To celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary five years ago, my husband, Todd, and I decided to take a little overnight trip to Lanesboro, Minnesota. We were living near Rochester at the time while Todd was completing his Residency at the Mayo Clinic. It seemed like a great idea for a night away.

I couldn’t wait to finally have a little peace from the chaos that had ensued our family over the years. Lanesboro is well known for it’s quaint shops, bed and breakfasts and miles of breath taking biking trails that meander along the Root River. After much cajoling, my good friend Sue came through for us and watched our lively crew for the night. Todd and I were thrilled at the thought of getting away; I remember literally jumping into the pickup complete with camping gear, bikes, and our canoe. One of the B&B’s would have surely seemed nice but I’m partial to tents. As my brother Joe would say, “There’s two ways to do things: the easy way and the Preszler way!”

It had been raining heavily all spring, but on May 17th there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We had a lovely meal at one of those cozy restaurants. I vividly recall the waitress commenting on how she couldn’t believe it was our 20th anniversary, and we couldn’t possibly have six children. I loved that waitress, and needless to say, I left her a hefty tip! We ended the night with a relaxing campfire as we gazed at the stars, overcome by both the stillness and quiet of the night.

We woke up bright and early to begin our canoe trip. The riverbanks were bursting at the seams as my jeans do after one too many cupcakes, and I remember being a little more than apprehensive about getting into that boat! We started out the canoe ride much as we did our marriage, giddy with excitement and not really sure where this journey would take us.
As with marriage, once a couple gets in, there’s really no way of turning back. The couple just has to hang on for the ride!

The trip went well at first. It was easy as long as we worked as a team. Todd would paddle and my rowing would rhythmically fall into place. But, then there were choices to be made. My husband yelled, “Shelly, right or left?”

I couldn’t see what lay ahead of us. Both paths looked a little treacherous. It reminded me of all the choices we had made during our marriage: Where should we live? Which house should we buy? Should Todd take this job or that one? Finally, there was always the ultimate question neither of us was ever good at saying no to: Should we have another baby?

I never realized all of the similarities between marriage and canoeing until I made that little trek down the river with “the love of my life.”

The paddles reminded me of all the loved ones in our life who offered us advice along the way and tried to steer us away from bad decisions. They counseled and encouraged us to make the best choices in our marriage.

The life jackets reminded me of faith, family and friends who threw us a rope when we were sinking in over our heads! They lifted us up and carried us when the river became too deep and problems and daily life weighed us down. They help us see clearly when the water became a bit too murky.

Finally, the canoe is our home. It has taken both of us working together to keep it stable and from tipping over. Let’s face it, life gets rocky and there’s always turbulence. But as long as we are in it for the long haul and paddle like crazy, we won’t wind up the proverbial creek without any paddles!

So, I have learned over the years, it’s best not to rock the boat. Remember to always alert the other spouse when making a sudden movement or change. Otherwise, one could wind up wet, cold and miserable. Sorry, honey, and Happy Anniversary! I’m looking forward to another 25 with you~

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations seem to change daily. What is the 3-1-1 Rule? How big can a carry-on be? Do they still serve peanuts?

Country Travel has put together the following list of travel
tips to make your flight easier.

Going through security
• Have boarding pass and ID ready.
• Sharp objects are prohibited.
• Avoid heavy jewelry and clothing that contains metal: snaps, studs, belt buckles, even metal hair barrettes.
• Take things as loose change, keys, phones and PDA’s out of pockets.
• If traveling with coat or jacket, put in baggage if possible. Otherwise, it will have to be removed so it can pass thru an x-ray machine for inspection.
• Shoes must be removed before going thru metal detector. Disposable footwear is available, or remember to wear socks. Persons with a disability, medical condition or a prosthetic device that prevents removal of shoes, should notify a security officer. An additional screening includes a visual and physical
inspection as well as explosives trace detection sampling of the footwear while it remains on feet.
• 3-1-1 rule: No more than three ounces of liquid per container in carry-on. All liquids must be in a quart size zip lock baggie and only one bag per person is allowed. (this rule may be modified in 2011).
• If traveling with baby or small child, expect baby food and milk to be inspected.
• Traveling for a wedding, birthday or other special occasion? Do not wrap gifts – they must be screened.

Carry-Ons
• Approved personal carry-on items include: a purse, brief case, camera bag, diaper bag, backpack, or laptop computer. (Computers cannot be checked and must be carried on).
• Carry on size is 14x22x9 and not over 40 pounds. Your bag cannot exceed 45 linear inches when combining length, width and height. Oversize bags are subject to being checked and charged a fee.
• Checked luggage guidelines – luggage cannot exceed 50 pounds. Active duty military personnel are allowed 70 pounds.
• Charges for checked bags will vary depending on destinations. Some airlines’ credit cards allow a free checked bag.

Plan ahead – early morning flights are more likely to leave on time and least likely to experience delays. Remember to leave for the airport early and arrive at the airport two hours prior to scheduled departure. Traveling light is always the best option.

When possible – check in online within 24 hours of departure to keep up to date with any delays that may occur. Print your boarding pass at home to speed up check in time. Precheck bags to save time and money. Whether traveling once a month or once a year, it is best to check for any updates. Go to www.tsa.gov/travelers and airlines’ website for the latest updates and regulations.

Travel agents do have value. They can save valuable time in researching flight, hotels, rentals, activities at the destination and more. For more information, contact Kim Erdmann or Tondi McGuire at Country Travel, ctravel@midconetwork.com or 701-224-0108.

By Amanda Mack with Marnie Piehl

My memories of my mother as a child were as follows: she was pretty, worked hard and I always knew she loved me.

However, she could throw a fit. She was a woman with a lot on her plate, and after a demanding work week, too many chores undone, and not enough time in a day, she’d really let us have it.

But she never really asked us for much around the house or in the workplace. She usually just got it all done better and in half the time it would take anyone else. And her pace hasn’t slowed down much. These days she feeds her extended family and friends amazing meals, helps to run a business, ferries and cares for her grandchildren, and serves as the heart of our family.

For these reasons and many others, we decided we had to do something special on her 70th birthday.

So, I laid it down. I told my mom and sister that we were going to Chico Hot Springs in Montana without kids or husbands to celebrate Mom’s 70th birthday and that was that. I know it’s hard to believe, but I received not a single objection.

Hitting the road
We left it to our husbands to deal with our absences. Out-of-town grandparents arrived, friends pitched in, and we absconded. We hit the highway with our cell phones and credit cards in hand, threw off the yokes of motherhood, wifely duty, work demands, and gave into celebrating 70 years of such work well done.

Our first night’s destination was Red Lodge, Mont. En route, we had an early lunch at Upin Thai in Dickinson. This whole-in-the-wall restaurant elicited the most food-induced swoons of our journey including Chico’s five-star restaurant! Also, we had to stop at Prairie Fire Pottery in Beach for my husband’s birthday. That final home duty realized, the trip officially became about me – I mean us – just as we hit the state line.

One thing this trip highlighted is our very different natures. The first of these differences occurred when we nearly ran out of gas in the long stretch of open road before Miles City. My sister the driver insisted that driving faster to get to the next gas station would maximize fuel efficiency while I suggested she slow down to conserve gas. Fortunately, we made it and didn’t have to argue about who was right, but, for the record, it was me.

Another difference arose regarding the itinerary. Marnie firmly believes that no girls’ trip is complete without a little shopping, but shopping wasn’t exactly on the agenda which was heavy on scenery, but light on malls. We rolled into Billings about 5 p.m. and hit a hip, downtown wine bar for tapas and drinks (Bin 192) before making our way to Red Lodge. That stop was indicative of the balance we would strike throughout our adventure and served as the perfect bridge between civilization and the wilds we were headed toward.

Facing our fears
My mom and sister both have a significant fear of heights. Therefore, I knew the moment I started planning this trip that I would be the driver on the Beartooth Highway. This amazing stretch of road is one of the most scenic drives in the United States. It offers “breathtaking views of the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains, and open high alpine plateaus dotted with countless glacial lakes, forested valleys, waterfalls and wildlife (beartoothhighway.com).”

The road out of Red Lodge begins to climb almost immediately and it doesn’t stop until you reach the clouds. The road hugs the mountain on the driver side and drops a couple thousand feet down to the valley floor on the passenger side. Backseat passenger, Marnie, and front seat passenger Mom, laughed at their parallel leaning toward the median as we made our way upward toward the sky.

Red Lodge is pretty refined, and we had spent the morning stocking up on essentials like gourmet cheese, salami, fig crackers, wine and other goodies. So when we hit the high alpine plateau, we pulled over for a picnic to catch our breath. Exhilarated by our high altitude climb, we basked in the warm sun and placid waters of the crystal clear lake we happened upon with the same appreciation and joy that you’d find in mountain climbers who had just reached the summit.

From there, we made our way to Yellowstone National Park. After a night in a rustic cabin with leftover Thai food and a wild game of Scrabble, we spent day three witnessing the grandeur of Old Faithful, exploring the great lodge, standing in awe of boiling mud pots, mighty waterfalls and steaming hot springs before arriving at our ultimate destination, Chico Hot Springs. We settled in for three days of warm soaks in the spring-fed pools and prepared ourselves for massages and salt scrubs.

Orienting ourselves
After our spa treatments, five star meals, hours of uninterrupted reading, and utter relaxation, Marnie and I decided to take a mountain day hike giving mom some alone time with her book and a glass of wine. As we neared the trailhead our travels uncovered another difference in our worldview. Marnie was feeling unsettled and emotional in the midst of our perfect day.

She said being somewhere so rugged, remote and intriguing made her question her life choices. She felt inadequate, like she’d done it all wrong, taking the path most traveled rather than the less traveled and more interesting path. I feel that same dismay in big cities where I feel inadequate in my career path, my clothing choices, my way of being in the world, whereas I feel entirely at peace in the quiet of a mountainside. She explained how she feels more validated in the city,energized by the noise and fast pace – the exact opposite of me. Our paces are different.

This realization was cathartic for both of us. We learned what fuels ourselves and each other, gaining amazing insight.

And our mother, at 70, is at peace with her pace, her choices. She was utterly present in the moments we shared. She won’t ever stop achieving. Watching two do-ers (my mother and sister) trying to adjust to doing very little, proved that. But she seems to be going into her next decade in a state of joy.

This trip showed us that the three of us have arrived at a stage in life where we are friends as well as mother and daughters. While my sister and I still need a little mothering at times (especially as we mother our own children), alone together on this trip, we never stumbled upon past resentments, lingering conflicts or competition. Instead, we reinforced the foundation of respect, love and enjoyment we find with one another.

Epilogue
Marnie was able to do some shopping. She snagged a great sweater at an upscale boutique and a skirt at a secondhand store in Livingston, the nearest provisioning town to Chico. And her playlist for the trip was most excellent. Who knew that Amy Winehouse and Yellowstone were such a nice pairing?

Word to the wise: Scrabble brings out Mom’s least motherly instincts. Don’t play Scrabble alone with this woman. Without a third party, she blatantly dismisses objections and disregards any questions about her fictional words. Honestly, are episeized and cybris words? I’m getting a Scrabble dictionary before the next trip.

Annie and Tyler in Paris

When Annie Bennett and her husband, Tyler, packed their suitcases to move to Glasgow, Scotland in September 2006, the newlyweds were nervous, excited and sad to leave their home state of North Dakota.

Tyler had been accepted to Glasgow University’s Veterinarian Medicine Program and the couple was gearing up to live in Scotland for five years while he attended school. “We both lived our whole lives in North Dakota, so the first year was really hard being away,” says Bennett. “Thank goodness for emails and web cams.”

After getting settled, however, the pair soon discovered similarities to home. “The people are so friendly and, when we first moved here, so many people asked if we needed help,” says Bennett. “And everyone complains about the weather here, too!”

The couple also quickly realized the amazing opportunities to travel throughout Scotland, Europe and beyond. They decided to spend their first Christmas in Paris, France and began making plans for weekend adventures and holiday vacations.

“We have traveled all over Scotland and the islands,” says Bennett. “We try to get out of Glasgow and visit other places in Scotland at least a few times a year.” Between their trip to Paris in 2006 and January 2010, the Bennetts also traveled to Ireland, England, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy and Norway.

Following their fourth annual trip back to Bismarck in July 2010, they decided to commit to additional travel during their last year in Scotland. “When we were home, everyone kept asking us where we still wanted to go,” says Bennett. “After listing all the places, we realized we didn’t have much time left and had a lot of places to go.”

They decided to travel once-a-month during Tyler’s last school year, beginning with a trip to the Spanish island of Mallorca in August 2010. “We know once we leave Europe, we won’t be able to go to Paris or London for the weekend. We need to take advantage of this while it is so convenient and affordable.”

The Bennetts then traveled to England’s Lake District in August, Egypt in September, Sweden and Ireland in October, and the Netherlands and Czech Republic in December 2010. “We didn’t travel in November because Tyler took his North American Veterinary Licensing Exam,” explains Bennett.

She says working around Tyler’s school schedule and her work schedule, as a marketing and events manager, has been one of the largest obstacles in their planning. “It’s hard to schedule a trip, but is worth it,” says Bennett. “We are able to experience all of this before we are really tied down with careers and a family.”

Tyler graduates in June and still on their list of destinations are Northern Ireland, Wales, Belgium, and Portugal. “We would love to get back to Paris and Italy one more time, too,” notes Bennett.

The couple’s favorite trips include Germany, Italy and France. “Each of these trips was at least a week and we were able to see so much and take in the culture,” says Bennett. “Our favorite trip experience was Egypt. It was such a different culture, and seeing the pyramids and the Sphinx was incredible. But it was also difficult to see such poverty. It really made us appreciate what we have.”

There have been difficult experiences as the couple learned the ins and outs of traveling. “Paris was our first trip and we just didn’t know what to expect. We hadn’t traveled much at that point, so we were very inexperienced,” says Bennett. “Even getting around the city was difficult and stressful. We really learned a lot from that experience and we ended up having a fantastic time.”

The couple now has a set of guidelines they use during their travels: plan each trip by doing research in travel books and online; learn some of the local language; embrace the local culture; stay alert of your surroundings; try not to look like a tourist; get off the beaten path; and, if you are lost, try not to look lost.

Bennett says travel companions also play a key role in the success of a trip. “Travel with someone you really enjoy spending time with,” she says. “These beautiful places are much more enjoyable with great company.”

The couple plans to move back to North Dakota this summer. “It is one of the nicest places we have been and we are so proud to call the state our home,” says Bennett. But they already have plans to return to Scotland. “We have a lot to see in the United States, too, but we agreed to return to Scotland for our 25th anniversary at the very latest.”

The Bennetts have no regrets about moving to Scotland and making time to travel. “We can’t imagine life without this experience, and we are so glad we were able to do this. The last five years have truly been a life changing experience.”

And the couple will happily welcome an extra traveler on their final trip home. “We are expecting a baby in July,” says Bennett. “We are so pleased to bring home the best souvenir.”

The Bennett’s Top Travel Recommendations in Scotland and Beyond
• Driving to Loch Ness and the Scottish Highlands
• Touring Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, and the Edinburgh Castle
• Experiencing the Isle of Arran, called “Miniature Scotland.”
• Sampling Scotland’s whisky at a distillery
• Viewing Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower
• Riding a gondola in Venice
• Visiting the Coliseum in Rome
• Skiing in the Austrian Alps
• Enjoying a beer in a German Brauhaus (beer house)
• Riding camel through Egypt’s Sinai Desert
• Snorkeling in the Red Sea
• Drinking a fresh pint of Guinness at the Dublin brewery