Saturday, May 17, 2008

NOA Press Conference

A few of you have posed questions in your Comments, or made a Comment that could use a follow-up.........so, here goes...A North of Anodorra Press Conference:



Q: Who was your dog Cisco named for?

* Our old dog Cisco was indeed named for Cisco, UT. Back in the late 1970's, as we were headed on a Canyonlands backpacking trip, Doug and I marveled at the abandoned cars and trucks strewn about this whistle-stop town. We were so taken that we stopped and clicked several photos. When we acquired our first pooch, the name 'Cisco' surfaced and stuck. The ghost town in Montana you are thinking of, Luke, was probably Elkhorn.



Q: Will Fergus teach Anna's dog to "kennel up"?

* Fergus, our current canine, would be pleased to instruct his yet-to-be-met cousin Ajax in Vermont how to "kennel up". It's the least he can do, Anna, as he'll be leaving copious amounts of dog hair behind as a memento.



Q: When are you going back to France?

* We are returning to France on June 14, Flag Day. Will you be wearing your lapel pin??? We will be in France exactly 90 days returning to Montreal September 13, the maximum allowed by the government---not sure who's government. The US dollar is not strong right now, but there's no telling what will happen. So, if you are thinking of visiting, let us know.



Q: Are you really driving from Moab to Montreal?

* Yes, it is true, we are indeed driving from Moab, UT to Montreal, Quebec, then flying non-stop to Paris, renting a car in Paris and driving to Leran. Sound a bit crazy? I have a perfectly rational explanation, and as soon as I concoct it I'll let you know. In the meanwhile, here's the truth: We are taking Fergus with us, as his French is much better than ours. Plus, it will give the lawn three months of dig-free healing. Flying from Moab to Toulouse (the nearest big airport) would normally require nearly as many connections as I have digits, and the airlines require 6 hours between connections. We couldn't score any frequent flyer tickets, as apparently booking six months ahead wasn't early enough. ZOOM airlines out of Canada is a low-cost flier who has personally promised me they will remain in business long enough to complete our trip, offered very competitive prices, a 6-1/2 hour flight from Montreal to Paris, and nieces in Burlington VT who will babysit our vehicle.



Q: Did you realize the similarity of the dates of the two WWII events?

* Luke, interesting observation about the dates of the Normandy landing and the massacre at Oradour sur Glane. Thanks.



Q: How did you get there so fast to take the Dewey Bridge pictures?

* We didn't take the photos of the Dewey Bridge burning. These were posed by 'lucky' people who happened to be there or were driving by at the time.



Q: Have you thought about changing the name of your blog?

* Harley emailed me and suggested that when we are blogging from Moab, we could be calling it "West of Andorra". Oh, you clever individuals.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I loved your press conferance...so many questions...and so many answers!

I just want to say that Elkhorn, MT looks just like Cisco, UT! HA! I think I saw Cisco, UT when I was cruising around Canyonlands with Murz and Gary...and since that was the same trip when I saw you and Doug, I mixed up all the places! It's not easy being a "world traveler", is it?

I'm glad to hear that Fergus has been becoming fluent in French...how are his "parents" doing in that department?

I'll bet "Old Smokey" will be glad to see you again! Has anyone been driving him around a little to keep him in "fighting trim"?

Catch you later. I must go back to work.