Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Beginners luck ?
the later afternoon, drawn to the area for it's proximity to amazing
rock climbs, but also because we had heard the fishin was good. We
quickly found a lovely campsite and jumped on our bikes to check out
our new surroundings.
After a little instruction from Christian (who learned from his grand
daddy in Montana) I set out into the chilly river, to try my hand at
fly fishing for the first time. I quickly got the feel of it, enjoying
the art/challenge of dropping to fly into the desired location, the
peacefulness of learning to read the flow of the river and anticipate
where the fish might be hiding out- The conditions were ideal, sun
setting, calm waters... The fish were jumping and after a few well
placed (lucky) casts in a nice hole, I was thrilled to reel in a Brown
Trout. What a beautiful creature, brown sleek body with a pearly
mustard yellow underside, it's entire top half covered in brownish
black & orange spots rimmed by gold. As we fumbled with our fishing
rules & regulations booklet (to ensure it was the proper size to
keep), my heart ached as it struggled in vain to breathe through it's
gills - truly a 'fish out of water'. As soon as we confirmed it's
proper size, we paused a moment to honor the wild spirit of the
creature and offer gratitude for it becoming part our sustenance for
the evening. Christian quickly ended it's life, I did not have the
heart.
We brought it back to camp, fried it up over the fire in our cast iron
pan and enjoyed trout burritos, garnished with fresh cilantro grown a
few miles up the road... Couldn't be a more sustainable or delicious
meal :)
Good living !
Monday, June 28, 2010
Crested Butte loves Bluegrass !
We could hardly keep up with the blue grass lovin locals ... Now off
to bed :)
Top of the morning to ya !!
Ouray, blue skies and amazing views abound!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Late night ramblings from the mountains ...
Its hard to believe but, today, day 6 of our adventure, and we have finally made it into camp before night fall… its been too damn hard to stop having fun to find somewhere to sleep in the daylight hours. This philosophy has predictably resulted in some pretty humorous and hairy situations in the middle of the night, looking for flat ground, but that is another story.
Given that we are all cozy and warm, with full bellies, tucked up in the idyllic Colorado mountain town of Telluride, we thought this might be a great moment to catch up a bit on the blogging front… (as, surely our loyal audience is on the edge of their seats in anticipation for updates… hehehehe, right guys?)
It has been trickier than first expected, to find cell phone service long enough to send out updates and/or make sure that my cell phone battery had enough juice for the task and ugh! what is up with the ‘E’ AT&T network? (so sloooooow) anyhow here we are on a real live computer, with real live wifi in our campground! Talk about luxury!
Anyhow, by this point we have covered 1670 miles and gone through 4 states: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Mind you the first 1100 miles were in the first TWO days: Carmelà Flagstaffà Albuquerque/Jemez Mountains. Those were some seriously LONG HOT days on the road… especially since we had committed to not use air conditioner for the sake of better gas mileage (given our not so aerodynamic, but oh so lovely roof rack)… lets just say that we gained a whole new appreciation for creative evaporative cooling techniques (ie wet t-shirt held outside moving car window to cool down and then used as cold compress all over body) It wasn’t till we splurged and purchased a spray water bottle somewhere outside of Flagstaff that we were really living large.
Aside from that, the ride was mostly uneventful, aside from the very impressive road side billboard when we got into Arizona that proclaimed “McCain/Palin - The Best vote for America!” … go figure…
The long hours on the road were punctuated by countless road side stores peddling “authentic” Indian pottery, native jewelry, tipis, moccasins for the whole family… here I must refrain, as I could write an entire entry on my views of the mis-appropriation of the Native American Culture, which I find utterly heartbreaking, perhaps if I get a wild hair and WIFI later on in the trip I can share my observations…
Anyhow, aside from a lovely early morning jaunt through the liberal bastion of Flagstaff (a town that stole our hearts when we realized that every other shop in the downtown was either an outdoor/gear store or a live music venue) and a quick stop in unremarkable Albuquerque for some salad greens, ice and gas- we hightailed it to the higher cooler grounds as quick as we could, finding refuge in the lovely Jemez Mountains for some hot springs, mountain biking and sport climbing.
Here we must begin introducing you, dear readers, to the real protagonists of our journey thus far, who have been the colorful genuine, everyday people we have met on the road, who have so openly shared information, travel tips, life stories and their precious time with us.
First was Brian, the bar owner in Jemez Springs, a trainer of Olympic and worldclass runners, having traveled the world many-fold, found himself a bit of paradise (at the perfect elevation) to keep training runners and raise a family. (his spunky daughter worked the bar as a summer job, and had a funny habit of leaving the refrigerator door open, to cool down during those hot summer nights, as well as a PostIt note to remind her to ask for ID). The bar was the only joint in town, but clearly loved by the locals, especially since Brian knew them ALL by first name, asking after family, as they came and left, slipping easily between English and Spanish as the situation dictated. The walls of the bar were strewn with hunting paraphernalia, a slew of taxidermy heads stared down at us as we sipped our beers and made small talk, attempting to slyly gather local information about the nearby hot springs (which they all affectionately called the Hippie Hole (yikes!). We struck up conversation with a guy, probably mid to late twenties, Brodie, who turned out to be an archeologist conducting long term research on the enormous volcanic caldera- Valles Grandes- in the surrounding area. Like many in that age bracket, he was searching for a life with meaning- we mused on that for awhile, had a few great laughs and continued on.
Next was the sweet man who ran ’Amanda’s General Store’ several miles up the road, who did not bat an eyelash when we showed up well past dark, inquiring about free campsites in the area. He pulled out a map and proceeded to detail all the nearby forest roads, places with good views and proximity to the remote hot springs that we were hoping to get to in the morning. Bless his heart for giving us the confidence to venture down unmarked dirt roads in the middle of the night!
The following morning found Christian and I on our mountain bikes following yet another dirt track into the Jemez National Forest in search of some back country hot springs (NOT the Hippie Hole, mind you…) For the first ride of the trip, we were both feeling pretty good, until I caught a funny rut and went sideways over the handlebars (youch!), luckily nothing too terrible happened, aside from a few superficial bruises and a humbled ego. Upon arriving at the trailhead to the spring, 5 miles in, we found that some other folks had the same idea, 3 bikes (one smaller and one with a baby seat on the back!), tuned out that it was a husband and wife and their 2 sweet daughters, he worked at the nearby fish hatchery and she was the town librarian. I tell ya, you stay long enough in a small mountain community and you know everyone! Those springs were AMAZING by the way, highly recommended!! Think: 5-6 pools of crystal clear cascading hot water, set on a beautiful wildflower, forested mountainside, red rock cliffs all around, butterflies flitting in the gentle breezes, not soul to be seen. (the family took off after a bit) so good…. Hotspringing at its finest.
The next day took us into Taos, via the Los Alamos Labs (where they are still doing nuclear research today… freaky!) and the San Juan Pueblo (where they were having their yearly Corn Feast, replete with drumming, fully costumed dancers and the like… we were most definitely the ONLY white people there, slightly awkward). Rolling into Taos was surprising, we entered from the southern side, which largely consisted of strip mall after strip mall, with a WalMart and McDonalds peppered in, hardly what I envisioned as the quintessential southwestern artist enclave. However we soon found the older town center and started to make some friends: The whacky flamboyantly gay batik artist, the spacey ceramic master who educated us about the many different types of wood fire kilns (he says it takes 8 days, 8 cords of wood to complete a firing!), a trippy guy selling gems & rocks from around the world (the most notable being some extraordinary opals, still in the original matrix of surrounding rock, from South America that he found in the mine himself and polished down) and lastly the gentleman who we met at the leather shop, who told us stories of life in Spain, Taos from 30 years ago and sold Christian a unique leather necklace that he now wears as a momento of this trip.
Well, this has turned into quite a ramble, fueled by a tuckered out body, a couple of beers and a brain at high altitude J
Good night for now, many more stories from the road to come….
Given that we are all cozy and warm, with full bellies, tucked up in the idyllic Colorado mountain town of Telluride, we thought this might be a great moment to catch up a bit on the blogging front… (as, surely our loyal audience is on the edge of their seats in anticipation for updates… hehehehe, right guys?)
It has been trickier than first expected, to find cell phone service long enough to send out updates and/or make sure that my cell phone battery had enough juice for the task and ugh! what is up with the ‘E’ AT&T network? (so sloooooow) anyhow here we are on a real live computer, with real live wifi in our campground! Talk about luxury!
Anyhow, by this point we have covered 1670 miles and gone through 4 states: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Mind you the first 1100 miles were in the first TWO days: Carmelà Flagstaffà Albuquerque/Jemez Mountains. Those were some seriously LONG HOT days on the road… especially since we had committed to not use air conditioner for the sake of better gas mileage (given our not so aerodynamic, but oh so lovely roof rack)… lets just say that we gained a whole new appreciation for creative evaporative cooling techniques (ie wet t-shirt held outside moving car window to cool down and then used as cold compress all over body) It wasn’t till we splurged and purchased a spray water bottle somewhere outside of Flagstaff that we were really living large.
Aside from that, the ride was mostly uneventful, aside from the very impressive road side billboard when we got into Arizona that proclaimed “McCain/Palin - The Best vote for America!” … go figure…
The long hours on the road were punctuated by countless road side stores peddling “authentic” Indian pottery, native jewelry, tipis, moccasins for the whole family… here I must refrain, as I could write an entire entry on my views of the mis-appropriation of the Native American Culture, which I find utterly heartbreaking, perhaps if I get a wild hair and WIFI later on in the trip I can share my observations…
Anyhow, aside from a lovely early morning jaunt through the liberal bastion of Flagstaff (a town that stole our hearts when we realized that every other shop in the downtown was either an outdoor/gear store or a live music venue) and a quick stop in unremarkable Albuquerque for some salad greens, ice and gas- we hightailed it to the higher cooler grounds as quick as we could, finding refuge in the lovely Jemez Mountains for some hot springs, mountain biking and sport climbing.
Here we must begin introducing you, dear readers, to the real protagonists of our journey thus far, who have been the colorful genuine, everyday people we have met on the road, who have so openly shared information, travel tips, life stories and their precious time with us.
First was Brian, the bar owner in Jemez Springs, a trainer of Olympic and worldclass runners, having traveled the world many-fold, found himself a bit of paradise (at the perfect elevation) to keep training runners and raise a family. (his spunky daughter worked the bar as a summer job, and had a funny habit of leaving the refrigerator door open, to cool down during those hot summer nights, as well as a PostIt note to remind her to ask for ID). The bar was the only joint in town, but clearly loved by the locals, especially since Brian knew them ALL by first name, asking after family, as they came and left, slipping easily between English and Spanish as the situation dictated. The walls of the bar were strewn with hunting paraphernalia, a slew of taxidermy heads stared down at us as we sipped our beers and made small talk, attempting to slyly gather local information about the nearby hot springs (which they all affectionately called the Hippie Hole (yikes!). We struck up conversation with a guy, probably mid to late twenties, Brodie, who turned out to be an archeologist conducting long term research on the enormous volcanic caldera- Valles Grandes- in the surrounding area. Like many in that age bracket, he was searching for a life with meaning- we mused on that for awhile, had a few great laughs and continued on.
Next was the sweet man who ran ’Amanda’s General Store’ several miles up the road, who did not bat an eyelash when we showed up well past dark, inquiring about free campsites in the area. He pulled out a map and proceeded to detail all the nearby forest roads, places with good views and proximity to the remote hot springs that we were hoping to get to in the morning. Bless his heart for giving us the confidence to venture down unmarked dirt roads in the middle of the night!
The following morning found Christian and I on our mountain bikes following yet another dirt track into the Jemez National Forest in search of some back country hot springs (NOT the Hippie Hole, mind you…) For the first ride of the trip, we were both feeling pretty good, until I caught a funny rut and went sideways over the handlebars (youch!), luckily nothing too terrible happened, aside from a few superficial bruises and a humbled ego. Upon arriving at the trailhead to the spring, 5 miles in, we found that some other folks had the same idea, 3 bikes (one smaller and one with a baby seat on the back!), tuned out that it was a husband and wife and their 2 sweet daughters, he worked at the nearby fish hatchery and she was the town librarian. I tell ya, you stay long enough in a small mountain community and you know everyone! Those springs were AMAZING by the way, highly recommended!! Think: 5-6 pools of crystal clear cascading hot water, set on a beautiful wildflower, forested mountainside, red rock cliffs all around, butterflies flitting in the gentle breezes, not soul to be seen. (the family took off after a bit) so good…. Hotspringing at its finest.
The next day took us into Taos, via the Los Alamos Labs (where they are still doing nuclear research today… freaky!) and the San Juan Pueblo (where they were having their yearly Corn Feast, replete with drumming, fully costumed dancers and the like… we were most definitely the ONLY white people there, slightly awkward). Rolling into Taos was surprising, we entered from the southern side, which largely consisted of strip mall after strip mall, with a WalMart and McDonalds peppered in, hardly what I envisioned as the quintessential southwestern artist enclave. However we soon found the older town center and started to make some friends: The whacky flamboyantly gay batik artist, the spacey ceramic master who educated us about the many different types of wood fire kilns (he says it takes 8 days, 8 cords of wood to complete a firing!), a trippy guy selling gems & rocks from around the world (the most notable being some extraordinary opals, still in the original matrix of surrounding rock, from South America that he found in the mine himself and polished down) and lastly the gentleman who we met at the leather shop, who told us stories of life in Spain, Taos from 30 years ago and sold Christian a unique leather necklace that he now wears as a momento of this trip.
Well, this has turned into quite a ramble, fueled by a tuckered out body, a couple of beers and a brain at high altitude J
Good night for now, many more stories from the road to come….
Full moon amongst the canyons and cliff dwellings of the Ancient Puebloans
Palace and spent several hours moongazing from the wide Mesa tops of
the National Park. While there is still a great mystery as to why
these large civilizations just vanished, it was fascinating to explore
their building and farming techniques that have stood the test of time.
This morning we drove northward into the high mountains of Colorado,
catching a classic blue bird morning, following clear wide rivers,
green multicolored slopes up to picturesque snow covered peaks. It's
safe to say, our jaws have been dropped, since entering this mountain
playground...
Going on a tip from a friendly dude from an outdoor store in
Durango, our morning destination was a tucked away high granite canyon
at 9700 outside of Teluride.
More to come on this harrowing adventure, but for now, we are heading
out for a mountain bike ride.
Xo
Friday, June 25, 2010
A quick drip in the Rio Grande
we slipped out of town and into the mighty river gorge of the Rio
Grande.
The cool green waters were delightfully refreshing and the nearby
hotspring were soothing for our sore muscles from the previous days
adventures.
(a nice 10 mile mountain bike to some AMAZING backcountry hotsprings
and a couple of great sport climbs on some beautiful rock in the Jemez
mountains)
We now drive north through the first thunder and lightning storm of
the trip ... Good thing! The truck needed a wash :)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Bed, bikes and beyond !
our home for the night and now we're back on the road New Mexico
bound :)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Musings from the road ... Day1
My 5 hr driving stint is done, so I can now relax, rest easy and
reflect while Christian brings us the final 160 miles into Flagstaff
this evening (who knows what we'll encounter when we arrive as the
wildfire and smoke reports are not looking too great... I guess we
will see when we get there)
Anyhow, for a day that started cool and grey in our sweet seaside town
by the sea, it might now be safe to say we have descended into the
belly of the beast, with our car thermometer topping out at 105 today
(at 5pm!)
I have quite enjoyed the ever changing kaleidescope of landscapes that
have slipped past our windows as we continue east.
reflect while Christian brings us the final 160 miles into Flagstaff
this evening (who knows what we'll encounter when we arrive as the
wildfire and smoke reports are not looking too great... I guess we
will see when we get there)
Anyhow, for a day that started cool and grey in our sweet seaside town
by the sea, it might now be safe to say we have descended into the
belly of the beast, with our car thermometer topping out at 105 today
(at 5pm!)
I have quite enjoyed the ever changing kaleidescope of landscapes that
have slipped past our windows as we continue east.
It began with the impossibly perfect ag lands of the salinas valley,
dilligent photosynthesizing soldiers uniformly marching under the
watchful eye of spraying whirlybird, while human laborers work on, too
close for comfort.
This scene soon fades into neat row after row of grapes along the
valley floor with the nostalgic golden oak studded hill sides above
conjuring images of earlier days and simpler lives.
This human agricultural endeavor dances it's way across the california
landscape , with it's silent watery partner standing by. We play
orchard guessing games : almond, pistachio or pomegranate??!
The signs all proudly proclaim the obvious, "Food grows where water
flows!", but I still cannot get over the jarring sight of verdant farm
lands set against the subtle parched hues of the desolate desert. Nor
the sight of union workers toiling in the mid day sun , installing a
new section of underground aquafer that undoubtedly stretches great
distances from the high Sierra to this arid place, in 10 ft
sections... piece by piece they build the infrastructure thru which
they'll pump the lifeblood of the land.
Food production gives way to energy procurement as oil derricks sprout
up on either side of the road, tirelessly spinning round and round in
their insatiable quest for black gold from the earth, next wind
turbines loom on distant ridgetops and solar arrays shimmer like an
illusive oasis in the desert sun.
Today our constant road warrior companions have been the long distance
truckers and freight train operators hauling impossibly huge loads of
consumer goods miles and miles across this great country, earning
their honest wage, while allowing us all to enjoy our 2010 creature
comforts.
We seamlessly cross the border into Arizona , where the speed limit
promptly turns to 75 mph and gasoline is an ENTIRE $1 cheaper than 1/2
mile away in California ! What a difference a state makes...
I am, however, called to turn my attention from the complexities of
human creation to the more sublime presense of the nature that
surrounds .
In the desert of arizona i reacquaint myself with the dried out
silohettes of the elegant Ocatillo plant, a familiar friend who I had
first seen earlier this year in FULL bloom in the anza borego desert -
then, I was in total awe of it's perfectly shaped brilliant orange
trumpet flowers that provided sweet nectar for visiting
hummingbirds ... But now, they stand lonely and dry waiting for next
seasons rains to bring life again .. The constant ebb and flow ...
What a nice rememberance ...
Or the pink carpeted hillsides in full bloom outside of Bakersfield...
I had to take off my sunglases to make sure the color was real ! Magic !
And now in the waning light , mama moon moves towards her fullness and
keeps us company on the road , around every turn, delights to the
heart and mind abound ... Goodnight moon :)
Last goodbye
southwest is no place for sweet Bella -
We are so grateful knowing that she's in good hands! (thanks Mom! Love
u!)
1AM finally in bed...
we're all packed up and ready to go! (finally) Good thing today was the longest day of the year!
tomorrow is a big day!
GOODNIGHT :)
tomorrow is a big day!
GOODNIGHT :)
Monday, June 21, 2010
We HEART Patagonia ...
percent, really truly cares about customer satisfaction, their
employees AND the health & vitality of the planets ecosystems to boot !
On our way down from Berkeley to Carmel today, we stopped in my
beloved Santa Cruz Patagonia outlet for a little perusing (there are
always great deals to be found) and I wanted to ask what to do with a
fleece that I had for a few years which, due to improper care on my
behalf (drying it in the dryer), had gotten pretty ratty looking- to
the point that I no longer wore it :(
The store manager gently scolded me with a smile and without skipping
a beat told me to pick out a brand new fleece, of comprable value, for
an even exchange ! They recycle my old fleece, and I get a new one !
So sweet :)
Another happy ending from a life long Patagonia shopper !! It feels so
good to support businesses that are doing the right thing ... it makes it worth every penny! THANK YOU !
Hitting the road with a GREEN sheen !
Feeling somewhat guilty about driving all these miles for pleasure, especially given the heart-wrenching situation in the Gulf right now, I have been researching ways that I can transform our excessive carbon use into something sustainable/regenerative for the planet.
After a few good leads from friends, i came upon TerraPass , a progressive company that has made a business around helping people offset their individual/business carbon emissions. Through their website we were able to successfully calculate the number of miles that we will be driving on this fantastic adventure (3,606 +/-), then purchase an offset for the exact amount of carbon that we would produce. Pretty cool!
So where does the money go? you might ask??
They have 3 primary ways that they channel the money they receive:
While we really should be driving a heck of a lot less, and maybe even doing this entire trip by bike... we are limited by available time and energy!
As with everything, you gotta make choices/trade-offs with clear intention and added effort to do the right thing wherever and whenever it is possible!
So this is our effort on the carbon dioxide emissions, stay tuned for other ways we are trying to reduce our foot print on this upcoming adventure...
After a few good leads from friends, i came upon TerraPass , a progressive company that has made a business around helping people offset their individual/business carbon emissions. Through their website we were able to successfully calculate the number of miles that we will be driving on this fantastic adventure (3,606 +/-), then purchase an offset for the exact amount of carbon that we would produce. Pretty cool!
So where does the money go? you might ask??
They have 3 primary ways that they channel the money they receive:
- Farm power: TerraPass funds agricultural projects in which farmers capture and destroy methane from animal manure decomposition. The captured methane is often used to generate renewable energy. TerraPass funds primarily North American projects. TerraPass has funded farm power projects in CA, IN, MI, MN, NY, WA and WI.
- Renewable energy: TerraPass funds renewable energy projects such as wind farms. Renewable energy projects reduce CO2 emissions by displacing conventional electricity in the region where the renewable energy is generated. TerraPass funds primarily North American projects. TerraPass has funded renewable energy projects in CA, KY, MN, NC, ND, NE, OK, SD, WA, and WY.
- Waste gas capture: TerraPass funds solid waste projects in which operators prevent or capture and destroy methane from decomposition. TerraPass may fund similar projects at wastewater treatment plants. TerraPass funds primarily North American projects. TerraPass has funded solid waste projects in AR, FL, IL, MD, ME, MO, MT, NC, NE, PA, SD and VA.
While we really should be driving a heck of a lot less, and maybe even doing this entire trip by bike... we are limited by available time and energy!
As with everything, you gotta make choices/trade-offs with clear intention and added effort to do the right thing wherever and whenever it is possible!
So this is our effort on the carbon dioxide emissions, stay tuned for other ways we are trying to reduce our foot print on this upcoming adventure...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Monkey Moon Kula LOVE
Christian and I have been fortunate enough to have found ourselves in the company of some extraordinary individuals, as part of our 100 hour Anusara Yoga Immersion course that we have been participating in over the last several months at Yoga Kula in Berkeley.We have both found the experience deeply transformative on the physical level, but also the rich philosophy and heart-centered teachings are thankfully working their way into all aspects of our day-to-day lives, allowing us to open more fully to our true and gentle nature.
Kula, in sanskrit, is translated as family; home; group of families- it is most often used to describe the community of like-minded spirits that join together to practice, study and support one another in the embodiment of the spiritual principles of yoga.
Our particular immersion kula, which consists of around 40 people from all branches of life's spectrum, was aptly named the Kapi Shashi Kula, or the Monkey Moon Kula, as suggested by our luminous leader, Sianna Sherman, after she so intuitively anticipated our playful collective monkey energy that corresponded with the Hanuman Full Moon which marked our first weekend together in March 2010.This past weekend we gathered with our KULA for practice, and it so happened that another auspicious celestial event was afoot, in the remembrance and celebration of the summer solstice. This day marks the longest day of the year- inspiring great celebrations around the globe honoring the coming of the light. Sianna lead us in a beautiful ceremony yesterday to honor this day, to connect us to our deepest intentions of spreading light in ourselves and the world around us~ Reminding us that whenever we might loose our way, we can find refuge, home, amongst our friends in the KULA.
It is with this gracious and tender support from our KULA, and the ever widening circles of our friends and family, that we are propelled on this journey; riding on the waves of grace, we are eager to venture out into the world, to spread light into the darkness and to discover more fully the beautiful people that we already are~
Kula, in sanskrit, is translated as family; home; group of families- it is most often used to describe the community of like-minded spirits that join together to practice, study and support one another in the embodiment of the spiritual principles of yoga.
Our particular immersion kula, which consists of around 40 people from all branches of life's spectrum, was aptly named the Kapi Shashi Kula, or the Monkey Moon Kula, as suggested by our luminous leader, Sianna Sherman, after she so intuitively anticipated our playful collective monkey energy that corresponded with the Hanuman Full Moon which marked our first weekend together in March 2010.This past weekend we gathered with our KULA for practice, and it so happened that another auspicious celestial event was afoot, in the remembrance and celebration of the summer solstice. This day marks the longest day of the year- inspiring great celebrations around the globe honoring the coming of the light. Sianna lead us in a beautiful ceremony yesterday to honor this day, to connect us to our deepest intentions of spreading light in ourselves and the world around us~ Reminding us that whenever we might loose our way, we can find refuge, home, amongst our friends in the KULA.
It is with this gracious and tender support from our KULA, and the ever widening circles of our friends and family, that we are propelled on this journey; riding on the waves of grace, we are eager to venture out into the world, to spread light into the darkness and to discover more fully the beautiful people that we already are~
DIY Roof rack
own roof rack from metal scraps he found around his job site.
Despite a few hiccups (opportunities for creative problem solving)
along the way, he managed to build a sturdy, one-of-a-kind rack, while
saving us at least $800! (not to mention the amazing rooftop cargo
carrier he managed to find on craigslist for $30 dollars lol)
Friday, June 18, 2010
CK's LAST day !
Whew! well today is the day... it has finally arrived.
After much anticipation, anxiety and last minute heckling by his bosses, Christian will turn in his computer/cell phone, say goodbye to his co-workers and walk out the door this afternoon, into the blank slate of pure possibility for the rest of his life...
Scary? yes.
Exciting? YES!
Who knows what the future might bring~ but that is what makes this journey all the more exciting and rewarding.
One of the main principles that we have been learning in our yogic studies is that when you have the strength & wherewithal to say NO to the smaller things in life -that no longer serve you- it opens your heart and soul up in ways that you could have never imagined.
This simple act liberates us and allows us to say the big YES to the extraordinary life-affirming opportunities that are waiting just around the corner...
Who knows, if i had not said YES to our friend Jenn G, who invited me to Zion last summer (where i serendipitously met CK), of our lives might have taken a very different trajectory then they are on now...
This is the beauty and possibility of this life friends... so get out there and LIVE IT!
After much anticipation, anxiety and last minute heckling by his bosses, Christian will turn in his computer/cell phone, say goodbye to his co-workers and walk out the door this afternoon, into the blank slate of pure possibility for the rest of his life...
Scary? yes.
Exciting? YES!
Who knows what the future might bring~ but that is what makes this journey all the more exciting and rewarding.
One of the main principles that we have been learning in our yogic studies is that when you have the strength & wherewithal to say NO to the smaller things in life -that no longer serve you- it opens your heart and soul up in ways that you could have never imagined.
This simple act liberates us and allows us to say the big YES to the extraordinary life-affirming opportunities that are waiting just around the corner...
Who knows, if i had not said YES to our friend Jenn G, who invited me to Zion last summer (where i serendipitously met CK), of our lives might have taken a very different trajectory then they are on now...
This is the beauty and possibility of this life friends... so get out there and LIVE IT!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
My new favorite book...
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...... i love hot springs....
Monday, June 14, 2010
Because "Mission Statements" are so corporate...
Christian suggested that we call this our 'Interconnected Intentions' haha! love it ...
whatever its called, these are the guiding principles that are propelling us on this journey (as scrawled out on a mexican restaurant placemat, late one night, somewhere between Mammoth and Monterey)
8 days and counting ...
Today, i began making our packing lists: climbing gear, bike repair kits, human repair kits (aka first aid kit), kitchen pantry items, camping equipment. I spent the morning considering several different organizational techniques & strategies to keep my virgo mind sane while sleeping, cooking, eating and playing out of a ToyotaTacoma for 20 days ...
I also seriously started mapping out the proposed driving mileages/estimated times that we have signed ourselves up for on this adventure... holy moly! Day 1: Carmel to Flagstaff (707 miles: 11hrs 47 minutes) Are we insane ?!
But after a calm and very rational discussion, my co-pilot and i both agreed that we are willing to put in some long days on the road, which would allow us to get to the promised land of 'milk and honey' (in our case its more like : mountains & hotsprings) all the faster...
i guess i better add: 'Find good books on tape' to my list for tomorrow ... any suggestions ?
I also seriously started mapping out the proposed driving mileages/estimated times that we have signed ourselves up for on this adventure... holy moly! Day 1: Carmel to Flagstaff (707 miles: 11hrs 47 minutes) Are we insane ?!
But after a calm and very rational discussion, my co-pilot and i both agreed that we are willing to put in some long days on the road, which would allow us to get to the promised land of 'milk and honey' (in our case its more like : mountains & hotsprings) all the faster...
i guess i better add: 'Find good books on tape' to my list for tomorrow ... any suggestions ?
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