I was a small boy when my father asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told him I wanted to be an explorer like the guys who told me stories on television. He said I wouldn't make much money in this way, and he was right about that. But as I now look back over the better part of seventy years on this planet and I trace the consistent thread of my activities here,

that is exactly who I am: An Explorer.

 

Their stories shaped my life.

 

Though it has taken many forms, Exploration has been my career. and rather than playing it safe and staying in one place to accumulate wealth, I took risk to pursue my heart's desire: To see the world,  know her people., and have direct experiences in this playground. And now, much like the television characters who initially inspired me, it is time to tell "our" honest and unvarnished story of where I went, who I met and what I discovered. And as I go about my days here in the Big Bend, I sense I will meet some people along the way who might want to tell me their story too.