Great Day to Die

Well lucky for us, 12/21/12 came and went here in New Zealand and working towards its end in the US.
Where do I even start?
The past few weeks have gone by far too quickly. I've seen a fair amount of places, met some amazing people, and taken just a couple pictures!
It's dawned on me just how funny it is when I stay in one place for more than a day or two... because it quickly becomes familiar, homey. I've spent the past five days or so in and around Takaka, a super small, hippy town, between a couple gorgeous National Parks. The people I've met in various campgrounds have shaped and made my trip all the better. I've seen people and just had a little feeling that I should approach them, and before I know it, five minutes of small talk turns into a few days of quick and deep friendship. I've gotten to know various people here better in two days than some people I've known for years. They talk with ease, with genuine interest, with excitement for your travels more so than their own. And then, before too long, you have to say goodbye. I am not one for goodbyes, so I prefer a 'see ya later, safe travels' even though the prospect of actually seeing them again is quite slim. Places, scenery, food, attractions... that's what most people travel for. But I am traveling for the people. Each morning I wake up and have NO idea what will come of the day (I've gotten pretty good at improvising), yet it always works out. I always end up finding that perfect place, that special person.
Yesterday while sitting at my picnic table, drinking coffee, and hoping the dark clouds rolling in were just a tease and not a promise for rain, I asked myself would I be okay with my life if in fact the world did end today? There is so much I haven't done, but so much I have. I have a great family, and a better relationship with them than most. I've fallen in love. I've been heartbroken. I think everyone I love and care for knows it. I haven't seen the whole world, but I've experienced enough variety of it to be satisfied. Most importantly... I am happy. Simply happy. I know adventure and crazy travels etc are unlike anything else, but to just be content with everyday details is more than I could ask for. Little things like a good cup of coffee, a game of farkel (or zilch) with new friends, eating excessively huge ice cream cones and making a ridiculous mess of myself and not really caring.... it's so little...but so much. Honestly the fact that I am in New Zealand still hasn't hit me. It's the biggest factor of all, yet the smallest.
So many little things have happened on this trip, too many to write down with the amount of money I am willing to pay for this internet usage. But I tomorrow I set off on the Heaphy track. It's the longest track in NZ and trails through mountains and beaches. I would have rather met some people and spent Christmas with them, but that didn't really play out, so I made up my mind to be in the wilderness on Christmas. Being away this time of year really made me realize a lot...that I don't want to be away from family over the holidays again...that maybe I am actually human afterall and don't want to spend the rest of my life alone. So I will be hiking for 6 days, and I am actually looking forward to get away from this glamping routine I have become used to. I am looking forward to camping in a place with no street lights, no flushing toilets, no showers. Just me and other hikers...the stars (which are amazing here)...and my little bitty tent, with my few belongings. Simplicity. It has become a major factor in my life and my future... something that I am striving for.
I wish I had time to upload pictures, but unfortunately I am out of coins ($2 for 20 minutes goes pretty quickly). Hoping to get another entry in before the New Year. Unitl then, I hope you all had a 'great day to die'.

The Things I Carry

I’ve been gradually crossing off items from my seemingly endless list for about a month now. The time has finally and already come. Tomorrow I set off to New Zealand for a two month trek! I somehow managed to shove 43 pounds worth of essentials in my pack… and usually I use the term ‘essentials’ with a wide margin, but not this time folks. For the next two months this is what I will be living with:

·         Tent

·         Sleeping bag

·         Thermarest Sleeping pad

·         Camera and extra lens

·         Four memory cards and three batteries (still don’t feel like that’s enough)

·         Jet boil and accessories

·         Leatherman

·         A flashlight/taser combo (thanks Bernie)

·         Headlamp

·         Journal (of course)

·         Survival guide book (just in case)

·         New Zealand guide book

·         First aid kit (emphasis on the blister care kit)

·         A few toiletries (ok, maybe more than a ‘few’)

·         Hiking pants

·         Spandex pants

·         Running shorts

·         Tank top

·         Two T-shirts

·         Long underwear shirt

·         Down jacket

·         Rain jacket

·         An ‘infinity skirt’ (doubles as scarf, etc etc)

·         Two pairs of exefficio undies (I really hope they work as well as they say)

·         Sports bra

·         A buff

·         Chacos

·         Hiking boots

·         Food and water (heavy.)

·         Water filter

·         Quick dry towel

·         Three pairs of wool socks

·         Rope and bungees

·         Most importantly…wallet and passport.

There you have it. Roughly 45 things, 45 pounds. Now to lay awake all night and try to remember what I am forgetting…….....

Anyways. Maybe I am brave…maybe I am just crazy. The reality of it all hasn’t quite hit me yet, and I am sure it won’t until I am flying over NZ. Good thing I have 24 hours of travel to let it all sink in.

I will be staying with a couchsurfing couple in Christchurch for a couple days, and from there it’s wide open spaces. Getting lost, getting found... meeting strangers who become family…. Never knowing what tomorrow will bring….a few reasons why I do this.

Not sure when I will have internet to write again, but I assure you the next entry will be one of the best. I cannot wait to see what’s in store for me!

I'm freakin out, man.

Maybe having a blog where I write all about my life and my travels contradicts this statement, but sometimes I just get so sick of talking about myself. To be honest, constantly explaining my plans day after day really ruins any bit of spontaneity. But the worst part of talking about it so often is the feeling that people think I am immodest. Not the case. I am so lucky to be living the way I am, but it has been an absolute conscious choice, one that is not always as glamorous as it may seem.

I leave for New Zealand in 24 days and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared shitless. I feel completely unprepared. I have no plans whatsoever…no destinations besides catching my flight back on January 30^th… and no secure places to sleep for 60 nights. I am kind of freaking out a little… I think I would be crazy if I wasn’t. As an independent person, I truly love going places solo… but as a 22 year old female it can be intimidating. However, my gut says go…go with all your heart. I cannot even begin to imagine the wonderful events that are about to unfold. Whenever I am still enough, I can feel the excitement, the change, the shifting of the universe coursing through my veins. A nomad lifestyle fits my soul far too perfectly.

Although I have extremely enjoyed being home the past few weeks, the wanderlust is taking over little by little. My month-long road trip temporarily quenched my travel thirst. It was truly a trip of moments. Moments where I realized I am in the exact place I am meant to be; moments that bring about the most profound clarity; moments where I smelt so awful, had hairy legs and greasy hair, yet felt more beautiful than I ever had; moments that were too perfect to be true; and moments that made me revisit my past--the good and bad, and made me even more thankful for my present. I became friends with some of the most wonderful people. I realized how simply you can live and be happier than most will ever be. It was exhausting and exhilarating. My mornings were filled with coffee and cookies, my days were packed with endless miles in a stinky car, my evenings were spent cooking delicious food around a campfire, and at night I slept in a tiny tent on a really subpar sleeping mat. But it was all great, thanks to two amazing travel mates.  

Today I want to end on an encouraging note. Get out there and LIVE people. Maybe traveling the world doesn’t do it for you, but there is no reason for you to ever be envious of mine or anyone else’s life. It’s never too late to make your dreams come true. Find your passions. Be familiar with the sensation that your cheeks might fall off from smiling too much. Know the slight ache in your core from laughing until you cry. Let yourself be sad sometimes so you can fully appreciate when you’re happy. Inspiration is a beautiful thing… so spread it and consume it. Above all, love yourself. You will be pleasantly surprised to see the places that alone can take you.

unBELIZEable

I’ve been staring at this blank page for about 23 long minutes now, trying to decide on the right starting place for this entry. I have a multitude of funny middles and infinite ends of stories, but can’t figure out the proper introduction.

I guess I will start with my birthday, since the turning of 22 marks the beginning of this year for me. Although I was flooded with some crazy emotions, it really was a wonderfully simple birthday. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t feeling as ‘at home’ as I usually do in Cody. I was so glad to be reunited with my family, but was plagued by the sense of having no substantial identity in this town anymore. But now I realize it’s because I have been away so much and have purposefully made a new identity for myself. And I learned that while physical location signifies home to many, it doesn’t for me. To me, home is really wherever my heart is; whether it’s with my family, with friends, in Wyoming, or in a country I’ve never been… home is never far away when it exists inside me. I think I have to remember this while traveling about so much now, if only to eliminate the illusion of homesickness. I want to be able to appreciate each moment of each journey, and that’s impossible when I ache to be some place else, some time else. So today I am physically home, soaking up the comfort of my own space that’s filled with more memories than I can handle sometimes, and I am spending the better part of my day packing for my road trip, which starts tomorrow!

As for the past two weeks….wow. My trip to Belize was amazing. Since I decided to go last minute, I really had no plans or expectations which I think made it even better. It felt so damn good to be completely disconnected from my life, from technology, from facebook, from time itself. I only looked at a clock once on my last day there; it just never mattered to me what time or day it was. We participated in the typical tourist activities: snorkeling, cave tubing, zip lining, Mayan ruin tours. But we also spent a lot of time talking to locals, learning about their lifestyle and their food and their music. Despite the frequent trips to the bathroom, I couldn’t get enough of the traditional dishes; from beans and rice to fresh lobster to gibnut (a local delicacy – rodent…) it was all wonderful, especially loaded with hot sauce. For the first time ever, I saw and tasted the freshest and juiciest fruit straight from the branch - YUM. The beaches were hot and until the rakers came by, covered with garbage brought in by the sea. We partied hard at the Barefoot Bar in Placencia, watched a serious game of futbol in the rain, and got our fill of the locally made Belikin beer. And of course a vacation like this wouldn't be complete without a mild romance; leave it to me to find the only other white man in a country filled with exotic Belizeans. He called me gorgeous (in a thick British accent) and I simply batted my eyelashes and demanded to be called gorgeous again, as it just sounds FAR more flattering coming from a man from London. Ohhh me.    

But even with all the relaxing on the beach and the exciting excursions, my favorite moment by far was pretty basic. We visited the bakery in Hopkins, hoping for some fresh baked goodness… we received a lot more than that! The owner of the bakery (literally a shack with an oven) is Caitlin. She is from Ohio and a long list of events (all of which she revealed to us) led her to living in Hopkins for 12 years and raising three young children solo. As we were talking, her middle daughter arrived home from school and was peering at her new math books with disdain. “Do you like math?” “NO.” Simple as that, I was taken by this beautiful girl, whose name was a literal translation of “strong soul” and whose character clearly revealed it to be quite fitting. It wasn’t until she asked me to do a Toy Story puzzle with her was I convinced she felt the same kinship towards me. I spent a half hour on her steps, following her demands of where to put each piece she pointed at. She didn’t want us to leave, but settled on taking pictures of herself for me so I would always remember her. It was pretty much then and there that I knew I was on the right path a couple years ago when I decided I wanted to teach. Childhood is the peak of most human existence; they are pure and spirited and too simply say what they mean and what they want. So I think this life of living step to step is eventually going to lead me to the right place, the right country where I will try to give children educations they never thought they deserved and in turn humble myself to the max… just how I want to be… continually humbled  and thankful. So I suppose I stumbled upon the real purpose of this vacation; behind the relaxation and around the corner of eliminating stress, on the crumbled sidewalks and in the endless horizons, awaited my next (and not last)calling in life.

Go on, go on,
Go on and find your life now.
Go on. It's alright.
We all feel something similar
Sometimes. Oh, oh.
Oh, sometimes. Oh, oh.

Don't wait, don't fear,
And don't work too hard.
Don't worry 'cause you're here.
You're here, through ever-shifting shades,
And now somehow. Oh, oh.
Oh, somehow. Oh, oh.

It's love, it's love.
It's love that keeps me high enough
And the drugs and sex,
Or the lost respect and sacredness.
And it's sad, and true,
'Cause most things can hurt or help.
It's up to us. Oh, oh.

I know, I know.
We're here to sow some words
And hope they'll grow, they'll grow
In moundless fertile hearts and endless fields,
We'll know, cause most things can hurt or help.
It's up to us. Oh, oh.
Oh, up to us.

Go on, go on.
Go do those things you've always wanted to.
My friend,
When the morning comes our dreams
Don't have to end.
It's true,
I'll be there when I can for you, my friend.
Oh, I'll be there when I can.

Good Riddance

It’s been a while, an intentional hiatus. See, I’ve been stuck in this funk… filled with all the negative, self-pitying, same old same old kind of emotions no one really wants to hear about. So, I’ve been away… hidden away by myself, trying to find some light. And in the end, what it came down to was pretty simple... I was miserable (mostly) because of my job, typical “white American female” problems that are immensely petty in the grand scheme. So instead of continuing the misery, I decided to quit and leave here early. Three more days and I couldn’t be happier. I won’t say I regret coming here, because I met some great people, but it just didn’t go how I was hoping it would. It’s easy to say Seward, Alaska let me down, but the truth is I let myself down in Alaska. I envisioned myself hiking and camping every chance I got, but soon I was so tired from working average 9.5 hour days that when it came time for my days off, all I wanted to do was catch up on the sleep I went without all week. I became lazy and lost interest in simple pleasures. But people, I am back! I have this wild and hopeful image of being 22. I think 21 was a learning year, but I am so glad to be leaving it behind. For 22 I see myself in so many places I’ve never been, physically and mentally. Mostly I decided this year I need to find some faith. I’m on the verge of knowing what it is I believe, but I get so distracted by life that I tend to throw my notion of god and any sense of spirituality by the wayside. So I want to find god, and you can make assumptions and interpretations of what you think that means, but truth is my idea of god is so much different than yours and I think that’s the true beauty of it.

As for now I am trying to enjoy my last five days in Seward. Afterwards I am going to the Avett Brothers concert in Palmer, and from there I have about five days to kill before my flight out of Anchorage. I want to head up to Talkeetna, and from there Denali. I need a positive way to leave, and rid my mind of the grudges I don’t want to hold against this place. From here I am going home for a day (my birthday) and will spend it repacking and driving back and forth from Billings. Then it’s off to BELIZE! My parents have been planning this trip for months, my mom’s 50^th birthday bash, and I decided a week ago to tag right along. I have a feeling a bit of sunshine, sandy beaches, and having a little too much fun will do my brain some good. I come back the 17^th of September and from there embark on an epic road trip from Cody to Texas with my dear friend Brooke as well as her friend from New Zealand. I think our time on the road will bring about some beautiful desert scenery, peace of mind, endless positive energy to soak up, and more pictures than I’ll know what to do with. I am so excited! From there, it’s off to New Zealand for a couple months. This is where I am expecting to really get back to the core of me…to find myself…to find my faith. I am going to fully embrace the vagabond lifestyle for the next five months (or more) and live off of the money I saved this summer and only the essentials I can carry on my back. It’s going to be a damn good year… I am aiming for the best one yet!

 I love this.

“It is good to feel lost... because it proves you have a navigational sense of where "Home" is. You know that a place that feels like being found exists. And maybe your current location isn't that place but, Hallelujah, that unsettled, uneasy feeling of lost-ness just brought you closer to it.” -Erika Harris

Whenever I look at this, I relive the moment I fell in love with taking pictures. Photos like this are home to me. They provide a little peace and reassurance, and excitement for all the ones to come.

Wildflowers

“When I grow up, I want to remember that I wanted to be about a thousand different things and one lifetime didn’t seem nearly enough. When I grow up, I hope it’s at the very end when it doesn’t matter anymore anyway.”

It is times like this where I am blown away by the notion of complete strangers who are able to take words straight from my soul and make them eloquent and relatable and actually make sense; words that I didn’t even know I wanted to say until I listened to someone else say them; words that cut me to the core and really open my teary eyes. It is times like this where I don’t feel totally alone in life…both the expanse of entire Earth and in my own little bitty world.  And it’s times like this where I know for certain that I although I have no idea what my life has in store for me two months from now, hell…even two days from now, that I am exactly where I need to be and I always will be, and that alone just has to be enough to get me through another day. Whether an adventurous or monotonous day, because each day is another day of my life and it’s all a part of my story… like it or not. I decided to stop planning so far ahead. I think I have a major subconscious anxiety issue; this is not something I am always aware of, which I guess is why my body externalizes it in the form of a rash on my arms and neck. So although plans for the future can be exciting, I have decided to just plan one step at a time…and let that step lead me where it is supposed to – to the next. I should listen to myself and actually let life just happen. I am much better at life when I am just living than I am when I am trying to live.

I’ve been running standing still the past year or so… not quite sure where I’m running to or what I am running from. Would it matter if I knew anyway? I suppose I am running toward a fulfilled life; just one problem: what will truly fulfill me? What do I want out life? Who do I want to be in this life? Who do I want to know in this life? I am hoping, most of all, these questions answer themselves in time. I can be patient…I just need to see a light at the end of the tunnel to show me I am heading down the right track, if there even is just one right path to follow. I need some serious solitude; some quality me time that will hopefully bring about relief to my head full of doubt. I need a purely selfish break from routine. Sometimes I feel like maybe I am being far too irresponsible; like I am doing everything possible to avoid obligations… but I know it’s more than that. I don’t want to live an ordinary life… a routine life… an unhappy life. I just need to be as free as possible for now...

Tom Petty says it all for me.

You belong among the wildflowers

… You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, find you a lover

Go away somewhere all bright and new

… You belong with your love on your arm

… Run away, let your heart be your guide

…You belong among the wildflowers

You belong somewhere close to me

Far away from your trouble and worry

You belong somewhere you feel free

             

Wanderlust

Wanderlust: A strong, innate desire to rove or travel about. After three and a half weeks of work with a total of three days off, I was beginning to lose my mind a little and I was absolutely burnt out. The new schedule was posted last week and I was ecstatic to learn I had two consecutive days off! I immediately began weighing options of where to travel and decided on Homer. After a little research I knew a few places I wanted to check out, but mostly was just going to see where the locals directed me…

Tuesday after work, I quickly changed into my ‘adventure attire’ and have never felt more like my true self. I started packing all the gear I would need to camp out for a couple days. I had planned to go alone, and was thrilled at the concept of some independence. As I was packing, I heard a knock on my door; Charlotte asked where I was going, and said she had planned on going to Homer too. So we decided to go together, and in retrospect I am really glad I had a companion for the trip. We hitchhiked there, despite the promise to my mother I would no longer take rides from strangers! Within 20 minutes of thumbs in the wind a car stopped and the driver, Paulo, agreed to take us the whole way (165 miles). I was a little hesitant to trust this guy who was willing to take us a total of two hours out of his way. Soon into the drive he started lecturing Charlotte and I about how we needed to take on responsibilities and have real jobs and have courage and on and on and on. LAME. With no music and no conversation, it wasn’t too long before both of us started drifting to sleep; I was trying so hard to keep my eyes open but even the thought of waking up in a strange deserted place awaiting death wasn’t enough to keep me awake. We passed Soldotna, then Kenai…where he started to doubt the chosen navigation. Turns out Paulo thought Homer was about an hour closer than it actually was. But since he had never been to Homer, he decided to take us the rest of the way regardless. We got into town and he dropped us off at Salty Dawg Saloon, hinting at the idea of grabbing a beer together; Charlotte and I said our genuine thanks and bolted.

The couple days in Homer were a blast, cold…but a blast. We hitched about six rides in town to get from place to place, drivers ranging from southern hicks (with names like Joe Bob) to the town trolley to a dirty hippie to a city worker to a totally normal woman. We got to know a lot about many different Homer locals! We ate amazing food, tasted wine at the winery, and watched a movie during a nasty storm. I slept in a tent the first night, and decided to stay in the hostile the second. Homer is so awesome; I cannot wait to go back!

The day of departure we got a ride halfway with an awesome older guy who thought what we were doing was admirable and promised to come visit us in Seward. He dropped us off at the Soldotna brewery where we picked up a couple growlers (nothing like looking like a drunken, homeless, dirty hitchhiker!). So about 15 minutes later, we see a small silver car pulling up, a man waving his finger at us. Paulo. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES? We hesitantly got in the car… beggars can’t be choosers after all. We tell him about our trip and he halfheartedly apologized for telling us how he thinks we should live our lives, and for not being able to drive us the WHOLE way to Seward. So another awkward hour of no music and no conversation later, he dropped us about 40 miles from town, where we shortly after got a ride the rest of the way in a comfy RV. What are the odds though? You see now why I am so obsessed with serendipity? I just cannot wrap my head around it sometimes!

So there it is - my exciting and rejuvenating adventure to Homer. Now back to one day off this week, and I am sure more to come. I like making money, but I like exploring too… it’s far too good for my soul to see new places and meet new people.

“…She doesn’t do so well at standing still. She plans big, she rolls up her sleeves, she has faith in her own momentum. She knows that change doesn’t happen all at once, but she welcomes it, she prepares for it, she gives it fertile ground…

…She needs no map to discover where she is going, or how to get there. Her map is written on her heart – its roads and rivers are her dreams, her strength, her confidence. The way is not always easy, but when she takes a moment to notice the scenery, she sees that it is always beautiful…

…She promises herself adventure, new places, different views, a chance to get lost. She infuses her day with newness and wonder. She brings a camera everywhere, notices the little things, gets a cup of coffee at a different café, takes the long way home. She discovers so much unexpected joy. She begins to love the journey…

…Who is she? She is a daughter. She is a best friend. She is a pocketful of light. She is a spark of something good, getting brighter; a dream grown large; the right thing at the right time. She is a dancer, a singer, a thinker, a truth-teller. A connoisseur of all things this wide world has to offer. Her spirit is the first thing people notice. Her mind always had a mind of its own. Her heart, though it has sometimes been hurt, bears a strong resemblance to a daffodil: it always flowers again. So she wakes with anticipation. She finds new hills to climb. And everyone agrees that the very fact of her in the world means there is still so much good to come. Who is she? She is me. She is you.”

Catching Up

Lots and lots of thoughts lately. Thoughts about love, about life, about all the nothings of importance. I guess I have work to blame first hand; seems like all these thoughts come rushing to me while rolling silverware. Something about the mindlessly methodic process allows me to focus on everything I should, and over think everything I shouldn’t. Overall, life should just be simple; less dramatic, more serendipitous (yes, I have a true obsession with serendipity); filled with things that make us happy; avoidance of negative energy; indulging when necessary… in good food, wine, local beer, in love, in nature, in passion, in simplest of pleasures. Relationships should never be forced, but you should fall in love every day; maybe not with someone, but at least some thing… and when I say thing, I don’t really mean a tangible object… I mean joy, places, books, music, knowledge. Always say what you think, and more importantly, mean what you say. Forget what you think you need. In its own time, life will always provide what will make you happiest. Let the universe inside and around you guide you to where you belong, your true north…your happiness…you.

(fresh salmon, scalped potatoes, eggplant parm. yum.)

These past few weeks, I’ve seen the most beautiful things, and came to some realizations I’ve been ignoring for some time. It’s really come to light who I can rely on in my life. I have some of the most amazing people to call friends and family, and some less than amazing. My problem is not naivety, it’s that I see the absolute best in people until proven wrong…and even then I still stretch to love them until about the 20^th second chance. Just have to realize sometimes that I am really the only person I can count on 100% of the time… which is something no one likes to recognize. But anyways, that’s the one downer subject, onto the amazing things!

I went on an 8.5 hour boat tour on a perfect day, it was EPIC! Saw multiple whales breaching (jumping out of water), orcas, sea otters, sea lions, puffins, massive glaciers crumbling into the ocean. And found out that I don’t get sea sick, bonus! We ended the trip with a subpar salmon, prime rib, and crab leg buffet; it might have been tasty had it not been sitting out for hours! But for a total of $13.50 for the whole trip…it was pretty worth it. Of course, I took about 800 pictures, so I still have yet to sift through them all to get to the best ones... so these are just a preview.

Glacial ice...delicious!

I went out a couple weeks ago with a group of people to a bar I’ve never been to. While sitting at my table, I see a guy out of the corner of my eye looking at me a little strange. Then I hear “Jonelle?” I look over to see Eric Dickerman, a high school friend. We spent the next hour catching up and reveling in how insane the encounter was. I was so crazy…. I mean what are really the odds of that? Two people from a town in Wyoming of 9,000 people, meeting up in a town in Alaska of 2,000 people. This is why I am obsessed with serendipity… stuff like that doesn’t just happen every day.

I celebrated the summer solstice at a music festival in Moose Pass with a few of my friends. We sat in a meadow by a gorgeous lake, grilled veggies and hot dogs, drank beer, and blew bubbles. Sometime I just have to pinch myself… this is my life…this is real. The weather was so beautiful for a few days, it was so great to get some sun. We found the perfect spot to hang out on property, a little patch of grass with a picnic table and horseshoe pits…we call it the meadow. So after a few days of hanging out there, someone (a local) finally asks why we are always up there…it’s a septic tank after all. Hahaha so there we are, favorite hang out spot…on top of a septic tank. Here’s the part of the story where I say I stop hanging out there…right? Wrong. It’s far too perfect… until the day it starts smelling. Ohh my life.

I joined a second softball team, so I now play every Sunday and Tuesday night, with practice on Thursday. Chico’s Bail Bonds and Alehouse Deuce, doesn’t get much better. We have won about half our games, but our teams are pretty good and it’s a lot of fun. I slid into second base last week (yes, only to get out) and ended up with a giant raspberry covering my right thigh. It’s been so painful, pants rubbing off my scabs gradually. I will now be a bit more mindful in my base running, that’s for certain! We had another double header last night, so I am a little exhausted today.

I am really trying not to plan too far in advance for after the summer, as the now is where I like to stay, but it’s kind of impossible not to think about. So… as of now, I think I want to visit New Zealand for a couple months in the fall, work a seasonal job for the winter/spring, then spend about 5 months in the summer hiking the Continental Divide. The only problem I’ve encountered with my hiking plan is finding someone to for sure commit to doing it with me. I would love to be able to go alone, but I do not have a death wish so that’s just not realistic. I just have this inexplicable, undying urge, compelling me to do this. There is so much to see and take pictures of and I just think it’s something I have to do as soon as I can. So that’s my tentative plan for the next year… despite how much I don’t believe in major plan-making, I still love it. It’s exciting and as long as I can find the right balance of planning and being here, I think it will be okay. After all, trips like those tend to take a fair amount of planning… time to get cracking.

(perspective of how HUGE this glacier is!)

“All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dream with open eyes to make it possible.”