Yours In The Out Of Doors

QuickPost - May 10, 2011

2011-05-10T10:17:00.003-07:00

You know you're personal geography is chaos when you get a phone call from the library telling you your library card is in.

The library in the town in which you lived.....2 home-places ago.
Yes, the library in the town in which I lived two towns ago called me today. It's only 4,000+ miles away....

PoemPost - April 25, 2011

2011-04-25T12:31:00.001-07:00

Ode to the Red Rocks!
Shining bright
when the varnish reflects
and the smooth coals of rocks
glow

it fills the soul with warmth.

A Poem from the Trail Rondy about Shared Use (nerd I am)

2011-04-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

They came together with motors and soles
voices together discussing their foes

the challenges, each other, creatively woven
talking together, it's touchy, they've chosen

to attend a place the others will be
and they find it's the haters and aggressors they seeth

the idiots who disregard their fellow humans
"Your work ain't worth a dime," their treads yell as they're zoomin'

without a face to step up to the plate
admit that the action involves lots of hate

the do-er, aggressor, whatever you call 'em.
Did they know what they're doing, when they tore up a trail that day then?

Is it ignorance that an idiot makes
or malice that feeds the idiocy debate?

If we saw the action could we stop them, would we try?
Would they understand when they see the white in our eyes?

The potentials for salt water tears welling up saying "this trail is forever, we hope, we want
your action may ruin it all for the rest on foot or with motor, we all like the jaunts

but one day done wrong because you didn't know
or worse--didn't care that your action would show

and last for decades--year at best
unless someone comes, heavy equipment to test

if the trail needs rebuilding it might be ruined
but if not we'll come together like bruins

tough and ready, to tackle and restore
come together and unite, to make so much more

we'll conquer the idiocy and ignore the idiots
focus on family and friends, really it's

all about the future--not years but tomorrow
to retain our neighbors and the land that we borrow.

My Vision

2011-03-31T11:41:00.001-07:00

Scribbled on a scrap of paper, as inspired this day: Everyone has at least 2 trial experiences (opportunities) in the out of doors (or, at least 1 positive) and subsequently pursue experiences at one's desired (and well-informed) frequency and difficulty. No one feels excluded from natural places even if they feel challenged or uncomfortable. Everyone has a baseline feeling of what a positive outdoor experience might be.

QuickPost-Snot Rocket Slip'n'slide

2011-03-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

Today, I almost fell on my butt while trying to snot-rocket (blow my nose) while walking on ice. 'To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

QuickPost- Momentary Insight into Dichotomy

2011-02-26T13:16:00.003-07:00

Today I wrote to an acquaintance:
"Sometimes I drop off the face of the email-earth for a bit and usually it just means the inbox was deluged and an email sunk beneath the visible screen. So feel free to repeat sending an email, any time, ever. Sometimes I get back wicked-fast! I apologize for that inconsistency because I am still trying to balance in my life active-engagement-with-community-and-the-world and active-dis-engagement-from-technology -and-speed."

Urban Phenology Observation-February 21, 2011

2011-02-21T22:40:00.003-07:00

Towards the end of last week, I saw my first tourist downtown. Heard, actually, as they were discussing which way they thought they should walk to a place they've never been. Then today, wandering around downtown to get to the conference, I noticed multiple parties that were coming in and out of the kitchy stores or pointing which way to go or speaking a foreign language and giving other indicators. How quickly I had forgotten what that was like.....

QuickPost - January 7, 2011

2011-01-07T16:30:00.001-07:00

Wow. It was a good and busy but not too busy week. The opportunities to be creative, thoughtful, proactive, reactive, and conscientious all existed. There were some times I thought I should be doing more than reading existing emails or reviewing various materials. But I wasn't doing that all the time, either. I wasn't watched or harped over. There was lots of discussion of impending future work (lots!) and lots of talk of opportunity. And I didn't cause any big trouble, yet.

QuickPost-December 31, 2010-January 1, 2011

2011-01-01T00:23:00.001-07:00

Accustomed to the solitary hibernation of Koyuk (AK), I settled in to my new apartment (as of 4 hours ago) for New Years Eve. I put on my pajama pants as fireworks crackled outside. At midnight, when the sounds of fireworks increased exponentially in quantity, I found myself leaning over the heater and looking our my very own bedroom window at no less than 7 distinct fireworks displays. I stared for a while, as my eyes glittered and I began to feel pretty good about living in this place that's small for a city but surely big enough for this small-town girl.

QuickPoem - December 2, 2010

2010-12-03T17:44:00.002-07:00

THIS POEM IS COPYRIGHTED. PLEASE DO NOT COPY IT.

It is being shared with the intent of further exposing the author's skills and talent. Please consider purchasing the poet's books of poetry.

Reincarnation

"What does Reincarnation mean?"
A cowpoke asked his friend.
His pal replied, "It happens when
Yer life has reached its end.
They comb yer hair, and warsh yer neck,
And clean yer fingernails,
And lay you in a padded box
Away from life's travails."

"The box and you goes in a hole,
That's been dug into the ground.
Reincarnation starts in when
Yore planted 'neath a mound.
Them clods melt down, just like yer box,
And you who is inside.
And then yore just beginnin' on
Yer transformation ride."

"In a while, the grass'll grow
Upon yer rendered mound.
Till some day on yer moldered grave
A lonely flower is found.
And say a hoss should wander by
And graze upon this flower
That once wuz you, but now's become
Yer vegetative bower."

"The posy that the hoss done ate
Up, with his other feed,
Makes bone, and fat, and muscle
Essential to the steed,
But some is left that he can't use
And so it passes through,
And finally lays upon the ground
This thing, that once wuz you."

"Then say, by chance, I wanders by
And sees this upon the ground,
And I ponders, and I wonders at,
This object that I found.
I thinks of reincarnation,
Of life and death, and such,
And come away concludin': 'Slim,
You ain't changed, all that much.'"

© Wallace McRae, reprinted from Cowboy Curmudgeon (1992) with permission from Gibbs Smith, Publisher
This poem may not be reprinted or reposted without the author's written permission.

QuickPost - November 16, 2010

2010-11-25T17:58:00.001-07:00

Even older single men always want more. Lately, my male casual friends in their 50's have stated, sometimes explicitly, and sometimes hypothetically, an interest. I'm not attracted to you!!! Can't we just be friends?

QuickPost - November 21, 2010

2010-11-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

"Harry felt a thrill of something that was beyond excitement--more like fear." (Book7, Ch. 18).

I never thought JK Rowling would provide me with philosophical insight and calming, in addition to encouraging my imagination. I am slowly but surely gaining confidence in my future direction.

QuickQuote - November 18, 2010

2010-11-18T19:37:00.002-07:00

"I've worked on it for years because it was a problem I wanted to solve. Peter, before you can do things for people, you must be the kind of man who can get things done. But to get things done, you must love the doing, not the consequences. Your own action. Not any possible object of your charity."
-Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead (via audio CD)

QuickPost-Sunday, November 7, 2010

2010-11-08T01:00:00.001-07:00

"The thing about women is we change everything we can, except for the thing we need to." -N.

When we consider the changes we invite into our lives, are we always avoiding something? Someones the perceived risk is great than the actual risk, and we just need to jump. I encounter this in the backcountry regularly. Jumping across from one rock to another with a modestly deep chasm is scary, but often times the step is smaller than my regular gait. Repelling down a canyoneering route for the first time a couple weeks ago, I told my brain from the very beginning that I had already committed, and once the safety was checked by myself and my coworker, there wasn't anything else we might realize along the way, and so I just had to step in to "the zone" (and stay there, not freak out!).

Swimming is the best example. Why do we close to dive in to the pool all the time as kids? Is it only because we can see the bottom? Adults tend to wade in rather than dive. Have we learned something about the pool that makes us wade, even after we've gotten used to the water temperature? No, we just have learned in life that treading cautiously can be an advantage. But I'm not sure sure it's a "lesson"--I think it is an acclimation of the brain, and everything we can do to challenge ourselves is beneficial. RSI (rigorous self improvement).

Of course, as a woman, I am clearly avoiding something. One fear is increased self-awareness. Stable friendships and personal comforts and ease of geography is something I haven't had since I left my parents house in 2002. And before that I was a teenager, and nothing felt reliable. My next RSI will be to pick something that gives me the experience of repetition, redundancy, time, and stability, because I bet the perceived risk is less than the actual risk.

QuickPost - October 21, 2010

2010-10-21T20:33:00.002-07:00

There are weird people in every community, but in cities, you aren't forced to confront them.

Today I was leaving an evening speaker that was unprecedentedly full. A local older woman, who I have seen at previous intellectual events and confidently asks intelligent but strongly worded questions, was shuffling along in her multi-colored garb laden with a couple bags. As I walked by she asked me if the talk had started and I replied "oh its totally full of people and has been since before the talk started." I heard her shuffle pace increase rapidly so I added "they're sending everyone away." As I looked behind me at her exponential foot movement, her legs cease immediately in time and space and her pile of self and bags falls flat-as-a-board forward. Luckily others were not far off, because I am ashamed to say, since I was about 10 sidewalk squares beyond her, I thought to myself in one rapid moment "oh crap. I have to deal with this, don't I." I thought of communities where elders are taken care of by all ages of the community--not our American one, in other words. I thought of cities where some people might just walk by a seeming bag-lady fallen on the ground. And I thought of my small town, where this is absolutely unacceptable. I do not have to know that this woman, though somewhat infirm, is quite intelligent, but alas my still somewhat urban self used that to validate (thankfully, quickly) my action and necessity to return.

At FreeMeal the other day, Auggie explained why he did so much work for FreeMeal. "It's not because of Charity, or to spend time volunteering. It is not that no one else is doing it. It is that it has to be done. In the Fall you winterize your swamp cooler not because you want to, because it feels good to do it, but because you have to. That's how I feel about FreeMeal. But you reach a point where you need a break. Or Help."

Why does obligation have such a negative connotation?

PoemPost - October 9, 2010

2010-10-09T23:59:00.002-07:00

SATURDAY NIGHT

Everyone rolls it out
Cue, and a ball sinks into a pocket
Round the bend to find laughter
A gentle punch in the arm
Accompanies smiles
I think I can read people
Ivy leaguers
Dirt bag bikers
Californians and Coloradans
But what do I know?
I just invent a story.
Tight calves reveal the bikers.
Wrinkles show the rural westerners.
Beards cause confusion.
Couples cling--incapable of being alone? I'm just another cynic
On a barstool.

PoemPost - October 8, 2010

2010-10-08T16:03:00.001-07:00

Inscription leaves the mark
of permanence
Forever?
No.

Do friends last forever?
No.
But they last more than once.

QuickPost - September 9, 2010

2010-09-09T17:44:00.002-07:00

9-9-10 brings a bit of wisdom to the scene.
Yesterday I listened to a young undergrad speak in confidence in the share-circles. Rory and I ate a late breakfast on the Lodge porch and the group was kind enough to let us sit with them. One young woman, whom I do not know, shared remarkable wisdom for a young age. I'm surprised I had not encountered or articulated this idea before because it resonates so strongly with me.

"Everyone has something awesome about the, and if you're not sure what your thing is don't worry, because the people talking to you have figured it out."

PoemPost - September 8, 2010

2010-09-08T15:52:00.003-07:00

During an overnight at the Lodge (Lodj) during Trips, I found that E., a Dartmouth '11 who I had met a few times, became a friend and buddy among the masses, even just for an hour or so. In the high energy (and potentially stress) environment in which she works I wrote her a poem this next afternoon while R. napped. Read in the cadence of Dr. Seuss.

Blitzmail is funny,
really, it's true
Because yesterday I felt
like I really know you.
It turns out that I don't
but no need to worry
with this "D" thing in common
it'll come in a hurry.
You see the next letters
they are "O" and "C"
The trust it comes quickly
So the friendship may be.
Add in understanding
and what do we get?
A thing they call family
Even if we just met.
My family I take them
wherever I go
In this thing called my heart
and I want them to know
that whatever they need
can be there
sometimes all it takes
is a phone call to share.
So in this adventure
this thing we call life
full of great stories
people, landscapes, and strife
I hope my new family--
though they may be new--
knows their cushion of support
just changed: it grew!

PoemPost - September 7, 2010

2010-09-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

To the hospitable folks at Lakes of the Clouds, especially Tom '10, Emma Colby'10, Dom, and Libby. It was a pleasure sharing your company.

A Poem in the Morning, Remembering a Fog-Free Evening

1300 feet below
the highest point around
the wind whips up strong against
a warm and cozy sound
the sound of mellow laughter
rounded into smiles
gets softened as the strings are plucked
by a melody hiked for miles
see in this cedar homestead
astride the frigid Lakes
guests rest their weary heads together
the croo sweet music makes.

PoemPost - September 6, 2010

2010-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Madison Hut, the oldest hut in the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) system, is being rebuilt for the next 9-10 months. Though the hut has burned down at least once and been rebuilt a couple times, this is exciting because they will be modernizing the facility (ie. putting in insulation). Yes, this will involve lots of new materials (hopefully as many reused as possible) and lots of helicopter flights and lots of money, but for a facility that runs off of propane, wind, and solar this is a step forward because now it will run off of wind, solar, and propane only as backup. It is a methodology we all can learn from. If they can use less for a group of 50+ on top of a mountain, I think we can all cut back.

Last night was the final night of operation for Madison Hut as-we-know-it.

A Cold and Rainy Afternoon Dedicated to the Fourth President

With sore muscles
Squat down and rest on the bench
Head turns to the left and say hello
Hips shift, right hand on right thigh
Laughter, raised eyebrows
Right leg up and over the saddle
Sitting at the table "properly"
A smile.
Reach right, like a lunge
The laminated map comes to the center
Pointing, furrowed brow, insight
and discussion. Stories of the past.
Of woes and wonder in the wild.
A steaming cup of...anything.
The first white stuff of the Fall descends from the sky
The last night of 69 years for the hut nestled in the saddle.

QuickPost - September 5, 2010

2010-09-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

Wisdom.

How old, how wise, how experienced must one be to share wisdom? For the first time in my life, I found my own thoughts worthy of being quoted. After leaving 30 minutes later than expected so I could hum and sing the Salty Dog Rag for the Awesome Doggin' Leaders and '14s (Nature Painting and Photography getting picked up at Appalachia to go to the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge), I began my way up the ever-popular Valley Way trail. Overcast, with a few sprinkles here and there, "weather" was clearly coming in over the Presidential Range. I made my way up to Madison Hut and reached the structure about 6 minutes before some spitting and sprinkling turned into a downright cold rain. I watched unprepared groups seek refuge in the hut. I saw an intelligent hiker who had put plastic bags over his hands and then gripped his hiking poles. And I came up with this saying:

"A wise person once said, 'Always carry a dry pair of socks--you'll never know when you'll need mittens.'"

QuickPost-Sept 3, 2010

2010-09-03T21:37:00.002-07:00

As I embarked up the Burnt Mill Tr to West Royce the humidity was heavy as the sweat weighed me down. The views were minimal except of the haze, and the heat! Oh the heat!

I ascended a soil-laden trail slope--a rarity in the White Mountains, but not in the Wild River Valley. I paused--perhaps to take a humid breath--and before me saw a shimmering strand. I traced with my eyes to the base of the strand and found a inch-worm slowly descending to the ground. First about 2 feet off the ground and within one minute the inch-worm was on soil. I am reminded to walk slowly I try to complete these hikes quickly yet I could have easily missed the inch-worm.

Once I reached the top of the hill it wasn't so steep and I could hike/walk/run fast again. At the junction between the Royce's I turn towards West (never to summit East!) and am hit with the most amazing Olfactorious Glory! Was it pine? mountain? granite or other rock? moss? moose crap? The rare spruce? I could not believe the high of this smell. I felt like an egregious hippie but holy crap that smell was good.

PoemPost - August 22, 2010

2010-08-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

TWO

Highland

Droplets
Misting thru my fingertips
Invisible, yet tangible

Slowly
I progress, but do I miss out
by holding back?

Conscientiousness
Reason, Logic, Morals
Self-control
Can tear you apart
So that you miss feeling the most
as it passes you by

Both

How do you wander without any anchor?
Is it easier never to drag in the sand?
Or harder to never stay at port,
to always be searching.
What does it mean to pass another ship? To long for their companionship, unsure of how they'll feel about you. Did you ever desire to raft up? Or to speed on past?
Do you ever feel torn in two?

QuickPost - August 17, 2010

2010-08-18T12:47:00.003-07:00

Poetry night happens again. This time just four of us attend and I read, among others, my 3 favorites this summer. This time, though, we spent much more time discussing poetry as a concept, and I contribute to the conversation by reading poetically the Wilderness Act of 1964. In fact, if you remove the word foremost and the word Federal, it does sound lyrical, even though it was written as legislative prose!

Towards the end Deb discussed the dichotomy that we pursue as social beings who also seek out solitude. Companionship. Quiet. Love. Personal Space. Laughter. Being Completely Dependent on Oneself. Community. The Night Sky. This is my personal bipolarity that I know I will attempt to straddle for my entire life.

QuickPost - August 14, 2010

2010-08-14T19:30:00.004-07:00

8/14/10: 4 nights in a row slept outside at camp, all inspired by my night at Imp campsite. I started on the office porch, diagonally so I would fit. I continued for two nights on my sleeping pad in the field, falling asleep to the night prior to and the night of the peak of the Perseids. The skies were dark and gorgeous and the shooting stars were somewhat abundant. The final night of the series began by standing with guests outside their cabin watching the stars, to all of us migrating to the field for a better view and staying up until 3 AM to catch the best night of them all so far. With a mass of blankets, we each lay on a glider cushion and curled up on our own.

(A few days later, I find myself nostalgically reminiscing in my head about this night. The week was no better than any other. The people the usual mix of nice and wonderful, and demanding and obnoxious--typical for any of us on vacation. If you read August 17th, I think that may explain why I linger on the bubbling joy of the evening spent int he company of L & B, an especially kind guest).

QuickPost - August 13, 2010

2010-08-09T19:06:00.003-07:00

Friday, August 13, 2010: I unexpectedly have time to climb a mountain during the work day, and I head for Caribou. A beautiful, rewarding, and pleasantly challenging trail leads me to the mountain. On the way down, I watch for the falls on the map. I think I miss them so I swim, but then I come upon one, pouring over like a cup that dollops a quantity, but awkwardly. There is not even a path down to it! I find the BIG falls shortly later, and it is such a large swimming hole, I don't even want to go alone. I make good time, and I make plans to return.

QuickPost - August 3, 2010

2010-08-04T09:41:00.005-07:00

I often convey to friends that while it can be scary in the outdoors, it can also be freeing. Today I went to town for my day off. First I went to see Toy Story 3 by myself, and fell asleep for 20 minutes in the middle. As a result, I missed how all the toys escaped the evil baby daycare room and wound up at the trash compactor. Then I went to the Met and they were out of Chai. Then I went to the bookstore and there were very few used books. Overall, the day was not particularly successful in terms of what I go to towns for. Then I went to Pudding Pond for a little stroll. Immediately taking a mountain biking path instead of the main/walking route, I weaved (wove?) my way around, paying attention to my sense of direction. When I came back out at the powerline cut, I turned left, not really sure where I was, but having taken lefts all day, I figured that would continue to send me back to the beginning. I walked way far along the powerline cut, almost to the end, wondering why I hadn't crossed it once if I crossed it a second time. I went over just one more hill, thinking I needed to go all the way back and should have turned right initially. But then boom! There I was.

The following schematics (not present) contrast where I thought I went, and where I actually went. I really wish someone had been tracking me. It was a good day for getting lost.

No American wilderness that I know of is so dangerous as a city home "with all the modern improvements." One should go to the woods for safety, if for nothing else --- John Muir

2010-08-04T09:41:00.004-07:00

I often convey to friends that while it can be scary in the outdoors, it can also be freeing. Yesterday I went to town for my day off. First I went to see Toy Story 3 by myself, and fell asleep for 20 minutes in the middle. As a result, I missed how all the toys escaped the evil baby daycare room and wound up at the trash compactor. Then I went to the Met and they were out of Chai. Then I went to the bookstore and there were very few used books. Overall, the day was not particularly successful in terms of what I go to towns for. Then I went to Pudding Pond for a little stroll. Immediately taking a mountain biking path instead of the main/walking route, I weaved my way around, paying attention to my sense of direction. I thought I had traveled two units up so I turned left one unit and then left one unit again. When I got back to the powerline cut, the trailhead was nowhere to be found. Wondering if I had traveled PAST the trailhead in my series of left turns, I turned left again, and walked and walked and thought perhaps I should turn around but I was approaching this end of the power line cut. "Well, I might as well finish it off before turning around and walking back (to where I started) for half an hour!" I thought to myself.
A moment later, I came upon the trailhead!? Turns out those series of left turns had occurred when my sense of direction was discombobulated. In fact, I had traveled two units up, then one unit up, and then another unit up! So when I came out at the power line cut, I had four units to walk back to get to where I started (much longer than I thought), and thankfully I turned left to do so!

No American wilderness that I know of is so dangerous as a city home "with all the modern improvements." One should go to the woods for safety, if for nothing else --- John Muir

QuickPost - July 28, 2010

2010-07-29T17:58:00.004-07:00

The bear saga continues.

One week after the first visit by a local juvenile black bear, we have had a total of 4 visits. Last night, he levered off park of a rickety board on the door of the trash shed. Tomorrow, our local color Frank E. (whose lack of accent I love--I am the one with the accent, he says) may have found us someone with dogs to chase away the bear.

B&G shift, which usually does Buildings and Grounds, will now be called B&G, meaning Bear and Grounds.

QuickPost-July 27, 2010

2010-07-27T18:42:00.004-07:00

I might as well stop hiking right now.

There is no way I will ever go on a hike better than today's. Future good hikes will just be different. Any thing to complain about lasted no more than 15 minutes, the worst of which was bugs at the end on the Bicknell Ridge trail descent as the wind died down. Wind gusts while ascending the Ledges of the Baldface Circle Trail were temporary and cooling. Ascending these rocks was challenging, but full of beauty and not impossible. Hot rocks on the way to North Baldface included a sampling of shade. Solitude was occasionally interspersed with conversation. Good conversation included silences that were not awkward. All uphill climbs up ledges were gently interspersed with the most delicious vegetation.

Today's 6-word poem: "Step, Step, Blueberry; Step, Step, Blueberry."

QuickPost-July 15, 2010

2010-07-15T19:43:00.001-07:00

I wait at camp all day. But waiting is not right.
I accomplish.
I relax.
I gain confidence with the bosses gone.
I finally converse with a coworker,
as we blend sweet fruit, tangy juice, delicious dairy, and nuttiness and toast to the many qualities of each other and camp.
I am called an artist, as I paint the crevices in the wood that spell language.
I explain wilderness, tell part of my story, and then am asked "my goal for the future."
I tell them I can only give a philosophical answer at this time.
"To have fun," I say, quoting a friend.
I dance under the clouds as they make way for stars,
for a whole song with no one watching.
The rain teased us. Tension settled from yesterday.
Tonight's evening activity?
Poetry Night.

QuickPost-July 14, 2010

2010-07-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

7/14/10: Yesterday was a learning day. My first day "alone" while the bosses went on their days off together, instead of split up. However, it was also our first day completely down one staff member, and I still have only worked here for two weeks. It is difficult to manage for efficiency when you don't have a good scope on the process. However, my bosses didn't actually leave for their days off, so after a few slightly hurt feelings and small consultations later, and a little less heat in the air (finally), everyone felt better and things were running more smoothly. Luckily, I watched Sarah have to repeat multiple parts of her job but persevere through it with a relaxed attitude. And thus I am kindly reminded that challenges are blessings in the form of reminders.

QuickPost-July 11, 2010

2010-07-11T14:25:00.001-07:00

Do we have this in the west?
As I bicycle along the road, I can feel microclimates that I would never notice otherwise. I remember this feeling from Hanover. As I biked out to forestry practice, over the bridge with the brook, I would feel the change of temperature. And today as I biked out to The Brickett Place, I felt the warmth, the chill, the changes in humidity, and so many micro-changes that I don't remember from my previous homeplace out west.
Feeling the air change in minute ways, not from the wind, but from your own body passing through an area with a vague boundary, is an emotional experience when one is used to consistency in climate.

QuickPost-July 8, 2010

2010-07-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

Fifty guests, six routed signs, two singalongs, two barbecues, two ice cream cones, two excessively hot and humid days, two river soaks, two days off, one fallen ladder, one bike ride, one swimming hole, one fired employee, and one fireworks show all in one week--what more could you ask for??

QuickPost-July 7, 2010

2010-07-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

Feeling the heat. Escape to the cold river. The kid needs help but we must draw the line and fire him for his actions. In contrast to the humidity, my emotions go cold.

QuickPost-July 6, 2010

2010-07-06T19:54:00.005-07:00

I drove in to camp this afternoon accompanied by OMC's "How Bizarre." Despite their not being from New Hampshire, they pronounce bih-zah as if true New Hampsha Yankees. It seemed so appropriate as I returned from Moosilauke calmed by the Lodge and slow-moving because of the heat-wave. I found this ironic, knowing that tomorrow there will be a metaphorical storm at work.

QuickPost-July 6, 2010

2010-07-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

I can drive across a state in 2.5 hours! I always feel so relaxed at Moosilauke, listening to the Asquamchumake stream through the mountains and the wind stream through the trees.

QuickPost-June 29, 2010

2010-06-29T18:29:00.001-07:00

The rain catches me off guard, and yesterday I noticed the changes in humidity throughout the day and had to ask my boss if he was feeling them too simply to understand if it was "just me."

QuickPost-June 25, 2010

2010-06-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

How would YOU describe the wafting aroma of pine needles as the breeze hits your face?

QuickPost-June 24, 2010

2010-06-24T18:30:00.001-07:00

While reaching to my toes I discover something from Utah -- a tan line from the turquoise ankleet Dylan made for me last August out of a plastic bag.

The Role of the Writer on the Land

2010-04-27T14:41:00.003-07:00

Reflecting on the works of Edward Abbey, David Remley wrote:
"...How we shall see the land is the central question of [Fire on the Mountain]. If we condemn vast sweeps of it for the inappropriate uses of a technological society, what does that condemnation mean for the rights of an old man like John Vogelin, for the mental and emotional health of a Lee Mackie, for the spiritual vision of a maturing boy like Billy? What does it mean for all of us and, ultimately, for nature itself?" (Pg. 57 of Resist Much, Obey Little: Some Notes on Edward Abbey)

Whoops--I forgot where I am

2009-03-12T10:37:00.002-07:00

The first month I was in DC, I was attached to the high and dry forests and mesas of New Mexico from whence I had departed.

Now, as I approach my last month in DC, I forget that I haven't moved to my new home yet, the red rock deserts of Utah where forested mountain clusters rise like freckles on the desert landscape. (Do freckles rise? I hate the pimple analogy).

I woke up this morning and red for a few minutes in bed as the sun streamed in my window. When I got up, I even walked over the glass patio doors in the living room to feel the outside temperature. But by the time I walked out of the apartment building, wearing two-layer shortsleeves and a thin jacket, I realized I am not in Utah yet! This Dorothy was hit by a gentle wind and an urban sidewalk shadow that made her realize that when it is sunny on this here East Coast of the USA, it is colder than on the cloudy, warm day prior. Out west, it can be anything on a sunny day, because it is almost always a sunny day. And when the day before was warm, it tends to be warm the next.

Not here though.

However dizzying this constant change of place (pace?) may be, you can rest assured that I will never pull a NIMBY (not in my backyard), because chances are that someday it will be my backyard!

Women Protecting Wilderness

2009-01-26T22:21:00.003-07:00

"To me
nature is a salve for the soul.
I am:
humbled by its majesty
awed by its diversity
inspired by its details
soothed by its beauty
awakened by its scents
intrigued by its adaptability
encouraged by its durability.
It connects me with my ancestors
and gives me hope for the future.
May it stay."

-Sarah Grant, Outdoor Enthusiast, Healthcare professional, Lover of Life
Salt Lake City, UT

I love it when other people articulate things for me!

2009-01-24T11:01:00.001-07:00

"The different modes of transport that command greater speed point to how the world is experienced when organized on the fast-changing time-space-speed vectors. Space is conquered with the acceleration technology and the distances are measured on the basis of speed and not in spacial terms. In other words, the distance between two given points is measured by how fast one can reach a point rather than by the actual spatial distance. The speed at which we cover the distance--on foot, motor vehicle, train, and airplane--determines how we experience and remember the landscape en route, witness ordinary minute happenings, and interact with the people inhabiting those landscapes."

-ravinda kaur, "the last journey: exploring social class in the 1947 partition migration"
[courtesy Erica W.]

Red Rocks

2009-01-10T12:55:00.003-07:00

"Three hundred million years
of the Earth's making
are written here on red rock,
faces smooth or swirled,
streaked, striped, or banded,
creased and creviced, scoured and pocked,
sculpted into figure, frieze, and phallus,
tower and spire, chimney, mesa, bluff and butte,
rust red against Utah's cobalt sky.

Red rock scarred, or stained black
and silvery slate with "desert varnish"
by microbes grasping minerals from the air.

Rocks reddened by traces of iron,
fissured and finned, eroded into shapes
named mushroom, goblin, hoodoo,
evoke a sacred space. This stark,
vast, dry, and fragile place
is slow to change, impossible to repair.

Red rock stretches away to the horizon
or falls sharply to the secret canyon floor,
presses in, blots out patches of azure sky,
slices off light, forces our thoughts inside.

We humans have never been so small as we are here.

Judith Wolinsky Steinbergh, National Geographic Magazine, March 2005
"84532: Writing on the Land"

The day I get that Delicate Arch license plate on my hybrid-electric truck is the day I feel at home

2009-01-04T09:28:00.004-07:00

I have relocated to Washington, DC for the purposes of a further decrease in pay from my SCA Intern wage, living with my parents, and learning about how our government gets things done (arguably). On a more positive note, I now live in the land of glorious public transportation and get to work for a strong, respected (some might say pushy) Wilderness advocacy group. Details will develop as to what, exactly, I do, but for now just know that if you can't relate to the people that actually make the decisions, there is no point in trying to convince them to make yours. This statement means that at some point I will ned to take up field or ground work with the locals, but this is just one stepping stone in building my skills to fight for humans kind--because if we keep trying to have dominion over the earth and the species with which we share it, God will only smite us. If we coexist and integrate ourselves with the balanced chaos that is nature, then we will hopefully protect and then pass on all sorts of developed and undeveloped marvels to our children.

Learning how to articulate the importance of undeveloped spaces and proper development of developed spaces is my challenge. Carrying capacity if my pal. Building firecodes and traffic jams are my analogic friends. And preserving Wilderness and habitat corridors is my passion, for the sake of those of us that live here today. That way we don't have to pay even higher taxes to clean our muddied drinking water, repave our washed-out roads, and to have an ambulance respond to a vehicle accident with wildlife that had no where else to go to get to more foraging land and therefore became roadkill.

It's hard to figure out how to make an impact. I guess we just have to go about our passions and hope that we can spark curiosity or change or hope or love.

"Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life."

2008-12-20T11:00:00.005-07:00

The day started early in the morning as I kissed Silas goodbye in Albuquerque and headed on my way. Our day today began with an elderly woman early in the morning carrying a Netflix envelope home from her mailbox, and ended with the I-19 exit for Vicksburg Rd. Glorious bookends right there, folks. I'm sure I forgot/didn't do many things at Bandelier (get my volunteer pass, bookstore credit, and box name tag; obtain my NPS cowboy hat, find my headlamp in my car, bring Rebecca a tshirt and mug, check my mailbox, say goodbye to Shannon, Dennis, Tori, and many others, oh, and checkout of my house!--I bribed Maddy with cookies today but she suggested I send them to you, Beth). As Virginia said, my departure was like ripping off a Band-aid. I couldn't get myself to leave the house, where I was hanging out so comfortably with Beth and Gini and I eventually looked at my watch 15 minutes after I told myself I was going to leave. I stood up and said "see you guys later" and walked out to my car. Their rousing complaints lulled me back inside to give them hugs (2 each, and just kidding, that was all part of my plan, but I needed to somehow rip that band-aid off even if I did intend take the last little bit off carefully). Above is the photo of the beautious ("crazy-beautiful") moment that I texted many of you about---the rainbow over Black Mesa.

Leaving the Great Outdoors, Headed to the Urban Outdoors

2008-12-05T16:39:00.006-07:00

It looks like I will be moving back to DC for 6 months starting in January. This is a big jump, but I'm confident it is a good one--be it stepping stone back out west or stepping stone to something else or a whole new door open.

For the record, these are the boots I wore for the past 9 months. Every day for 5 months at Wupatki, plus my whole backcountry season at Bandelier, during which I hiked over 250 miles in these suckers.

D. and I ventured to Amarillo (Armadillo?) spontaneously to pick up car parts and visited the Ft. Sumner area as the sun was setting, the moon was rising, and Venus and Jupiter were making themselves known.

The next day, D., V/G., and I proceed on an epic adventure a la "Portage up Mt. Washington" (see Chubbers, every summer). We salvaged a flotation device, paddled is downriver, and carried up the F.Trail. It was epic, the F. Trail surprisingly felt shorter than ever, the rapids were fun and I finally used my lifejacket that I have carried around for 17 months, I got to sport my hiking skirt in the park and feel cute and outdoorsy at the same time, and

Quote of the trip, repeated with all sorts of fill-ins: "Eww! I've got Rio in my _____!"

Did I mention?

2008-09-25T23:14:00.003-07:00

I've been at Bandelier National Monument for a month now, and I'll be here for only 2 more (into early-mid November). I hike every day, which is an ecclectic mix of amazingly wonderful and very challening--mostly for myself, not physically.

I spend a bunch of time based out of a little backcountry ranger cabin, where I get to explore and check people's permits and monitor arch sites. But really, I tromp around wherever I want. I miss talking to people, so I enjoy the chance to come into the frontcountry or connect with the interp staff.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

2008-08-10T12:49:00.002-07:00

Holy Moly, How Long Has It Been?

I went to the east coast.

Attended a wonderful wedding.

Had a tree fall on my car (in Phoenix!?)

Drove 20 hours in 4 days to visit Pam in Sequoia.

Saw a Black Bear.

Discovered there will be black bears at my new park.

Am completely somewhat overwhelmed by all I have to do.

And in 4 days I'm moving. Oh and did I mention my car is in the shop for another 3 days?

My new mailing address at Bandelier National Monument is on facebook, my alum-blitz auto reply, or you can contact me for it.

I would like to end with a poem a visitor wrote for me last week:
Many many years ago
you weathered timeless, Knowing winds
here we are, upon your steps,
standing near your kin
were you proud of your great masterpiece?
or were you just living day to day
We are truly in great awe of you sacred space
Many years have passed between
yet, were our places to be switched-...
would you be so awed of our sacred space as we are of yours?

RotDNtHNY

2008-07-09T08:22:00.003-07:00

Reasons of the Day Not to Hate New York:

Wildlife--normal squirrels, sort of

Little birdie

Blooming

Community gardens

Water, and it's easy to be car-free

country girl in the city,
and of course, gfra!!!!
(photo to come)

6 Word Memoir

2008-05-09T17:47:00.003-07:00

Exhaustion and Oblivion. Passion. That's all.

The six word memoir rules are:write your own six word memoir.post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like.link to the person that tagged you in your post.tag five more blogs with links.leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

Tagged: OliveB & Parents, Laura, Mary?, Dave?

Ok, so I'm exhaused after training, but a part of me wants my memoir to be:
"Lions and tigers and bears, oh--"

"You can't open the book of my life and jump in the middle." -Mal, Firefly

2008-04-30T20:34:00.001-07:00

"Listen, boss, I learned one thing at Harvard. There's one thing wrong with always fighting for freedom, and justice, and decency. And so forth."

Burns looks up at the blazing sky. "Only one thing? What's that?"

"You almost always lose."

-Good News by Edward Abbey (p. 222, Sam & Jack Burns)

Today was an interesting day. Or shall I say, today's meeting resulted in an interesting feeling. It furthered the love-hate relationship I have with Headquarters. I like the folks that work there, I like schmoozing with them, I like seeing the ones with whom I am friends; but I often feel this tension. Towards me? It shouldn't be, but I feel some sort of tightness, like I am way too happy for them. I feel like when I walk in I will learn cool, new exciting things, and that I will enjoy the meetings as much as I enjoyed the DOC bureaucratic meetings. And the ones at HQ are okay--the Wilderness portion of today's was particularly good--but I don't feel nearly as much like I am fighting the good fight. I feel like I should walk in, enthused by my contact with the visitor, and perhaps they could be invigorated by that, but alas. They're all nice people, they just.....need to get outside more often. ALL OF THEM!

And back to the Wilderness portion of today's monthly all-staff meeting. It was great to get a thorough refresher of the history of wilderness things. The wild started off scary, a place that challenged the original settlers and a place that needed to be wrestled and harnessed. And then somewhere in there, it became a place of beauty, and then a place that distinguished America from Europe as a vast landscape including this unique, untrammeled country. And then somewhere in there, it because a place to maintain rather than tame, and then eventually a place to preserve and protect in addition to maintaining. And in that same time, Teddy Roosevelt made huge initial strides in protecting the type of places that rejuvenated him, and encouraged others to be rejuvenated by these places as well. How did our land go from a place that challenged us everyday to survive, to a place that challenges to express itself everyday that we live on it, and where we must ask, "is this acre of land special enough to be able to live on its own as it always has?"

And I started to wonder, is the Park Service really where I want to be?

I love the mission, the Organic Act of 1916, and everything that drives all employees in the back of their minds whether they like it or not. I love the community. I love the high density of citizens concerned about the land and concerned about getting other folks to love the landscape even for a brief moment. However, could I make a similar impact working for the Arizona Wilderness Coalition? The Wilderness Society? The Sierra Club? The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance? Heck, a solar or wind power company? Could I have more freedom, more positive political surroundings, and a greater likelihood of fulfilling those dreams that may be more grandiose than those I might propose to NPS? Or is it just as important to be willing to go "into the belly of the beast"? And is it not still a beast to work for something like a Wilderness advocacy group in Arizona or Utah? So why am I so fixated on the Park Service? Especially if, as I lose some of my bright-eyed-bushy-tailed-ness, it's going to start feeling like it does when I walk into Headquarters.

"sorry, babe, i'm into wilderness" -me, at the suggestion that i move to brooklyn and work for it's parks

2008-04-03T17:49:00.003-07:00

Cuando me pongo a pensar,
se que el calor en mi corazon
es el amor que siento para todos
aquellos que han llenado mi vida de felicidad
---
When I pause to think,
I know the warmth in my heart
is the love I feel for everyone
who has filled my life with happiness.

~Calor by Pena y Alba

Half Way Point: 6 Month Anniversary

2008-03-14T17:44:00.001-07:00

As I approach March 19th, I want myself to keep this quote in mind:

Adventure is stepping through brand-new doors with your mouth shut and your eyes wide open. -Barbara Kingsolver

Good times, Good times

2008-03-11T15:41:00.018-07:00

"In the end, wilderness is not defined by the absence of certain activities but rather by the presence of certain unique and invaluable characteristics. The answer to the often-asked question, “why do you want this area to be wilderness?” is, these areas already are wilderness, we simply want to preserve them as they are andas they have been for generations.”
– Subcommittee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), during his opening remarks at a February 26, 2008 Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest and Public Lands hearing on H.R. 5151, legislation introduced by Chairman Rahall that would add an additional 47,000 acres of wilderness within the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.

Over the past month or two, my life has been both adventuresome and calm, stressful and absolutely wonderful. Perhaps I will look back and see change? Who knows. But here is some documentation of the recent past:

1. Canyon de Chelly with Mom: I took a 3 day weekend and went on an adventure through Hopi and over to Canyon de Chelly (aka Tsegi Canyon, or Canyon Canyon). Momentous? Developing a strong desire to keep living in the Four Corners area.

2. Farewell to Arms: Friends/Coworkers M. and S. both went on their way to bigger and better places. In other words, promotions! Yay--never forget the wonder that is Wupatki. I swear we're not drinking in uniform in the office.....or are we?

3. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument: A 24 hour adventure down to blooming poppies and encroaching heat led to seeing a dead bobcat in the road, meeting a nice SCA, and making a non-work friend in Flag (8 hours in a car is either awkward or, as in this case, leads to getting to know someone pretttty well). Momentous? Realizing Flag is a very, very small town....as everyone seems to know someone I know, despite my knowing (k)no one.

4. SNOW! It snowed, Allie didn't come to visit, I was restless, and Erica embarked on skiis again for the first time in forever and revved up to leave Flag. Oh, and I schmoozed with Peace Corps folks and Et. continues to be my confidant.

5. LAME! It never gets old. I went to visit Mw. and F. at their desolate yet beautiful homes, 106 miles apart. It was the most exhausting weekend in a long time because of the driving, mostly, but it was also really good. I spent a bunch of time with Mw which was super-fun, and we had a chance to meet up with F for lunch, who alas had to work. Lots of driving. Good stories, guns, some chilling out. The "lake" was beautiful, so were the flowers, so were the petroglyphs, and so was the homeyness that was Cottonwood. MB, Can I Get a Hug? The drive back involved multiple napping stops and a not-so-good subsequent week. But I'm so glad I went. We'll see if those guys ever come visit me like they promise....

6. Manny!!!!! That's right. and George!!!!! L. came to visit AZ from NYC. Holy moly, perfect timing, as we both really needed each other this week. It was stressful and tough this week and I needed something to distract me from my distraction. She came on my Discovery Hike, we explored some favorite places, found a perfect little place to recline at Wukoki (a depression for your butt and everything!), watched sunsets, went to bed early, got wasted as usual (aka joked about it and definitely didn't), and more. On Sunday we met up with one of my bestest friends from college and his friend, made them see Wupatki briefly, and then went to the Grand Canyon around 3 pm and for sunset. I hadn't been there for 3 years, and it was actually nice to be back. Remind me never to go during hunting season (aka tourist season). Laura and I stopped by Arcosanti on the way down to Phoenix, got spontaneous massages (what else do you do with an extra hour among the strip malls of the swealtering city?), found and sat on the same patch of grass along Peoria St. that we sat on together 3 years ago, and then I powered home at 9 pm to get away from the heat. See L's Flickr for more photos.

2008-01-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Below are highlights from a fantastic opinion article in the Miami Herald, Allowing people to carry guns in national parks is a bad idea (by Chester Allen, McClatchy Newspapers, Wed., Jan 23, 2008), regarding a recent effort by 47 Senators to allow loaded, reachable guns in National Parks. Note, guns are allowed on other federal, public lands, such as Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and others where the focus is recreation. The mission of the National Park Service is to Preserve and Protect certain pieces of land of cultural, historic, natural, and scenic significance. Hunting is not allowed, and there is no reason to have a loaded weapon in a National Park.

"It's easy to transport a pistol, shotgun or rifle in a national park. All you have to do is unload the weapon - that takes less than a minute - put it into a case and then stow it in the car trunk or some other secure place that isn't easily accessible to the people in the vehicle. If the senators think that all of that is a chore, they must really chafe when they're in a city - where most of us have to do the exact same thing when taking a firearm from one place to another."

"Or picture pitching your tent in a big campground and seeing your neighbors walk around with handguns strapped to their hips - or target shooting at a stump. Would you feel relaxed and safe in those situations? I've owned firearms most of my life, but I wouldn't feel safe in those spots."

"If you want to carry a firearm in the outdoors, just head out to the millions of acres of national forest or Bureau of Land Management land that allow firearms and hunting. Our national parks are sanctuaries for wildlife - and people who are weary of the perils of modern life. We don't need to carry firearms in national parks. We just need to carry along some basic knowledge and awareness. Come to think of it, that's something that those 47 senators need as well."

PLEASE vote on Senator Coburn's (R-OK) website regarding the gun carrying issue. Note that by carrying, he means on one's person, loaded, as one is currently allowed to safely transport a weapon through a National Park as current law stands.

Surprise! Part 2 ~ REAL Snow

2008-01-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

Ok. About 18 inches in Flagstaff. A real winter storm, wahoo! We got about 5 inches at Wupatki, but I was not present (I was on my way to training at Montezuma's Castle, and therefore in Flag...in fact, I got stuck in Flag for a wonderful extra 36 hours). Oh wait, and I skiied the streets of Flagstaff. And the front yard of the county courthouse :)

Surprise!

2007-12-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

More snow today :)

Very Important

2007-12-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

It is crucial that anyone reading watch these two videos:

1. The importance of our National Parks

2. The Story of Stuff

AND my axe is done!!

Look, snow!

2007-12-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

Bi-emotional days lately for various reasons. For example, adventure coupled with calm, stormy weather coupled with sun rays or just warm, pink cheeks in the wind. And happiness, coupled with sadness.

Here is just one photo. Go to my larger posting of Wupatki photos for more.

Life is Beautiful: With Rain, The Desert Comes Alive

2007-12-07T16:55:00.000-07:00

Little Pronghorn!
Storm coming in Hard at work

As the days get slower...

2007-12-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

It finally rained today. Actually, yesterday too. That's October 4th until November 30th without a scant smattering of precipitation. We've received almost 0.3"!

Times are getting slow, which actually means I can get a lot done. Like put a few pictures on my blog. But since I'm at work,* I won't ramble. Suffice it to say that our numbers had been about 120-200 per day, they jumped up above 400 for the two days after Thanksgiving, and now for the past week it has been less than 80 visitors per day. Yesterday we had 52. It's almost 11 am on a Saturday and we've had 2 people so far. Three if I count Denise, the mail lady, who came in to drop off a package.

In honor of the weather, I will post some more photos.
Public art in front of my apartment (artiste: my boss; instigator of being pranked: me)

End of November, Full Moon rise over Wukoki
T. writes the weather on the board, anticipating our first rain in a looong time

Wukoki, by T.

*For the record, this is the first time in almost 3 months that I've taken 10 minutes during work to Blog. My apologies if you think that is wrong of me, and that I am misusing your tax dollars. In reality, I regularly spend time working on work outside of work hours. Why do I feel the need to defend myself? In case anyone from work happens to read this.

Local images

2007-11-02T19:14:00.001-07:00

Wukoki

Moi

A Day in My Life

2007-10-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

I wake up around 6 am (getting on 6:30 now as the sun rises later and later). I have time to myself in the morning that is spectacular. I may exercise, read in bed, read in my hammock, bathe, do random things around my apartment, or all of the above!

I start work at 8:45 by opening the visitor's center and work until 5:15 or so with a 30 minute break for lunch. Most days are split between fee collection/visitor inquires/bookstore sales in the V.C. and roving around the monument to the various pueblos or other cultural resources that we protect. I am assigned to do the former in either the morning of the afternoon and I get the unassigned half of the day to rove and do other things I might need to do, like plan a talk for a school group, do paperwork, learn more about the sites and read read read. Sometimes, spontaneous things come up and we deal with those and cover for each other as need be.

Every couple weeks, I have a project day or some other training-type day. This has included reinforcing my knowledge and interpretation of the Crack-in-the-Rock backpacking trip by hiking the route back with the entire staff and practicing route finding and landscape reading by hiking a portion of the route with my coleader for next weekend, Linda, and my boss, Mary.

The sun is setting earlier and earlier, and so I tend to go for a brief bike ride or maybe walk or exploration at the end of the day. I will soon start working on projects like my canoe paddle and axe head hanging. These will be good when it is dark at the end of the day.

I make dinner, watch a movie or listen to a PodCast or read some (not enough! I want to read more!), check up on my Rainbow Swiss Chard plants, etc. I go to bed anytime from 9:30 to 11 pm, and wake up early the next morning and do it all over again.

I posted pictures--some repetitive, but I will add more in the future-- at
http://picasaweb.google.com/vicki.wupatki

For the record...

2007-10-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today, a 5 year old asked his mother if he could ask for
my phone number.

(Apparently I am very successful at making kids Junior
Rangers).

He drew me a picture and it's hanging on my wall :)

Go West, Young Woman, Go West!

2007-09-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

At the end of August, I accepted a position as a 1 year SCA (Student Conservation Association) Intern at Wupatki National Monument. One of three monuments run by the National Park Service as the Flagstaff Area National Monuments, Wupatki is the site of many pueblo ruins from the years 1100-1250. At the height of occupation, archaeologists that nearly 3,000 Puebloans lived in this landscape that looks out over the Painted Desert.

From these photos--which I hesitate to post because I have not yet attempted to get "great photos" that really capture what I get to see with my own eyes--you can see a small piece of the landscape. My apartment window looks out on the Painted Desert as the sun illuminates it in the evening (above). There are a couple cottonwood trees, which I am convinced are keeping me from missing New England too much. Below you can see the row of employee apartments in the background behind my side mirror, and the desert landscape during the day is seen in the mirror.

Since my position is 40 miles outside of Flagstaff and 35 miles from a grocery store, I am "required" to have a car. With my trusty sidekick the Camry (for the time being named Silas) and my friend Carmen from Dartmouth, we all set out on a wonderfully successful Road Trip from New Hampshire to Lake Tahoe area, CA. We drove much, laughed a lot, sweated without AC but maximized our fuel efficiency, stayed with great friends, saw a license plate that said GARLIC, camped in random forests, accomplished South Dakota, contemplated tire pressure often, planted a rainbow flag in Wyoming--unintentionally but quite happily, created shenanigans, avoided Nevada but not enough, and exploded fruit.

Below are highlight photos including myself, Carmen, and Silas.

Epilogue: Day 7 - June 23, 2007

2007-06-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

New Orleans

Day 6: June 22, 2007 - The Last Day

2007-06-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

"Fortunately, the sun has a wonderfully glorious habit of rising every morning."
-My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Perhaps the most useful aspect of going on a Katrina Relief service trip for only one week is the overwhelming desire to go back. We all recognized the need to be flexible and that everything would not be perfect. Some days, you may not be able to do exactly the type of work you want to do (ie. construction, digging, de-molding, playing with kids, helping mentor local kids), or you might get rained out. But overall we are now all messengers of how much effort is still needed. In much of Biloxi, I estimate that 1/3 of the parcels of land only have a concrete foundation left on them. Most of the rubble was swept out to sea or has been carried away. What the town needs most now and for the next 20 years --East Biloxi in particular--is community-building. Construction-building will continue to plug along, but building confidence in children and hope in adults comes with time and love.

When I walked in to Fatima ("English-camp" for Spanish-speaking kids) today, about an hour late, the whole group was watching a video. Little Carlos whipped his head around, jumped off his chair to come greet me, shot his arms up in the air, and wanted a hug and to be picked up and held. This is in complete contrast to his behavior yesterday when he became so frustrated with me and Kim '06 telling him not to hit the other kids and not to steal their puzzle pieces that he told each of us more that once "Puto madre!" In other words, he informed me that my mother is a whore. After all the kids left we talked to Ana (Spanish Prof.) and Ynez (the awesome woman/teacher running the whole show) about what the heck to do about this. Ana told us to bring Carlos to her whenever he said bad things or hit the other kids, and she would reprimand him in Spanish (which he will understand more clearly and take more seriously, because he knows she will only speak to him in Spanish if it is a really big deal). Carlos squirmed every time we tried to hold him still on Thursday. And on Friday, I held the boy on my hip for at least 3 minutes.

This was not the only progress in the community that culminated at the end of this week. In the afternoon, I went and visited the Community Garden at John Henry Beck Park. Formerly a drug-haven, the park now has a Project Playground/Hands On/KABOOM! Playground, a great field, courts, a small structure that will soon be a police substation (and the only police station on this poorer, lower elevation side of the city). AND it has a Community Garden! About 15 plots are owned and gardened by individuals and local groups and we finished putting down mulch to round out this gorgeous space. I spent a few hours with Karissa and Erin, talking about how they got their project going and what various stumbling blocks they hit. I also got to meet a couple of the plot-owners, and I started to feel like I could actually incorporate myself into a community like this.

The Katrina Memorial

A memorial plaque for Sandra Thornton, beloved friend of Hands On whose house was rebuilt by many Hands On volunteers and AmeriCorps staff. She passed away this year, and shortly after, this poem was found among her belongings.

The 2007 Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Service Trip to Biloxi, MS (First Annual!)
L to R: (Front) Vicki '06/Outdoor Programs, Rosemary (Psychiatry), Jesse '06/Tucker Fndn; (Middle) Janice (Sign Language Interpreter), Ana (Spanish Prof.), Kim '06/Tucker Fndn, Mary (Planning, Design, & Construction), Stan '66/Alumni Relations; (Back) John (Projects/Work Processing), Rob Kim DMS-MPH '05, Stuart Lord (Dean of Tucker Fndn), Freddie '04/Tucker Fndn, Todd '06, Adi (Human Resources)

Day 5: June 21, 2007 - The World in Three Parts

2007-06-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

PART I:

Imagine if the world were based on the meeting of real needs rather than profit.
-Jesse '06

PART II:

Our effort to make tonight's monthly Community Dinner waste-free was quite successful. I'm sure a few people that really love 3 square meals on cardboard paper plates, styrofoam bowls, and plastic cups, and plastic utensils--all of which they throw away afterwards--and missed that this evening, but for the most part, the Hands On folks and the Community Members were appreciative of our efforts to prevent the immediate trashing of 120 sets of "disposable" (wasteful and costly) eating materials. To do this, I went out to the Thrift Store and other massive chain cheap stores (NOT the horribly unethical wal-store) and purchased plates and cups. We then put out a bin of hot soapy water to collect the pastic utensils, which can definitely be used again and again, until they break. In fact, you're probably ingesting many fewer chemicals and bleaches when you used a plastic utentsil that has been washed.
Permanent plates
Permanent cups
Permanent mugs
Reusing the plastic utensils
Recycling any drink bottles
Collecting food waste in a garbage bin (non-meat food waste collected for the compost bin by the Hands On garden)

WHY have a waste-free dinner??
-Fewer landfills, more playgrounds!
-Saves trees & other natural resources
-Composting makes healthy soil for gardens
-Saves you $$$!
-Conservation is cool
-It takes lots of oil to create plastic (+ puts lots of chemicals into the air) and it doesn't decompose :(
-It's a step towards mindful comsumption :)

I have to say it. I was genuinely PISSED OFF and frustrated at the wasteful consumption that goes on at this place. And it felt magical to make this happen.

PART III:

I think it's really important to be in close relationships with all kinds of people. -Jesse '06

Day 4: June 20, 2007 - The Importance of Love and Compassion

2007-06-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Another reason to decrease the amount of car gasoline and other fuels/oils that you use: 25 % of America's oil comes from off-shore Louisiana oil rigs (of which they get no taxes--it goes entirely to the federal goverment--and therefore are the 2nd-poorest state in the US, Mississippi being poorest).

Glenn, a seven-year-old at Art Camp, in the feature of my thoughts today. I spent seven hours, rotating through five hour-long crafts activities with the Blue Group. I only felt really needed in a couple of the classes, but in the other 3 I surely made use of my presence. I basically took to one-on-one mentoring Glenn, talking with him, asking him what he thought, trying to convey the concepts that he just didn't understand, or give him a task that he could understand.

The most shocking moment was when Glenn's father arrived to pick him up--late. With all do respect to the family, the child froze (with a smile on his face, but didn't seem to know to move his legs). A split second earlier, this seemingly nerdy, quiet, somewhat spacey child has been loose and moving around and tossing the frisbee with me (he has a great throw for a 7 year old!). I can't help but think of the book Dibs In Search of Self by Virginia M. Axline. This book is about a child who is diagnosed as probably autistic, but as the author-psychologist works with the child and grows his confidence, she determines that, frankly, the parents do not act as if they love their child. I hope someone loves Glenn.

At dinner, which we have every night at Hands On Base with most everyone living there, short-termers, medium-termers, and long-termers alike. At the end of announcements, we recognize folks that are leaving. Tonight, a young man named George was departing. He has been here for 8 months, and without question he has impacted many souls. I feel--honored?-- that I was able to witness the careful words and articulated emotions conveying love, compassion, thanks, and awe to this young architect/builder. There are so many wonderful people in this big, bad world, and I appreciate the opportunity to have even a little bit of their time (even though I never knew George, and I only got to hear stories about him).

Day 3: June 19, 2007 - Exploring Biloxi

2007-06-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

Today was a hodgepodge day, as I was "The Ira." Named after a former Hands-On-er, "Ira" drives around, shuttling people who stay on base to do morning cleanup, picking up folks early, taking anyone to the airport, etc. I had one major strategy in signing up for this duty--to see Biloxi. A side benefit was direct one-on-one conversations with people I had not met yet that are leaving tomorrow and have been here for 2 months (particularly Derek from Alabama who is from a family of New Orleans residents).

I am a geographer at heart, with a crisp visual memory and a strong sense of direction. I drove between Hands On Headquarters, west of the Air Force Base, and East Bilxoi (east of the AFB) about 10 times today. I tried to take a different route every time, see the neighborhoods, get a sense of my way around, and by the end of the day I knew the streets--major and smaller--reasonably well and felt much more comfortable here.

As a result of this, there are a handful of pictures, many from one foundation that looks at the beach from highway 90.

A few other incidents that highlighted my day included hearing Carlos, a whiny and agressive 2-3 year old, count back to me in English when I played toss 1-on-1 with him today. He was happy, not bothering the other kids, not crying just to get attention. We mentors do not want to only reprimand the kids in Spanish, because we want them to consider Spanish and English to both be important, wonderful languages. Usually, Carlos just points to something and mumbles "Ehh." Today I tried "tell me in Spanish." He responded, "agua." I said "would you like water? If you do, then ask me, 'water please'?" He mumbled words that sounded strongly like water and please and so then I went and got him water. Today it became clear that this yound lad, who barely speaks to us, can quite capably say all the numbers, 1 through 10.

Kim and I reflected on really making this about the children, as opposed to ourselves. Unfortunately we were concerned that some of the Dartmouth undergrads--who have been here for 10 days and are likely quite tired--are having a hard time still making this about other people and not slipping into making this about themselves. I fully know that I am not here on the premise of altriusm--I think anyone is kidding themselves if they think that is the only purpose. I am also here to get to know the other volunteers (during OFF times, as we did today with a undergrad-fac/staff/alum ice cream trip/mixer this evening) and to get the wonderful feeling of helping someone else and a community in need. Not to mention the amazing feeling of a local man walking along the line of all 30 of us in the ice cream shop with his kids saying, "thank you very much, thank you for coming here, we really appreciate all of you guys's work, thanks again, thank you so much for helping us," as he walked past groups of us on his way out of the store. That is not altruism, that is self-satisfaction and warming of the heart and soul.

Day 2: Monday, June 18, 2007

2007-06-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

I cannot explain the feeling of being emptied of all thoughts that occurred tonight after watching Act III of "When the Levee Breaks." It was not a ton of emotions, it was not necessarily pain. There was some guilt. Some shock. Some frustration. Some fear? But I really did appreciate the ability to sit there in the dark room in silence for a number of minutes before the 6 of us started sharing our thoughts.

"Hope is not a plan."

This was written on many buildings in the documentary. This is very much my personal opinion, but this applies to so many actions of the US government right now. I'm ashamed of our president and administration, as well as those proposing to pull troops out: as a citizen who stays moderately up to date on currents events (somewhere in between nothing and everything), I have no idea what an actual PLAN or STRATEGY might be. When are we going to bring these troops back to help our own people??? Money should not have been the controlling factor--we should have jumped to respond, not worry about cost, because THIS is what our national decificit should be from.

Over the course of the next 5-10- more years, there's going to be a significant need for relief efforts in the form of mental health and transitioning schools from shitty to above satisfactory quality.

Ana, from the Spanish Dept., told us all an expressive story this evening at our group reflection time. Today she tutored a boy named Jerry (age 8 maybe?), not for very long, as she was helping with cleanup at the Hands On site. Jerry is at English camp at the Catholic Church across the street where I also worked (but with younger children) today. Without any prompt, partway through the tutoring, Jerry switched to Spanish. Instead of saying, No, speak English, as we had been told was a rule to enforce usually, she listened. Jerry told her about how his dad was saved, and what was on his mind, and his story--a state of emotional and mental depth that he probably could not express in Engligh.
I hope someone can continue to be here for these children in all these different ways. Teaching them that Spanish and English are both wonderful languages, and that they must know BOTH of them (and that Vietnemese, the language of the vast majority of Biloxi immigrants, is also wonderful, and also necessitates learning English concurrently). And listening to them, too.

Carlitos the Trouble-Maker

Hands On Gulf Coast space.

Rebuilding.

7 Day in Biloxi: Service Trip to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi

2007-06-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 17, 2007: Arrival and Impact

Our week in Biloxi officially began today as 14 faculty, staff, and alumni of Dartmouth College gathered in the Hands On-Gulf Coast headquarters. The building looks like a big open warehouse, but with a second-floor loft that rings the inside of the building. This leaves a big, 2-story open area in the middle for eating, relaxing, talking, reading, etc. There are about 100 bunk beds on the upper level where both short-term and long-term volunteers live.
This morning Jesse '06 and I visited two churches. At one, a Baptist church, we attended Bible Study Session with older, white locals. At the second, we attended a Gospel service full of singing, families, and black locals. Both churches were incredibly welcoming and were happy to have visitors and welcome us for a short portion of their morning. Both houses of God praised God's love, even in adversity--the first in an emphatic sermon, the second in an encouraging, proactive tone through song, prayer, and sermon.

After exploring the city by car for an hour in the afternoon, we returned to headquarters to meet with Mary-Pat and Tony, a local couple who, like so many, still live in a FEMA trailer. Like most of Biloxi's residents, they were completely trapped by the insurance companies who claimed that the cause of damage was whatever type of insure you did not have (if you had Flood, it was Wind, if you had Wind, it was Flood). Hurricane insurance, which everyone is required to have here, resulted in meager returns and Mary-Pat and Tony are struggling with renovation of one somewhat damaged structure on their property (a cottage/shed) and questioning rebuilding their completely demolished home. FEMA hasn't even officially set the rebuilding standards yet--they're only suggested that homes will not have to be 21 feet off the ground in some places.

These folks were lucky to have changed their mind and evacuated before it was too late.

I have two movie recommendations:
1. The Art of the Storm, about local artists who were connected with galleries in Minnesota to find a home to display their art; includes Mary-Pat.
2. When the Levees Broke, an intense but thoroughly articulated and explained documentary about the chronology and major themes of this natural disaster in New Orleans (i.e. federal failure to respond appropriately until 5 days after); by Spike Lee

"'I've been everywhere, man...."

2007-05-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

These are all places I have been--not just stopped over in the airport. The minimum stay is driving through. A couple states are arguable: I don't think I even stopped to go to the bathroom in Iowa. Some stays are silly--I stopped in one minor town during a road trip just to spend the night. I consider staying in a Comfort Inn the same as stopping in an airport unless you turn go out to dinner locally or something.

create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide

create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

Fox Glacier!!!!

2007-04-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

Here you see a girl who looks like me but isn't me making steps on the glacier for our group. You go girl!

Observation: "Nice to meet you. And what do you do?"

2007-03-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

One big difference about DC/USA and Australia/NZ (they're very different countries but they both ascribe to the social norm mentioned here) is that when you "go out" in any form and meet someone, in the USA, they will ask you 1) Where are you from?, and 2) What do you do?. There are minor variations on this. At my university, students, upon meeting each other, ask 1) What year are you? (as in, what is your graduation year), and 2) What is your major?, and a possible 3) What activities do you do?.

Regardless of the precise question, I would emphatically agree that "What do you do?" is one of the first five questions that you ask someone when you are getting to know them in a casual, mixed-group social setting like a bar, at a group gathering, in the common area or the shared-room of your "youth hostel"...

In the lands down under (as the Men At Work like to call it), we find just the opposite. I would hold my breath whenever first meeting someone, fearing that in the first 5 minutes I would have to announce to them that I am an unemployed American who just graduated from University (a year ago) and I am traveling around. Not only do I lack real world job skills, but I also did not spend 6 years working hard to make enough money to go on this 6 month backpackers-style trip of my dreams. Though mine was only 3 months, because 1) we bloody Americans work too hard at home, and 2) don't have the same Queen so can't stay in the country as long with a basic visa. Aussies and Kiwis do NOT ask you what you do [for a living]. This is not just an avoidance tactic among so-called backpackers, many of whom do not want to remember what they "do," if they "do" anything other than pack and repack their clothes and toiletries into their large, hiker-style backpack every couple of days and move around from town to town by bus or cheap used car. Maybe by the time they're full-blown adults they might have the desire to ask me what I do, but even when I met individuals well outside of the tourist or backpacker circuit, they rarely asked me that question. Occasionally, I found myself answering some question with "I just graduated from Uni" and then would often follow that up with what I had studied in Uni[versity]. However, as long as I could act as if I worked and made a living of some sort, they did not care to know how I earned my keep.

I would venture to assert that they are less concerned by what someone does in life (and the subsequent assumptions about their education or how much money they make), and more concerned by who they are as a person. That does not surprise me, of course, as one of my other observations is that Americans are much more proactive and driven and ambitious than our friends Down Under, who seem to have lower stress levels, more family time, more recreational time, fewer migraines, and fewer common colds.

I soon learned that I did not have to hold my breath and await that question. I also had to rapidly develop more social skills! When you first meet someone, what else can you talk to them about that might interest them, other than their job??? What else could they possibly do with their time other than work? There isn't much other time, right? No. I quickly learned how to get to know someone without asking them about what they "do" and then building conversation upon that. "Did you grow up in this area?" was one I came to love--perhaps a bit invasive, but also lets the person tell me if they immigrated to this part of the country, and if they immigrated from abroad, I could then ask them about the moving and visa process and their experience. I found out about neat movies and books that people had just encountered. I talked politics, and I was convinced by non-Americans that Americans might actually vote for a woman so long as we don't psyche ourselves out when we step into the voting-booth (which, if we WANT to vote for Hillary, we should not be afraid to do so). I informed the rest of the world that Americans only get 2 weeks off per year, compared to the 4 or 6 weeks that most other countries in the world allot their employees--and therefore explained why Americans often appear rushed, stressed, fake, and not-mentally-present when one encounters them on their brief trips Down Under. And finally, I learned what actually interests someone as a human being. What makes you happy? Are you incredibly close to your Grandmother? Is listening to her stories and talking with her one of your favorite pastimes? Are you considering a new moral perspective on life? Do you love meat pies? Are you addicted to Toffee Pops? Did you grow up on a ranch with a passion for horses? Have you been hiking on any of the Great Walks? Do you like to listen to local folk music? Is your dog, Cecil, your favorite thing in the world?

Last night, someone said to me "I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you do?" "Oh I'm unemployed!" I said, quite cheerfully, because frankly I am quite proud of the fact that I don't have to get up and go to work like these Capitol Hill slaves do. He gave me a momentary look as if that is unacceptable. Of course, even Down Under, many locals gave me a slightly worried look, but I have the impression that theirs is one of sympathy rather than disgust. "A job will come your way soon," their eyes seemed to say, "just keep trying and things will work out." Of course there are many euphemisms for my current state: in transition, exploring my options, pursuing my dreams, taking time off.

But perhaps next time I should answer this dreaded, terrible question with something more thought provoking: "laugh at your ass because I don't have to wear that suit every day" (that one may not go over so well), "during the week I do productive things during the day and relax in the evenings, and on the weekends I like to spend time outside" (that leaves much to the imagination yet still honestly includes that I spend my days cleaning out piles of academic papers and saved items from high school and college), or the only somewhat rude (and only because society has taught us so) "I prefer not to talk about what I do; what do you like to do with your free time?"

I for one am on a quest to make money doing something that I enjoy at least 50% of the time. I think this is a reasonable goal and that having some difficult, less thrilling things in life make the good times better, yet even I would not want to discuss what I do at work with every person that I meet. Perhaps a connection could be made (and I'm all for networking in my outdated-resume state), but god-forbid we relate to each other in another way. Next time I meet someone in an American bar, at an American gathering, or (!) in an American hostel, I will be sure to ask them "what do you love to do?" and if I'm lucky, maybe they'll tell me about their job.

2007-03-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

over 14.75 billion served? that's very specific for a random brand of mini street vendor donuts.

look, cute old people holding hands like young people, while at the parade for the cuba st. carnival, wellington, NZ. march.

heaps of photos!

2007-03-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

margaret took thousands.
don't worry, this is the abridged version (with some of mine, too):
http://flickr.com/photos/margaretallen/sets/72157594413911229/

whew. ps. back in the US. 40 hours of March 8th. Got sick during my 10 hr layover in Auckland. Saw Ada and Ben. Trying to clean my room.

shiit

2007-03-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

in the words of a famous band, "should I stay or should I go now???"

as I said to someone else,
I'd go back home to:
1) see anne , but i know she'd tell me to do whatever i need to do
2) to go to the forestry meet, cause i'm still attatched to dartmouth
3) to fulfill my plane ticket and the fact it exists and costed me heaps o' dinero
4) to go home and look for a short-medium term job, from a comfortable place like my home

If i stayed here, i could potentially
1) travel with ben and ada a bit while they're tramping around on backpacking trips for a couple weeks
2) work some, and make up some if not all the cost of the new plane ticket
3) challenge myself to do something i might have a hard time choosing to do otherwise if i weren't here.

but i'm not sure i'm up for it. but that's lame. when am I ever going to be up for it?

once i book into something, i tend to stick with it unless it's BAD, and it isn't bad to go home, but it could be a golden opportunity to stay here.....

more to come. probably after I decide on March 8th.
big consequence? monetary. I'd have to buy a very expensive ticket home in a few weeks or months or whatever.

FIRE!

2007-01-22T04:08:00.000-07:00

Bushfires seem to follow me.....
I went to Thredbo, NSW to the highest peak. I saw bushfires from the highest peak. The day after I left, the town was evacuated.

I'm back in Tassie now, and there are fires VERY close to Cradle Mountain and they've been picking up Overland Trackers and transporting them by helicopter further down the trail. Good thing I'm not doing that!

Right now I'm in Middleton, TAS (south of Hobart, on the channel looking across to Bruny Island) working with Marj and Toby, an awesome couple. Yay! Pictures later, of course...

why i always carry my bag with me, goddamnit

2007-01-19T04:08:00.000-07:00

An anonymous lad with whom I have been travelling lately (Matt) asked me one day, "yeah vicki, why do you ALWAYS carry your little backpack EVERYWHERE???" though at the time I could only answer something on the order of "i like having a lot of stuff with me," i can now elaborate.

tonight, i went to the Salamanca rectango live music area in the early evening, where they were a handful of tasmanian children (devils? naw!) with their parents drinking cascades and some young-pre-parentage people (though all over 20 or so I would say). That was quite fun, even though I wasn't there long enough to loosen up a lot and go dance in the main area. But I did say hi to a guy wearing a Green Mountain Club tshirt (aussie, not american, though).

Anyways so afterwards I decide, hey, I'm at Salamanca, I'm hungry, I've been eating cheaply, I'm gonna go out to dinner here! I wing up chosing this restaurant because there will be music playing around 8 pm. It's 7:45 pm. After some shuffling I wound up sitting outside. I got a drink promptly but it took maybe till 8:10 for them to come and take my order. Then, I wait. There might have been music, I think, but since I had moved outside, I couldn't really hear it. The good waitress, but who didn't seem to be my main waitress, was nice and brought me a paper, because I'm sitting there by myself and all I had was my emergency cell phone and my camera and my ID and money, cause I had thought "oooh I'm going out on the town I'll look nicer and bring a purse, not my big little backpack!"

Anyways, long story story, the food (a salad with meat, which was cold when it arrived, purposefully i think) came at 8:45!!!!!! And by this time I was cold outside! I had read that entire paper (after starring into the square for a while too). The most interesting article being about China's recent addition of stringent green building requirements. It appears to be a good facet of communism! I ate my dinner, was sure to ask for my bill very promptly, and needless to say I left a very small tip. Others near me were served my faster, by the way. Then I bought I cookie somewhere else--in spite of them and to make me happy.

The moral of the story is ALWAYS carry your little backpack with your book and journal in it so that when you, now single as a traveller, are standing there or sitting there awkwardly watching small children or starring off into space, you can actually have something to do and not have to sit there for 40 minutes waiting for one salad.

shoutout to helen (and any other folk music fans) and margaret, my current favorite travel buddy

2007-01-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

so, though being a bit homesick/companion sick, i wound up having fun today. at a loss of what to do my first evening in Hobart (spending every moment trying to get my plans set), i thought, i'll at least go walk outside. find a park or a bench to sit on to eat my dinner/snack, and call my Lalla, TAS farm people and maybe others. First, a crazy guy walks down the deserted street (seriously! at 8 pm! 1 car or pedestrian every minute or two! so empty!) shouting expletives while i'm on the phone with someone telling me i can't woof for them because they're not free during the day but that i can stay in their woofer accomodations if i'd like. ..... wow!

Then on the way back i'm walking by and there's a signboard out saying live music right now at The Loft. Turns out this place which was mostly a pool hall is now doing live music tues-sat nights! and tonight (thurs) was opening night! of course i didn't find all this out until I got inside. So at first i hovered outside for a few minutes because they were all female singers and i didn't want to walk into some unknown random angry-lesbian-singers fest and not know it because I'm not from here, or walk into a room with no one in there, as there was no one on the street.

so first i prepared myself that those might be the case but then it was fine! and i wound up sitting with these two nice girls from hobart, prob mid-20's, and we talked a bit which was nice. the main headliner band, which is awkwardly called Women in Docs (as in doc martins, but i don't think there's any implied stereo type there) were AWESOME (and from queensland!) and they're not huge huge huge but they've been around the US, to folk festivals and such (Helen they said they've trying to get in to Falcon Ridge!), and it was great. and their last song was a cover of Wagon Wheel, the only song that i can play on the guitar (sort of an old classic, which they told me afterwards they picked up in the states) , so i was psyched.

then on the way out these two random Brizzie (Brisbane, QLD) guys (Ryan and Travis) converse with me "you're from the US, no way!" and ask for my number kind of (and where I'm headed next--which would be home, alone!) but i tell them i don't have one. because for all intents and purposes i don't--i have an emergency phone. and they were drunk. and we all know how drunk people really bother me. But i played it off well, was pretty good socially even though i have very limited experience with the "adult" social scene.

anyways, it was fun and i was proud of myself for finding something cool, and something cool that is new to hobart and exciting, and being social and not too awkward, and being solid with my american ness and not trying to hide it too too much but sort of letting it flow gently as needed.

pictures and sound clips, in like, 2 years, when i have internet again (probably when i'm back in the US)

New photos up on Flickr

2007-01-13T00:41:00.000-07:00

Added 45 faves to the existing 43.
Solid.
Don't want to deal with logistics of being on my own, but becoming somewhat easily jaded with my companions, even though they themselves are great.
Had another 3 fantastic days at the Coast House after Sydney (have I written since we went to Sydney for a week at stayed and Jon and Eleanor's place in Cremone and got to take the ferry everywhere when Matt wasn't amazing and driving us to the further away places like the cool beaches?). Paris was along with us at the coast, I got to play more blues guitar with Matt's dad, Geoff, read more of my book (Dibs In Search of Self by Virginia Axline), and most importantly, go surfing again!
Oh, AND we went to the fair and I rode a few rides :)
Anyways, click on the first link in the list of links and checkout the photos.
I'm back in Canberra now, might go hit up Mount Kosciuszko (highest peak at a whopping 2228 m or 7310 ft.) for a day or two, but on Thurs, Jan 18th, I head back to Tasmania for 3 days in Hobart (climb Mt. Wellington, Salamanca Market, maybe go to Huon Valley or Bruny Island for a day) and then on to the farm in Lalla, Tasmania (fantastic, isn't it?)

2006-12-26T02:32:00.001-07:00

I may look like a goofball in this photo, but it doesn't matter, because there's no way I could look as amazing as this beach. The sand under my toes, frisbee on the beach, the cool, clear water; I have ignited a passion within for beaches, oceans, the sounds of waves crashing, the movement and continuous flow of the water. One of my friends once said "we humans have an obsession with things that move," and I sure do--clouds, waves, water, critters (sometimes), weather, transportation, it is all so fascinating to the eyes and at the same time, calms the soul.

the savannah (aka tasmaniaveld)

2006-12-25T04:33:00.000-07:00

So, draugt is a big deal here. 7 year draught in
Australia, water shortages, even in Tasmania, where it is
cool and supposedly rainier and stuff. But, I'm reading
The Power of One (which is a great book and I'm sad it is
ending soon), and it is set in South Africa. Consequently,
many times while driving around Tassie I'd look up from
reading my book and see the yellow, dried out fields of
low grasses with small clusters of eucalyptus trees or
single dead trees over flat expanses, or slightly rolling
hills, and think I was in the African savannah. Which, I
should note, I have never been to.

Margaret and I had a really good time, and despite some
bumps in the beginning, we were laughing with each other
and playing off of each other's strengths pretty well by
the end. We also enjoyed our backpacker/tour group
(backpacking in the euro sense, not the american sense).
Folks were from all over the world, all sorts of ages, and
only one other American. That was pretty nice. No real
Spanish speakers :( but Portuguese, Italiano, Malaysian,
Japanese, Dutch, German, Swiss German, French, among
others!

We've made it to Canberra now, after arriving in Sydney at
11 pm and driving to Canberra (3 hrs!) last night. We
almost hit a kangaroo---we're lucky it was only one,
because we saw about 20 along the side of the road over
the course of the drive.

And a Merry Christmas to everyone! Christmas is almost done here,
and we had a lovely time spending all afternoon with my
sister's boyfriend Matt and his family in Canberra. His 3
year old daughter Paris, his parents (his dad was teaching
me some baselines blues guitar chords!), his brother and
sister in law and their two kids ages 3 and 8. It is now
Boxing Day, which means everyone goes to the beach! !

-December 25th, 10:30 pm east coast Australia time

tassie, first time

2006-12-22T03:28:00.000-07:00

We've been in tasmania for about a week now, and it's a
pretty cool place. mix of hippie "greenies" and rural
loggers, much like new england. lots of beautiful
coastlines, though, white sand beaches, freezing waters,
jagged mountains, etc.

i need to sort of some of my goals for while i'm here....

2006-12-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

did i mention crossing the street is super-scary?! i'm just
learning to look both ways, but it'll take a while to look
the proper way for folks driving on the left.

Have you eaten your Vegemite today?

2006-12-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Whew! Hello, friends! I'm checking in from Hobart,
Tasmania, before my sister and I embark on a 5 day tour of
this small island at the bottom of the world. We had 4
smashing days in Melbourne. 2-3 of them involved running
around on trams and busses, sleeping from jetlag, shopping
but trying not to buy because its all downhill once you
start, eating, more eating, cafes, more cafes, cool alleys
with hole-in-the-wall cafes, walking along beaches, being
taken for a drive along the Great Ocean Road outside of
Melbourne by the WONDERFUL parents of one of Margaret's (my
sister) tenants from her apt, not getting asked for our IDs
at the airport at all, getting there 45 minutes before our
flight, me getting sunburned (surprise surprise), enjoying
the urban life once again, and accepting a ride into town
from the airport from the guy sitting next to me on the
plane("Melby"-->"Tas").
Oh, and did I mention I skipped December 13th? And it's
tomorrow here?
Margaret and I are very different. I know how to make her
happy, which is good because I am also prone to frustrating
her a bit. Plus, we've barely spent time with each other
since I was 12 and she was in high school, because we've
been in our own collegiate and real-world (hah! i'm not in
the real world!) lives. So we're learning.

Anyways, now she is looking over my shoulder.
So, this is the story. I must now go because I've
overstayed my welcome at the terminal at the public library
in Hobart. I got a message back from one of the two WWOOF
(google it) hosts in Tassie that says they speak a bit of
Spanish and they're psyched! And sent a gorgeous photo! and
they like music, and it sounds good! I will make it all
happen later, though.
Marg and I are both realllllly excited for Sydney and
Matt's Coasthouse, which should be amazing. I really am
longing to get onto the sand and into the water at these
beaches I keep seeing.

Cheers!
Vicki

Australia & New Zealand Itinerary (via plane)

2006-12-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

THERE:
QF3082
DEPART 11DEC06 WASHINGTON/DULLES INTL 1800
ARRIVE 11DEC06 LOS ANGELES/INTL 2035
5:35 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------
QF26
DEPART 12DEC06 LOS ANGELES/INTL 2030
ARRIVE 14DEC06 MELBOURNE/TULLAMARINE 0925
1 STOP
17:55 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------

AROUND:
QF1013
DEPART 17DEC06 MELBOURNE/TULLAMARINE 1945
ARRIVE 17DEC06 HOBART/ 2100
1:15 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------
QF5128
DEPART 24DEC06 LAUNCESTON 2045
ARRIVE 24DEC06 SYDNEYKINGSFORDSMITH 2220
1:35 DURATION
---------------------------------------------------------------
QF1474
DEPART 18JAN07 CANBERRA 1135
ARRIVE 18JAN07 SYDNEYKINGSFORDSMITH 1225
0:50 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------
QF1019
DEPART 18JAN07 SYDNEY/KINGSFORDSMITH 1405
ARRIVE 18JAN07 HOBART/ 1555
1:50 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------

BACK:
QF5012
DEPART 16FEB07 HOBART 0825
ARRIVE 16FEB07 MELBOURNETULLAMARINE 0935
1:10 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------
QF25
DEPART 16FEB07 MELBOURNE/TULLAMARINE 1245
ARRIVE 16FEB07 AUCKLAND/AUCKLAND 1800
3:15 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------

REALLY BACK:
QF25
DEPART 08MAR07 AUCKLAND/AUCKLAND 1940
ARRIVE 08MAR07 LOS ANGELES/INTL 1030
11:50 DURATION
----------------------------------------------------------------
QF3003
DEPART 08MAR07 LOS ANGELES/INTL 1415
ARRIVE 08MAR07 WASHINGTON/DULLES INTL 2200
4:45 DURATION

End of Patagonia Postings

2006-12-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Time for new adventures, and I'd like to keep it all at this address/on this blog.
Backpacking in Patagonia December 2005: Anne R. '06 and Vicki A. '06 are hiking 2-3 circuits in Chile and Argentina from December 7-30, 2005. Thank you, Dartmouth Outing Club's Wolfgang Schlitz Adventure Fund for partially funding this adventure!
Outdated links now include:
Patagonia Travel Guide
Wikipedia: Patagonia
GORP-Patagonia
Torres del Paine and Patagonia
GoChile: Torres del Paine
Weather: Punta Arenas, Chile
Weather: Puerto Natales, Chile
Weather: Santiago, Chile

Our Great Patagonian Adventure-Short

2006-11-27T18:03:00.001-07:00

December, 2005-Chile y Argentina:
Anne and Vicki embark on a 10 day backpack en Parque Nacional Torres del Paine and then have an adventure getting to Tierra del Fuego, where they go in search of an ice cave with two guys from Israel and nothing but verbal directions from a local sled-dog owner at the base of the "trail." They then go on a 2 day backpack and see no one except a wild horse, the most picturesque camping site, a personal waterfall, and many puma tracks--including the ones left by whatever animal tossed our stove/pot into the grasses away from our campsite.

Paso de la Oveja, Patagonia 2005

2006-11-19T21:53:00.000-07:00


Cresting the pass of our 2-day backpack in Tierra del Fuego. After the puma episode....before we saw anyone else. After camping at the most pristine and idyllic campsite (with private waterfall).

Ready to fly out....

2005-12-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

Safely in Punta Arenas, Chile, for our flight out tomorrow
at 140 pm.
Rode on a 12 hour bus ride from Ushuaia, Argentina today,
which left at 5 am.

We´ll be home soon, and we´re both a bit nervous about so
much flying. Oh well. We bought chocolate.
=vicki

Torres del Paine, check!

2005-12-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

So, Anne wrote something for this so=far=all=me blog before we left, but it hasn´t posted. I will investigate. Not now, though, since internet isn´t freee. We´re at the Blue House numero uno in Punta Arenas, after being in Puerto Natales yesterday, after completing The Circuito in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. Wahoo! Tomorrow we go to Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego, today we´re going to see penguins and maybe a museum, and of course bring a penguin home for Kristen. (does kristen know this blog exists¿) So i´m off. I have a building list of foods I´m craving since the hike, so mom, watch out.toasted bagel with veggie cream cheese, here i come. cereal. salad. milk, vegetables. and chocolate chip cookies. oy. yes, i said it. though its the cookie that i want, bot an exorbitant amount of chocolate. Okay, long story there, but anyways, i must go be an exploratory traveller and see things and do thigns and be here, as that is better than sitting in front of a screen, and that was I´ll sleep for the bus ride tomorrow and the one back in a few days and the 24 hours of flying home.

yitood,

vicki

Moving on to Puerto Natales ...

2005-12-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

...y a more comfortable 60 deg. F
Note: we´re actually 2 hrs ahead of Eastern time. so 2 am eastern is 4 am chilean.
Today doesn´t even feel like today. First of all, it´s dusk right now. It also happens to be 10 pm. So bewildering! We also happen to be super=tired, even though we did very little today. Well, we did only get 4 hrs sleep last night and get up at 630 am to walk to the bus station in Valpo, take a 1.5 hr bus to Santiago Bajaritos bus to catch the 20 minute ride to the Santiago Airport. We waited there for 1.5 hrs, got a bite to eat, and at 1145 got on plane numero uno to Puerto Montt. At 145 we took off from Puerto Montt for Punta Arenas, cruising at 37000 ft. above (eventually) some HUGE peaks poking through the clouds and mostly snow covered and rather massive. All of our baggage made it including my poles which they took off and checked individually (there was no plane change, so that helped). The tourist info woman helped us get a place in Puerto Natales since the famed Erratic Rock hostel there said they were full tonight, so we made the decision to go straight to Puerto Natales (we were going to stay in Punta Arenas via help from Claudio until we found out our flight got in at 1600, not 1900, and it was totally feasible to make it to Natales before dark).
Anyways, so one more 3 hrs bus ride from Punta Arenas to puerto Natales. Though some crazy landscape. I can´´t tell you too much about it, as I slept through the first 2 hrs. But the last one was kinda crazy, a mix of desolate and bizarre, with lots of deceased, grayed tree trunks either all over the ground or standing up. I felt like it would´ve fit into Lord of the Rings if I knew anything about that other than seeing 20 mintues of one of the movies. Luckily though it was sunny, and not foggy or creepy, and the snowcapped peaks slowly came more and more into view as we progressed. We´re staying at Hostal Melissa, probably to relocate within Natales tomorrow. 1. because a Hostal is like a hotel, whereas a Hostel (el) is like a hostel style as we know it. er as we know it to be in Europe (shoutout to Laura for experiencing the American hostel system with me!!!!). This allows us to deal with somehow accumulating 10 days worth of food that fits in our packs tomorrow. it´s also election day tomorrow so some things may be closed, we have no idea its kinda confusing and its a sunday so we think its reasonable to not push ourselves to go further. That being said, if we´re ready at 1 pm tomorrow, we´lll head on out to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine to trek The Circuit (starting by camping at the trailhead sunday night).
SO that´s where we are, where we´ll be, and approximately when. Though I´ve been fairly into experiencing where I am, especialy in that bizarre desolation of dead skinny trees among the braod grassy plains with large mountains in the background, I´ve wondered what I myself (and maybe anyone else, foreigner, is doing here....and how the heck Chileans wound up here too! But then again, I surely don´t blame them). As for espanol, i´m kinda proud of how i´m doing and how much vocab I remember from lots of Bingo in 5th and 6th grade. Anne is quick on my heels though, trying to learn proper sentence construction and the actual language.
Oh, and shoutout to those who helped me pack==I like walking around with Moosilauke plastered across my chest :)

Arrival!

2005-12-08T17:19:00.000-07:00

Anne and Kristen and I reached Chile safely, and have had
a whirlwindy day full of Ultimate, BBQ, awesome locals
plus expats (cant say american as south americans are
americans!) here. they have good advice about our upcoming
trip southward. we are excited to see penguins. and hike.
but tomorrow is a well deserved semi rest day.

thinking of everyone up north in the 70 deg. sun here. its
hot!

=vicki

Contact Info

2005-12-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

To write something important that I need to read in Chile:
yitood at gmail.com

To write something interesting I might want to read in Chile (or tell me there's something important in my inbox):
reply to a recent post in this blog

To write something unimportant for me to read when I get back:
normal dartmouth email

In Santiago:
With Dan Perell '05: phone number (from the US) is 56 08 759 4760 and from within Chile just 08 759 4760.

In Case of Emergency:
My mother's cell: 202 then 841 then 3666
Home: same then 333 then 8345

Flight Info

2005-11-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

TO:
Wednesday Dec. 7-Thursday Dec. 8
Boston 6 pm (AA319) --> Miami 9:24 pm
Miami 11:20 pm (AA957)-->Santiago 9:36 am

WITHIN:
Saturday Dec. 10
Santiago 11:45 am (LA 293)-->Puerto Montt 1:25 pm
Puerto Montt 1:55 (LA 293)-->Punta Arenas 4:05 pm

FROM:
Thursday Dec. 29-Friday Dec.30
Punta Arenas 1:40 pm (AA7704)-->Puerto Montt 3:50 pm
Puerto Montt 4:20 pm (AA7704)-->Santiago 5:55 pm
Santiago 10:40 pm (AA912)-->Miami 5:07 am
Miami 6:50 am (AA684)-->DC National (Vicki) 9:14 am