VirtualTourist Member Stephen-KarenConn
| Page Views: 46,785 | The World Travels of Stephen and Karen Conn by Stephen-KarenConn - last update: May 14, 2008 |
| Karen & Stephen at Lost Dutchman State Park, AZ |
I don't remember what I was searching for when I stumbled across the Virtual Tourist website on October 19, 2002. The travel map attracted me most. Signing up under my name "jstephenconn," I listed the countries I'd visited, without writing a single travel tip.
Several days later, I clicked onto VT again and decided to open a new account in which I would list the countries my wife, Karen, and I had visited together - under the name "stephen-karenconn." Still I built no tips. |
It was more than 16 months after joining VirtualTourist.com that Karen and I were talking about making scrapbooks of our travels. That's when I remembered VT and decided it would be fun to build an online digital scrapbook by which we could remember the trips we had taken.
So on February 25, 2004, I put up my very first General tip for Pine Mountain State Resort Park, Kentucky. I didn't even have a way to add a photo to it at the time. About a week later I borrowed my sister's scanner and built a few more tips for that small page, little knowing how addictive VT could be.
Pete Chamlis (pchamlis) rated that first page and became my first friend on VT. It was a tremendous encouragement to me that a total stranger in Tallahassee, Florida would read and comment on my tips. I was inspired to continue.
As they say - the rest is history. During the first several months on VT I was almost embarrassed at the amount of time I spent on the site. Now I only wish I had more time, because I'm WAY behind in building my travel pages. Karen and I have continued to travel frequently, and because of work obligations I travel occasionally without her. We've got literally thousands of photos filed away and boxes of material to help us build more tips as time allows. Frankly, I hope we never catch up, because I trust we will always be traveling faster than I'm building pages.
All of the travel tips on this site are written by me. They include travels I have taken alone as well as travels with Karen. We have both taken the photos, except where noted. Whenever you see us together in a picture it was probably taken by a local or a fellow traveler we met along the way.
As a testimony, I must say that I divide my travel life into pre-VT and since-VT. Being on this site has greatly improved the way we travel. Knowing that we will be posting travel tips, we now take many more pictures, gather more information, and generally have a much richer travel experience than before. We've also met so many wonderful new friends - both virtually and in person - and look forward to meeting many more.
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Our Adventures Together Karen and I met in Cincinnati, Ohio on March, 28, 2001, fell in love shortly thereafter, and were wed one year and two days later, March 30, 2002, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I had already traveled extensively on five continents and in all 50 of the United States. Karen had not been as many places, but still shared my passion for travel. Now we are living "happily ever after," exploring the world together.
Karen is originally from Northern Kentucky and works for Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati. I grew up in East Tennessee, but have lived in eleven states and am a retired minister and newspaper columnist. We found each other online and met in person for the first time on a blind date. I had had lots of first dates before but this one was magical - my last first date and the beginning of the rest of my life.
We have five grown children between us. Karen's two daughters live in Columbus, Ohio and Rochester, New York. My three sons live in Loveland, Ohio; Denver, Colorado and Olympia, Washington. I also have two adorable grandchildren living in Atlanta, Georgia.
My three greatest passions in life are Karen, family and travel - in that order.
"Moon River, off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see...." |  | |
| Karen on Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin |
| | County Counting My ultimate travel fantasy would be to visit every country in the world, and I'm very grateful that I have been able to see at least a small portion of 53 of them.
If time and money prevent me from traveling to every country, I have decided that at least I can get to know my own nation very well. Since June of 1995 I have been on a serious quest to visit each of the 3,141 counties (or their equivilants) in the United States at least once in my lifetime. To date, I have been to 2,704 of them, more than 87% of the whole. Expect to see that number climb as we continue our journeys.
If you are one of those who is intrigued by the idea if visiting every county in the US, here are a few web sites you will want to check out:
www.countycounting.blogspot.com
www.extramilerclub.org
www.mob-rule.com/counties |
Announcing My Latest Book I'm excited to announce that my latest book, The Devil Called Collect: The Exorcism of Jessica Leek has just been released. It is unlike anything I have ever written before - a true story of demonic possession and deliverance. This is a manuscript which I actually wrote about 28 years ago, but it has taken me this long to get up the courage to publish it. I explain the reasons for my reluctance in the Introduction. You can read the Foreword, the Introduction, the first chapter and more at the book's new website: www.TheDevilCalledCollect.com. I hope you'll take a look and let me know what you think. It is available now from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and several other online booksellers. Also, you can learn more about my earlier book by clicking here: Growing up Pentecostal | | |
 Stephen-KarenConn's Albums | | | |
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 Comments for Stephen-KarenConn | | | | |
CoAir13 Tue Jul 8, 2008 02:36 UTC
STEPHEN!!! Congrats on the book!! I don't even know what to say...other than...have the guts to do it!!! You are a great writer and E and I are proud to know you and Karen!!! | starship Sat Jul 5, 2008 02:07 UTC
Happy 4th of July, Stephen & Karen! We had a great all American day--parade, cookout and fireworks! Hope yours was fun too! Sylvia | johanl Wed Jul 2, 2008 13:53 UTC
how are you Stephen? We are fine over here. Back from a trip to Brasil (Sao Paulo en Rio DJ) and Nomandie, France. Take care. Will be in the states in december 08 jl | Yaqui Tue Jul 1, 2008 16:38 UTC
Wow, you wrote a book!! I feel honored to know ya! Keep up all that wonderful creativity! |
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