by James Cowlin

Barbara and I have begun planning our next US Route 89 road trip and we are full of ideas. One of those ideas is a way for you to be part of the trip but first I want to tell you what we have in mind.

We are calling this drive the "What Makes Life So Fine on Route 89 Mexico to Canada and Back in One Month Road Trip." That's quite a mouthful but it encapsulates what the trip is all about. We came up with the slogan, Life's So Fine on Route 89, on our 2009 trip because that is how we felt about being there. Now we want to tell the world what the residents, business people and fellow travelers have to say. During this year's trip we are going to ask the question of as many people as we can, record their answers and post the videos to a blog and eventually to the website.

Another goal for this trip is to photograph all of the inhabited places on 89 and add those pictures to the website. We will visit the twenty national parks and monuments and stop to shoot the beautiful scenery whenever the light is right.

These are very ambitious goals we have set for ourselves. This is where you, the members of the US Route 89 Appreciation Society and the subscribers to this newsletter, can help.

First, if you would like to answer the question, What makes life so fine on route 89?, let us know. We will arrange to meet you and record your answer. If you have a particular place that you want us to photograph for the website, send us an email so we are sure to put it on the schedule.

Second, we are asking you to sponsor a section of the road by making a contribution to help with the extra expenses of this trip.

Here is what you will receive as a sponsor:

It's really easy to become a sponsor. Click here to download the Road Trip Sponsor form. On the form you will find a list of the sections of US 89 for you to select for your sponsorship. Or you can choose from the list of National Parks and Monuments. Your contribution is $100 for any one section, park or monument. If you would like to sponsor an entire state, the contribution is $500. You can also select a smaller section for $1 per mile. Fill out the form with your contact information and send it to us with your payment.

Once we receive your contribution, we will send you a confirmation and your US Route 89 Appreciation Society membership (if you are not already a member). We will also let you know when we start posting to the special road trip blog so you can keep up with our preparations and follow our adventures on the road.

It is important that you act as soon as possible. Our road trip begins on May 17, 2010, in Nogales, Arizona. We will be on the road for 30 days. Making your contribution by May 1, 2010, will allow us time to acknowledge your sponsorship and make final plans for the What Makes Life So Fine on Route 89 Mexico to Canada and Back in One Month Road Trip.