The doctor had pored over maps and tried to envision every detail
of the one month ride that would take him across the entire width
of Arizona -- from the Colorado River to the Blue River. An obstetrician
from Kingman who had worked 70-hour weeks and delivered hundreds
of babies each year, Ken Jackson was wealthy, successful, married
and father of two children . . . but there was still something
missing from the picture-postcard life.
"One of the real motivations of the trip was to give myself this month
and really get acquainted with myself again."
"From the time I grew up and had to be or appear perfect, I did things
for the achievement of them and not necessarily for the experience of them."
"I want to live with less fear, fear of not being perfect, fear of failure or financial devestation,
fear of lawsuits. Why live with that? I think everyone needs 30 days
to slip away from their normal life."
"What spectacular country I've seen. Aspen, ponderosa, lots of flowering cactus.
Javelina, hawks; I've even seen wild burro. I don't want the trip to end.
Weighing less, eating well, no stress. What a life.
At peace with myself. I know that I belong on this earth, in these woods,
across these streams. The trip is over. Or has it just begun?"
