The Empty-Nesting Spirit:
Grand Canyon Adventure
The kids were grown and off doing their own thing, the old pop-up Camel camper had been sitting in the yard, unused, for a number of years, and we were really missing the adventure and enjoyment of camping. Then we saw a TV television documentary about rafting in the Grand Canyon. Soon afterward, we attended a get-together with good friends, also of an adventurous nature, and before we knew it, we all had signed up for a 6-day rafting trip with Western River Expeditions! We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into . . .

Fall Snapshot:
Morning Walk
I awake before sunrise with a strong urge to get out of the house. Listening to myself for a change, I don several layers of clothing as a buffer against the 30° November-in-Pennsylvania morning, scrounge around for some ear muffs and gloves (which haven’t surfaced yet this season), and head out on foot onto the rural road in front of our house. It is good to be alone and outdoors early in the morning. My husband, Gary, and I have made a habit of making early-morning forays—bicycling the nearby Perkiomen Trail in summer, hiking up Spring Mountain in winter, and mixing things up in spring and fall. But sometimes I need to just accompany myself . . .

Sailing on the Chesapeake:
An In-Laws Adventure
It all began when our respective male and female fledgling offspring fell in love. In the course of “get-to-know-you” conversations in the wake of their wedding, my wife, Connie, and I, parents of Todd, discovered that Gary and Robin, parents of Amie, shared a mutual love of sailing and the excitement that invariably accompanies casting off toward new waters in search of fresh breezes. We learned that the Bonners had enjoyed sailing for many years, both small boat racing and large boat cruising, and regularly chartered sailing vessels from Haven Charters, out of Rock Hall, MD, to ply the waters of the Chesapeake. Would Connie and I be interested in joining them for a 4-day sail at the end of June? Does a bear have hair? You bet! We enthusiastically accepted, and thus began an adventure that rekindled our spirits and camaraderie, and expanded our friendship . . .

Real People Empty Nesting:
James D. Porterfield: Marketer, Teacher, Railroad Aficionado, Dad
For a man who once swore he’d never have kids, Jim Porterfield has become one busy dad—fitting grown-family activities around his writing projects, teaching gigs, research, and railfan appearances, which take him all over the country. Can you say “Type A”? To listen to Jim speak is to know what is meant by “drinking from the fire hose.” You can barely process the information, let alone respond, before he’s on to a different and even more intriguing subject. His range of knowledge is astounding, the “conversation” at once exhilarating and exhausting. The man barely sleeps and gets more done in a day than most people can even begin to imagine . . .

Departments . . .