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Today's Featured Biography

 
Jean Lofstrand Jackman

Update 9/24 - Still biking. Did 245 miles of the Katy Trail, along the Missouri River with husband and two adult children in May.

So grateful to be alive and mobile. Have been nature columnist for home town newspaper for 21 years now. Writing memoir and hope to complete a book this year. As I write, I am waiting for 8 women to come from across the U.S. to my Lake Michigan cottage. Together, we biked across the U.S. 19 years ago.

Be well and kiss each day.
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As I write this, I am on a 2-week bicycle tour through French speaking Canada with my husband Alan and members of the Davis Bike Club. I hope to cycle all of my life. Perhaps on a quadracycle with flashing lights when I am 100. I got into it on a regular basis by buying a bike in Jan 2005 and cycling across the US from San Diego to St. Augustine, Florida (3, 135 miles) with women ages 50 � 72 and raised money for breast cancer.

On July 4, 2010, I was at 11000 feet attempting a summit of Mount Shasta when a boulder shot down the mountain and hit the woman in front of me. She died in the helicopter ride. That memory serves as a reminder to kiss each day and not put off what is important.

If I listed all of my jobs, I would sound like I have attention deficit disorder, but I�m still deciding what to do when I grow up. I�ve worked about 85 jobs � many of those while supporting myself through the U of Minn, I wouldn�t take out a loan cuz I thought I�d never graduate. (Took me 8 years off and on to graduate. I attended eight universities. BS U of Minn, MA Stanford at age 35 which I did in 3 quarters.

My current hobbies include writing, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, environmental and political activism, scuba diving, hiking, photography, storytelling, back packing, music, reading,

For seven years, I have written a monthly nature column with photography for the Davis Enterprise newspaper. Now I�m working on a book and short stories. My jobs have included: dance teacher, performer and director; hospital recreation director; newspaper dance reviewer; member participatory drama group; music/movement specialist all grades, artist in residence in writing & music; curator/founder of DavisCommunityScrapbook.org.; creator of CD of history of Davis utilizing oral history. Was also a Sierra Club chair for three years.

Children all have interesting careers � a financier a neuroscientist and a pianist. Five grandchildren who all live too far away. Luckily, we have a Lake Michigan cottage that is a kid/grandkid magnet so see them there.

I was one of the �girls who secretly went away.� I am grateful to be in reunion and glad that there is no longer the big stigma for out of wedlock parents and children. I am still working at happily ever after on this emotional roller coaster.

I�m grateful to be alive and with a functioning body. I look forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. How fascinating to see the paths people have taken.

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