Goodbye Groton

Right now I'm on my way to the Ithaca airport and tomorrow morning I start the Appalachian Trail at Springer mtn. in Georgia. There's a German phrase, schadenfreude, which roughly translates to "taking pleasure in others' misfortunes." 2,175 miles of rain, wind, freezing temperatures, mountains, mice, bears, snakes, blisters, bacteria, viruses, hunger, skunks, muscle cramps, strained tendons, coyotes, bobcats, angry grouse, rabid racoons, poison ivy, a heavy pack, and the same food over and over again will certainly lead to many instances of schadenfreude in this 5 million step "science experiment." However, as entertaining as those stories may be for everyone they will still be worth it because they fail miserably in comparison to the raging rivers, vivid sunsets, majestic wildlife, waterfalls, interesting people, bird songs, mountaintop views, the smell of damp mossy forests, and the overall appreciation for life on the planet that you experience while taking a walk in the woods.

I want to take a moment to thank the Groton Board of Education, Dr. Meyers, and Mrs. Filzen for seeing the value in this project and the opportunity to do it and Senator James Seward for recognizing the importance of implementing technology in our schools. I also want to thank the students, teachers, and community of Groton, NY for their support and interest in this project. Finally, I need to thank my parents for accepting my curiosity/insanity and need for exploration and my partner, Miss Coffey, who will be playing a huge role behind the scenes. I'll miss her and everyone else. See you when I return!