With about ten resorts within a short driving distance, I knew I would find time to ski. I was already familiar with Sugarbush and Stowe; as I had visited Stowe the previous winter. The memories of my first visit to Stowe were not good, but grand! I had met Samantha and developed a bond that I believed, at this point, was meant to be unbroken. All that would remain to be seen, as I would soon embark on a journey all my own.

Samantha had been supportive, and I was now just seven days from leaving home. My father and I had made arrangements for me to have a line of credit from a well capitalized Vermont bank. People's United Bank had a large footprint and branches in each place I thought I would visit. The only thing left to do finalize my packing.

One of our family cars was an older Jetta TDI. It was not new to the family, but at the same time not old in the way that it needed repairs every twenty minutes. It was a 2008 model with the necessary power options and the unnecessary like leather interior and heated and cooled seats and even dual-climate control were passed over when my father bought the car. It was practical. It would be my carriage for the next few months as I traveled Vermont.

I was talking with Samantha each night during my last seven days prior to lift-off. As the days grew shorter, they seemed longer; only because I had been waiting all summer with anticipation to start this journey. In the next few days, my father and I would develop one final punch list. Together, we would bond for a few hours each day in the next couple. I could tell that he was somehow going to be living thru me vicariously as we carefully packed each and every item. He had personally bought me several items; including a compass, atlas, and a windproof lighter. Basics, but critically important. While I was grateful for the assistance in funding, I felt more love and some additional security in these small, but vital items.