Just a quick note. Dad has been in San Antonio for a couple of weeks, getting his truck fixed and bonding with my cousin’s kids (ask for pics of his ‘makeover’ lol). He is missing Arkansas and wanting to reconnect with friends, so will be slowly making his way back East by way of Arkansas, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania at least. Give him a call and expect to see him in your neck of the woods soon!
Lucy
Friends,
I have been reading and replying to many of your lovely and kind comments.
Firstly, thanks for sending them. Your support means so much to dad!
Secondly, I know dad plans to read the blog over and possibly write some kind of a book or something about it, and when he starts that, I’m hopeful that he will be reading and responding personally to your notes. I have read many of your comments to him over the phone, and I know that each of you affects him and he feels your support.
I know he is going to blog at least one more time, so stay tuned!!
Lucy
-Greg
Well, Guess what? We made it! Xena and I dipped our feet in the Pacific Ocean yesterday exactly 7 months after starting out from Georgia last September.
We are both well and very glad that the trek is over. We’ve been hosted her in San Diego by a wonderful couple, John and Makela and their little daughter, Ruth. How great that has been!
We leave Monday in a crowded pickup truck to get back to San Antonio where my van is parked, so we can resume our ‘normal’ lives!
Xena has to ride in a carrier for the first time EVER in the back of the truck. I hope she doesn’t think she is being jailed after completing this walk, instead of being carried home on a big satin pillow, like she deserves.
I couldn’t have done it without her.
Two of my kids, Lucy and Isaac did a huge amount of work online and over the phone with me to make this trip happen. My son Brad came down and fixed the front wheel on my cart in New Mexico which was a huge help. My other son Emmett, was busy having another kid in Wisconsin! But along with my nieces, Alison, Sharon and Becky gave unending support by phone. Thanks to all of them.
And thanks to anyone reading this-anyone who has been following our walk on facebook or on the blog! I got so many supportive comments and so much love from so many people, it made a big difference in my trip.
If you haven’t donated anything yet to Audubon in recognition of my trip, I will urge you one last time to send even $5 or $10 to them. They work so hard to keep the tide of habitat destruction from overwhelming our wildlife, especially my favorites, the birds.
Donate online www.audubonaction.org/bradstorey or send a check to National Audubon Society; 225 Varick st. New York, NY 10014. And notate that the donation was from my trip.
Xena and I really struggled to get across the country and always part of our intent was to generate understanding and some financial support for Audubon. So if you can, send something for the birds. Thanks.
I’m so grateful for so many new friends and old friends and for my wonderful family.
I will hold all of you in my heart as long as I live.
I’ll blog again when we get back to Becky’s in Texas.
Bye for now.
On the phone with dad RIGHT now…HE IS LOOKING AT THE WAVES OF THE PACIFIC!!!!
They are at Dog Beach, in San Diego! 2400 miles, 7 months. I am so proud!
He is so excited!!!
Hey all! You asked for it, so here it is! The next installment of the list of birds that dad has seen on his walk!
(Incidentally, Dad has not seen ANY new birds for his life list on this trip, but is thinking he may do some more birding in California, and pick up some new life list birds including the Scrub Jay on Santa Cruz Island!)
Starting in Texas:
Cinnamon Teal
Black Crowned Night Heron
Green Kingfisher
Ringed Kingfisher
Kiskadee
Raven
Golden Fronted Woodpecker
White Winged Dove
New Mexico:
Roadrunner
Sage Thrasher
Canyon Towhee
Black Throated Sparrow
Cactus Wren
Arizona:
Say’s Phoebe
Black Phoebe
Lark Bunting
Western Meadow Lark
Brewer’s Sparrow
Brewer’s Black Bird
Prairie Falcon
California:
Phainopepla
Vesper Sparrow
Curve Billed Thrasher
Ash Throated Fly Catcher
Black Chinned Hummingbird
Hey all,
Dad is just days away from reaching his goal of taking a swim in the Pacific with Xena!!!
The whole family is soooo proud of him!
Please take this time, if you haven’t already, to donate in his and Xena’s name to the Audubon Society for protection of bird habitat. As I have mentioned before, every penny goes directly to habitat preservation, and it would mean a lot to Dad if you could donate!
www.audubonaction.org/bradstorey
Also, Dad and Xena need a ride from San Diego to San Antonio,Texas next week. Is anyone going that way?
Love,
Lucy
Well, I have made it to California! I think I have made it through the heat. Arizona was very hot, had a lot of desert to walk through, and I am now in the desert of Southern California where two days ago, I had to spend the entire afternoon under a small bush with Xena because it was too hot for either of us to walk. I spread my rain poncho over the top of the bush for some shade and we lay there for four hours.
Today I head up through the Anza-Borrego desert state forest. It is a gradually increasing slope up and over a mountain that has to be crossed in order to get to the West Coast. Only about 100 miles now, but I have that one more challenge to get over this mountain, and I understand from other people that it is no joke. Bicyclists push their bikes up over. So I’ve got about three or four days until I reach the town of Julian, which is at the top. From there it is only about 35 miles to the ocean!!! I’m a little concerned about the climb, but at this point, I must keep going.
Thanks for being there with me, I’ll probably blog again before I get to the top. Bye.
