We saw lots of great wildlife this past summer while out in Wyoming & Montana. And while the boys are generally interested in staring out the van windows wide-eyed and ready for anything...nothing gets them tuned in like a little challenge. So in a moment of "not thinking" I offered cash rewards for being the first to spot certain wildlife. I figured I was safe saying things like $50 for a wolf because I knew how rare that would be. I probably would have been safe offering a hundred bucks for a wolf.

And so on it went. I knew we would see bison, and elk, and antelope and offered "small" cash payouts for being the first to spot any of those species. Of course seeing a bear is always a possibility but still pretty rare so I thought I was safe in offering $20 for seeing a bear. Then one boy asked what about if they saw a bear with cubs. I knew that was doubtful so upped the stakes a bit. I can't remember to how much but from the photo you can imagine what happened within minutes. We were traveling a road in Yellowstone when we turned a corner and you guessed it -- a momma bear with a couple of cubs. (You can only see one cub in this photo.) Did I learn a lesson. You bet! I would do this again.

Here's a photo of a good friend and former colleague Craig Jolly who is off on his own grand adventure. Craig joined us in 2009 on our Europe by Eurail trip. Here Craig is pictured in front of a restaurant bearing his family name located near the Danube River in Vienna, Austria.

Craig has decided to take a sabbatical from his teaching job and see the United States...by foot! He is walking all the way from Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina to Mt. Whitney in California.

As of today it seems he's somewhere in Tennessee after taking his first steps in July.

I know I join all the MTA participants, leaders, and his friends in wishing him safe travels and an adventure that will certainly become a legend.

You can follow Craig's progress by reading his own blog at: www.bluemountainswalking.com.