Every year since I have been teaching, I have embarked on a summer road trip to the Western United States. I put my sea kayak and mountain bike on the roof of my car, pack my camping gear and cameras, and off I go! This year, I did an epic Rocky Mountain trip starting in Wyoming at Grand Teton National Park and then I followed the Rocky Mountains for 800 miles northwest to Jasper National Park in Canada. I had not been in this part of Canada before, so it was all new to me. One of the highlights was driving on the Icefields Parkway and seeing massive glaciers perched on the summits of sheer cliffs. The Athabasca Glacier was VERY impressive, as were the numerous emerald green and blue lakes filled with glacial meltwater. I am always on the lookout for wildlife and was able to get some photos of bears. elk, bighorn sheep, and smaller creatures like marmots. On the return leg of the trip through Canada to New York, I visited Lake Superior's north shore and Lake Huron's North Passage and Georgian Bay for some kayaking. Just to top it off, I saw Niagara Falls as I reentered the U.S. in New York! There is much to see in North America, and traveling gives me opportunites to have a greater understanding about far away places which I can then transfer into my teaching when the opportunity arises. I encourage everyone to travel when you can instead of going to Disney World or theme parks. There is no substitute for firsthand experiences!