The South American Journey Of Snuggle Bear

We're leaving for a trip to South America tomorrow.  Traveling with the Wife and I will be the GodSon's daughter's Snuggle Bear.  For those who follow me on Facebook, I will be posting Snuggle Bear updates along the way.

Our travels will take us to three countries and islands associated with a couple of said countries.  This is what we and Snuggle Bear will see and do along the way:

• Iguassu Falls in Brazil/Argentina.
• A four day cruise on the Amazon aboard the M/Y Tucano getting off the boat to hike or take smaller boats up shallow tributaries.
• Tour Manaus, Brazil.
• Spend two days/three nights in Rio de Janeiro visiting Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf mountain.
• Spend a day in Santiago, Chile in the Lastarria district.
• Spend one day/two nights on Easter Island (a chilean territory) gawking at the Moai.
• Spend a day exploring historic Quito, Ecuador.
• Cruise around the Galapagos Islands ( an ecuadorian territory) aboard La Pinta stopping at various islands to hike, kayak, and snorkel.

I will try to document Snuggle Bear's adventures on Facebook as often as I can.  After returning from our adventure I will post both about our adventure and about Snuggle Bear's adventures for those who are not my Facebook friends.

NOTE:  Both the Wife and I are a little stressed out by Snuggle Bear.  If something were to happen to him we probably wouldn't be able to return home.  If we did we would feel the wrath of a five year old ... I shudder at the thought.

A Passing

Yesterday, Cecil, my Father-in-Law, passed away after struggling with heart disease.  He was a good man, a good father, and a good husband.

Cecil
December 30, 1933  - June 2, 2016

We will all miss his good humor, his unending work ethic, and his gung ho support for all things Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Chicago Cubs.  Every life he touched was made better.

Here is a link to his obituary.

My Appalachian Trail Poll

It's been just over three weeks since I asked people to suggest a trail name for my Appalachian Trail hike.  As predicted, I received only a few suggestions.  I received seven suggestions from three people.  I'd hoped for more but ... I apparently have few readers and many of the ones I have are not interested in giving me an AT name.  Kind of disappointing as this was a wide open opportunity for hilarity that few took advantage of.

I whittled the names down to one suggestion per person, added one of my own, and put up a poll at the top of the sidebar on the right.  I also added an option for "Let the AT name me".  The choices are:

• Jello - an inside family joke.  I do like eating jello but I don't do it as often as I used to.
• Pilgrim - a reference to my walking of the Camino de Santiago.
• Shuffle Monkey - From a good friend of the Wife.  Not sure about it but it does make me smile.
• Chigger - another inside family joke.  The Wife doesn't believe in chiggers.

The poll will be open until the end of June when I expect to see measly three or four depressing votes.

NOTE:  This poll is for my edification only.  The final decision of an AT name will be solely up to me and may not be one of the names listed.