So, I’m in the History Department, not the Geography Department, and it didn’t seem all that far to get from Boston to Kalamazoo, and, the Durham IMEMS contingent has often travelled from Toronto to Kalamazoo which involves an interesting stay at the Port Huron/Sarnia 
crossing between Canada and the US. Travelling only in the US would bring the total travelling time down, surely, even if, on checking, the milage was a slightly eye-watering 900 miles. Even I know that this is a long way, and at c.70 mph about 13 hours of driving. However, this would be more economical than flying, a great opportunity to see some of the country (from the highway), and a bonding experience, of sorts. We collected the vehicle the evening before, and were both pleased and daunted at its size: it did, after all, have to encase 7 of us, with baggage. A Ford Explorer did the trick, with a mpg somewhat lower than one might expect (or not). We set off from Boston, at 6am. We arrived at Kalamazoo, to meet the rest of the team, including Sigbjørn and Kathy Bader, at 10 pm. They had beer and food on hand! Eileen Sweeney (who had sensibly decided to take an aeroplane) Faith Wallis and Jay Diehl would join us later, for three sessions connected to the science project: Medical and Medicinal recipes in the 12th Century (Giles, Faith and Lydia), Longer Perspectives on Experiment and Science (Helen, Sam and Eileen), and Monastic Expressions of Scientia (Kathy, Devin and Jay). There were a lot of other Durham PGs, staff and post-docs at the ‘zoo as well (Jane Scott speaking on Gerald of Wales, Luke, Mark Chambers, Jane Taylor, Anna Dowd, and Elizabeth Archibald), whose support we enjoyed, as well as that from old and new friends at the sessions.