The challenge about making so many friends when you travel is trying to stay in touch. Different countries, states, provinces, time zones. Time slips by, another year is gone and I haven’t done as good a job at keeping in touch as I wished.

We started out 2007 where we ended 2006 in Boulder City NV. A classic small American town just minutes from the Nevada/Arizona border. Boulder City is known as the town that built the Hoover Dam. Locals still bristle when you say Hoover, rather than Boulder Dam. I might feel the same way if I had family in Boulder that worked and sometimes died building the Dam.

Thanks to Mark and Liz for showing us around town, and to Marks Mom and boyfriend who took some great aerial photos while I flew them around the “Hoover Dam”. Pretty darn good photographer for a young 92 year old.

A few friends came to visit us in Boulder. Everyone except for Tom went for a helicopter ride. (Tom has about 20,000 hrs in helicopters) Brynae and Leroy drove over from Bishop, Mindy and Gary who are former Vegas dwellers dropped in from Ohio. Ashlee, another ex Vegas (dancer) and all round fun person dropped in from Orlando to fly with Paula one day. We had a few more guests come fly with me around the Hoover Dam, mostly coworkers and their spouses. You know who you are, no sense letting management know how many of you hopped a free ride, right, Haaa!

February we did some more traveling and got over to Orlando Florida for the Helicopter convention.We saw about 50 friends including that Ashlee girl and a few of her friends. I can’t keep pace with those party folks. Paula, may not admit it but her party days have mellowed considerably too. We did the usual Florida stuff besides the convention. Wally World and Epcot. They were just thinking about Epcot when I was last there in 1971 about two months after the place opened. Wow! 36 years ago.

March we packed up the Hitchiker and headed north to the Medford Oregon area. Great to see Brenda and the gang at Erickson.

Ran into more people than I can name from Erickson and went out to dinner with the previously mentioned Tom and his wife Dana, along with Ryan and his wife Shannon. Pretty surprised to run into Mavrinac while I was up there, along with Bill Albers which was a surprise of a whole other nature. With my training complete @ Erickson we drove the Hitchiker to Canada and caught up with Tawnya and Arnie in the Surrey area. Good folks. I struggled through some more training and with Lyle’s help actually passed one of my Transport Canada flight exams. Thanks Lyle.

After a couple of weeks of rain on the lower mainland of B.C. we jumped, (drove slowly onto) the ferry to Nanaimo.

Paula’s Mom, Pat, flew into Victoria and we enjoyed Nanaimo area and especially the Butchart Gardens in the April sunshine. Gorgeous place! It was Pats first move in the Hitchiker and Paula has written a previous blog on our travels north from Nanaimo to Port Alberni. It was time to do some flying and great as always to see Bob, Kris, Kelly,Bill and so many others. April ran into May and we left Vancouver Island without seeing my sister Sherryl up in Port Hardy. Sherryl will just have to come to Belize for her birthday next year. It’s a plan.

May had us back in Bishop for Mule Days. Lots of fun but I only had two days, then off to Greece. Just didn’t get enough time to hang out with Phil and Bonnie but they are so busy with the new place in Big Pine its understood.

Missed seeing Bob again on the way through Santa Barbara. We at least got to see my son Colin and do dinner and a movie. Los Angeles to Athens ended the May travels. Paula would be over in a few weeks.

May to the end of September was all Greece. Paula finally got over with Pat and we had a fantastic time touring around Greece on my days off and Pat and Paula did pretty good on their own without me. Lots of prior blogs and photo’s from the ladies on their adventures. So many friends made in Greece. Too many to list here. You know who you are. We sure hope to see you again soon. In September one of Paula’s best friends Debbe and her daughter Linze visited us in the Athens area and the ladies traveled extensively around the Ionian Islands and local sites. Sometimes they let me come along too. It was some of the best travels we have done in the past 8 years.

October had us back together in Bishop, Paula had left Greece in September with Debbe and Linze for home. I was a couple of weeks behind. Next trip, north to Washington State. We picked the Hitchiker up from storage in Olympia and I managed to drop by Northwest Helicopters and see a few friends for a few minutes. Missed Brian and Trever but at least got Jess on the phone. Fly safe you guys and Jeff, pace yourself, its along career.

Another couple of weeks back on the lower mainland of B.C. More rain. Good friends to visit but again no visit with Sherryl. Late October and we were driving the rig south to California. November before we knew it and with a second RV purchased we were off to Texas via Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. A few days hanging out in Brownsville and South Padre Island Texas getting ready for the other half of our 4000 mile trip. Browmsville Tx. to Belize City, Belize. It was pretty much the end of November before we got ourselves settled in Belize. December has been spent enjoying Belize with one excursion to Guatemala. Whew ! Looks like lots of travel for 2008 coming up as well. We hope to get around and see more than a few of you this year. Please drop in and visit us anytime you like. Best to call just before you come, we may be on the move.

Have everything you need for 2008. Your health. Does anything else really matter as much?