Today I called the nine state humanities councils along our northern route. Got very positive vibes from Iowa and South Dakota, but grants are so darn hard. I'm not really complaining -- it's pretty thrilling to think someone might give us money -- but there's so much going on, writing grants doesn't sound like the most fun thing to do. We've got the full Maryland Humanities Council grant to apply for too!

The prospectus is one page away from being finished. It now features beautiful pictures in the background of most pages, plus a page with our route and a map.

After spending several days in Colorado with Sarah, I'm feeling more excited than ever about the landscape of America. There is so much diversity in the land, and combined with the infinite intrigue of the people, our summer should be pretty fascinating. And yet, I've already made plans for the sequel, "Canadian Bear."