I love a good road trip! My enthusiasm for travel came from my father who would come into my room in the middle of the night, and whisper in my ear, “Do you want to go on a road trip?” I would jump out of bed, pack my bag, and sprint to the van. I would get cozy and fall asleep to the motion of “Blue Streak”(that was the name of our van). When the movement stopped, I would be in another place, and the journey would begin!

Traveling has always been a part of my life. Sometimes it was a day trip to the country to ride horses, or to go to a museum. Other times it was a weekend getaway to Chicago to visit family, or a cabin at the lake.  The longer times were the ones that my family and I sat at the table and planned out the route with maps from AAA to go to places like, Florida, the Grand Canyon, or Quebec, Canada. Of course, I did most of the work because my Dad wanted me to be able to maneuver anywhere in the world!  So, with those lingering memories, I began my tour directing as an adventure guide for AmeriCan Adventures in 2018. I drove a van across country 3 times east to west and 2 times north to south, and I was hooked! Expanding my teaching techniques outside the four walls of a classroom was amazing.

I was a teacher for 27 years in the public school system of Indiana. For several years, I would only tour on breaks.  In May of 2025, I officially retired, and I opened my calendar to take on new challenges.  #RETIRED TEACHER – LET THE RECESS BEGIN!