I feel remiss for not mentioning my first and largest donor to date: the intrepid Rob Perkins. Rob has been supportive of my trip since its inception. Rob is a great adventurer himself, having solo canoed Arctic and African rivers numerous times and written books and created films about his trips (which I recommend seeing). Rob donated to my adventure so long ago--before the blog, before the newsletter--that I've neglected him here. So be sure to visit his website, read his books, see his movies, and follow HIS next trip--another solo canoe journey to Mexico traveling the Virgin and Lower Colorado Rivers, interviewing people along the way, to find out What Water Wants. Visit his website at http://www.gotrob.com/.

I am experiencing a Christmas bonanza (maybe I should mention my birthday is coming up!!??) of cards containing checks!! Many thanks to Loulie Meynard of Ann Arbor, Michigan (the Midwest is being very good to me). Loulie visited Zion waaay back when I was a seasonal park ranger in the 1980s and again a couple years ago with our mutual pal Barby Graves. When in Michigan last summer, I spent a perfect day with Lou and Barb out on Lou's pontoon boat on an exceptional lake north of Ann Arbor. We walked Ann Arbor's streets and visited the natural sciences building where I spent soooo many hours when at the university back in the 1970s--it all looked so different and so the same. It was a great day. Thanks Lou! Here's some silly photos of Barb, Lou, and me in one of those photo booths while we were in Chicago earlier this year--boy did we have fun!

Radio Interview

Lee Austin from Utah Public Radio called today for an interview about the E2E trip. It was an enjoyable chat! If you'd like to listen, it will be broadcast January 9, 2009, at 9:35 a.m. till 10 a.m.

More good news! Sarah Emery, my long-time pal from my old Michigan days, and her partner, Amy Elverum, sent a donation in their newsy Christmas card from snowy Minnesota. THANK YOU Sarah and Amy! May you see the grass before June.

The Long Riders Guild

I'm honored to report that the Long Riders Guild has listed my upcoming End to End trip on their website. The Long Riders' Guild is the world's first international association of equestrian explorers, and is an invitation-only organisation. It was formed in 1994 to represent men and women of all nations who have ridden more than 1,000 continuous miles on a single equestrian journey. Members currently reside in 39 countries. These Long Riders have collectively written more than a hundred books on equestrian travel and ridden on every continent except Antarctica. The history, stories, legends, and knowledge stored on this website represent the largest repository of equestrian travel information anywhere.

The LRG has helped me with advise and put me in contact with the Scottish Long Rider Vyv Wood-Gee for more assistance. I appreciate their help and interest immensely. Visit their web page to see what the LRG represents at: http://www.thelongridersguild.com/what_is_the_long_riders.htm. You can view their post of my ride at: www.thelongridersguild.com/chesher.htm.

Lee Austin, host of Access Utah, a morning program on Utah Public Radio, called today to ask if I'd do an interview with him about the E2E trip! We're taping it on December 29; will let you know when it will air.

Yes! Thanks to Martin Zemetis at Mountain Hardwear I'll have a donated tent to use on the End2End Trip!!! Thank you Martin and Mountain Hardwear! Here's a link to their website, be sure to use them for your outdoor needs: http://www.mountainhardwear.com/

Arctic Day

Time circles, but does not leave the light
And all the blossoming of the night is held
Within the swell of dark and ice.
The sun, reflected, is returned to space
The greening earth into the single point
From which a further light flares out
Across the circumference of the stars.

(In the pack ice off the east coast of Spitsbergen, June 2008, at 78 degrees North, on board the Alexei Maryshev.) Photo and poem © Eleanor O'Hanlon

--Eleanor O'Hanlon

I met the writer and naturalist Eleanor O'Hanlon while taking a class at Schumacher College in Devon, England. Of Irish birth and upbringing, Eleanor lived in London for a number of years before recently moving to France. She held those of us who gathered nightly in front of Shumacher's medieval fireplace spellbound with ancient stories of Ireland's heroes. I can't wait to read her upcoming book.

Eleanor wrote to say that her brother John lives on a farm in Devon and would put me and my pony friend up on my way through, that they would like to ride with me aways, and donate to the E2E Fund! Not only that, but John O'Hanlon has a friend who's ridden End to End and has lots of advice and contacts! Amazing. Thank you Eleanor, and John in advance!

The Change of Life

I fear I may be entering a new stage of life: I've begun reusing teabags.

Many thanks to Tom and Jenny Haraden, E2E's latest donors! A little present came slipped in a Christmas card announcing Tom's upcoming September 09 retirement and move to Moab to build the house of a lifetime. Another dream in action!

It's been a bountiful week! Martin Zemitis wrote from Mountain Hardware, he's their tent designer, to advise me on the type of tent I need (I was about to make a serious error). Thank you Martin! My longtime pal, Heart of the Desert Wild (and world-renowned panoramic) photographer Liz Hymans wrote and called about a number of ideas, all valuable, especially a potential source of funds. The Telluride Writers Guild wrote about the school program involving E2E (see below); and my Irish friend Eleanor O'Hanlon offered much needed sustenance (see above).

Thank you all! Cup of tea, anyone? (I'll get a new tea bag out just for you!)

Telluride School will Follow Me End 2 End!

Great News! The Telluride Writers Guild is sponsoring a specific grade at the Telluride School to follow my ride via blogs and email! When I return from Britain in fall 2009, I'll visit the school and do a program on the ride. Very exciting! I spoke at the wonderful Fall 2008 Telluride Writers Guild program called Walking Words. If you ever get a chance to go to this program, you must. Three writers read at three spectacular restaurants during a progressive dinner. It was fabulous and delicious at the same time. Great folks. Many thanks to my gracious host there and Guild Director, Amy Cannon.

From my friend Barb:

Dear Friends and Family,

My long-time friend (we were National Park Rangers together at Zion National Park in 1981) and writer, Greer Chesher, is embarking on a lifetime dream of riding England End to End by horseback and writing a book about the journey.

I am sending you this copy of her latest newsletter and asking that you consider making a contribution to this effort in your giving this year. You may wonder at this economic and troubling time if this project merits support and here's my response. As a writer who has choosen to follow her muse, Greer's efforts represent, to me, the actualizing of a dream and true spirit even during a time of hardship and turmoil. She has long encouraged me to follow my own muse and has shown me that there is no end (pun!) to the postive accomplishments that each of us can make in this life, especially if we continue to believe in ourselves during tough times. This might be a good prescription for all of us right now.

Please see the information and links below for Greer's website and the tax-deductible contribution you can make through her sponsor, Fractured Atlas. Even a small donation is welcomed!

Thanks, with love,
Barb

Ten Pounds!

My pal Barb and I decided to lose weight after our trip to New York. We really didn't eat too much, we didn't need to, we or I was already a few (ahem) pounds overweight. My goal, before the E2E trip is a whopping 30 lbs. That way the horse doesn't need to be a levithan. Horses should only carry 20% of their body weight, so if I get a 1,000 lb horse, that's 200 lbs of me, tack and gear. If I lose 30 lbs that's more room for brownies.

SO, I just lost my first 10 lbs! Yippee! The next 20 are going to be hard, hard, hard. They are entrenched. Remember when I weighed 115 only a few, well, 15 years back? Twenty? O.K. so it was 25! It's genetic! See! Here's a photo (the only one I have) of my maternal grandmother, Beatrice Hawes. My father's mother was skinnier than a rake, and my dad, slender. But the Hawes have it on this one. I never met my British Grandma Hawes, but hope to learn more about the family on the E2E trip.

Monthly Blog

Meant to say that I'll probably only post to this blog once or twice a month until I leave for England, then I'll post as often as I can.

First Blog Post

Friends visiting Zion over Thanksgiving encouraged me to begin my End to End blog now as they wanted to hear how trip preparations were proceeding. So, here I am blogging, listening to the Boys of the Loch sing songs from the Shetland Islands, about to go surfing for England's Canal Paths and abandoned railroad ways as recommended by Steve Maysfield, my British James-Bond look-alike friend.

Hit the jackpot over the weekend at a local adventure-good store's 50% off sale. Bought all the clothes I need for the trip with the exception of waterproof riding pants (a pretty specialized item). Now all I need is to pay off the credit cards! Still collecting camping gear--headed to St. George this weekend for a super light-weight sleeping bag on sale at another gear store that, unfortunately, is going out of business.