Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.¹⁷

It’s a good idea to travel with a companion because there are so many things one person can miss while looking in the other direction. Throughout my journey to, on and from the campus of the University of Notre Dame and South Bend, Indiana, my travel companion has been my spouse, Marsha R. Base. And it is here love and support that make this journal possible. South Bend was her home for more than 30 years, which makes her a townie. But, she’s also a domer—having earned her master’s degree from the Mendoza School of Business at the University of Notre Dame. Marsha spent hours reading and re-reading my drafts, making helpful comments, sharing her own insights and perspectives, and feeding me delicious meals as I worked long hours writing and creating this journal. I dedicate this Mass to her.

Likewise, I am grateful to the Naropa University MFA in creating writing low-residency community, especially my colleagues in the Travel Journal course under the instruction of Lisa Birman. Thank you for your guidance and input through thirteen weeks of reading, writing and feedback. Each of you is a part of this project, and your contributions make it a better piece than I could have done on my own.

Finally, I am indebted to the University of Notre Dame, especially its wealth of online resources (nd.edu), which provided substantive research opportunities and helped me to prepare for the physical journey to the campus.

The Story of Notre Dame, including:
•   Notre Dame: 100 Years by Arthur J. Hope, CSC
•   Chronicles of Notre Dame du Lac by Edward F. Sorin, CSC  
A Cave of Candles by Dorothy V. Corson
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Notre Dame: The Official Campus Guide
Notre Dame Athletics Department, Women's Basketball

Additional resources for preparation and research include:

Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours by Catholic Book Publishing Company
Pilgrimage: Exploring a Great Spiritual Practice by Edward C. Sellner
The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred by Phil Cousineau
The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion by Mircea Eliade
On this Rockne by Ralph McInerney
Nice Girls Finish First by Mark Bradford

Some pieces in this journal project are excerpts or adaptions of the blog I kept during the actual journey. The complete blog can be accessed at The Notre Dame Project.

Thank you.
  

Captions and Credits:
(Top) Marsha sitting on a Notre Dame bench outside the Holiday Inn Express in Mishawaka, Indiana. (Middle) The carpet, with Notre Dame logo, that lines the hallways of the Morris Inn on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. (Bottom) Me, shopping for books in the Hammes Bookstore. Photo by Marsha R. Base.