A Story of Connection and Serendipity! Too Amazing Not to Share

Here’s a story I HAVE to share…

After leaving the campground at the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, I was finally back online. Messages started popping up on my phone. The first one I noticed was on Messenger from my friend Janet who lives in Canada. When I opened the message, I saw a picture of Susan. My first thought was: What the heck is wrong with my phone?

Then I saw I had a text message from Susan with a photo of her and Janet sitting together.

A humongous smile took over my face.

Now, before I continue, let me remind you who Janet and Susan are.

I first met Susan in January 2023 at Quartzsite, Arizona, during a meetup event. We clicked instantly. We met again in March 2023 at Joshua Tree National Park and spent a week together. Later that year, in September, I stopped in Chicago to give her another hug. In April 2024, after a phone call, we realized we were in the same area and met for breakfast in Temecula, California. Susan and I keep in touch often. We both share a love for a nomadic lifestyle.

Janet reached out to me by email in early 2024. She had been following my story through the Facebook group Road Trip Her and wrote me a beautiful message, which of course I replied to. We discovered we share the same life philosophy and even read the same books. Our emails turned into phone calls, and when Janet learned I was planning to visit Bruce Peninsula National Park in Ontario, she asked if she could join me. I was thrilled to share my love for nature and meet Janet face-to-face.

So how did I end up with a picture of Susan and Janet together?

Susan has been traveling in Canada for the last few months. She ended up at Five Islands, Nova Scotia, and loved it so much she stayed a few days. Janet, meanwhile, was also on a road trip, as she had mentioned during our last phone call.

Here’s what I gathered after talking to them this morning:

Both of them were walking on the same beach. Janet spotted Susan in the distance and wanted to take a photo of someone to show the scale of the massive dunes. As they got closer, Janet struck up a conversation. One of her questions was: “Are you a member of Road Trip Her?” Susan said yes. The next question was: “Do you know Gila Melamed?”

Susan was stunned. Just the day before, we had been on the phone together!

Now, what are the odds of this happening?

My simple answer is that, in the end, we are all connected under one big roof — our beloved planet Earth.

I can’t stop laughing. This is beyond wonderful.

I love you, Susan and Janet. I can’t wait until we meet again…