Here on the farm there is lots of time to muse. Yesterday I was thinking about the future of our country and whether we are raising kids with enough resourcefulness to take over as we old dogs step aside. The kids that rode with me had what it takes, I think. They were curious about the country and wanted to experience it. What they did took a certain amount of risk taking, optimism, tenacity, inventiveness and sense of humor. Anna and Jeff were great storytellers. Interestingly, both have an interest in radio. Jeff writes stories to be communicated on the radio and Anna and Julie had their own on-campus radio show. They see their futures in photojournalism and reporting on the radio, urban planning for low income housing, social work within Hispanic communities. They are idealistic, a little naive which is a good thing, I think, because it allows for a certain amount of risk taking that our future leaders will need. I walked away feeling privileged to have met and ridden with them. I appreciated their candor and honesty. Their trips had been fun for them , informative but not easy. Sometimes they were scared, hungry, lonesome, lost but the figured out how to move forward. I think they each have the stuff our future leaders will need to figure out how to solve problems like debt ceilings, peace in the middle east, and how to get a Max line to Vancouver.