter computers automatically suspend Oprah’s account because her staff might use some automated tool, and then Twitter takes over 30 days to get around to reviewing the computer’s decision? I wouldn’t wish that on Oprah, of course, but it’s not going to happen, is it? But how can it not happen?

Do you think that their computer algorithm that monitors tweets has a programmed exception for any tweets from Oprah or from any other well known figure? How else could they avoid such an occurrance?

The obvious double standard that clearly exists here smells to me like discrimination in its most blatant form. How does this look to you? Is a TV star with 20000 followers more worthy than a non-TV star with the same followers? Have we really returned to the old class system?

Or maybe they just don’t want too many more people with big accounts? Too much work for their computers to deal with (at least if those people don’t have powerful friends)?

I am speculating, of course. Since a human has not bothered to contact me, that is all that I can do.

To me Twitter was my contact with other minds that I could reach in no other way. The idea that some inanimate object or anonymous techie could interject itself or herself into that intimate if public conversation and rule it “unacceptable” is analogous to some self-described authority figure jumping into my mind and telling me to stop thinking this or that because it fails to meet somebody else’s rules for acceptability. Or perhaps to cut off my telephone service after a conversation with a friend for the same reason.

How do you think the public would react if AT&T or Verizon were to cut off your phone service due to unspecified “suspicious activity” and then take their good old bureaucratic time getting around to telling you what that suspicious activity was supposed to have been, effectively cutting you off from an important segment of your human connections in the same manner that the Iranian government is right now cutting off protesters cell phones in an effort to control the content or manner of their speech?

You are absolutely correct about the idiocy of Twitter pi**ing off customers. Twitter is hot right now, but it could be replaced in a few weeks by a better network that takes care of its people.

Clearly, Twitter is overwhelmed by the impact of this social networking technology, and our situation is a consequence of that. But they have no choice but to deal with their suspension system or they will make enemies of some of their community’s most popular members – it’s leaders in fact.

Perhaps Twitter’s principals hope to sell Twitter before the cost of their poor service becomes apparent? I sure hope that is not their strategy.

The reality is that the community of users are the true “owners” of Twitter. We are the ones who are creating Twitter’s value by spending so much time and thought energy to make Twitter a place worth being. And like the owners of a popular bar or night spot, Twitter’s execs need to understand that their customers can easily move down the street and continue whatever they were talking about there.

But we don’t want to go anywhere else. And we don’t want annoying salesmen bugging the he** out of us while we hang out either. The question is, do Twitter’s people know the difference between community leaders and annoying peddlers?

If Twitter execs don’t understand their business, they will soon discover their error, perhaps too late. For all of our sakes, I hope they are able to fix this issue quickly.

Best of luck to all!

@hughdeburgh

I hope you have an absolutely wonderful weekend!

Your friend,

Hugh

Dear Friend,

How do you know you are dead? You suddenly discover that you have no more problems to solve.

If you are working hard to solve all of your problems, to prepare for every contingency, and to tie up every loose end before you cast off in pursuit of your dreams, then you are on a fools errand.

Problems and challenges are what define life. The process of life is defined by how we approach and, hopefully, overcome these challenges. New challenges will come, of course. And if they didn’t, we’d probably create some.

As humans, we need challenge. It is what defines us. Sitting around in a rocking chair is as deadly an act as base jumping. Perhaps it’s worse.

Our bodies expect to be busy. Our minds and our muscles expect and need exercising, or they atrophy and die. A dull and sedentary existence tells your body that it is no longer needed or useful, and it just shuts itself off.

Sure, some of us are more active than others. I am quite guilty of couch potato living myself. But at least be aware of the nature of your physical self. You body and your mind need challenge to thrive. And this fact does not end just because you are living the life you love. The opposite is true.

What is different for happy folks than for everyone else is that work comes much easier because it is the right work for you. It is fun. And fun is not dangerous. In fact, I am certain that fun will extend your health and lifespan substantially over the lifespan of those who do not experience fun regularly.

And anyway, what is life worth if living isn’t fun. Maybe dying would be better?

Since I am having fun, I expect to live a very long time. I highly recommend it!

All the best,

Hugh

Dear Friend,

After our regular trip to the RV service center today to do some last minute debugging to the SS Road Warrior, we headed down the road to Houston, Texas.

We plan to visit a local Montessori middle school in Houston.

Montessori educational approach is best understood in the PreK and Kindergarten years, and sometimes for Elementary schools. Yet it is a rarely used conceptual approach to dealing with education in the middle school years.

We hope to learn more about what they are doing and then to pass on this info to other members of our local community who are thinking of starting such a school.

We also may visit the Johnson Space Center to expose our kids to the manned space program, something that affected me greatly as a child and yet is almost invisible to today’s children.

Our future route man take us through lower Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region. Perhaps a stop at a beach is in order?

Tonight we reside in the outer parking lot of a Houston Wal-Mart. Our companions are a couple of over-the-road truckers who are trying to catch a few winks before heading off to distant locales.

Originally we were going to stay at a local campground, but when we arrived we were notified that it was completely full. It didn’t look that good to me anyway.

We were quite surprised that the campground was full as just last night we stayed at a first class campground further north that was practically empty. Maybe we should go back!

Anyway, the journey continues…

Talk to you soon,

Hugh