We had a great Up North experience, true to the great features of any Up North vacation, minus the crowds. A few black flies, many more mosquitoes, gorgeous scenery, cold nights, clean air, and all the time in the world to relax, decompress, and get happy.

For me [Pam], the vacation came at a good time. The old project I'd been on had been "getting old" for a long time, and the new project seemed fraught with problems. I definitely needed a break.

One reason we went Up North instead of Out West was that we are trying to save money partly because my job was in peril because of state and University budget cuts. We tried to make this vacation as cheap as possible. We ate out very little, and only stayed indoors once.

Photos can be found here: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ianjones/pictures/North04/North04.html

We left on the morning of Wednesday, May 26th, and returned around 5 on Sunday, June 6th.

Disclaimer: Ian has not yet had a chance to contribute to this narrative, so it has been written entirely from Pam's point of view. Ian would have many things to contribute with regards to his own thoughts, experiences, and observations. Should he ever decide to contribute to this account, this story will present a more balanced description of our joint adventure.

^ Up North, May - June 2004

Wednesday May 26th >