Thunderstom warnings among the mountains

We leave in the cool of night, eight travelers headed west.


Ben: Renowned expert adventurer, master explorer

Who defrosted after a harsh winter camp
Mt. Shasta, Rainier, St. Helens, Olympus.
Who shattered unbreakable dinnerware and slayed the magnanimous
Shop Vac.
Who faced charging Bison in the first national park.
and braved the murky depths of Grand Canyon.
Who emerged unscathed from the jungles of Uxmal.
Who has bled with a lost brother.

Corina

Salmon of the San Marcos
Who peered deep into the blue abyss and was not afraid.
Her hat spans the breadth of time.
Who defeated the Francs at Normandy.
Queen of the one-wheel.
Whose coffee never burns and knows
no equal in the game of Farkle.



Jaime: Chef extraordinaire and international relations correspondent.

Who fell from his mighty steed only to rise again
both childhood bicycle and man-hewn machine could not hold him.
Whose now crooked gait inspires both fear and passion.
His knives of steel create dishes of intense wonderment.
Who fought the drunken Spaniard atop a rabid bull. And won.
Who looked straight into the Nordic sun.


Jessica: Princess of the fourth Incan Dynasty

Who rode a Humpback whale off the coast of Ecuador.
Whose gaze no man can hold
because she flinches not at the Amazon tarantula on her mighty shoulder.
Who climbed Paris' steel tower and fought her way back home.


Katelynn: Panhandler for Bus Change

Whose poetry melts the most Cool-Minted hearts.
Who bartered with the most hardened of Antiguans
and traversed Caribbean waters.
Whose dancing transcends physical boundaries.


Sarah: President of Funky Bus Operations

Whose hair is the color of blood-red sun,
her fiery spirit exceeds the expectations of a thousand dreams.
Who owns the Scrabble board of the most gifted linguists.
A descendant of the proud line of Goeths, who has
been known to Hand Jive with the best.
Who ascended the walls of Caprock Canyon despite
a broken shin.



Taryn: Sergeant of arms, master napper of kitties

Whose soccer skills have, on multiple occasions, embarrassed the English Premiere League.
Who survived the fatal intentions of a reckless car - at the age of five.
Trout rescind in fear when her fly-rod touches the water.
Who obliterates any tennis ball within her reach.
Who devours lobster.



And myself.

Who, since it's his blog, will offer no further description.