A 230Kb PDF of this article as it appeared in the magazine—complete with images—is available by clicking HERE

The 2007 Surveyors Rendezvous at George Washington's birthplace in Northern Neck, Virginia was a fabulous first stop that kicked off a three-week, 6,500-mile road trip of meetings and interviews (and seeds of future articles!) Adding to the spirit of the Rendezvous was my rustic cabin in the woods and loads of behind-the-scenes facts about the Father of our Nation, and a field trip to the new Washington exhibit at Mt. Vernon. Check out our photos by clicking on the flickr link at www.amerisurv.com.

Under pleasant blue skies I left the meeting and headed south for a visit with longtime acquaintances Lew Lapine and Matt Wellslager at the South Carolina Geodetic Survey. I have been hearing great things about the South Carolina RTN and the success they are having with GNSS verticals.

From there it was on to Florida, where I visited Traverse PC user Donald Todd in West Palm Beach. Don's been working on a large GLO problem along the shore of Lake Okechobee for the past five years. According to Don, it all goes back to a 10-chain bust along the meander line.

Next I met with Marilyn Evers, executive secretary of the Florida Society of Mapping and Surveying (FSMS) in Tallahassee. Marilyn had read my editorial about the demise of math in surveying students and called to inform me that Florida is on top of the game. It will also make a great story about one state's successful efforts to attract young people into the profession.

Next stop was Fort Worth, Texas for CGSIC. For anyone who wants to know where GNSS is headed, it's all at this meeting. Here's a teaser: Think we could benefit from having ±124 GNSS satellites in the sky? Much of the meeting buzz surrounded the pending demise of NDGPS. While High Accuracy NDGPS provides the accuracy the precise crowd needs, NDGPS does not, but HA-NDGPS depends on NDGPS, so it's a Catch-22.

A Special Announcement
Aside from all the good meetings and interviews, the trip came with a small and precious bonus ­ Cheves Media has a new branch on the family tree! Our son (and publisher) Allen and his wife Jennifer were blessed to give birth to a beautiful daughter, Jessica Nicole. She is a precious reminder that nothing compares to the miracle of new life. Thank you for allowing me to brag just a bit.

As always, we sincerely appreciate the many comments and e-mails we receive from readers who continually tell us how much you enjoy our magazine and how you read it cover to cover. My long road trip left this first-time Grandpa pleasantly weary, knowing that we have many more good articles in store!

A 230Kb PDF of this article as it appeared in the magazine—complete with images—is available by clicking HERE