State Bird of Maine

The Breakwater in Rockport Harbor

Me and Zach

Dad and Bridgette

Me and Dad

We don't know these people ...

Bridgette feeling the wind in her hair

"I'm pretty sure the state bird of Maine is a rock." -My dad

Just had to share a couple of shots from this weekend. We had a great time enjoying each other's company and the changing leaves! We ate good food, got our feet wet when the water washed over the breakwater, and hiked up to some beautiful views. Thanks, Dad and Bridgette, for coming to hang out with us!

Kelly

Leaves, Tablecloths, and Cars ... OH MY!

Fall surrounds the Bonny Street pond

52 custom tablecloths ... AHHHHH!

Black Dog's glamor shot

Zach and Nigel spanking it at the Union Rally Cross
(Zach got the fastest overall course time!)

Watching the course drive-through from a comfy seat

We're getting really excited about the move ...
It's happening really soon ...
But not before ...

Right now we're waiting for my dad and Bridgette to get into town ... they flew into Portland from Atlanta this morning and they're stopping at L.L.Bean before they arrive! Zach is making some kick-ass spicy chili and I'm the official taste tester. It's a beautiful day in New England; the leaves are peaking in their autumn colors, there's not a cloud in the sky, and I couldn't be happier to be alive.

Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Kelly

Two Weeks Notice

Owl's Head, Maine

Okay folks, two weeks until phase two of our journey around the country. I'm sick of rolling out pizzas, Zach is sick of delivering them, and hell if I can ever eat a pizza again. Check please! But hey, Maine has been good to us and I still can't believe that I've been lucky enough to experience a New England autumn. Zach has rediscovered his love of mountain biking and taught me a few things along the way, I've started sewing again and have some really awesome ideas for this winter, and Black Dog has met new friends and learned how to ride beside a bike without a leash. How can anyone complain?

So here we go, off to explore the wondrous West together with dreams in our heads, passion in our hearts, and a little cash in our pockets. And Black Dog running in circles around us, of course. I've been to the Rockies, but I've always flown and was never there to stay for more than three months. I have to admit that I've been hoping for this opportunity since I got back from NOLS and I'm so happy to be taking advantage of it with the someone I've dreaming of for as long as I can remember. We hope to build the house bus while we're out there, so that we can Furthur grow and explore the little bit of American countryside that is rapidly disappearing.

Thanks to all of you for knowing in your hearts that we can do anything we put our minds to. Thanks to all of you for believing in us and offering your support even when we got some crazy, hair brained idea in our heads. Thanks, to all of you, for accepting us for who we were in the past, are in the present, and will be in the future.

With love and happiness and cheers and high fives and dreams and wishes and hugs and kisses and kindness and heartiness and kindheartedness and care and hope, we toast to this adventure. The next time I post here, the gears will be in motion with no notion of stopping.

Bozeman or bust.

Kelly

"... the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began ... there was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never-ever land ..." -Good 'Ol Grateful Dead

Slow Ride

Just had to share this ...

The car on the left is a recent acquirement ... it's a 1986 Toyota Corolla named "Yoda" ('cause when you're driving down the road, may the force be with you!). Yoda is good to go and has been serving as Zach's pizza delivery car (and my errand car when he's not using it, since it's an automatic and I can't drive a manual yet!). Gotta love that racing stripe ... haha. And the car on the right, of course, is Nigel the Sexy Subaru. Now all we need in the picture is the Jeep :(

For the moment, things are going well. Zach and I are both working our tooshies off to save money for the move to Montana in November. Oh! I haven't told you guys yet! We're officially moving to Bozeman, MT! Official as of ... yesterday? Schweet!

So in our off time, Zach is riding, I'm sewing, and Black Dog is whining to go outside. What else is new?

Kelly

Sunrise and Thoughts

(Hey bikers ... see anything wrong with this picture? Heehee!)

Sunrise over Rockport Harbor

Just a few new pictures to share. We couldn't go to sleep Saturday night, so we got out of bed super early and watched the sun rise over the Rockport Harbor (which was once home to Andre the seal!). It was beautiful and peaceful.

The reason we couldn't go to sleep was because Zach had a mountain bike race on Sunday (the first since he raced in high school!). I went along for support ... let me just say that he did really well and looked great out there! He finished first in his age group and fourth overall in the sport division!

So today finds us in the library looking up ski hills out west. Gotta jump on something soon if we want to go somewhere good! I think the plan is to head that way end of October/early November. It's adventures like these that really make me wish for a housebus/housetruck. Someday!

That's all for now!

Kelly & Zach

Zach's Ski Chairs

Zach's been hard at work in his workshop ... making a SKI CHAIR! This thing is even better in person. It's made entirely out of old skis, and the foot rest to match! (And he'll make you one if you ask him nicely!)

The Maine rain (sorry, couldn't help myself!) finally let up a little today, but the weather is supposed to jump right back in to being overcast and rainy for the next week. It's a bummer if you need to cut your grass, but it's not stopping us! Zach is out mountain biking right now ... getting ready for a race this weekend. (And he's now riding for Team Bikesenjava!) I'm really proud of him and I can't wait to watch this Saturday!

By the way, our boy Zach had his 23rd birthday last week. We pulled out all the stops, even eating our cake and ice cream before dinner! Haha, but really. We did. We're bad like that.

Kelly

Adventures in Vacationland

Let me first just say ... MAINE IS WICKED COOL! The weather is nice and cool, there's a lot to see and do, and local culture shines! I love the fact that everyone here supports local farmers and businesses over corporate vomit. New Englanders sure are proud of where they came from!

I don't have any pictures to share this time, but I DO have some great adventures I'd like to tell y'all about!

-In Camden Harbor last week, Zach rowed us around the bay in a "pea pod" (a really old lobster fishing boat). I saw my first loon! (I've been dying to see one since I was a kid!). Went out to a sailboat and jumped off into the deeep water ... then went to Curtis Island and saw a working lighthouse!
-Hiked up Spruce Mtn. and ate wild blueberries right off the bush while admiring some AMAZING views of the ocean, lakes, and other mountains.
-Went to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park ... tourists were everywhere, but what a cool trip anyway! Acadia is beautiful!
-Drank some of Zach's favorite beer at Gritty McDuff's and shopped at the L.L.Bean store in Freeport. Damn good beer and a new navigation system made Zach the happiest guy on the planet.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some things, but oh well. Come visit!

'Til next time!

Kelly