|
|
When I look back through more than four dozen tales told, it seems so long ago that I began the year with Ken Hyde's wonderful story about re-inventing the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk.
People often ask my favorite story and I reply--quite honestly--that I have too many favorites. But surely Hyde and his band in Warrenton and their continuing efforts to understand and replicate the genius of the Wrights is one of the best.
We touched upon the Blue Ridge Parkway in January and in depth later in the year, and it continues as a favorite theme among my readers, judging from their comments. The parkway and its northerly extension, Skyline Drive, have become treasured gateways to the beauties of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains as the lands surrounding them have increasingly developed.
And speaking of favorites, I also recounted the story of a rail trip I had taken some years ago through Mexico's Copper Canyon. When it comes to stunning wild scenery, this may be at the pinnacle.
Judging from readers' responses, the most popular column I wrote last year was a cross-country trip by train from Flagstaff, Ariz., to Fredericksburg. It was inexpensive, great fun, and offered not only a memorable experience in a relaxed setting but all sorts of opportunities to meet interesting fellow travelers. I came to the conclusion that, if time allows, the train beats planes and cars by miles.
Those who have stuck with me through the years have seen certain themes re-emerge regularly, among them things with wings--both avians and airplanes. We took a trip through the past at the Virginia Aviation Museum, always worth a visit, and did the same in revisiting days running a newspaper in the Cayman Islands.
In April, I had the honor of writing about the legendary Flying Tigers after watching two of them relive their days of glory in China, and in October I grabbed at the chance to take a flight in a genuine B-17, another rare relic of World War II.
The past was also a theme when we spent an afternoon at a British sports car show near Mount Vernon, rekindling days when I roared around in one of those fun machines.
Cars came to the fore again when we took an in-depth look at the wonderful Tucker automobile at a private museum in Alexandria.
Pets of just about any variety are another recurring topic in these columns, and we went in that direction when National Geographic shed some light on dogs in an exhibit at its headquarters this year.
Books come to the fore here often, especially those dealing with history, travel, outdoor adventure, nature and science. Of the many we reviewed, we found a mainstay in "1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List," by Patricia Schultz. It's a best-seller, by the way.
This year, more than any other, I wrote about family, not simply because mine is big and interesting but because of key family happenings, including two deaths and--just last week--my own mom's 100th-birthday bash. From our own families and what happens in them we better understand other families and their events.
Since the spring of 2003, when I bought a second home in Arizona, I have dealt with that region in a number of stories, as regular readers certainly know. And while I revisit those parts quite regularly, have no fear this will become a little corner of Arizona. Many readers have said they love those sojourns but others--I suspect--would just as soon not go there too often. My byword has been and will remain that, when I think I've struck gold, I'll dig there--as in the column several weeks ago about the fabulous Vulture Mine--otherwise I'll find new places.
One new place I explored last May had long been a priority: Dragon Run. When I paddled the legendary hidden waterway and camped on an island beside its waters I got a bonus. For my host on that trip was Teta Kain, the dynamic conservationist who has done more than anyone to preserve the Dragon. A more interesting and enjoyable wildwood companion you could not find. It was another outing I'd like to repeat.
I've never done a tally, but the single subject most covered here may be hikes and hikinganywhere, for that is my favored means of getting around. The year just past took me hundreds of miles by foot, in at least half a dozen states. And we keep looking for that perfect trail. Along the way, I have found many great ones and do my best to point them out for the growing number of people who share that pleasure.
Heading into the new year today, I am already hard at work plotting and planning new places to go, new things to write about. In laying out these possibilities, I have to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves in order to make my wanderings affordable. And new things are definitely on my horizons.
Then again, I try to follow my own advice and avoid planning so tightly that I can't make last-minute changes as new possibilities arise. They always have, and 2005 won't be any different. So hang in there and we'll enjoy the ride together as Armchair Adventures heads into its 16th year. Or is it the 17th?
PAUL SULLIVAN, a former reporter with The Free Lance-Star, is a freelance writer living in Spotsylvania County. Contact him by mail at The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401; by fax at 373-8455; or by e-mail at PBSullivan2@cs.com.
