tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15783996563086030322024-03-14T03:45:16.270-07:00Abby's BlogIt has been my dream since I was 13 years old and began single-handing, to one day sail solo around the world. I am 16 years old and this blog will contain the story of my attempt to become the world's youngest solo circumnavigator. Visit my official website at <a href="http://www.abbysunderland.com">www.abbysunderland.com</a>.Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-35561634638657684522012-01-21T14:42:00.000-08:002012-01-21T14:48:36.488-08:00Congrats to Laura Dekker!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiryhCRkt8_rqkp1JLm-0pBRFjF956IF2moGnHrJTFs_lhikOSPVnIs7Pj8B68PQMyvMyNXOhCQTVE8J2-Hd4l_Y22DMA5y69bXWJ36yTKWf1cYMkWHzUYeWaG6kLX5dJD7Eu_IhmwijZV/s1600/Laura+Dekker.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiryhCRkt8_rqkp1JLm-0pBRFjF956IF2moGnHrJTFs_lhikOSPVnIs7Pj8B68PQMyvMyNXOhCQTVE8J2-Hd4l_Y22DMA5y69bXWJ36yTKWf1cYMkWHzUYeWaG6kLX5dJD7Eu_IhmwijZV/s400/Laura+Dekker.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700219585916355218" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i>Laura Dekker on board her boat 'Guppy'</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Laura Dekker finished her solo-circumnavigation today in St Martin Island in the Carribean. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Congratualtions Laura!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Keep Sailing!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Abby</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TNIedgchYXOvM4pWg7sgNnKf7Hb17-gxC0KO3gLdI-kOO4rMcNsMh1rj-4gTV0xYUqREEjhMzl3Bp4gXfZVX-xhlRRPcky40_3n4GqCbdxLIvbMLYr2C3h7hznyaGBSIk83atEs6JjwO/s200/DVD_FINAL_Cover_web.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700220291178609634" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://www.abbysunderland.com">Wild Eyes: The Abby Sunderland Story on DVD</a></i></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-26079639578967835212011-09-20T16:30:00.000-07:002011-09-20T17:08:19.793-07:00Film Festivals<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It's been a long weekend and unfortunately school doesn't take into consideration my busy life so I'm just now getting around to writing about it. It's been quite exciting really and overall I can say it has been a very good past few days. I think I'm beginning to realize its not just the ocean that has you learning new things everyday. Life seems to be throwing out a lot of unexpected stuff lately.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Friday night my dad, Bill and I were at the Silent River Film Festival award ceremony. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> Wild Eyes</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> was nominated for Best Documentary. My dad won for Best New Director and I got the Silent River Film Festival Achievement award. After that we hopped into Bill's plane and flew up to Big Bear Lake for the Big Bear International FIlm Festival.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLO4IMqhtcX_P0QlFTeiophP74_r5V2zmSNxmhQ0si1TmyexIvz5_XysRbGj-NhbxjTv8rOBVeliUyTFQDY39YP33RJuE6sl5DUxhNRwJFyCqTUToh4Z8jdkkSTLysBSwtJ3r4011qtla/s400/silent+river+photo.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654596904163686786" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Mom, Dad and I at the Silent River Film Festival</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Photo courtesy Bill Bennett, ASC</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We had a little cabin up there for the whole family and it really was great to get away with everyone for a bit. I think we all needed a break from the craziness of home, and what better a place than quiet, laid back Big Bear. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvxHb47fNN_63xXfod8690weOmzJ80AiDBs9PPrXlefVX39AmhAvM_viMioqj9rY8_VQQFYSEAOaxBxqVZCUheQ1ADGA6X_5uaWsZf-A0GTMY-PszCW6Zf3F-XQFCil9g2js0JTRBPZ-u/s400/BigBear33.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654596331980459794" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Riding a wild bear with my brother Toby</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Photo courtesy Bill Bennett, ASC</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The film festival there was great. It was the first time the second part of Zac's documentary has been screened and it went very well. (For those of you that have already ordered part two of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Intrepid</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">, have hope, it's coming soon!! And it is awesome!) </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Zac, Jordan Romero and I were part of the Young Adventurers Side Bar at the festival. After our doc's were shown, Zac, Jordan and I were up for questioning. It was good to see Jordan again. You may remember that Jordan is the youngest person to climb Mount Everest. He has actually climbed 6 of the 7 highest peaks in the world. He is hoping to conquer number 7, Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, this winter. Check out his web site and follow his adventures at www.jordanromero.com. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7NXW__jSne3TCkqABzgG5a63BY0xl06SaHGNVCjX7YlsCKPEwsZNyBGyhKTOcwubipKc1YoVA5fff-20V3h8nrTluxvhD0LqMiOD3Vv_4XVn5nITigSLVail320MQaCsxB7g8c3O2FR2/s400/BigBear21.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654595986135157682" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Jordan Romero, me and Zac</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Photo courtesy Bill Bennett, ASC</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I swear Jordan has grown a foot since the last time we saw him last summer. Later on in the afternoon came the awards. Jordan, Zac, Me, and a few other guys were presenting them and it all was just a lot of fun. We were taking our turns presenting awards and I thought we were finished and was heading out of the room when all of a sudden someone said "Wait Abby you're back up!" So out I was on stage with an award and a microphone in my hand... probably should have been paying closer attention to what they were dong on stage! Lucky for me the guy left his notes on the stand!! So it turned out that </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Wild Eyes</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> won the Peoples' Choice for Best Documentary! </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Life really seemed to be falling back into an actually normal normal. I mean not just my kinda normal, but a typical 17 year olds' normal. Everything that happened on my circumnavigation attempt is so long ago now that I barely even think about it anymore. I'm just a 17 year old girl, going to college, hanging out with friends, doing everything that I should be. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I was sitting out in the lobby and watching as everyone came out of the theater. It seemed like everyone was teary eyed; old guys, young guys, grandmas and moms. Then a little old lady came up to me crying. She hugged me and said that her husband froze to death a year ago. She said that that was her rouge wave and went on to say how my story had inspired her and that she knew that she could make it through this. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">At that point I think my eyes started to water a bit, and it takes a lot for that to happen. To me, my story might seem like old news, but to some people it's a story of hope, and courage, and to see how many people were moved by it made me do a double take on me and my normal life. Maybe it shouldn't be normal, because if my story was able to encourage that sweet little old lady then I want to make sure everyone that needs to hear it does. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">And as if just to confirm that, back at school on Monday, just sitting outside waiting for my class I ran into a guy waiting for his ride. A perfectly normal guy, you never would have guessed he was a basketball player with 50 scholarships who recently dislocated his shoulder, losing all of them, and moving out here just four weeks ago because of his dad's work. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">So that's life; rough times come, rough times go. As long as I'm around I'm going to do my best to give people hope that things will get better because, you know, they always do even if they have to get a little worse first. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Now, back to the math homework!</span></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Abby</span></span></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-82998933269913792292011-09-12T16:14:00.000-07:002011-09-12T21:34:16.640-07:00Recent Travels<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Things have been going well over here with the book and documentary. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Wild Eyes, The Abby Sunderland Story </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">(the name of my doc) has been accepted into a few different film festivals and was nominated as best documentary in the Silent River Film Festival. We'll find out if it won anything next week. You can watch the trailer for my doc and buy a copy at my web site at www.abbysunderland.com.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We'll also be out in Big Bear at the Big Bear Film Festival this coming weekend. I'm really looking forward to that one because they have a whole side bar of young adventurers, including my brother Zac Sunderland, Jordan Romero and me. Jordan is the guy that climbed Mount Everest when he was 13 and of course my brother sailed around the world the year before me. </span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">You might remember awhile ago Zac, Jordan, Joseph Machado, and I all got together in Big Bear and hung out for the day. It will be good to see them all again. So, if you're out around Big Bear this weekend, stop by and you can see all of our docs, meet some awesome people and have a fun time hanging out in the beautiful mountains there. The Young Adventurers </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Sidebar Showcase is on Sunday. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Go to http://www.bigbearlakefilmfestival.com/page.php?13 for more info.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJ5YUVTI3afE-kwjGLiCdcpVw7DczUV2mtI6mzlOLlI6_R-UPbg2HNVslVQIxNPUez34AEha-tYFoBhdoLOuv-9eVsxGPYykgx10qFnOdM3F5NtgMcHySE4oYqmZUIINSbnq-FloDnigA/s400/silent+river+photo+2.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651695563648878658" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">My dad, Kalpna, me and mom at the Silent River Film Fest</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Photo courtesy of Bill Bennett, ASC</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#454545;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDnpjPrJPlNjcxZR5uOuewhEUew1-EF2Jf01OM4LSnV9LhHfOV6ZLquZqPy_TTdTV9QZUtwntcMDVbU3LQZDcraTkPEXb3TyCNC2QXlNE0uL9v7n3tXE51JFowlXSLIvhoKPiXk-xg5Fi/s400/100_5315.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651696093385850434" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Me, Jordan Romero, Zac and Joey Machado - Big Bear 2010</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Tonight I am speaking at the Pacific Singlehan</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">ded Sailing Association in Marina del Rey. It should be a great time taliking to sailors and ones that know a lot about what my trip was about.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Next weekend I will be at the Norwalk Boat Show in Norwalk, Connecticut on Saturday and Sunday. Then it is back to California and back to school. Life has been busy but I am loving it!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Abby</span></span></span></div></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-67524316649204231992011-08-23T09:12:00.000-07:002011-08-23T09:26:45.983-07:00Off to School!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It has been quite awhile since my last blog. Quite a lot has happened since then. I've been back to the East Coast to talk at summer camps, been to boat shows, done more speaking, kept up my flying, sailing, and trying to keep finding exciting things to do. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The east coast was great. I headed over there knowing I would be speaking, speaking to kids, but that was about it. When I showed up there and walked into my first room of kids, it was pretty small, and the kids were pretty young, probably around 5 or 6 up to 10. Now, my talking had improved a lot by then, in fact I was getting pretty good at it, but I guess its somewhat like the ocean, right when you think </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">you've</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> got it figured out, you get thrown into a whole new game, and you realize just how far you still have to go. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Now, if you want to perfect your public speaking skills, just try holding the attention of a room full of chatting squirming 5 year </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">olds</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> for more then 5 minutes! My week there went well, with the help of some awesome guys from the Coast Guard who were traveling around with me to help out. We managed to do a pretty good job entertaining just about every school and camp we went to. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Just the day after i got back I was off to speak at the Ventura City Council meeting. Having just gotten off a speaking trip where I had to explain everything, wave my arms around and ask loads of questions to keep the kids listening, I caught myself a few times explaining things like the equator, doldrums, what is an albatross, and other such things! All in all, overlooking a few of my </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">kiddy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> explanations, it was one heck of a 15 minute speech, even if i do say so myself :) </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">So, my next big adventure is starting tomorrow, college. Pretty scary thought, huh? Kinda sad, it feels a little like all of a sudden the next four years or so of my life are planned out, and it's all college. T</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">here's</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> not much one can do to get around that. I'm hoping there will be room for some adventures and I suppose I'll have the summers to go off and find new dreams to follow and shake up the world a bit. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">For those of you following Laura </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Dekker</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">, it looks like she's dong great! Congrats to her for making it through the </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Torres S</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">trait in northern Australia!! Laura, keep up the great work, you're doing amazing, and making me insanely jealous with all those pictures of where </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">you've</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> been! Couldn't help smiling at her excitement at making it through the </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Torres</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> Strait. It reminded me of the feeling of just accomplished something huge to you, crossing another ocean, rounding Cape Horn, that feeling of being on top of the world, like nothing can stop you. They're the best times, the times you live for. :)</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Well, I hope you're all doing well. I'll be back again soon, if i survive my first day back at school that is...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Abby</span></div></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-50898422183303103832011-06-13T14:33:00.000-07:002011-06-13T14:46:18.848-07:00One Year Ago Today...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">A year ago today I was standing on the bridge of the french fishing ship <i>Ile de la Reunion s</i>taring out into the pitch black night, mind spinning out of control. Everything that had happened...I just couldn't believe it. I wasn't sure where the ship was taking me, but at the time it was the least of my worries. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Earlier in the day I had sent a blog home to my mom to post. It started off with a bad attempt at humor, saying "its been a crazy few days out here, the long and the short of it is, one long wave and one short, meaning a two inch stub of a mast." It wasn't funny, but at the time my choices were pretty limited, cry, or cry, or make a lame joke and pretend its funny. I went with the third option. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">On board the ship of scruffy fishermen, I was left to myself mostly. Several of them spoke pretty good <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">English</span>, but I didn't want to talk. My mind was drifting through all the memories of my trip, my team, my boat, my family... standing there in the dark for hours, thinking back to the terror of tying myself onto a broken stanchion with my saw in hand and working on sawing away my mast hoping I didn't fall off the pitching deck. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Thinking about being below deck, I remember all the water inside, it was a wreck. My head was throbbing, a constant reminder of the night Wild Eyes rolled. I couldn't close my eyes at night because everytime I did it took me right back there and all I could feel was myself falling up the side of my boat. All I could see was black, and all I could hear was silence... </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">When I had been on Wild Eyes, I worked hard to control my thoughts, never let them go too far, but now I didn't care. Zoning out as I stared into the dark, my mind was so far from where I was. I think I was worrying about what the fishermen on board were thinking as they probably weren't quite sure what I was doing just standing and staring. It wasn't just the bad things I kept going back to, in fact, it was almost more so the great times. All those amazing days racing along surfing down giant swells making <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">record</span> speeds. Sitting on deck with Charlie my stuffed pelican, watching the sun set, icy wind hitting you in the face, feet and hands numb from the cold, but an amazing sight that I got to see almost every night. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">The worst thing to think about was all those great times, they were all gone now and my trip was over, no more sunsets on Wild Eyes, no more surfing, no more world adventures. It was hard. But then again, just a day before I had sat wondering if I would be rescued... I didn't think I would be. I had come so close to death more than once during my trip. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">The fact that I was rescued from the middle of nowhere... it was crazy really. Just last week, I learned about a friend of mine that I met in Rhode Island when we bought Wild Eyes. He left on a solo sail, got into a storm along the way, and no one has heard from him since... ocean sailing is a dangerous thing, but so is life. With all the prayer and expert SAR crews, I have been given something that not everyone gets, a second chance. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">I could have easily died out there, just like so many others have, but I didn't. In one of the most remote places on earth I was rescued. Something through all of this that I learned, is that we all get hit by our own rogue waves in life. It's what we do with them that matters. You can take something that looks like a disaster and turn it into something great. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">You may support me, you may not, but as long as I live, I know I am going to take every opportunity that comes my way, chase every dream, and do all that I can to help others follow their dreams.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Abby</span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-21585590572954511282011-05-21T09:13:00.000-07:002011-05-22T17:05:50.962-07:00Book Signing Today in Westlake Village CaliforniaHey everyone,<div>I just wanted to make sure you all knew that I will be signing my new book <i>Unsinkable</i> today Saturday May 21st at 2:00pm at the Barnes and Noble in Westlake Village, California. </div><div><br /></div><div>The address is:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:small;">160 South Westlake Boulevard</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:small;">Thousand Oaks, CA 91362</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size:small;">I hope to see you there!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size:small;">Abby<br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-27380686416967587132011-05-10T07:35:00.000-07:002011-05-10T07:51:11.360-07:00Speaking and Book Signings<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoOrGDaYXZmK1f5FHPARXH7htIzx_-Nk1BI4oaz4Qwz6Wkbm4NN40GPXgd56xG6ymQREik4MNCVmJqCTcCU0LuuI3K6zWdwrKA5Nsj_yK7t4Wgtm9FBrGsLu7nbFgmJzPEE_21S1ogqhy/s1600/IMG_5349.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoOrGDaYXZmK1f5FHPARXH7htIzx_-Nk1BI4oaz4Qwz6Wkbm4NN40GPXgd56xG6ymQREik4MNCVmJqCTcCU0LuuI3K6zWdwrKA5Nsj_yK7t4Wgtm9FBrGsLu7nbFgmJzPEE_21S1ogqhy/s400/IMG_5349.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605099941611782466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Book Signing at Barnes & Noble in Annapolis</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Hey Guys,<br />I'm over in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1305038035_0" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">Annapolis</span>, talking at schools and doinga few book signings. My life has been busy as usual. I'm kinda feeling like I did after being out at sea for a few weeks when all of asudden you realize that there is a new sort of "normal" to life.</span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemS6YMH_D26Nok2HegzCiR-j8cOdYIc5gfiLzI0mZQfrXCIchjtVzr7DS2OFEHxwhL2yldZbetu5edsuunsYaRS77UvxKV7qyVwclqRmHr7KMX5IJppG0nGvKQ99hsQ7YNtYeJJ1zxfyM/s400/IMG_4961.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605099195307472898" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Flying around, speaking at schools, signing books, it all used to feel a little odd, but now it's just part of life. And as crazy as it's been, I'm having fun, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1305038035_1">lots of fun</span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1305038035_1" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">. I</span> mean why not? Well, other then that I'm still terrified of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1305038035_2" style="cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; ">public speaking</span> and sometimes I just wish I could be out in the middle of the ocean alone again... But for the most part I'm just glad to see how well everyone has been responding to my talks.<br /><br />We got into Philadelphia <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1305038035_3" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">Sunday night</span> about 12:00am, but of course, being me, I ended up staying up till 4:30 finishing up notes and slides for my presentations the next day. I'm not sure there was much point in actually going to sleep as I woke up just half an hour later at 5... but at least I had everything ready to go. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">I spoke at <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1305038035_4">three middle schools</span> today, 6th-8th grade. Then did a book signing at Barnes and Noble. The kids were adorable, super excited about everything, and had tons of great questions afterwards. Kinda funny thing, a lot of the things that these young 12 and 13 year olds were asking were much better questions then I've gotten from big time reporters. What's that show called? Are You Smarter Than a Fith Grader? Well, I had to have a bit of a chuckle to myself thinking about that. All in all it was a great day and I'm looking forward to tomorrow! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">I'll be speaking at two high schools and then having another book signing at Borders in Waldorf, Maryland tonight at 7:00pm.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br />Talk to you all again soon!<br />Abby</span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-81789213662174032572011-04-20T11:08:00.000-07:002011-04-20T12:27:48.861-07:00Home at Last!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Lq8bNAL2FrDaVAcH2uHrLTTVj8OYLOlmiCxbERO2-rxsyKQJAKFF2jM2vRYIRCsiAcKX7OcYJj9pIhccln-F1T9jvFAVHypHjoQXs3k3PBPoyWbTXKnQimppRcXbsF68EqaKlqte90jd/s400/IMG_0014.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597735196598021362" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My new friend. Photo courtesy Bill Bennett ASC</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am finally home from the crazy week of media last week.It feels like I've been gone for more like month than just a week, we covered sooo much in such</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> a short period of time! But it's not over yet! Back home, yes, but also just as busy as before.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Both my little kitties are sitting in my lap all cuddled up and dozing off, </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">cutest little things ever, and seeing as there is no way I could get up right </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">now without waking them up, I've got a bit of time to write another blog.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Forgot where I left off in the last blog, but ill just start back with leaving </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303322837_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">New York.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I've got a bit of ground to cover in this blog here. After four days of whirlwind</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">media and little sleep, we were all looking forward to having one relatively </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">uneventful day. We packed our bags and headed over to the ABC Studio,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">where we spent three hours doing 17 radio interviews! Pretty impressive, aye? </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be, although by the last few I was having</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">trouble keeping track of what I had said in each interview and half way </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">through telling a story I would start to wonder if I had already talked </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">about it or if that was one of the other interviews... </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, we got through all that and headed back to the hotel to get our bags and</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">head over to the </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303322837_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">airport. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303322837_1"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> flew out of NYC</span></span></span> in a little puddle jumper plane, with a very talkative bunch of people on board, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">but managed to doze off for a bit. Woke up with a bit of a sore neck, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">but Virginia was gorgeous! It was warm and sunny out and we got </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">picked up and driven over to a hotel right by the </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303322837_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">700 Club</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Virginia Beach is probably one of the nicest places I </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">have ever seen. Anyways, we spent the day swimming in the indoor pool and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">wandering around, then slept all night long. Next day we went over to the 700 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">Club studio. It was incredibly nice, much bigger than I had expected </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">it to be. Everything there went well, and then we</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">were off to the airport again. We said good bye to Jason from Thomas Nelson there and headed to our </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">separate flights.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We had such a great time working with Jason for the few days we were together.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It's a little weird to think that until I write another book, we'll probably not see him again. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After about an hour or two flight into Phoenix, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I said good bye to Lisa Gizara. Lisa was </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303322837_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">heading home</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> to LAX and I was </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">going on to Houston. Lisa was great to travel with, looking forward to the next </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">trip I get to go on with her!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On the plane heading to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">Houston, I shut my eyes for a second, and next thing I knew we were landing! Gotta love when flights go </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">like that. Got to the hotel there in the marina pretty late, wandered around </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">looking at the boats for a bit, then headed back to get some sleep. N</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">ext morning I headed over to the South West International Boat Show to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">meet the people from Texas Coast Yachts who had sponsored me to come out there.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was a lot of fun, met some great people, and got to see a little bit of Texas. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After about four hours of signing books and meeting people, I was off to the airport again. On to the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;">Stricly Sail Pacific Boat Show in Oakland, California. </span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfH7cc4o_6PQskxSS5krEBWAPpJ8V589zf1aPLw6sR4Rqui2KOl4DCxpiNLF8nT0-8sIs-gJglSkZyzCLrOqYAw1xRhSpY7JX_Ns6ecW_Y-UZywXQdzNmSIMLnod_SvBmAhk70kT6v5LP/s400/Abby+%2526+Zac+Sunderland-Strictly+Sail+Pacific+%252711.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597735187072538834" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hanging out with my brother Zac! Photo courtesy Bill Bennett ASC.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That was a lot of fun, I was a little dazed from meeting so many people by the end, but it was great to see my brother and a bunch of the guys from my team who had come up to check out some of the gear. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jeff and his wife Gail are working on getting their boat ready to sail around the world again, so they were up there walking all around and even came to see me speak which was great! I had forgotten that I was going to be speaking there until the night before, so kinda ended up just winging it, but it went better then I thought it would! In fact, it went really well! Funny thing, I do better the less I prepare for these talks, and I even have more fun giving them if I prepare less! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, we decided it would be too late to fly home that night, since we were going to fly home in my friend's little plane. So we spent another night there and headed back home the next morning. It was a good flight home, though a bit of a blur. We landed in Burbank and headed off to meet up with my parents and friend who was visiting from Cape Town, South Africa. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">From there I was finally headed home. It was a long but fun week. Good times and memories aren't so much created by what you do or where you go, but who you do it with. I'm lucky to have some of the best people ever around me, both helping and watching out for me. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, gotta run, going to my prom tonight! Bit of a shocking toss back into life as a teenage girl... but I suppose this is just one of those things that you have to do as a senior in high school.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br />Talk to you all soon!<br />Abby</span></span></div></div></div></div></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-41779849155819973242011-04-14T19:47:00.000-07:002011-04-14T19:58:55.621-07:00Good Bye New York<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_tsJo69XFTZOp5OVcBkWjaLh8TEPTjnCE-48PKxlAVVfMJ7P7TlWYuem5oRZtjbMktxNLvV5npumK0AQk6i0YSP16k9eo9p8R0TpF2u9KCoOoXxTkSBIiAQ41nu7y0btpgz_mDd7y2po/s1600/3598_A_Small.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_tsJo69XFTZOp5OVcBkWjaLh8TEPTjnCE-48PKxlAVVfMJ7P7TlWYuem5oRZtjbMktxNLvV5npumK0AQk6i0YSP16k9eo9p8R0TpF2u9KCoOoXxTkSBIiAQ41nu7y0btpgz_mDd7y2po/s400/3598_A_Small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595637951666317570" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Hey Guys!<br />Well, we survived </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302835539_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">New York</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">! The TodayShow, </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302835539_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Fox & Friends</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302835539_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CNN</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, The View, </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302835539_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">InsideEdition</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, and three hours straight of radio; 17 interviews in just three hours! I may besuffering a bit of trauma from that, but afterarriving in Virginia Beach this afternoon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and spending a few amazing hours wandering around here, I'm glad to say I'm back happy and normal and not feeling like a robot so much any more.</span></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Meeting all the girls from The View was</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">great. Back stage after I got off, I got to chat a bit with them all and while of course they didn't</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> all ag</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ree with me and my trip, sevral did say that after having me o</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">n the show and talking to me they had changed their minds. I had never watched the view before</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, but it was a really fun show. New York was tons of fun. It was probably my best trip there so fa</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">r and I definitely want to go back again sometime.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4NB3D4KeKATY8woYPJvigoAZ8c-pl2lVBBmXKZlm4yV62z19FhfHa3pEMKrWlIjIdVWetDvEUxvis0xahsClNYzpYtP1Bvc8wgaKpk9O0EgCfa3in-pI6nUPOxB-ZLi9_UKqRgXTRRtj/s400/3565_A_Small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595637944812043602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">I've got the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302835539_4">700 Club tomorrow</span> morning, and so I should probably get going. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Dont want to be up too late again. I'll let you all know how things go tomorrow!<br />Abby</span></span></div></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-54744797410655362182011-04-11T09:19:00.000-07:002011-04-11T09:34:41.494-07:00New York - Day 2<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgox6CajTL608bfTYLQBHwYt6aPs9dtrCyXmYW4MhRBbmaZmZ5WYVL5ChmuTkGRnj9DzHzUqkAw2HOcIM4K-ZY0k8nM_SBSGhWjVV-cmHvm_SxQG_l9Cr7Yb0KzED5Dc_ErNSj38pCFRLI2/s400/3402_A_Small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594364697586537106" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div>Hey everyone!One show down, five (or so) more to go! <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302538779_0" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">This Morning</span> went really well.Of course it was pretty short, only about five <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302538779_1">minutes</span> long but they did a really good job with the story. I think we're all happy with how things went. Just had breakfast and we're back in our hotel now. We're staying on the 46th floor. You know how you jump up when you're in an elevator sometimes? Well when you do that in these elevators,you've gotta be careful your head doesn'thit the roof! </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPjgUu0z7dOqEQVjMdzHym8x0LqEYHv0eR2-hPgRgKmoo-uVHcE8Va_HLLG69ZACSRHhduvTK4CRJ20drM4ZizQwxBKTtOgv4M2-J0stZS_bJEnD5E6cUHkQohKcyI-nuCRaZGvjchyphenhypheniw/s400/3417_ASmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594364692965272194" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Okay, not really, but almost. It moves pretty fast, and you have to yawn to unplug your ears at least once on the way up to the top. We have a pretty awesome view and are right next to T<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302538779_2">imes Square</span>. So far we have been having a pretty fun time, we have the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302538779_3" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">rest of the day</span> to mess around, so thinking of going to see a Broadway show. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Well, I'll write again soon, and try and get the link to this mornings show up soon!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Tomorrow morning, I will be on two shows, Fox and Friends and CNN American Morning.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Abby</span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-17506583274339671262011-04-10T21:14:00.000-07:002011-04-10T21:18:29.642-07:00New York<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Hey guys,<br />So I'm over in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1302495213_0" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">New York</span> right now.I was up at three this morning to get to the airport and fly over with good friend and photographer, Lisa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gizara</span>. We had a good flight and a nice evening here with Lisa and Jason, the publicist for Thomas Nelson who is here to get me around town to my different interviews. We went and got dinner and talked over everything <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">that's</span> happening this week. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Jason keeps insisting that I "don't need to worry, its only going to be 20 million or so people watching you over the next few days." Not sure why, but somehow that wasn't the biggest help. Guess it's a good thing I'm not as scared of cameras as I used to be any more!! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">The next four days are packed with interviews and shows, but there is an afternoon or two that we'll get to run around and have some fun here. Well, I'll be up around 5 tomorrow and on the today show sometime between 7-8 (local time in New York) so that should be fun, hopefully it all goes well. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">Talk to you all again soon!<br />Abby</span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-62371043250394699542011-04-07T11:15:00.001-07:002011-04-07T11:19:01.338-07:00Lots of News!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Hey Everyone!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Lots has happened recently, and it seems like I haven't had a down moment in awhile now. Well, I have some good news, actually, there is quite a bit of good news, so I'll try and organize it in order of importance. Number one on the list - kittens!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Any of you that followed my trip from the start probably remember that I was contemplating picking up a kitten in Cape Town, South Africa, but in the end decided it would be best for the cat, and myself, if I just waited till I got home. Well, I got home, and still no kitten.... till about two weeks ago. Now this is where the flame thrower fights come in and the story starts to get interesting, no kidding, there was really a flame throwing fight involved in the discovery of the kittens, but maybe I should start from the beginning and try to make it a little more clear.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I actually spent the morning in jail because I was asked to speak to the workers at Lompoc Federal Prison. That went relatively well. I went from the prison on to a film set where I was working as the still photographer. It was amazing! It was one of the first somewhat big sets that I have worked on and it was so much fun! The short story they were filming was for Dolby, for the convention in Las Vegas. The story involved lots of fire, and some pretty crazy stunts, such as the girl dancing with her legs on fire, breathing fire, a fire heart, and yes the very second to last shot, but quite likely the most awesome, was the flame thrower fight.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now in case your mind is starting to wonder, let me just reassure you that despite the talk floating around the room about if we could find a way to work the little kitties into the story, or set them on fire, they were not set on fire, they were in fact, found at the other end of the large wherehouse that we were shooting, in the corner in the bathroom. Of course, everyone was falling over the kittens the minute they were found. I got lucky and ended up getting to bring them both home. They are really the most adorable little kitties ever, two little girls, both black with white paws and blue eyes. We named them Dolly and Bebe, kinda like Dolby :)</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Okay on to number two. Well, this actually kinda clumps a lot of stuff together, books and documentaries, Tennessee and tornadoes. The book is done!! You can buy it on Amazon now, but it will officially be out on April 12th along with the documentary. There has been a lot of hard work put in by so many people, its gonna be great to have it all completely finished.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My websites been updated with more info on both the book and the doc with links to buy both of them. Check that out if you want: www.<a href="http://abbysunderland.com/"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #1324a7">abbysunderland.com</span></a>.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Another exciting thing, I got to go to Nashville, Tennessee. Just got back last night. That's where Thomas Nelson, my publisher is, and it was great to finally meet everyone behind getting the book published. So much hard work was put into it by so many people there, it was great to be able to talk to them in person finally! I flew intoNashville Sunday, spent the night in a hotel, then started up with media training the next morning. After six hours of that we headed over to Thomas Nelson. Inside, all the lights were off and everyone was on the way to the basement. Okay, so the weather wasn't the best during my little visit, but I can now say I've been into the basement along with everyone else at Thomas Nelson Not sure that's anything to brag about, but I can also say that I know for a fact that tornadoes do exist.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">After signing a hundred or so books I headed back to the airport. Waiting at the gate with the lights flickering on and off while watching as the flight departure time was pushed back further and further was slightly disconcerting. Needless to say, the flight was not canceled nor was it hit by a tornado and I am safely back in California where all we have to watch out for is earthquakes.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now onto planes! I have decided to learn to fly. I had originally not been all that excited about the idea. I prefer being on a slow boat where when everything starts falling apart you get a good few minutes to try and sort things out, rather than in a plane where you're going 100kts or so, you wouldn't really have much of a chance at sorting anything out. I have to say I am having more and more fun with it. It will never by quite as amazing as sailing, but it does come scarily close. I've only had about two or three lessons, but I have a secret little hope that I might be able to get my pilots license before my driving license - how awesome would that be!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Well, there is so much more I could write about right now, but I'm off to New York in a few days and have so much going on between now and when I leave that I really have to pack today so I'm ready. I'll be in New York Sunday and am going to be a on a bunch of shows, The Today Show, Fox and Friends, CNN America and The View. If you want to watch, my Facebook page will be updated with the time that I am going to be on. I'll try and get a blog up with the exact times for anyone who doesn't have Facebook.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I've gotta run, I'll try and get another blog up soon!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Abby</span></p></span></span>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-9115365794719772002011-03-09T14:54:00.000-08:002011-03-09T15:23:53.653-08:00A Busy Week<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">Hey Everyone, </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">Been a little while since my last blog but just wait till you hear about my week! I flew to Buffalo, New York on Wednesday, and drove from there to Kitchener in Toronto on Thursday to give a talk at the TEDxWaterloo conference there. The next morning I went into the Crossroads Studio in Burlington to do a few interviews, then drove back to Buffalo where I was staying with my mom's aunt and uncle. </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">I spent the next day with my cousin Heidi and her hyperactive lab puppy Sophia :) The next day I spent with my other cousin, Gretchen and drove back over to Canada to see Niagara Falls. Next day I hopped on a plane and headed back home, got in that night and the next day headed off to Santa Paula where I was working as the still photographer on a shoot for a Dolby commercial. I went to bed around 1:00am and was back up at 3:00am that morning to get over to the tiny Santa Paula Airport and get started. I was picked up before the end of that though because I had to go to school!<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Yep, at the end of it all I still have to do my schoolwork. I'm back home now taking a break from studying for some pretty gnarly tests I've got next week so that I can write a blog :) So I really haven't forgotten about you all! Its taken quite a bit of caffeine to get through the past week, but it has all been really fun. </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The TEDxWaterloo conference was pretty much amazing. I've done a few different conferences but this one really didn't sound like anything I had done before so I didn't know what to expect. There were about 900 people there, definitely the largest amount of people I have ever spoken in front of before. For the most part things went well, all the speakers were interesting, I met a lot of neat people and my talk went pretty well. I think my talk could have been better which is bugging me a bit... oh well, practice makes perfect, and I'm definitely getting some good practice in. </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The two interviews I did went well. They won't be airing until April 18th though, and just in Canada. Seeing Niagara Falls was pretty cool. Of course it was pouring rain, there was quite a bit of snow around, and it was all of 20 degrees out... but still, it was amazing seeing that. I managed to forget my camera there though, so sorry bout the phone camera pictures. </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The morning I left to fly home it started snowing! It snowed a few inches by the time I left for the airport, too bad there wasn't enough to build a snowman... Anyway, my flight ended up getting delayed for about an hour, and it was looking like I might not make it to my connecting flight in Detroit, but luckily they held the plane and so back to sunny, warm California (or so I thought). I got off the plane here and it was raining. </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The day after I got home, Monday, I spent most of the day trying to finish up homework, but I started researching for a paper I was writing and it was so interesting I ended up working on that until I got picked up to go to the airport where the commercial was going to be filmed. In general, I dread flying, but I suppose thats because up to this point I've mainly flown in big planes where I'm forced to sit relatively still for the upside of 5 hours, not the most fun thing ever. But the son of the lady who's hanger was being used for the shoot offered to take me up in his little Piper Cub and that was seriously fun. I mean I didn't think there was anything that could ever come close to sailing, but that got scarily close.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">We all got to bed pretty late, but call time the next morning was 3:00am so all had to be out there starting on setting things up. It was a fun day, there were a lot of neat people all working on it, and getting to photograph the whole thing was a lot of fun. I've always liked photography, and its pretty cool getting opportunities like this to really work on it. </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Around 12:00 my mom came and picked me up, and I headed off to class... I had hoped that I would get to stay through the whole thing, but I guess graduating from high school is pretty important, as painful as it might be right now. I have standardized testing coming up next week, so that should be fun... (note sarcasm) but all in all it has been a very fun and eventful past week, and a half. Now its time to get back into the books.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Abby</div></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: fixed; "></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02NF5jsRrs0ghS1iEBqHF-N8ZIhoH2PePnmTfbWnHkPgMT6AiQfdEZUisQhhWMM6CyPOmn6V9qOFnC52sphyphenhyphenscSI0OjwbwBUimlO1bXtg3iXI9oK1hMV4M9FSdNRRUEb_T-03hfR-cEad/s400/IMG_0810a.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582223797870738786" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEL6CsKXukZjYen_Yf6z3frGD0AuzOaL9sPncS0Uv23t3Vk8iVx7gmDYt5CMDXRngwqDZiOcKnAqe26Sl9BMCoA6oTYJg-BI5DBzUounq7gY6OlaB-knnRHmMVwOeOURVN8HZW4D7eNpkg/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEL6CsKXukZjYen_Yf6z3frGD0AuzOaL9sPncS0Uv23t3Vk8iVx7gmDYt5CMDXRngwqDZiOcKnAqe26Sl9BMCoA6oTYJg-BI5DBzUounq7gY6OlaB-knnRHmMVwOeOURVN8HZW4D7eNpkg/s400/IMG_0412.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582223099179944210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IgsdZDegk_EbGxOMZgeay75ys6hAISCfC1eipiPCHPPgzHjTvBNFcl4YlqbRIHnGR9M2CfKbx2DXF9vyfyqPGn_Atax2Jwzu33J_yj3OcuymG3H1YqCyzV0Lq3-nGEPxr_fe67_QURMq/s1600/IMG_0416.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IgsdZDegk_EbGxOMZgeay75ys6hAISCfC1eipiPCHPPgzHjTvBNFcl4YlqbRIHnGR9M2CfKbx2DXF9vyfyqPGn_Atax2Jwzu33J_yj3OcuymG3H1YqCyzV0Lq3-nGEPxr_fe67_QURMq/s400/IMG_0416.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582222132483921106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbeWP6HaZIGD1Gk2rEfvRzr6Hld-uH1ukjSVf8QdSu7EpmQ3eB7bbynBv9gMhJ1wyWruO30BwvIHR7A54uPuOZTIInPsxcG1r5QdQzO6fdpWcXimlI9AX4wge_o3RFVisx07eCkclZRLx/s1600/IMG_0410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbeWP6HaZIGD1Gk2rEfvRzr6Hld-uH1ukjSVf8QdSu7EpmQ3eB7bbynBv9gMhJ1wyWruO30BwvIHR7A54uPuOZTIInPsxcG1r5QdQzO6fdpWcXimlI9AX4wge_o3RFVisx07eCkclZRLx/s400/IMG_0410.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582221403584850706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJe4mhMvr_GWURoMq-legLPsAzbNJVhXfFpsJpt472CCfUR6OCjF4QIIK0dwFFMDj3qxHKqy-R_BA90FBNZPF5LYaI3OGuXhp8eNm8B-pkhzYLYFtPdzowKGAZmUf6R8vxqsCzVfwmNW9W/s1600/IMG_0399.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJe4mhMvr_GWURoMq-legLPsAzbNJVhXfFpsJpt472CCfUR6OCjF4QIIK0dwFFMDj3qxHKqy-R_BA90FBNZPF5LYaI3OGuXhp8eNm8B-pkhzYLYFtPdzowKGAZmUf6R8vxqsCzVfwmNW9W/s400/IMG_0399.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582219524868290930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywFncaLy6FZEru47f16iIQRiRP8JFOGgf85gLyXbc5gVpLTKtlhbGSOMsJVwu16ZMyy5vsTdTiaFyGD10OrHfJlXWUHMwfZqa0nkHXjWZ8jYnr8X6TspxXXGyisQfRK3zhR-EGgywytCw/s1600/IMG_0245.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywFncaLy6FZEru47f16iIQRiRP8JFOGgf85gLyXbc5gVpLTKtlhbGSOMsJVwu16ZMyy5vsTdTiaFyGD10OrHfJlXWUHMwfZqa0nkHXjWZ8jYnr8X6TspxXXGyisQfRK3zhR-EGgywytCw/s400/IMG_0245.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582218552792511618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs7Txt3CJOBw-3R1PnJVQLL5bGMS7zTfKuX_ySJEhJoQshuC_sh_CxKIESf3ZA6IvUERqAs9cof1bs6U_r49uZqFqW_IlyOGkTzUnQgpU5fKOhT3kByFBOunFYl-m1XnLmH5Ye21pi-CJ/s1600/IMG_0248.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs7Txt3CJOBw-3R1PnJVQLL5bGMS7zTfKuX_ySJEhJoQshuC_sh_CxKIESf3ZA6IvUERqAs9cof1bs6U_r49uZqFqW_IlyOGkTzUnQgpU5fKOhT3kByFBOunFYl-m1XnLmH5Ye21pi-CJ/s400/IMG_0248.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582218170192356018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn2_ahgHhdg1GL3oaeh6z90Kj-WptRaganPkXc5ckn5UX2gTkC3aY5LzWsjgQf65muc46nFYAeCAuJNIvyb2bPYCL4rPlE9Y7wpk8ErDXvIGgbphmmWpxbqzGwjltsVNeb2bDXLl48CnF/s1600/IMG_0238.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn2_ahgHhdg1GL3oaeh6z90Kj-WptRaganPkXc5ckn5UX2gTkC3aY5LzWsjgQf65muc46nFYAeCAuJNIvyb2bPYCL4rPlE9Y7wpk8ErDXvIGgbphmmWpxbqzGwjltsVNeb2bDXLl48CnF/s400/IMG_0238.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582217817597577922" /></a><br /></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-40817282681568984182011-02-26T09:00:00.000-08:002011-02-28T09:56:14.783-08:00Book Progress & Sailing!<div style="text-align: left;">Hey Guys,</div>It's been a fun but busy few weeks here. I've so far survived two months with my permit (I thought that was pretty impressive). Driving isn't so bad anymore, but I still would rather be driving a boat.Remember when I told you about <span style="font-style:italic;">O Canada</span>, the Open 60 inMarina del Rey? I got to go sailing on her twice :) The first day there wasn't a whole lot of wind, but the second day there was 15-20kts and that was fun! Of course these boats don't go well to weather so it was a bit painful on the tack out, but then we headed down wind, we were surfing along at 20kts in just 16kts of wind. Now that was fun! :D<br />It was great to meet all the crew and get to spend those two days with them. They're really great sailors, and it was neat to see how they worked together. Although, I think I'll stick to single-handing - not sure I could ever get used to sailing with a crew.<br /><br />The Owner of <span style="font-style:italic;">O Canada</span> produced a really awesome documentary about the 2008-2009 Vendee Globe. I've watched it more than once. I've never seen so much good footage of really any boat race. Its called <span style="font-style:italic;">Racing Around the World Alone</span>. Their website is www.windathletes.ca and is definitely worth checking out, I loved it.<br />We've also just about finished with writing my book! In fact, its at the printer now which is really exciting. Its nice to finally bedone with all the editing. We were all getting a little tired of it but it will be great to finally get the whole story out there for everyone.<div>Abby</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9qCTAE4Le7gL0tRTdeGKXujIuoQg1XnbbppO6dzEQlriDkywP-mlZQQzURGQ6lWNkTM93vzsJ2eHMDm4F-HrKFzZkqzIHkwgEaEJOlblksXQhzj_xgcfAOVgTrKCmrPp-GHzE4GeQ8Rs/s400/IMG_7334.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578058830247550866" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwBSGDf0g4Tssu6F9LWcYTjk-wrww-61cKHqcaERnWuaveexaVL0GqDfNkW4u6ORxUhGdmuqLIChcvAGjWYhq7wCfv4n0tdbLV-93JeTsCviQH7GyocK1WRzRKRanZsqAUfb6xcSD4_O9/s400/IMG_7469.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578057523395650834" /><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7e23VXH2R5YNfwp0vs4cmgdtYDrc5KOldtZGzVPL4L8vCf23kXPNtKY1BaeAB2rzFSqV2seO6CAXFHNep9BmG3nyli_y-vPGBNb-v22hwbWHfujbxopBMjLRRBK_wNem4JxxaXO6qmJd/s400/IMG_7524.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578055776285976242" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUkZ8jI5AheA1Qyhb6AaADv-o56V2SHEH9iIIByde4Us2ysy9yJYd5DiTFwxcs3GPPbhJcwRY8W9aj178xZXYyKbL7KJ027LePf-4yNaaSnbTLAxpRxwub2rwjAuzXTmPii2DAdyWhogs/s400/IMG_7221.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578054411921144658" /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmIq8FzJFgtXJFPCL7BzE_qj1u7cGQqCexv9_Vxp5mrY-vXmKCr0EbNAfK2hN_rxk9f7gUFqcESPxU0FtCKSW5P_v5xTFyX56NsLGZIrrcUMNYa8qGR7lAdDfazlDr0t3NMfIpMWCA3Ru/s400/IMG_7514.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578053067555166962" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-72674822851892950342011-02-04T16:23:00.000-08:002011-02-04T20:28:05.633-08:00Driving at Last!Hey guys! <br />Sorry its been so long since I last wrote, it has been a crazy month. I got home a few days ago from the Educational Policy Conference in St Louis where I spoke twice: once to the adults and once to the kids. It was a fun though cold weekend. The conference there was pretty interesting and I got to meet a lot of great people. I also got to build a snowman while I was there :) just a small one, but still, being from California I was pretty excited with the snow. Luckily, we flew out just before a big storm hit. Had we been there another day we might have gotten stuck there! Snow is fun, but I do like living in sunny, warm Cali. <br /><br />I have a few more speaking engagements coming up over the next few months. I really like public speaking, up until the point where I'm up on stage... then my mind kinda goes blank! I'm working hard on improving my public speaking skills, and the more and more I do it the easier it gets. Seems to be how most things are in life, something that terrifies you now might be no big deal a year or two down the line. I know that's happened to me so much over the past year. <br /><br />I don't remember if I wrote about this yet, but its finally happened... I have my permit! Took long enough didn't it? I am not sure I like driving... its a bit frightening and I can't help wishing cars had tillers - it gets too confusing going back and forth between steering with a wheel and a tiller. But I have to say I have had more near death experiences in the past month of having my permit than I have had in my whole entire lifetime of sailing (granted my "life time" hasn't been all that long at this point). <br /><br />Makes me laugh at the thought that 16 is too young to take on a big sailing trip but not too young to drive... I for one feel much safer on a boat! <br /><br />Well, I have to run. I'll be back soon with some pictures of the conference!<br /><br />AbbyAbby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-46598490512873487172010-12-29T10:05:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:32:26.512-08:00Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hey guys, </span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hope you all had a great Christmas! I had planned on writing a </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Christmas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> blog, but with my leaving </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Christmas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> shopping till the last minute, and also having to be working on the book right up until a few days before, I didn't get around to it. Seeing as I didn't get out a </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Christmas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> blog, </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> going to have to make this one extra good. :) </span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was down in the marina the other day, don't worry, I wasn't looking for a boat, I'll make sure to let you know if that happens. But there does happen to be a shiny new red and white Open 60 sitting in the yard over in Marina del Rey and I have to say </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> a little (little is a bit of an understatement) jealous of the people who are going to be sailing her. The Open 60, O Canada</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, is a very different design from Wild Eyes, but none the less, I have to say that all open style boats are absolutely amazing! </span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">O Canada just got off the ship last month and she's over here for the Transpac</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, of course </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">that's</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> not for a while so her crew won't be over here till February... maybe I could stow away on board </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">before they leave! Well, it was quite exciting to see a boat like that in Marina del Rey. We don't often get to see boats like that around there. Alright, well enough about the boat now. </span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We all had a great Christmas over here. A bit smaller then previous </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Christmases</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, but a great day all the same. I'm sad to say I did not get a boat for </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Christmas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, but there is</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> always next year! I did, however, get a new water-proof camera, a little bit rinky</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> dinky compared to my big 7D Cannon, but I cant wait to get it rigged up on the bow of the next boat </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> on, or get down to the beach with it. </span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, now that the first manuscript is in to the publishers I have quite a bit of free time on my hands lately, a little too much in fact</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, enough to come up with the idea to get a bagpipe... Yep, I am proud owner of a "practice Chanter". Its what you learn to play before moving on to a real bagpipe. You may wonder how such an odd idea came about. Well, I was sitting in church one day thinking about something new I could do, something that would be fun and take up some of my free time, and the most off the wall, oddest thing I could possibly think up was learning to play the bagpipe, and so that is how it all began. </span></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I also have some plans in the works for possibly getting into smaller boat sailing. At first I laughed at the very thought of me sailing a small boat, but as time went on the idea seemed more and more like something that could be a lot of fun. Of course, there is that ever-present problem of not having a boat, but a friend and I are working on that and are hoping to be able to get one by summer. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And so there you have the happenings of the past week of my life, definitely a bit more exciting than the week before this one! Well, hope you all have a great New Years! As Paul Wellstone </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">said, "The </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">future will not belong to those who sit on the sidelines. The future will not belong to the cynics. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A new year is coming and we're all going to make New Years resolutions, and I have to say, when I think of a New Years resolution, I think more of wishes, it seems that so many people want to do things but just </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">don't</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> get around to it (like me writing my blog). Lets do something different this year, don't be afraid to make some big goals, and to have big dreams, but lets be the people who believe in our dreams. The people who make their future their own. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">
<br /></span></span></div><div style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Dreams are great, but they're no good unless you're going to fight to make them come true. Happy New Year to you all!!</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Yours always, </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><3></span></span></div></div></span>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-42995884533649360112010-12-11T07:43:00.000-08:002010-12-11T07:56:11.255-08:00A Normal Life<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; "><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">Not a whole lot has happened around here lately. I'm working on school, and planning to take my driving permit test next week. Can you believe its taken this long for me to get around to going to get my permit!? I have to say that life at home isn't all that exciting. I miss sailing and wish that I still had a boat to get away every now and then. </div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">I am working hard on my book right now. Its been a lot of fun having that to work on. Its going to be out in mid April and once the books out I'll probably be out doing a lot more public speaking and things like that which I'm really looking forward to. My first few speaking engagements were a little rough, which was to be expected as a slightly shy 16 year old just winging it. But I've done a bit of work and got a good collection of tips going from everyone around me so I'm really looking forward to getting back out and into public speaking a little more.</div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">My baby brother, Paul-Louis (aka. Chuck, Charlie, Louie, or whatever else comes to mind, whether or not it can be related to his name at all) is five months old now. Its hard to imagine I have been home for that long, almost half a year! Watching Charlie grow up has been a good reminder of how long I have been home. </div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">I keep thinking about what to do now. Of course I have planned on finishing high school before setting out on any new trips or adventures. But its been too long, and I've got that feeling you get as a sailor when you've been on land too long - life with all the easiness of being on land becomes uncomfortable and you feel almost trapped.</div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">I know its not long before I'll have finished high school and I'll have found something new to stir up the lives of those around me. </div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">Until then, I'd like to thank all you guys reading this for following my blog, and for continuing to support me. It means the world to know I've got you guys still faithfully following and supporting me!</div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; ">Abby<br /><div><br /></div></div></span>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-85388987193841405222010-11-09T07:46:00.000-08:002010-11-11T10:18:04.968-08:00NASA Visit<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hey Everyone, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sorry I di</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">dn't finish up </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">writing about </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">my last trip sooner! Thi</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ngs have a been a little busy at </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">home la</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">tely</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. W</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e g</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ot </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">out on the Chesapeak</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e Saturday, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">the day after vis</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">iting NOAA, and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">we all had a lot of fu</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">n</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">There wasn't much wind</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, but it did pick on later o</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">n in the d</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ay. It was </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">good to get out </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">on the water, even </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">if it w</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">as just in a Cal 22 </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">for a few hours. W</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e sailed around f</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">or four hours o</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">r s</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">o and then heade</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">d </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">home. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5isL2yiKKvnhcW99npPV-gAiU5-ee9R7nEddy9DTElTsGQi6Q9dfzIURFoMG8LSIa-lZAbV6ylww1hGALT0Oj84xIygzq1yuZvi_zd6AlQKZScK8EVlOj0JlhgchOEm-oBk9MnMLISfRU/s400/cal222.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537602946926320898" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Sailing on the Chesepeake</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We didn't </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">have anythin</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">g planned for the ne</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">xt day, so we decided to go out to Patric</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">k He</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">nry College in Virginia </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">and visit one of m</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">y friends that goes to school there. Th</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e campus there </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">looked a bi</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">t like the Universit</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">y of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Maryland, just way </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">sm</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">aller. The </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">college hasn't been</span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">arou</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">nd all </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:medium;">that long </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:medium;">and it was neat to see </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">how muc</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">h its grown <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">over t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">he years and everything that </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">students </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">there have done to help make </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">it w</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">hat it is t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">oday. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCUvs4B2qDxUPsNm1P-exdQMtUVruL_GVWnOXO6ZPGlTsmnFGpKM_VJrV-Jyb3suGcx6FfpPb16prfyJRRXbAufeJLpkEcpu-NTpsm3mD8bwnnoaqeyMIGyp41JWWmWvFJ_1nNmVHi7gA/s400/PH3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537599233364970594" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Patrick Henry College</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqNQ6MKLojlJ_HtiCEJ7plcn7kt6Q3zB1gc3CIpYuh6AekVStRuuwlVLFGiyi78TKxBswqWIbl17nCHBhXN7MuYtv7O3dUiVOGUKelPw7mcm0U9cgVa5YMiyEgaPH90ekRt_clNAbslTm/s400/PH2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537598840503979778" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Visiting friends at Patrick Henry College</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It didn't take lo</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ng to get a </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">tour of the small campus, then we spent </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">awhile jus</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">t chatting with some o</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">f the stud</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ents fro</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">m there. We then headed o</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ff to get a late lunch and head back to th</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e hotel. It was also my </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1289248499_0" style="cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; border-bottom- color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">little brother</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, T</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">oby's, birthd</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ay. So w</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e went out to dinner later that </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">night. They didn't have any birthday candles at th</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e restauran</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">t so Scott downlo</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">aded a </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">candle app </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">on his </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1289248499_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">iPhone</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8B1DkOPXAu1Fa759Qo6Kj_TorqN7VfljeqGxIDiS0_DeOA7GMiepSe4ZPeVE6EDXlJlwZ0huCtXhplX_U72P5yR-xHRnreeYJcdCqiKpKZG65l5iYt0cwegymCnZ-6vvGNl9citDgIXp/s320/tobys+bday.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537606238473910658" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Toby's digital birthday candle</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Next day was NASA</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. W</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e spent the whole day there being shown all around.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">gave a sh</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ort presenta</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">tion to a room full of congressional </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">staffers. Th</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">presentation</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">went well, even though at first the sl</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ides </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">on the computer wouldn't work. It was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">a good day there, but rather then writing </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">all about it, I'll post a bu</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">nch of pictures from t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">hat day.</span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJQXCMN_zV0zCEV76_2Tsz81vUIP-ItNyfSb6bQ6F7yQ3kocRUEb6WXgxx4_WIyPU-V3ivPNkz6XlICaZ12vhf4CvngXPsnOB62BiTkuuzmK_A4NlSbfzQsT2F6ZwK886W4sTQrxd2mMf/s400/nasa2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537584634209702290" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Toby, the astronaut.</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMrppvbHb4BUUva7QYr_8uGImXKdd0U0v-ZkbEuk2tCB_wU26sRzr9tgpr2msS4mgscm-tO0pxbY4P_qNiz7m2-qw6dprijkdH_NBf2pTnvaNc9fWkY9XEXAS_GBhNg_zyDTIMhRF40g-/s400/nasa4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537584147167948098" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Search and Rescue Mission Team with David Affens, George Theodorakos and Dr. Chen </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaK9LQ9d85POG0evZ6hBU3UJn9fWGCKKDR2ED02vCZrddH1j2UcONXo7XMNpJiCfjKIrCn18W7W519d_q271evVzUPZYIew1Up7d9GR9lIsfy7t2WmqitPngD_3OhUZ76xpI12o8FeFzvu/s400/nasa.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537583507910810754" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tuesday was the day we were flying hom</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e, but we weren't flying home till later </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">so we decided to head over t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">o the Annapolis Ya</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">cht Club and look around down there. W</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">hile we were over ther</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e we walked over to the the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1289248499_2" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Naval Academy</span></span></span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1289248499_2" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> That was a pretty cool to see. I wish we had had a little more time but it was getting </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">late so we headed off to the airport. It had </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">been a good, but long week an</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">d Toby and I were both looking forward to go</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ing home.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Abby</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNdb0-wE3WDNNPB5eYOCbD4QgfG7G2so_K5EiGPagvScL3ESpeVPcxdyWlJt2QTiwbhgIOo4oDq6JdLx-85exMe-6x8DPNL8gwsVZGhBWbvlladF2UO-NwBzvKw49I_H51C5KBZ7xsElH/s400/nasa3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537582925574942690" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i>The NASA Visitor's Center</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-87954031349752733402010-10-30T11:50:00.000-07:002010-10-30T13:50:30.877-07:00Day 2 in Washington DC<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We got up early and headed over to NOAA. Visiting NOAA was great. They showed us all the records of when I activated my Epirbs and showed how right after I set them off two satellites went over me, got my position and then re</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">membered it and passed it down to the first earth receiving station that came in their rang</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e which was in Pakistan of all places.</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFoksLCBQe1hvc5z9ZpeYD6NS59KTEFLXmIOhUT5kg9U7Q7rPEUDhLuNSiCPbg77VVxHNBveIytwyTs4wFCFy-gyc5ROaGh9BpFFswPz-1SEO29R05ar3euK_epS8ueEh6AcQ3DPp-XF-/s400/NOAA+briefing+slide.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533937097583680114" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They gave a talk on </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">how the satellite system works. It was great to meet all the people that worked there and I was surprised to learn how often they had signals coming in. We got to walk all through the building, go up on the roof and see where they first get in the signals and everything.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDV55XEw-TwT_6CSyGX0w80rHGugFxKgm2yFLAWoOYv-X1_aMRNrNb-IlqwkZ-MR0xG0j6ozLMKFxdWs66VJ-jxHZPrt-NO2VkXYT4ydfds-oXZ8ClChvcp1t-l0000M2S2X5B23nYTmp/s400/Abby+outside+the+NOAA+facility.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533937095871096946" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Outside the NOAA Building</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After we finished at NOAA, we headed over to the </span></span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1288464599_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">air and space museum</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> where we spent a good part of the rest of the day. It was pretty cool place; one of the few places I hadn't been to already with all the times I've been back there recently! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Di5Kf4oRBk12dTUFeDkgBqislZToP1RMkrG76qZYWi4kFJwO-qzqmF3T-fJUqjAfGbDVHIuka7vVLbTxjLyNAYZPsHz5JK_mgn4JZb32vMkFz5iHkWo2VfZxBEZCvhWusGQ_kTvg7djg/s400/IMG_0495-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533939879817022370" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Toby, me Apollo 11 and an X-15</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">So all in all it was a good, long day. On the ride home, Scott called around and found a place to go and rent little sailboats, so we had some fun plans for the next day. We went to sleep that night hoping the wind would pick up a little bit for our sail around the Chesapeake!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Abby</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBgJ2vmRTwaOqGmg0sQZsqHoK4K-IHvR_5Grdb2dWiqY78Pt0EfvgKZlffhiENYe6b08ZJudS5uheN3LXZbZ7K-TLZVRvttjBvhDEKNAb80_KBxDnNNll2mOX_3oWu7tB5CQFI1GPstK7/s400/IMG_0503.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533939890063500642" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Amelia Earhart's Plane</span></div></span></div></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-73508685852583978792010-10-27T20:05:00.000-07:002010-10-27T21:35:56.128-07:00A Week In Maryland<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">Its been a busy past week with me back on the east coast again. I was invited by the University of Maryland to speak at a symposium on satellite technology. There </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">were a handful of speakers talking about the significant things being done through satellite technology. I was there to talk a bit about my trip andhow the system worked for me, putting a bit of a personal touch on rescue technology.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="text-align: justify;float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 160px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4iATy9wFhfhhrSmpW9lb_GnJmHTUQNBhkN4yTMPmliO6iaykxl9VqyuQfE-zKdjS6OQdqmTbbxEY-Egpop29THg4UJ9IfMjaqS1v2OhYOESlNCDx4heH1qIy-ki98EtWHFsj8PvwTo70/s320/IMG_0220.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532947585886208034" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>U of Maryland Engineering Students</span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We spent the day walking </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">around the campus there. It was so big! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">I've seen some big college campuses, but I think that was the biggest so far. I reall</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">y l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">iked it there and while we spent most of our </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">time with the engineering students, I wish </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">I had time to check out th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">eir psychology program, since that's what I would like t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">o major in. The people there were all gre</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">at and even though engi</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">neering isn't one of my strong interests, I had a great time meeti</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">ng the friendly people there.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; "><img style="text-align: justify;float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2aFa2aDojYii4vXgBjwxvT4qmc3p9PgJ-PtZ4Ww7Sqa8kdLlKj36nlhIN5M1AfrhhxKypbTclmKDfbktOpNH2nv8kOw6hfoeMG28eZzTOdqdBoXCHDqaH7Vo0dk9tgv6OPnlo8TZS71e/s320/U+of+MD.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532946478033895218" /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">The first night that we flew in I had dinner with a bunch of young wom</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">en engineering students </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">at the University</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">. The next day we spent touring as much of the campus as we could in the few h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">ours we ha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">d, and then set up for the symposium that was going to be later that night. I was getting a litt</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">le nerv</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">ou</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">s as the room started to fill up. I only had to talk for</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">20 minutes and I had defini</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">tely spoken in fr</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">ont of more people before, but I gues</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">s </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1288235105_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">stage fright</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> isn't an easy thing to get over.</span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, after talking for a little bit it got easier and fun, as always, and the night went pretty well.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">After everyone spoke we went and ha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">d dinner with a bunch of people from the school. It really turned out great! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">Thanks to everybody there for showing us around!</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 183px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCz70tD-5h8H6KlM48eQNI7GkNyTCwIt5774OLMzWJrVc9Jjktub80Da9X9YFTyAY8sgr6piAQihmRvGrmAwpSEFqwzCGxznmXQXxMu4P8ocxlLdLsvM1XhlphlWoQI6TCIMWUgxDvNFS/s320/IMG_0212.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532945993716695826" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I traveled this time with Bill Bennett an</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">d Scott Lurie from my technical team </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">and my brother Toby, who turned 13 while we were out there. We covered a lot in the week we w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: medium; ">ere there, but that's it for now, gonna save the rest of the trip for my next few blogs! :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Abby</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="text-align: justify;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pBgHQvk5XMiYP5NRngZ6DkjtHuF5q6ZN17Bm2CLUOGvYXw6J2dB7uCpSX9xotfsTgYYsTYH0qCKKfNiV226AwmgFDScYtBq7AoDGj40qAlVThGP15yLBu7eU30QuGG7oouhDxgQupBgx/s320/U+of+MD3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532944677579421906" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-33552982795510282582010-10-12T19:18:00.000-07:002010-10-13T08:50:16.711-07:00Back on the Water<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm back out on the water! I’d tell you all about the wind direction and all of that, but seeing as I'm in a 97ft power boat, none of that matters much. We left from Newport yesterday afternoon, and are on our way up to Portland, Oregon. Its been a smooth trip so far, got a little choppy last night but everything has been going well. As nice as it is to be down in a warm boat where you never have to change sails, there is something somewhat enjoyable about the discomfort and rough parts of sailing. I am little sad to say that if things keep up this way, I won't have to pull on my foul weather gear or get soaked or even crawl into any small dark spaces to repair anything. I have spent a good amount of time on power boats, but not much since I've been back. I would have to say that I think I like them even a little less than before. For a whole day straight now we have been listening to the constant roaring of the engine and I think this is driving me a little more crazy than cold lonely nights on a little sail boat. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Needless to say, I'm missing <i>Wild Eyes</i> and endless days on the ocean. Once we get this big boat to Oregon we’ll hop on a plane and fly back home and get back to school again. I did actually bring a few school books along with me... in fact I have a backpack filled with books. I should probably go get them out and get to work. I also remembered to bring a hairbrush this time! Although, had I not, there is a good supply of forks on board, so no big deal if it goes missing during this little trip!</span></span></p></span></span><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Well, I wrote the last part of the blog hoping to find some WiFi during one of our fuel stops to post it, but that didn't happen, and then things on board took a bit of a turn. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The trip started out great. We were all a little tired after the first night, you know how it is the first few nights, even with a few crew you don't sleep too well. The first day and night passed uneventfully which I suppose was a good thing. All that didn't last long though. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The second day we started to have trouble with the auto pilot. I managed to fix it as it turned out to just be a problem with the settings. Later that night, I was off watch trying to get some sleep in the cabin down below when I felt the boat turning in circles. It felt so familiar I was almost happy jumping up to go take a look and see what had happened. Up on the bridge, my dad was on watch and he was hand steering. I messed around with the auto pilot settings some hoping that it was the same problem as before. It wasn't the same problem as before and after a good half hour I was out of ideas (This auto pilot could have belonged in an antique shop I might add. It was so old, I had never seen one of them before!) </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Looked like we were going to be hand steering, at least until the morning when we could get a better look at the thing. Luckily, there was myself, my dad and Peter, so hand steering wasn't all that bad a thing as we had plenty of people to take turns. The weather was picking up, it had been all day and we had 6-10 foot swells coming right from behind us. Now normally this would be great, especially considering that we were going north. But in this boat, it wasn't great, in fact, it was down right awful. A ten foot swell isn't much to complain about, but <i>Travoto</i> wasn't exactly designed for any type of weather. The swells would catch up with us and <i>Travoto</i> would go sliding down the front sending us down sliding all over the place. We were surfing down so fast that the boat was plowing into the swells in front of us one after the other. You had to steer hard either way to gain any control of the boat as she went flying down.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After four hours on the helm I was pretty exhausted and good and ready for a break. The next morning we pulled into Crescent City to fuel up. A bit tired and worn out, we got a weather report, fueled and had a mechanic come out to take a look at the auto pilot and the steering. It's still under debate between the three of us why the steering was so bad. Anyway, the mechanic wasn't able to sort out the auto pilot, and didn't have much to offer on our steering problem either. We considered staying there a little longer, but we had a short weather window, and we weren't going to be finding any more help in Crescent City. We headed out again.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The day went on, the conditions picked up more and more. We decided to take one hour shifts during the night, and to keep two people on watch all night. We were in for a rough night and none of us planned on getting much sleep. It got later and the chit chat and joking around stopped as the night dragged on. We were all up through the night taking our shifts. My watch was for an hour, but things seemed to be dying down some and I was pretty wide awake so decided not to hand over the wheel quite yet. About two hours later, I handed the wheel over to my dad. He had just gotten off the phone with the Coast Guard to check on the conditions in the Columbia River. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We planned to reach the Columbia River around three in the morning, we had timed it to be with the tide so we could make it in over the sand bar. But the Coast Guard had closed down the bar due to a small craft advisory. There wasn't a whole lot we could do about that. The Coast Guard reported 14 foot swells going over the bar, not much, we had had a few swells at least that big out at sea. It was just managing to keep enough control of the boat through the narrow channel.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We started to turn around, planning to just head into it until day light. The Coast Guard called us again saying that they had a small boat out there and if we wanted to give it a try they would lead us in. It would definitely be easier having the other boat to follow in as part of our steering problem was that there was no compass on the boat. We were going off a computer hooked up to a GPS that had about a 40 second delay. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, we decided to go for it. We all pulled out our foulies, and headed out into the pouring rain to the bridge. It was too wet outside to bring out the computer with the chart of the marina on it, so Peter and I ran back and fourth yelling which direction my dad needed to go to stay in the channel. Surfing along, we made it over the bar and on into the marina. It was an intense few hours as we wound our way up the river. About six in the morning, we came to an anchorage where we dropped the hook planning to wait until daylight to continue on up the river. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">After the engines had been turned off we all sat down below, tired, wet, cold and somewhat dazed. We eventually all made our way down below and slept for a little bit. We woke up around 9 the next morning all feeling a little better after getting some sleep. We had some breakfast and made a few phone calls and then around 11 we headed off up the river. We had a good six hours to go!</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Those six hours passed by somewhat uneventfully. The steering had improved quite a bit with being on the flat river. We got up river to where the boat was going to be kept and at first we couldn't see where we were going to have to put the boat. It was like putting this huge boat through the eye of a needle. We looked at the tiny space that the owner wanted my dad to wind the boat into. I thought it was impossible, in fact, I thought it would be slightly crazy to even try and get it in. My dad did it though. Not only did he get the boat in, but he decided to back it in, and did so without Peter or I needing to fend off the other boats and docks even once. I was thoroughly impressed by that docking job. I don't know any one else that would have been able to pull that off. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was over. We gathered up our stuff and headed off to the airport. Sitting in the airport all pretty much exhausted from all that had happened in the past few days. As Peter said, it was like living a lifetime in just four days. It was true, we had been through so much, yet we all somehow managed to bring away only the good from the challenges we experienced. Even sitting in the airport not yet recovered, we were all looking forward to the next trip. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, that's what I’ve been up to lately. Now that I'm home for a bit I'll be back on the school books and looking forward to the next adventure, even if it is only four days long.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Abby</span></span></p>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-82683106962735461172010-09-16T08:39:00.000-07:002010-09-16T10:09:48.998-07:00Amsterdam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7vBMAMl_fkYZ9N__fstsnQ3C_IsFB5aTptv-M0aC0xtjhbU1U2cKy2YVsmzO2hWhC63Dv_RJD3A_cVTuDb4ceyanskVPJ5jo2g6mcOFrKaqTnc_6Op8ylNtJaZI-c3j5Vsq4gJ0mZOBo/s1600/IMG_8879.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7vBMAMl_fkYZ9N__fstsnQ3C_IsFB5aTptv-M0aC0xtjhbU1U2cKy2YVsmzO2hWhC63Dv_RJD3A_cVTuDb4ceyanskVPJ5jo2g6mcOFrKaqTnc_6Op8ylNtJaZI-c3j5Vsq4gJ0mZOBo/s320/IMG_8879.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517557357046208754" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Outside a shopping mall in Amsterdam - photo copyright Bill Bennett ASC</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved on from Detroit and am now in Amsterdam. The past few days have been great. We are here with the IBC Convention. We have hooked up with Jannie van Wyk from South Africa. Jannie was one of the guys who helped us out tons in Cape Town. He and his wife Tracey let us stay with them the whole time and helped with just about everything else as well. Well Jannie works in the film industry and because of the big film convention going on over here he and a bunch of his guys were all here. It was great to see them. I had </span><span id="misspell-8" class="unmark"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">been</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> so busy in Cape Town and it was nice to just go out and spend some time with everyone. They all flew back yesterday afternoon and so now we're on to museums and boat tours, all of which have been very fun.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHO4bL1BBbGK7Q3SzCt3V8QdpdUP2eS-DFZUQsKOvp2cBcaW76NcQbdVkDR16SxS_-3xj-gj_w_9beWJvWqel4_IqCrs2VIwcwyBUGgwOI_o12K_WsWZjN2t0YdJy8pEp3i7TuDA56dBM/s320/IMG_8801.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517556482570006178" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">At the IBC Conference - photo copyright Bill Bennett ASC </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It's a really amazing place here. I've had a lot of fun just walking around looking at all the crooked buildings. I have been wondering what will happen, most of the buildings here lean one way or the other. What will happen in a few more years if they keep tipping?!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduFIGSTl25BLj99UUQYAcuOn97qhB2-2zQF79xUoc4aXdm1nva-RwsAzENgBvUwjwT9URx6c1MP7cNbZaf-1pqI6QeHJe4IiKZVXDPSgqhSortlubbj0645Wrx3U26FY70lI1MV-0P5vS/s320/IMG_8868.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517557363783260914" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Photo copyright Bill Bennett ASC</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Anyways, I know this is a really short blog, but there are tons of pictures and I slept in a bit this morning... gotta get going and make up for lost time!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Abby</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQVLRQxXyNPsMrM92nr7PlAucTcwSZLpxxB7h9DHlkSEktwTCVlHKg5Hi7SPAmrnpCcG4tIk_POUv5KSOa4ISWqgMBYpE-VkpXJJHoko1yVpYReAIQxEmj2JANO18SIaTDgISnkzT1BHN/s320/IMG_8852.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517556491060677586" /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Outside the Rijksmuseum - the Rembrandt museum - photo copyright Bill Bennett ASC</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-70702240217851916472010-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:002010-09-13T13:09:52.588-07:00Another Day, Another Trip<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Another day, another trip. This time I am in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Detroit</span>. I've spent the past two days racing on the Lake Huron in Michigan and talking at the Port Huron Y</span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284393068_0" style="cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">acht Club</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. It has been much more fun then I was expecting it to be. As an offshore sailor, I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">wasn't</span> sure what to expect racing on a lake. I had never raced before and I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">wasn't</span> sure I liked the idea. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The first day was an all <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">women's</span> race - a race they do once a year. I sailed on <i>Hope,</i> a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bristol</span> 33, a nice and very fast little boat. On board was myself, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">first</span> time skipper, Carol McMillan, and four others who had never crewed all together before. Now I have always wondered how on earth six people can all be on board such a small boat all working without tripping over each other and just m<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">aking</span> a mess out of it. I'm still not sure how, but I now know that it does work, and it works well. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When I was sailing <i>Wild Eyes</i> single handedly, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">something</span> as simple as a tack could take a while because things can get messy when you're sailing solo and you have to be very careful. When <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">you've</span> got six people on board who all know what they're doing everything happens at once. It is so much fun! I do still feel a little awkward on other peoples' boats. I miss having a boat that I know backwards and forwards and I'm used to doing everything myself. While being with a a good crew is a lot of fun, it makes me miss my boat even more. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Well, we ended up coming in first place, due to having an amazing crew who all did great considering that we had never sailed all together before and it being our skipper's first time. That night I got to meet Katie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Pettibone. </span> Katie is an amazing <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">sailor. S</span>he has done three <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">America's</span> Cups and it was great to meet her and talk to her a little bit about everything that she has done. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Next day came around and I was on board the boat <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><i>Liberty</i></span>, a Beneteau 42 - a fast boat with a great crew. They had all sailed together before and so I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">wasn't</span> needed much but jumped in to help out where ever I could. <i>Liberty</i> came in first in the two races we did that day, and I think it's safe to say I have had a very good first experience with racing. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A few hours after getting in, it was time for me to talk. I've done press <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">conferences</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">question</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">answer</span> things, but this was my first real time talking. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous. I have that terrible problem where when I get <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">in front</span> of a large crowd of people my mind goes blank. It was looking like there <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">wasn't</span> going to be too many people there and it was maybe five or ten minutes before starting. There were maybe a whole ten people there, so I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">wasn't</span> too nervous. As that short five minutes passed, more and more people began to pile in. All of the seats filled up and then they pulled out even more chairs. Before long, the room was filled, including people standing along the back wall because there just <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">wasn't</span> room for more chairs. So now I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">thoroughly</span> scared and about ready to duck out the back <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">door</span> and make a run for it! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">didn't</span> run though, I stayed there. It was a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">little</span> hard to get started. I was shaking all over and suffering from having my mind go blank. I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">managed</span> to get through the first few minutes, showed a little slide show of my trip, and introduced Charlie, who had come with me. After that, I launched into the story. I had a great audience. They all seemed happy which helped a lot. I had prepared a speech last week but instead of going with that, I decided just to wing it. I covered my whole trip, right from when I first decided I wanted to go, up <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">until</span> the end of the voyage of <i>Wild Eyes</i>. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I talked for maybe an hour and a half or so, and then answered questions and it was all over. It all went pretty well. I had been worried that I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">wouldn't</span> talk long enough, but I ended up talking longer than had been planned. I was a little worried then that I had rambled on and bored everybody in the room, but everyone either really did like it or they were just super polite. Either way, I was finished and not feeling so bad about things. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This is my last day here. I'll be flying out at 7 tonight. It was a good stay here and while it does feel a little weird to be splashed in the face while sailing and not get a mouth full of salty water, I did still have a really good time with everybody here!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Abby</span></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-87175412841488199922010-09-09T20:56:00.000-07:002010-09-10T11:16:01.264-07:00City Mouse and Country Mouse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9H9v8vzJuR4fNnV1z9RNVtLRsqn0Neb7BV8NDbFIORna8lrjjan6nxgankVh9EQE3sRXZq2nrvehzAUtDGqq9frbCAZNR5l5OHFtyDRSOl-bq4y0olIJyNDpVb0t1sVCfcgK7xzOjnHtM/s1600/IMG_0654.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9H9v8vzJuR4fNnV1z9RNVtLRsqn0Neb7BV8NDbFIORna8lrjjan6nxgankVh9EQE3sRXZq2nrvehzAUtDGqq9frbCAZNR5l5OHFtyDRSOl-bq4y0olIJyNDpVb0t1sVCfcgK7xzOjnHtM/s320/IMG_0654.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515291164146471778" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sunset on the back porch in St Michaels</div><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px 'Times New Roman'"><br /></p></div><div><div>I have been traveling around a bit more since I last wrote. I just got back from Maryland and Washington DC. I flew out to visit my great aunt and uncle for a few days. It was a lot of fun there kayaking along the river, boating with my uncle and seeing the sights in the small local towns. I also got to meet two of my second cousins once removed and their parents.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPT7BLXNLSf0hdXpRiuBrB7nfFvywlSHG_u0uFtu6yLWRfbzeO4apt2zQqUbTtiX3gWTpZQbXjQG1mpKzppeRB9UbK82OwAvKeUrFyjXIQnVVLYOR3zx4vxrULvy9KQ3xS4HlVsEXah0bT/s320/DSC06495_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515294150752621346" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Monoprint of the southern ocean made in my aunt's studio</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">I did my first little talk at the Tred Avon Yacht Club<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#366388;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">there and it went very well. I started out a little bit terrified and kind of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">shaky</span>, but by the end even I was having fun! All the members of the yacht club were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">extremely</span> nic</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">e and they had some pretty good questions. It was a really good place to do my first talk.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2Avy7hTn9Z2U9F9AekW7ZVAaOfD6dNrjefgt9onTovh4yytYK6ZHYC5GGDjgXdUJUqe35MUGIKN2F8n9GTrEj5Aqm7-W3WVoOKIjFWndLY1WrDV91nLSU3SnhX8IzY0zRO21z3Bwr1Qp/s320/DSC06491.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515292434669064274" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">At the Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">After awhile in St <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Michae</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">l's,</span> Maryland we went into Washington DC where my aunt and uncle have an apartment. It was another great time walking around there. I also got to go talk to the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284090911_2" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">Georgetown University</span> sailing team. I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">surprised</span> by what a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">big</span> sailing team they had an</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">d while a lot of them <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">haven't</span> sailed much other then small racing boats, it was pretty fun <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">answering</span> all of their q</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">uestions and seeing the</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">beautiful campus. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpgllpRYMP_WcGTihLShnKqg8PPqax0CYMStsnAgJv-4YLx4YAOR7kOBa1wMh3ao3GWWlAwq1fToGktwR-keFFhTenh6i-D49Ffe7U6TjYajE4BtlK7L0tUQPzSTvm2J6gUw95hIGRncy/s320/IMG_4639.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515150803494725970" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">I wish I could write a big, long blog with all the little details of my last trip, but I've got to go now. I'm leaving for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Detroit</span> tomorrow to speak at the Port Huron Yacht Club and try my hand at a little racing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"> I'll try to post more photos and such from the airport. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Abby</span></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1578399656308603032.post-36488571946917407422010-08-27T10:46:00.000-07:002010-08-28T11:10:53.375-07:00New York and Catalina<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hey everyone,</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tons to write about. Just last week I took a trip to </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1282931213_0" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">New York</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. We spent about 5 days there. It was a lot of fun. We got there pretty late the first day after a long 5 hour plane ride. I know its not all that long a ride, but I was having trouble sitting still. Of course I was supposed to be up at 4:15am ready to go to the airport... but around 4am, when my alarm went off, just hit the snooze botton and dozed back off. Beeping clocks do not have the same affect as an auto pilot alarm or the wind. I need to find a</span></span></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CwOkuBW01UFhGN5frb69DxLiUFBPqipDnhQ8CyXivWyJtKlHEzwxnsui4ZMK-ytjvuHzGabi1ztfEwlUS8aVhdMIXe4rdal4v0vySzhOBc6wo5tWIYYbTkpsCgjoFqPhTrWEASnVy_33/s320/IMG_7857.JPG.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510177037290944178" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">n alarm that sounds like my Watch Commander or auto pilot alarm, then maybe I'll get up when it goes off!!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anyways, I did make it to the Burbank Airpo</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">rt in time and even ended up having to wait around for a little while. It was an interesting airport, one I had never flown out of before. There were people sleeping all over the fl</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">oor... it appeared they had spent the whole night there as I was pretty much the first person to walk in the door when they opened. After landing in New York, I took a taxi to go and drop my stuff at the hotel. There wasn't too much time after that with getting out of the airport and the traffic on our way to the hotel. We just walked around a bit, went to get some dinner and then headed back to the hotel to download all the hundreds of pictures that had</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> been taken in our short walk and then get to sleep.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Next morning we were up early and off to see t<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">he S</span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1282931213_1" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">tatue of Liberty</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">! Turned out when we got there, there was about a three hour wait... we decided against waiting around for three hours in the awfully hot weather and reserved tickets for the next day. We moved on to what we had origonally planed to do the next day.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We ended up going to the M</span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1282931213_2" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">etropolitan Museum of Art. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> It was a huge museum! It turned out to be way more intresting than I was expecting. We spent almost six hours walking around in there. Somehow even with my slightly short attention span, I </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">enj</span></span></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_nHnwkp-x7Na9oCwHVHno-aqDlP5FMiMk14wCem84TyAXRKtgn8eHuAIp7sqvNlBYEHoIIPa7qqhcALP4kqY9zTj4uyVVb76-SUV5SFdlx5VWp8r8TXEQ5q0ML7z-bO64FH5asRS82ds/s320/IMG_7980.JPG.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510175958558001090" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: large; ">oyed every hour of it. Though by the end I was good and ready to move on.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Next, we headed over to the Guggenheim Museum. It was interesting. The art there was a little bit odd, I mean, I know that there are all sorts of art and people all express themselves differently, but a video of somebody scrubing a skeleton with a sponge? Somehow I didn't see what the </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">artist was trying to portray in that, but hey, at least the guy used soap! The building, on the other hand was amazing, a bit hard to describe so I'll just post some pictures of it. Only spent about an hour or two there and then went out and walked around Central Park for a bit. Then we hopped on a train and went to see Grand Central Station. Tired out from </span></span></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKciuMGj1GIH1SX8DAicdSxHdCdfO3o0mVLlRRx9EyCxcKuV4JN_ZmhQJ_Y1sdLVfgrC8BCbwN4VyDzu_hCV8Q-1lGsrhcZKAytmsxH6cHz-Pb216S2PdPLM2uILpzi4wtBJIJDFqzsk2/s320/IMG_8090.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510175402250952898" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">everything that day we headed back with loads more pictures, to get changed and go </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to dinner. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Day number three we went out to go see the Statue of Liberty again. This time with our reserved tickets it only took a few minutes to get</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> through the line even though I had to go through more security than at the airport! I was pretty amazed by the size of the Statue of Liberty. This was my second time to New York, but my first time to the Statue of Liberty and it was really great to see. We then headed over to see the Twin Towers site. I was too young t</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">o rem</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ember when it happend, but it was very neat to see. Most of the day was over by then. It was quite a good day. We saw a lot and had a good time. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Day number four. We didn't really have any plan for this day yet, but it turned out to be my favorite day of the whole trip. Got started a little later than the past few days and headed over to the M</span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1282931213_3" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">useum of Modern Art. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> While some modern art I have a little trouble understanding, there was a</span></span></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjWuIxgz0rftf3nAxtdA3CPn1CuEvF2ejHneX_EKjguA-3goAfU2zhv_cORB3VBIHKUPh83JMqdhqI0u0W8eGc7AfpfO8U6n9qbKhVrDrPhEk4mqvWiA_IoK-RiWUHQ7BA3s16Cpz4hf9/s320/IMG_8326.JPG.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510174765005247986" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: large; ">lot of really</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">cool stuff in this museum. After that we walked around in Central Park a bit and </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">then headed over to the top of the Rock. I went there last time I was in New York, but that last trip was all a bit of a blur, so it was nice to get up there again. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The next day was also a very good day. With no real plan but that ever present need to be around marinas and if not sailing at least being able to see boats, we headed down to the marina. I was very suprised by how small the marina we saw was, but I guess there was probably more then one. While we were down looking at the America II, an older America's Cup boat, a few guys came down and after chatting for a bit and taking a picture in front of the America II with her skipper we learned that the other two guys we were talking to worked at the USMMA Sailing Foundation in NY. They were working hard on recruiting me for their sailing team at the school and offered to take me on a tour of the bay. It was a nice ride until one of the engines broke down... I swear I had </span></span></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaE11xD4AVtgUrvAW15LP5I68v6mb2_5KW9wLvzad-ze63dnGiv1vwvsEj7hm2T2aUdYNxXfwTYbv4gnfXmN0Bc17oclDhtT9rhjkt10Tnien-sT3eyX71rxD8EMIT1GvEuARDJP_yblbB/s320/IMG_8434.JPG.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510173829816070210" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">nothing to do with it, though it seems to be that I am a </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1282931213_4" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bad luck charm</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> around boats! We pulled up to a boat next to two </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1282931213_5" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background- border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; border-bottom- background-position: initial initial; color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">tall ships</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> that belonged to the school. I would have loved to look around, but had a plane to catch, and so, we said good bye, reassured the guys that I would check out the college online and were off to the airport. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It had been a crazy few days and I slept most of the plane ride home. I spent one day at home and then was off again. Lisa Gizara, from Gizara Arts got married on the beach at Catalina Island. Lisa has done so much for my trip and for my brother's trip as well. She started way back with the very beginings of Zac's trip and stuck with us right to the end of mine. Now after all we've been through together, she has become a very good family friend. She is an amazing photographer and many of the pictures you see of my trip and of Zac's were taken by her. It was great to be able to be there at her wedding. It was really the most beautiful spot in a bay just a little ways down from Avalon. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We spent several days at Catalina. My brother Toby and I flew over with Bill from Team Abby. Zac sailed over in </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Intrepid,</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> and Dad and my sister, Jessie, sailed over with Pieter from Team Abby (and Team Zac). I would have loved to sail, but because of the New York trip, I wasn't back in time to catch a ride with any friends that were sailing over.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On the second day at Catalina, Bill and I flew out over Zac in his boat to get some air footage of him. It was a tough job, keeping the camera focused in the shaky little plane. Being zoomed right in so I could see a little detail didnt help much, and after an hour of looking through the camera lens while circling pretty sharply around Zac's boat, I wasn't</span></span></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQEBgyy7bAka6-9fr8uadmZYqamV-ZH_qGz3I9ia-xDYDr9EpL48mhj2KfhPHjlDt4BUKWYf7EcriU8oDZpB1-WAeYxi6QRn_CE5vgzlzCyITt9gRzTIZYs6ghB5CibCOPSjbbndQDaCw/s320/IMG_8435.JPG.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510173201477321874" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> feeling so good. I figure it's all good experience. Since Bill is a camera guy he has been taking me along on a few jobs and I have been learning a lot about all that lately. I </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">am going to be helping out again on a job tomorrow, so that should be fun. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anyways, back to Lisa and her wedding. To Lisa, we love you Lisa; thank you so much for everything you have done for me and my family! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Well, that about wraps up my blog for today. Don't have too much going on in the next couple of weeks. I'll be speaking here and there at Yacht Clubs and schools, working hard on the book, and starting up school. Since I won't be doing too much, I'll make an effort to blog a bit more.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Abby</span></span></div>Abby Sunderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04424860067055661332noreply@blogger.com61