"I'm not going to fly, I'm not going on a boat, and I'm not going out of the United States!" Mary said emphatically when presented with the opportunity to travel. Now, less than 2 years later, she has flown 10 commercial flights, co-piloted a seaplane over Alaskan glaciers, skimmed the Everglades in an air boat, bounced over whitecaps in a speed boat, cruised on two ocean liners, and visited Jamaica and Canada. "There's nothing to it," Mary said, "I don't know why I waited so long!"
Mary Lawyer co-pilots an Alaskan seaplane.
photo by Bill Palarz
Mary takes on any challenge now,
even flying over Alaskan glaciers
in a seaplane.
Mary Lawyer's farm.
Farmer, entrepreneur and mother of 6 children, Mary spent 85 years perfectly happy to stay at home on her beautiful farm tucked into the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland. Until age 82, she was actively involved in the dairy farming operation that she and her husband had begun many years before. Then her youngest son, and new operator of the farm, decided to sell the cows.
Mary looks out over Canyon DeChelley
This lightened Mary's work load, so she began to devote this extra time to reading. She plunged into stories about the wild, wild west by Louis L' Amour and James Michener, history books about Lewis and Clark's journeys and novels detailing the Natchez trail. "I'd like to see the west," she said one day. As her curiosity peaked, she finally agreed that 7 or 8 days driving to and from the west coast could be better spent seeing more sights if she flew. "OK, I'll fly," she reluctantly agreed.
A whole new chapter opened up in her life. She began devouring travel sites. She visited the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam, marveled at the casinos and shows of Las Vegas, bumped over dusty roads in a 4x4 jeep in the mountains of Sedona and attended tribal feasts in homes of the Laguna Indians. Mary tasted good home cooking at the Road Kill Cafe on Route 66, sipped her first tastes of wine in Napa Valley, and luxuriated at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.
Mary luxuriates in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.
Mary trekked through Carlsbad Caverns.
Mary walked among the California Redwoods and was awed by the beauty of Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah. She trekked the complete trail through Carlsbad Caverns, explored 2700 miles of back roads of New Mexico with side trips to Mesa Verde, Canyon DeChelley, Monument Valley, and the extreme flat plains of west Texas. She took in 14 shows while in Branson, Missouri, went to the top of the St. Louis arch, and rode a train to New York City.
Mary and her daughter, Barb, wade barefoot in the flooded streets of Key West.
Mary counted alligators in the Everglades, waded barefoot through the streets of Key West during a downpour, wore rubber booties in Dunn's River Falls and toured a farm in Jamaica. And to top it all off, Mary cruised through Alaska and flew fearlessly over the glaciers in a seaplane. "But I really need to go to Fairbanks and try out one of those dogsleds", she said, disappointed in not getting to see enough of our largest state. If you have a minute to sit with her, she can list countless more places she needs to see.
Mary and Barb attempt the climb of Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica.
When Mary is not traveling, her daily itinerary is breathtaking. She has farm chores and accounting duties for her son's other ventures, mows over 12 acres of land with her commercial lawn mower and cooks for family and farm hands. She is a faithful member of The Church of Brethren, serves as treasurer for the Ladies Aid, is the most loyal Orioles fan possible and reads 3 or 4 books a week. Mary still enjoys the beauty of her farm, but now at age 87, whenever anyone mentions a chance to travel, she's packed and ready to go.
Mary's commercial lawn mower.
Travel Bug Bites at Age 85!
by Nomad Barb


Cultural Exchange
Why do nomads wander?
Where are the nomads going?
Nomad Entrepreneurs
Nomad Teachers
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Mary skims the Everglades in an airboat. Mary makes friends with a man and his dog in Utah. Mary is awed by the Golden Gate Bridge.
Mary skimmed the Florida Everglades at high speeds in an airboat with daughter Barb. The driver, formerly a race boat driver, gave a thrilling ride. With an inherent curiosity about people, Mary strikes up conversations with ease and makes friends everywhere she goes. The Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco was one of her favorite sites while visiting California.
She receives a carrot carved in the shape of a rose from the chef. The World Trade Center Poster. Looking at wild plants.
Mary never misses an opportunity to take a tour. She received a rose carved from a carrot from one of the chefs during a kitchen tour onboard a Carnival Cruise ship. Mary loves the excitement of New York City. She was devastated by the World Trade Center tragedy and had to see the sight where the towers once stood. Farming must have instilled a love of nature in Mary. Everywhere she goes, she is fascinated by and extremely observant of the beauty nature brings.
Speeding over whitecaps. Ron, the guitarist on the Carnival Cruise poses with Mary. The view from the tram over Albuquerque.
Speed is becoming second nature to Mary by now. Here she is speeding across whitecaps while visiting her nephew Charles in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Mary loves music and collects recordings from artists on her trips. Here guitarist, Ron, poses with her after happily fulfilling her musical requests. Mary is conquering her fear of heights by leaps and bounds. The tram ride up to an elevation of 10,000 feet in Albuquerque, NM didn't phase her at all.