Southern Man

(That's Neil Young)

I first went to the "South" a few years ago for a wedding. I put quotes around South because everything I learned in geography classes and now experienced indicate Florida isn't really the South. I flew to Tampa and then went to my brother's wedding in Orlando. It was a good trip to the flattest state in the country and good to see something I hadn't seen before.

In January, I went back to the "South" for a multi-day meeting in Orlando. That was a good trip because I took the opportunity to do some exploring by visiting Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach.

Now, I've got two more trips to the real south planned. I'm flying to Chattanooga, TN, on April 14. I've been invited to speak at a BAER meeting for the Southern Region. This will be my first trip to Tennessee and my first trip to the real South. Luckily, my former boss is a Tennessean and he's already sent a list of places I need to see and where I should eat when I'm there.

Then in December, I'm going to Savannah, GA, for an AFE (Association of Fire Ecology) conference. We're hosting a MTBS workshop and I'll be helping in some sort of capacity.

The best part about all my Southern travels: none of the visits have been or will be in the summer! I get to experience them all without all the sticky humidity.