Since their marriage in 1970, Max and Cassandra Carr have visited countries all around the world. Max bought several planes and continued flying, while teaching Cassandra to fly as well. She, too, earned her pilot's license. From harrowing trips during a record-breaking flood in Alaska to a middle-of-the-night search in the Mexican mountains for a long lost mine, from Rio to Hong Kong to Turkey, the pair set off on repeated adventures, often without plans and willing to see the world as it came to them.
At the same time, Cassandra's rise in Southwestern Bell took them to Washington, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Austin, as she eventually became the highest-ranking female executive in the company.
Max Carr's life parallels the major events of the 20th Century, and serves as a history "from the ground up" of that time.
This extract from To the Max will give you an idea of the adventures they shared:
One thing the Carrs decided early in their marriage was that they would explore the world together. To this end, they set a goal of taking a three-week vacation outside the United States every other year.
Max says, "My attitude was that, if I've already been to a place once, I'm not going to go back. I want to see something different."
"We did manage to take international trips as planned throughout our marriage," adds Cassandra.
An account of one such trip follows:
"Once Cassandra and I were down in Rio, walking on the square next to Ipanema Beach. It happened to be election fay. As we strolled along, I suddenly heard a sharp clap. I thought it was a firecracker until this guy ran past us, half bent over, with a Lugar in his hand. That's when I realized that what I had just heard was a shot.
"Other shots followed. It emerged that two rival gangs were having a gun battle with each other, and we were standing right in the middle of it.
"There was a bank building to our right and I noticed some heavy windows fronted by a limestone ledge. I pulled Cassandra behind that so we could watch the action from a position of protection. At our hotel, we had been warned not to wear any jewelry on the streets. We were told that gangs had divided Rio up for crime purposes.
"As we watched, one guy was shot. Soon we heard the police coming, and everybody scattered. The wounded man was dragged into a drug store. Eventually the police hauled him back out and took his body away. That was the last we saw of him. Eventually, Cassandra and I emerged from our hidden spot and went on our way."