Hey, have some fun!!!

Brown County- YEEHAW!

2011-10-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

I met up with my Aunt Tamie and cousins Mandy, Tori and Brodie (and half of their neighbors) in Brown County, Indiana, just south of Bloomington, in order to ride horses and camp out. I left with a sore ass and greater appreciation of a country lifestyle.

I arrived on October 20th, my 29th birthday, and greeted the family. Brodie instantly made me a drink and I was never without one for the rest of the trip. I met the country crew and my bright ski attire clashed against the dirty browns of Carhartt gear.

As the night wore on and the drinks got stronger, the boys hitched up a scoop shovel to a horse with some rope. Rides were given for the rest of the evening with everybody's rears dragging through the wet grass. It was certainly a spontaneous source of fun as my cousins yelled out, "You need to change your britches!" Where am I?

Now I have to say I've seen a fair bit of this world and have experienced some very different cultures, but the cowboy culture consists of a special breed of people. They are a people who work hard and play hard. They treat their animals, well, like animals and there is not a vegetarian in sight. I have always admired my cousins for their way of life and it was fun to indulge with them in it for a weekend.

The next morning we fried up bacon, sausage, potatoes and eggs for breakfast and packed the saddle bags full of dear salomi, cheese and beer. That should hold us over for the day. We saddled up and headed off into the huge trail system back in the woods.

I learned how to hold the reins and a beer simultaneously and was made fun of for wearing a backpack like a tourist. The rest of the boys had on chaps and cowboy hats. I had a good horse, Cody, and was comfortable even when he decided to gallop (which usually freaks me out). We talked about anything and everything and passed around bottles of whiskey and peppermint liquer. Nothing was taboo and the Fall weather made us relax and enjoy the sunshine.

I now understand the term "A long day in the saddle" because after 10 miles of riding, my butt was in sore shape! All our bodies were hurting, so we drank a little more.

I haven't eaten so much red meat since I was a kid. Every meal consisted of sausage, salomi or hamburger meat. And again, all washed down with a beer.

Our second day in the saddle took us to the quaint little town of Story, Indianna. It was a cute village with one thing to do: get a drink at the bar. There were so many horses hitched up there when we arrived we had no place to park! Finally a tree opened up to tie the leads to and into the bar we went. We stayed for a few hours and racked up some tabs and as dusk approached, we decided it was a good idea to get back to camp. My cousin, Brodie, got on his mule and a few feet up the trail fell off of it. We had to get him a ride back to camp and lead his mule back with us. Then, a neighbor who celebrated her birthday with a few too many white russians, puked all over her horse. We were certainly a junk show, but our trusty horses led us back all in one piece. It was a little funny riding a horse drunk, but I'd have to say it's much safer than being on a bicycle in the same situation!

We made it back and sat around the campfire. It was cold weather, but the trailers had heaters and so provided a bit of comfort. We packed up early in the morning and got the last stubborn horses into the trailer for the long ride home. I went my separate way back to Kentucky while the fam headed back up to Northeastern Indianna.

I love that I had the opportunity to be with my family. We talked about anything and everything and just enjoyed being with each other and the horses for the long weekend. As I adjust to life back home I realize that this is what it's all about.

Horses and Gorges

2011-10-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

Kentucky is beautiful, especially in the Fall. I feel as if I am rediscovering my childhood home. It's amazing how much you don't explore and discover in a place you've known your whole life; it's just there. Now that I've returned, I picked up a Lonely Planet on the Bluegrass State and have since discovered that there is a lot of history and a lot of beauty here in Kentucky.

Keeneland

So I finally went to a horse race! Keeneland takes place in Lexington and my sister and I caravanned down on my way to the gorge. We got dressed up, watched the horses race, drank bloody marys and ran into neighbors and old high school friends. There was a certain charm and tradition in the air with the gentlemen donning suits and ties and the ladies in their finest dresses and fabulous sunglasses. Bets were made as the gates flew open and the horses ran their fastest to the finish line. What a sight that everyone should see.

The Red River Gorge

Famous for climbing and its sandstone arch formations, I had the opportunity to meet up with Laura Wolff, a Michigan Law student and former ski instructor at Squaw Kids. She and about 25 other law students rented a cabin in the gorge (about 2 hours south of me) and I drove down to meet a bunch of strangers and camp for the weekend. Man it made me feel like myself.

Being home has been a big adjustment. It's nothing like how I left it and I'm nothing like when I left. My friends are mostly married and some with kids, a very different lifestyle from spontaneous and young Tahoe. I've been missing an available crowd to experience adventure with because it's still well alive within me and I've realized I never want to lose that. You just have to work a little harder for it around here. Enter Michigan Law students.

Laura's group of friends were fantastic! Every conversation was insightful and witty and the weather in the gorge was absolutely perfect. The leaves were changing and the air was cool. We slept outside, bonded around the camp fire and just enjoyed walking in the woods. And this is where I can be myself. This is where I am happiest and feel the most fulfilled. I can get this fulfillment anywhere in the world, as long as I'm with the right people.

Ever since I moved out West, I always wondered about this quote: "It's not where you are but who you're with that really matters." I always thought it was one or the other. What's more important? Where you are? or who you're with? How can you have both when I love travel and my family simultaneously? But I've come to realize that where you are develops the relationships you are most happy with, and so you can have both. Where I am helps me seek out who I want to be with. In the wilderness, I meet the people I want to be around and I become the person I want to be. I can find that anywhere, and I am so happy I'm beginning to discover it here in Kentucky.

Headin' East: One EPIC Road Trip

2011-09-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

The Honda Element is packed and organized: all my crap in the middle and on the roof, camping gear in the back, empty passenger seat to my side, bike on the rack, Kim behind the wheel. As Luigi says in MarioKart, "Here we go!"

West Coast
You may become aware of the fact that during my journey back east, I am quite often traveling every direction but east. It's all part of the plan.

So I started out driving west to get to the Oregon coast and landed in Astoria, an incredibly historic town, the oldest west of the Mississippi in fact, full of traditions and stories, as well as movie settings. In fact, The Goonies was filmed here as well as Kindergarten Cop and Overboard. There's a fantastic maritime museum here explaining the dangers and shipwrecks of the "Pacific Graveyard": the place where the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean merge. Only a handful of captains are actually allowed to navigate the seas here as the sandbars are constantly shifting.

I spent about 5 hours in Astoria riding my bike through its streets, climbing the city column for the views and searching for Mikey's house, but found the Kindergarten Cop school instead. I crossed over the Columbia River into Washington and headed up the coast to find a place to rest my head.

It appauls me that in many campsites you have to pay $20 for a spot. Yes, you have bathrooms and drinking water, but I am on a tight budget here and I can't afford that every night! So I pulled into a little community's beach access road (which are always a great place to crash) and put up my tent. The beach was stunning and foggy at sunset and sunrise, and there were an abundant amount of unbroken sand dollars. I went to bed late and hit the road early, no one was the wiser.

Olympic Peninsula
Ah the Pacific Northwest. I read in a travel book that there are only two other areas in the world that offer similar lush tropical rainforest between coastal region and giant mountain peaks. Those places are New Zealand and Patagonia, and I've lived in both. Somehow I'm just drawn to this.

After the freak out of a yellow light flashing on my dashboard, I adjusted the tire pressure and found a great camping locale within Olympic National Park (I paid the fees this time; sometimes you have to pay for the pretty stuff). I set up along Elwha River and enjoyed a little solo hike. Man this place was beautiful and rushing water is one of my favorite elements of nature.

I packed up the next day to see Hurricane Ridge and check out the ferry schedule to cross over to Victoria, Canada. Good thing I checked the schedule first as the next ferry was leaving in 20 minutes and the next one wouldn't be around for hours. I scouted out a free parking spot, grabbed my bike and hopped on only to find out I needed a bike ticket. This isn't like AmTrack, but luckily Canucks are friendly folk, so he let me on anyway.

Victoria is caught up in Victorian style, who'd have guessed it? It was like entering a different time period with beautiful gardens, aged architecture and even a Chinatown. I rode to Craigdarroch Castle and took a tour (student rate!), gorged on a big lunch and hurridly caught the afternoon ferry back to US soil.

I continued through the Olympic Peninsula, crossed over on a smaller ferry to Seattle, headed east and started to look for a place to crash. I saw a beloved brown sign signaling a State Picnic Ground. I followed it 10 miles off the interstate and found this great little nook off the main road. It was 10pm and so I set up camp here and left at 7am.

The Cascades
The fog was heavy in the morning as I began to cross the Cascades. I am heading toward Moscow, Idaho now to visit an old college friend. It's 2 hours out of my way, but I need the company and a shower. I didn't want to arrive too early, so I pulled off I-90 and took one last hike through the natural wonders of the Pacific NW. The trees are gigantic, water flows from everywhere and it's GREEN! The other side of the slope is dry and arid. I soaked it all up one last time.

Moscow, Idaho
I arrived and was warmly embraced by Kristy and her husband, Matt. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends in all parts of the world! I got the grand tour of little agricultural Moscow and it just happened to be National Lentil Festival weekend, what the heck? My options for the evening: eat lentils, hike, Shakespeare in the Silo. Obvious choice: Shakespeare in the Silo.

This is why I love Kristy and Matt: they are always up for anything. We got our seats for The Tempest and had a hard time understanding due to the poor acoustics of being, uh, oh yeah, in a silo!!! (Not a big shocker there). After we tried to piece the plot together we commended the actors on a great performance. I think we were the only ones there who weren't family.

Ah, the bliss of sleeping in a bed! And a shower! I had to get a move on early to pick up Matt Fay in Spokane, WA, but first Kristy took me to see the grizzly bears on campus. It was my first view of a grizzly, but not my last. We hugged goodbye as I wondered when I would see her again. Can all my friends just move to one little commune in the mountains where we can all take care of each other and grow a huge lovely garden??? Just one of my dreams...

Spokane, Washington
I drove the 2 hours north to Spokane's airport to pick up Matt who was flying in from Tahoe to move back east to Kentucky. We actually grew up on the same street in ky and he lived in Tahoe for 4 years, and now we're both moving back at the same time. How convenient.

We threw his stuff in the back and looked at the map. Banff, Canada isn't too far north of us, says Matt, let's check it out. Ok.

Banff, Canada
WHOA! What an incredible spectacular overwhelming place. Get there if you can.

We crossed the boarder and headed toward the great park. We camped just outside of it and soaked our tired bones in the local hot springs, which was really a big pool with the natural spring water being pumped into it.

The next morning we headed into the park making our way north toward Banff. At the turn of your head there was a new stunning peak, glacier or gorge. The Canadian Rockies are not taller than Colorado's Rockies, but for whatever reason, they look way more rugged and intense. We pulled over for a hike at the Stanley Glacier Trailhead. Two hours later we were in awe of an incredible glacier receding into the mountain. We sat near a drinkable creek and ate lunch dwarfed by the presence of our surroundings.

We then made our way to Banff, found a great campsite at Two Jack Lake and headed into town for ice cream of course. Banff is the origin of the Banff Film Festival, an awesome series of short films about adventure and the outdoors from BASE jumping to bicycling, skiing to kayaking and everything in between. Check their website for the 2012 tour and get tickets!

Anyway, Banff is a touristy mountain town full of cute little expensive shops catering to the outdoor palatte. We knew there was a local scene in there, just like Tahoe, and we could relate to the mountain town experience: gotta make money off the tourists but spend your days off enjoying the incredible beauty that surrounds you. Matt and I felt strangely at home.

We headed "home" to camp, made a fire, cooked dinner and slept peacefully.

We woke up, cooked breakfast and headed toward Lake Louise, another section of the park, to accomplish a peak hike. Matt was ready to get to the top of a mountain so we could have some 360 degree views. We picked Fairview Peak and got to the parking lot within the hour. A major Canadian highway runs through the park, making driving easy. We had paid for a park pass the 1st day, but it had expired. A ranger was checking tickets when we got to the parking lot and Matt and I were praying he'd not notice the expired date. Luckily, the guy couldn't read and he waved us through. Whew!

It was a windy day as we headed to the top heeding bear warning signs. We hit some incredible views even before the top and at the peak we had to hold on to the rocks to keep from being blown off! It was incredibly windy, but we found a place to eat lunch and take in all the views. Life is good.

We treated ourselves to another hot springs and dinner at a Brew Pub and headed back home. The next morning, after enjoying sunrise at camp, we drove south out of the park toward Montana. There was an array of wildlife on the road including wild sheep, eagles and a grizzly bear! Yup, we saw one from the safety of our car as it crossed the road. Beautiful.

Heading over the boarder proved to be traumatic for me. We stopped, gave our passports, then one of the female cops started making a ruckus over the house plants I had in the car. Apparently, you can bring American plants into Canada, but not out. The supervisor was there dumping my beautiful plants that I had grown for 10 years out of their pots. I was in tears and couldn't watch the needless demolition. Welcome back to the US.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Another welcome back occured at our campsite within Glacier NP. Matt and I had cleaned up dinner very aware of the bear danger in the area. We had left a bottle of wine on the table and a smouldering log in the fire pit and went over to meet our Canadian neighbors. When we looked up to see floodlights on our campsite, we went over to see what was the problem. There was a young cop/ranger there informing us that we were breaking three laws:
     1. We had food on the table
     2. There was a fire unattended
     3. There was native brush near the fire (aka a poker stick)

Aghast, we apologized as he took our IDs back to the trooper car. Were we seriously going to get a ticket from this jerk? All my years of camping and I had never experienced this. We are responsible campers and were treated as criminals. We understand how to live with bears officer, we live with them everyday in Tahoe and understand you can't even leave a gum wrapper in your car for fear of a break in. We get it! But he didn't. Thankfully he gave us a warning and continued on to the next site. Unbelievable. Give me a place far off in the woods to avoid these confrontations!

Matt and I took a long trek the next day near the Continental Divide at the Highline Trail. We met a New Yorker tri-athlete who accompanied us. He had this intense Garmin watch that vibrated after walking a mile and recorded his heartrate and calories burned. We approached a patch of snow which he kept refering to as a glacier and then regretted not bringing his crampons. I thought he was joking as we easily slopped through the summer snow. I guess he truly was a New Yorker, but his cool little watch told us we hiked 20 miles that day.

In the parking lot Matt and I waited for the shuttle to take us back to the campsite. We then learned it would be an hour before it came, so off to the parking lot we went to scout out a ride. It took a few minutes, but we hopped in a car going our way and had a nice chat with grandparents from Missouri. Thanks fellow Midwesterners!

Missoula, Montana

Southeast we headed through Big Sky Country to the college town of Missoula. We caught up on the internet, charged our phones and waited for a call from Chase, Matt's Kentucky friend who has been working on a US bear project in the hills all summer. We finally heard from Chase and headed out to his place on some farmland. While there we ate Skyline Chili and watched his roommate skin a bird, hmmm. We slept soundly on the couches after a nice shower.

Chase has been collecting bear hair from rubs throughout the region. The hair is sent to a lab to be analyzed and help people learn about bear behavior in the area. He was paid $23 a day. Chase also has access to forest service roads and keys to gates. Given this benefit, we took advantage of it by taking the work truck through Rattlesnake Wilderness to be dropped off to camp at a lake. Chase, Matt and I went one way while Jeremy, another guy in the project, went another way to collect fur at the rubs. The plan was to rendevous at Glacier Lake and camp for the night, then follow a decomissioned road out the next day. Half of it went as planned.

We found Jeremy at the campsite already and got a good fire going. I love backpacking as the skies are clear and there is no one to bother you. We heard a rock avalanche fall into the lake at night- pretty cool experience as it echoed on for a bit. We hung the food and got a good night's sleep. We had no idea what we were in for the next day.

We awoke to sunshine and breakfast and took a dip in the lake to relax. By noon we were on the trail again and went up and over the ridge only to find ourselves at a crossroad. Chase and Jeremy had good maps and a GPS. We'll be fine, right? We picked a path and continued on our merry way until it ended abuptly in a dry creek bed. It's logical to follow that, right? So we did and that ended into a pine forest. I put my bushwhacking pants on and we continued on through the trees. We got to the main creek and attempted to follow that, but the crossings were difficult with widely dispersed rock. Chase went up to try and find the trail again and unbelievably he succeeded! I've never appreciated a path so much in my life, even if it wasn't maintained and had trees fallen all over it.

We managed to lose the trail and pick it up again about 5 more times and wondered how many more miles we had to go. We were all exhausted and out of water when Matt tripped and sprained a bad ankle, but like a man he picked himself up and on we went. 7 hours of hard hiking found us on the road we had been aiming for, thank God. Matt and Jeremy were ahead and I was lagging behind with Chase when a car pulled over to give us a ride to the end of the road. We weren't even hitch hiking, but we must have looked pretty beat up.

We got to Morgan's house, Chase's friend, and chugged water. Morgan was a great hostess and interesting character as she has a pet crow, chickens and dog from Taiwan. The River City Roots Festival was going on in town featuring a Colorado band, Leftover Salmon. Tiredly we got dressed and headed downtown. We attempted to dance, but ended up sipping beer at a table counting how many people had mustaches and were wearing Chacos. Needless to say,we slept well that night.

The next day we floated the main river that runs through town. It was a hot day and we were ready to do nothing. All of our rafts had holes, but somehow we made it to the end. We sampled some local homemade ice cream at Big Dipper and then went out on the town for the night. I feel we had a good taste of what Missoula is all about: a cowboy town with a college problem =).

Now we are in a caravan with my car and Chase's, all heading back to Kentucky. We passed through Bozeman and had dinner there. What a very cool old western town with a classic main street full of cowboys and college students. It was getting late though and our plan was to make it to Yellowstone.

Yellowstone, Wyoming
We rolled through the entrance at 9:00pm and so didn't have to pay the park fee. We miraculously found a camp site and were up at the crack of dawn to make it part way through the park before the crowds rolled in.

Yellowstone is kinda a funny park. There's an incredible amount of geothermal activitiy, hence the geysers and hot spots, and there's also a huge yellow canyon with 2 breathtaking waterfalls carving out the canyon walls. There's an incredibly blue lake with a variety of wildlife nearby and wide open spaces as far as the eye can see. All this is located right off the main roads. There's really no hiking required in Yellowstone like there is in Glacier if you want to see the sights. For this reason, there are a lot of old folk touring around taking their time and stopping in the middle of the road to snap photos. We were trying to avoid all that. But the upside is that if you see a whole group of people stopped at the side of the road with their high powered binoculars and huge SLR camers set up on tripods, you know something cool is out there. We stopped at one such area and saw a dead bison being salvaged by a local pack of wolves. Very cool. But again, very cool at a distance.

We saw the sights and moved on through to Tetons National Park. Luckily we got through again without paying the fee.

Tetons National Park

We were immediately overwhelmed by the views of the Tetons. What an incredible range! The mountains are jagged and rugged and really remind me of Torres Del Paine, Chile. Something different happened when these suckers were formed and they left us all in awe. Jenny Lake campsite was full, so we headed back up to Signal Campsite and found a nice little spot we stayed at for 2 nights.

After a dinner of lentils and rice we learned about the wolf packs in the area at the camp amphitheater, then we crashed.

We awoke to a sunny day that turned cloudy as we hiked in a valley that took us behind the tetons. Here we encountered an influx of tourists up to "Inspiration Point." Luckily as we continued through the valley there were less and less who wanted to venture so far. We ourselves were feeling pretty lacksidasical and so we continued a few miles in and then napped on a rock for a bit. We did see a bull moose along the way, a pretty spectacular sight. The things was massive and we kept our distance. All in all we put in about 10 miles and then went south to explore the town of Jackson.

Jackson Hole is an incredible ski spot, comparable with Squaw Valley and Crested Butte. Some extreme skiers reside in this town and unfortunately we hit it up in the wrong season. But the town is very old west with a lot of shops and restuarants and again, we found the local ice cream spot and even enjoyed a reinactment of a showdown in the street.

As it got later we decided to try our luck to get back to our campsite within Tetons NP. Now remember, we had not paid to enter these parks and so we didn't have a receipt. If you go through the gates after they close, you don't have to pay the $25 fee. We were banking on the fact that they were closed in Yellowstone at 9pm, but that is not the case at the Tetons entrance. We did a driveby at 9pm and saw that the booth was occupied, so we drove up the road to a second entrance closer to our campsite. At 9:30pm, the booth was still manned. Damn. Matt and I were willing to pay, but Chase was flat broke and insisted we could wait it out. So there we were on the side of the road reading wildflower and poetry books listening to the elk call out to each other as the minutes ticked by. Finally, at 10:15pm we gave it another try. We slowly rolled by with our binoculars to assess the scene and I couldn't stop laughing from the hilarity of it all. Finally, no one there. We rolled in back to our site and crashed for the night. 25 bucks in the bank.

I got up for sunrise to see the alpenglow on the face of the Tetons, then it was time to get out of Wyoming. Southeast we traveled through Laramie and into Ft. Collins, CO, still caravaning. To pass the time I quizzed Matt on atlas trivia. What state is known as the Keystone State? What is the capital of South Dakota? Which state is the least populous? Oh, Wyoming. Obviously.

Colorado
I left the boys in Ft. Collins so they could take a tour of the Fat Tire Brewery with a buddy of theirs. I continued on to Boulder to say hello to my old friend, Kyle.

Things have changed and they haven't in Boulder. I took a quick look around and continuted south to Castle Rock, where my dad lives, passing by Red Rocks Amphitheater and listening to my favorite local radio station, KBCO. I had memories around every corner and strangely enough I started feeling at home here too.

My dad had taken the next day off, so we had a lazy morning and went on a hike to a fire lookout at Devil's Head. It was an expanive view of the area including Pike's Peak and we even met a lady from Cincinnati up there who told us we could buy Graeter's ice cream at a local grocery. She was wrong. We were disappointed.

Steve and Stacey's Wedding

My awesome friend from college, Stevo, got hitched and I was invited. I needed a date though and luckily Bradford from Tahoe (Nepal trip and bike to San Fran) was in town for the Phish shows. He took Saturday off and accompanied me to the wedding.

The ceremony was beautiful perched upon a hill overlooking a ranch and mountain scene. Steve and his groomsmen rode their bikes to the aisle and Stacey came out of the woods in her wedding dress. I love these guys. I cried as I witnessed their union as it was such an obvious companionship full of love and adventure. And then there was the reception. Bradford and I barely took a break from the dance floor. I think we had accumulated a posse as everyone was intrigued by Brad's dance moves. We ate ice cream instead of cake and took photos in a photo booth. I got to spend a little time with the bride and groom and again, I felt at home.

I met up with some more friends Monday while Matt and Chase took off home. I wanted to prolong the stay and left Tuesday morning.

East
I never really minded the drive through Kansas. My thoughts run away with me and before I know it I'm in Missouri. I called up some guys I had met camping in Oregon who live in St. Louis, they welcomed me to a beer and a couch. I continued on through Illinois past the Albers exit 34 and then through Louisville. It felt like I had never left as I pulled onto Buttermilk Pike.

So what an epic adventure!

STATS:

Miles: 4,486.4
Days: 23
States: 10
Countries: 2
National Parks: 5
Mountain Ranges: 4
Showers: 5
Tickets/Fines: 0!

Mission Accomplished! It was an incredible trip balanced with reliance on myself and dependance on friends and family. There was adventure around every corner and not one night in a hotel. We slept outside, hiked outside and took advantage of our surroundings. We relied on ourselves and accepted hospitality from our friends, old and new. We lived simply and simply lived.

Journal Entry, Day 23:

"You can't just stop living the 'good life' and say, ok, I'm ready to start my 'real life' now. The good life should always be your real life."

Beaches, Berries, Bridge Pedal

2011-08-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I must now say goodbye to Oregon. I could really see myself being happy here, yet I know I must come full circle to home. That being said, Oregon will always be here if I change my mind.

I've gotten closer to Andrea and Omar during my stay here and have gotten to know their group of friends better, who have taken me in with no questions asked. We've had one final jam packed weekend and I've embraced every last second of it.

The Oregon Coast

Andrea and I started our beach cruise early, stopping in Tillamook State Park to wander in their incredibly modern information center. It must have some wealthy donors. We then popped out onto the coast first stopping in the town of Tillamook to check out their farmers market (yeah pigs in a blanket) and the cheese/ice cream factory. They have the BEST ice cream and we definitely got our fill of dairy. Thank God we're not lactose intolerant!

We stopped at a few beaches and had some good talks. Suddenly, both of us were overcome with sleepiness, and luckily we just happened to be cruisin' in my new Honda Element, fully equiped with seats that fold all the way down. We slept for an hour.

Refreshed and ready to eat, we stopped at Cannon Beach (where the famous Haystack Rock from The Goonies is located), got some grub and checked out the tide pools. Then we headed home. It was a great day.

Bridge Pedal
Portland is awesome in that it loves its bikers. Every year the city shuts down its major roadways (including I-5) and lets the crazy pedalers take over town! Omar's parents, Chelsea and I participated in the 10 bridge pedal and it was so much fun! We got great views of the cities, tons of free clif bars and owned it all on our bikes. I have to say that is one thing I will really miss going back home: commuting on my bike. I tried to get a good fill of it while here in Oregon.

Berry Picking

So berries are everywhere in Oregon and it's a must to go berry picking at a local farm. I was lucky enough to have the queen of berry picking, Andrea, show me exactly how it's done. She picked twice as much as me in an equal amount of time! Very cool to pick your own food.

So tomorrow I start my journey back east. The plan: Olympic NP, pick up Matt Fay in Spokane, WA, Glacier NP, meet Matt's friend in Missoula, MT, Yellowstone, Tetons, Denver to meet with dad and attend a wedding, Kansas, Home. The Element is packed (mostly) and I'm ready. Really gonna miss Oregon though and all the awesome, incredible amazing people here.

GOODBYE OREGON =(

Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge

2011-08-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Portland is a modern city with incredible wilderness well within reach. My friend, Katie, came with me as we toured around with a car and a tent.

We first drove to Mt. Hood, a dormant volcano about 1 1/2 hours from Portland. We set up camp and started on a hike that we think went for about 8 miles to McNeil Pt. We had spectacular views of Mt. Hood, walked through fields of wild flowers, and even crossed over half frozen ponds. We made our way to the top where there was a shelter for backpackers and beautiful views. Katie and I were so elated to be outdoors. Often you forget how simple life can be, and when you drive away from your tv, computer and cell phone service, you are suddenly reminded of what it's all about. Camping never fails to help me remember what makes me happy. Any Nature never fails to inspire me.

We built a fire at the site and chatted about life trying to see the stars, but they were blocked out by clouds. We enjoyed the morning with a book and then set off for Timberline Lodge, a famous landmark up Mt. Hood.

Timberline Lodge was built as a ski lodge made of local timber and stone. It's a beautiful work of architecture and serves its purpose even in the summer, as the ski fields are open year round! Peak season is actually August!

Then we made our way into the Columbia River Gorge to Hood River, the wind surfing capitol of the world. We met some other friends there, Chelsea and Scott, checked out the Farmer's Market and then headed over to the Washington side where Chelsea's friends had set up camp in a field in the middle of nowhere!

There were about 12 of us at this hidden dusty campsite and I was meeting all these people for the first time and they were an incredible group of friends. We played whiffle ball and frisbee, cooked dinner and got a great fire going. These friends made it important to get together and enjoy life by camping, canoeing, hiking and playing. I hope I am never too busy in life to remember to get outside of it when I can.

The sky was clear this night and there were many shooting stars. The next morning we played "bean bag toss" (or as us mid westerners call it, "corn hole") and then Katie, Scott and I took off for another hike. There are tons of waterfalls in the gorge and we got to see quite a few. Then we headed back home.

I am leaving Oregon in 4 days and although I am glad to be going home to finally feel settled in my life, I will miss these adventures that I know will be a little harder to come by in KY. But I am so excited to be around the people I grew up with and to be with my mom. When I think about my next adventure in life, I know I want to be home for it.

Seattle

2011-07-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

About 3 hours north of Portland lies the city of Seattle. Let me make clear now that if you ever reside in Portland, you are to never compare it to Seattle. Portland stresses that although Seattle is a Pacific Northwest city with equal amounts of rain, coffee and waterways, it is NOTHING like Portland. It's kinda a little brother complex; however, the two cities are very different. Seattle has a lot more water and ships and the city is much bigger. It still has a fair amount of hipsters and many more grungers. To give us the low-down on city culture, we took a "Duck Tour" on Saturday.

Andrea drove me and another friend, Zu, to Seattle. We were staying with her friend who resides just outside the city and we all planned a tour to show us around. It was very cheesy and loud, but very informative and we got to ride on land AND in the water. We even got a glimpse at the Sleepless in Seattle house. Remember that classic? Then we took an elevator ride up the Space Needle, which was built in 1962 for the World's Fair. I haven't been such a tourist in a long long time. It's expensive and you stick out like a sore thumb, but how else are you going to see such a big city in 1 day?

Sunday, we drove to Fremont, a cool little town just outside Seattle, with the goal of tasting a good cup of joe in the city that made coffee famous. We happened upon a Farmer's Market that made me feel I had died and gone to heaven! There was a variety of worldly foods and handcrafted materials. Now THIS is the aspect I love about exploring cities: meeting the locals. And we found a great little coffee place and discovered the Fremont Troll under the bridge (see photo).

It was a fast but excellent little weekend trip to Seattle, and now I have officially visited all the major west coast cities...check.

South Carolina

2011-07-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

I took an excursion to Charleston, SC to surprise my best friend, Erin, on the day of her wedding. She is 7 months pregnant and planned on getting hitched to her long time boyfriend after the birth, but instead she threw together an impromptu beach wedding. As it started to grow in family and friends who wanted to participate, her sister, Amy, called me and I bought a plane ticket. I surprised Erin at 4:00am when she and her fiance, Aaron (yeah, I know, it gets confusing) pulled into the driveway.

It was wonderful to be there for Erin during her weekend of preparations for her Sunday wedding. We had a Baby Shower in the morning, got Erin's big belly into her wedding dress, enjoyed a reception with 50 of her closest friends and relatives, then walked to the beach to bear witness to their union. It was a beautiful, simple and meaningful wedding and I was so happy to be there for it.

Many of her friends left to return to work on Monday, but since I am unemployed (yeah?), I crashed at their family's rented beach house until Wednesday, and we all had a nice little beach vacation together. I have known Erin's family for a long time and it was wonderful to be around them all. I told myself I'd better get used to the humidity, as I've forgotten what it's like to live in it! And Charleston was a very cool city to wander-lots of history. We ate a lot of seafood, enjoyed the sun and beach, and celebrated in a wonderful union of two beautiful people!!!

Where's the Bicycle Park?

2011-06-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

I think that's the phrase I've heard most here in Portland because everyone rides a bike here and every place of business has a place to park and lock bikes.

Well, I've been in Portland for about a month now and whoa is this place for me. My first thoughts were that this city is a lot like Boulder, but in Metropolitan form. There are even "Keep Portland Weird" bumper stickers, which I saw first in Boulder. Residing all within the same city limits are hippies, yuppies, naturalists, liberals and businessmen. Strip clubs are hidden around the corners across from Buddhist temples and yoga studios. People are proud of their locally produced products and there not only are recycling trash days, but compost days too. The level of friendliness is off the radar here (I suspect because winters are rainy and dreary and everyone has to find a way to keep warm), but the summers are mild and happy. All and all, I haven't wasted a day of my unemployed bliss here in Portland; there's been A LOT to explore.

The great thing about Portland is that you can be shopping at the mall one minute and find yourself walking amid old giants the next, secluded from all city life. The parks that lie within Portland totally take you away from the city streets and hide you among tall trees and flourishing ferns. It really is incredible. So far I've visited Tryon State Park and Forest Park.

I've also ridden my bike quite a bit along bike paths that take you along the river into downtown and around the city. Biking is the best way to get around in a new town...no one honks their horns at you.

I've gotten up above the city for a view of the volcanoes you can see on clear days: Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier.

Oregon is also wine country and so of course we've done a wine tasting tour! My very good friend from Tahoe, Katie, moved to Oregon and we all met to get a little tipsy. Andrea, Omar, their friend Scott, Katie and I vineyard hopped and enjoyed the incredible views while learning about wine.

The Columbia River Gorge is also a stunning sight (only 45 mins away from Portland!) and I've only camped one night there so far and did two hikes, all spectacular enough to keep me coming back for more.

I'm also attending meditation evenings at a nearby center, which is a new experience for me. With all this free time on my hands I figured I should try to better my mind with some new practices. I'm trying to better my health too with running and exercise, but Oregon has this damn good chocolate peanut butter ice cream from a local creamery, Tillamook, that is IMPOSSIBLE TO RESIST!!!

And living with Andrea and Omar has been amazing. We play trivia on Wednesdays, basketball in the park, cook dinners for each other and they've gotten me hooked on LOST. It was wonderful attending Andrea's Bridal Shower and hilarious partying at her Bachalorette party. Her friends have adopted me and I feel quite at home here Oregon has a balance of it all!

Saying Goodbye to Tahoe

2011-06-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

I had 3 weeks after work ended to say goodbye to the place and its people. I allowed that much time on purpose. Closure is very important to me and I can't sleep if I feel things are left undone or that I didn't follow through with something. 3 weeks allowed me quality time to say farewell to a place that has been my home for the last 5 years.

ONE LAST BAR-B-QUE!

We were so lucky with this one! It has still been snowing/raining in Tahoe. I looked at the forecast and picked Friday for my goodbye bbq, hoping the sun would stay out as predicted. And it turned out to be a perfect day!

People started showing up coming by bike or car. We had plenty of booze and even a vodka watermelon. We fired up the grill and I surprised the hell out of myself when I tasted my own creation. The secret to a good burger: agave nectar! All my friends who were in town showed up, including the Squaw Kids crew. There were dogs, whiffle ball, a slack line, pisco (a Chilean liquor I LOVE) and plenty of food! People just kept showing up too; we packed it all up at 10pm and it was wonderful to have all those I love and care about in Tahoe show up to support my move and say goodbye. I feel so blessed.

DINNERS
I had my fill of Tahoe grub going out with friends, either for a breaky burrito at Dam Cafe or celebrating locals month at Dragonfly sushi.

The Squaw Kids crew (namely the supervisors, my roommate Jill and sales staff) invited me to Happy Hour at Jake's on the Lake. Jill even came back early from San Deigo for it. My boss Karen was there and this was our official 'goodbye.' I didn't want to think about it and I was so happy at who turned up for the farewell. Then they surprised me with a gift. I opened up the little jewelry box and saw a beautiful necklace of the outline of Lake Tahoe with a turquoise stone and little gem representing Emerald Bay. I have always wanted one of these iconic necklaces and my wonderful friends had all pitched in to purchase it. I couldn't read the card at the time because I knew the tears would flow. Then, to top it off, they ordered 2 hula pies! A mountain of ice cream pie with whipped cream and chocolate. I will miss my Squaw Kids friends who quickly became like family to me. Marilyn watered my plants while I was in Chile, Karen fought for a raise for me and instead I got a pair of skis, Robyn has led us all on karaoke/camping adventures, Will always has chocolate at work and he and James stored and drove my car for me while in Chile. These are the best of friends that anyone could ask for...how blessed.

SUNRISE

I woke up early on Saturday morning because I couldn't sleep, so I walked down to the lake to enjoy one last sunrise. It was quite peaceful and I had time to say goodbye to the Tahoe landscape in my own little way. I didn't feel regret, just satisfaction.

YARD SALE

Then of course I had to sell a lot of the things I had accumulated over the last 5 years so that I could fit the essentials into my Honda Accord, so I had a big weekend yard sale. My neighbor, boss and friends got in on it and we sold a lot in the first few hours, then it started snowing. It snowed on Sunday so I held the sale indoors and ended up selling most of my things by Monday. Overall, it went well and the rest went to the thrift store! It's always good to simplify.

SOFTBALL GAME

As my roommate, Jill, and I were cleaning the apartment and packing up the last of our belongings, she reminded me of her softball game at 6:15. Great! I could cheer for the team one last time before I go. So I went and they ended up needing another player, so I played! It was great as I LOVE summer softball league and I got to say one last goodbye to everyone there. At the local bar, Pete's, my name got drawn in the raffle for Hawaii and I got to relive one last summer day in Tahoe (even though it's not warm yet).

So 3 weeks turned out to be enough time to create some lasting memories and to say goodbye to Tahoe. Honestly, I don't feel an empty place in my heart; rather, I feel totally filled to the brim. I've taken all that I can from Tahoe and I feel totally fulfilled to have known it as I have. It will always be there and I will always stay in contact with my friends, but it's time to move on and I couldn't be more excited!

Bike Ride to San Francisco (with a few shortcuts)

2011-05-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

Katie, Brad and I embarked on another adventure: riding our bikes to San Francisco. They just bought some rad touring bikes while I had my converted mountain bike. We printed out Google Map directions, took a close look at a map and brought Brad's iphone along to guide the way.

SATURDAY, MAY 21

Katie got out of work at 6:00pm, we played musical chairs with bikes and cars and finally got everything and everyone to fit in Brad's 4 Runner. We drove to FOLSOM (over the big pass) and at dusk found the bike path.
We wanted to cover a bit of ground so we rode at dusk and then in pitch black about 20 miles west when Katie started to get nervous about the crazy people out there in this world, so we found the main city road and searched out a hotel for the night. At 10:00pm and 2 hours in, we thought this a wise decision.

SUNDAY, MAY 22

We woke up and dug into the continental breakfast at 7:00, carbing up on waffles and Golden Grahams, then set off on the American River bike path west toward SACRAMENTO. There were a lot of Sunday runners and riders, and oddly enough, a lot of turkeys. The path branched off in Old Town Sac where Katie and I took our time with pictures and checking out the old school house; Brad was ready to keep peddaling.

We got a bit turned around through some construction, but eventually made our way to the bike path connecting SAC to DAVIS, an awesome little bike/college town kinda like Boulder. We had to ride next to I-80 for a bit (NOT ON I-80 mom) and then took a break in DAVIS to eat a hotdog. So far, so good.

Out of DAVIS we started to get into the countryside. We passed a lot of fields and then got into orchard country. We weren't sure what was being harvested (almonds maybe?), but there were olive trees planted at the end of each aisle. We enjoyed smooshing the olives with our bike tires, and when it got hot we ran through the sprinklers.

We got to the little town of WINTERS at 3:00pm and made the decision to push through to VACAVILLE, not knowing if the road would be hilly and long. We spied a little strawberry shack and rested while indulging in the delicious fruit, enjoying these great little back roads that allowed us to see the countryside and the people who work the land there.
We carried on to Pleasants Valley Road, unsure of how "pleasant" it would be, but it proved to live up to its name. We passed cows and peacocks and very few cars, lots of motorcycles though. Our butts and shoulders were starting to get sore, but it's all part of biking. We hit a crossroads and decided to continue on the 9 miles to FAIRFIELD. We got in at 6:00pm, all smooth sailing again. It was a 70 mile day and we were worked! We found a motel, took a shower, got some grub (and then ice cream), and passed out.

MONDAY, MAY 23

We got up and scarfed down a gross McDonald's breakfast when we asked ourselves, "DO WE EAT TO RIDE OR RIDE TO EAT?" Haha, I definitely ride to eat. Anyway, we got ourselves back on the trail, thanks to Brad's iphone, and found ourselves in some more vineyards going through Rockville, then following along I-680 to Lake Hermann Rd, where we had to climb up and over the hills. I shifted into "granny gear" and slowly made my way up standing up from my uncomfortable seat every chance I got. By 11:00am we were in VALLEJO, our destination town. We rode in from some neighborhoods and made our way to the shore to catch a ferry to SAN FRANCISCO. We passed a cupcake store making a mental note to return if we had to wait for the ferry, but when we got to the landing we had 5 minutes to get on board....perfect timing!

So we relaxed in the comfortable seats and enjoyed the views knowing we had worked hard to get them.

SAN FRANCISCO

We landed at the ferry building in San Fran 1 1/2 hours later, bought our Amtrak train tickets for the ride home and immediately found a place to eat on the wharf. We had all been to San Fran many times before, so we weren't interested in the touristy Pier 41 or 39 or whatever it is. We got off the main road and headed to Ghirardelli Square where surprisingly I wasn't craving an ice cream sundae (yeah I know, weird huh?). Instead we ate cute little delicious cupcakes.

An older couple spotted the touring bikes and asked our story. They had ridden cross country in their youth and told us some of their own stories. They looked happy and healthy well into their 60s, which goes to show: the more you exercise, the healthier and happier you are. It's that simple.

We then went to make our way over the Golden Gate Bridge when we passed by a place called "HOUSE OF AIR." A bunch of kids looked like they were having a blast jumping around on endless trampolines that lined the floor and walls. We were curious, so we purchased an hour of "jump time" and it was almost the highlight of the trip!

We jumped around and made friends with all the little kids there. They showed us how to perform flips off the "diving board" onto the trampolines and then they all kicked our butts in dodgeball. We had trampoline races and jumping competitions and we seriously felt like kids: getting sweaty and not caring, making friends with everyone and laughing over the simplest things. Then we got on our bikes and rode on. We should always remember what it's like to be a kid and try to follow suit.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE TO SAUSALITO
We then climbed the hill to get to the base of the bridge. It was windy but beautiful and we all immediately started singing the title song to Full House as we began to cross. There's just something beautiful about the Golden Gate: to the west is the wide open ocean with room for discovery; to the east is the bay, Alcatraz, Angel Island and the city. Such stark contrasts at the simple turn of your head. And then there's the beautiful color and design of the bridge, pulling it all together. As I looked over the rail at the incredible height we were at, I couldn't help but think of all those who have given their lives to the ocean below by jumping. There were phones that connected to help lines all along the bridge, forcing you to realize the precarious line we walk everyday between living and dying. It was an incredible experience to cross that world famous bridge at a bicycle's pace.

It was all downhill to SAUSALITO and I had no idea this cute quaint town existed! It was full of botiques and coffee shops, all unique and individual. We met Brad's friends who took us back to their apartment. We had a few beers and a lot of laughs, then passed out and awoke to a beautiful morning.

TUESDAY, MAY 24

We ate breakfast and got back on our bikes to catch the 10:37 train, which we missed because Katie forgot something at the apt and then we got lost. We had 2 hours to kill before the next one, so I got a cheap pedicure, which was NOT in the budget, but sometimes you just have to treat yourself =o)

The train was super friendly to bikers and we hung our bikes on the rack and enjoyed the 2 and a bit hour ride to ROSEVILLE. We followed directions back to our car, which took about an hour, and we were done, full circle back to the place we had started.

I was amazed at how smoothly it all went: no flat tires, no disputes, no injuries and a good pace. We met all our goals and had an incredible time in the process. It was a great way for me to say goodbye to California, as I move to Oregon next week. My muscles are sore, but feel good. In all, I think we went about 150 miles and took advantage of public transportation. It was a great balance and I highly recommend the trip to anyone coming this way!!!! HAPPY CYCLING!

Another Winter Gone (Almost)

2011-05-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

It is well into May now and the winter won't end! I just skied knee deep powder last Sunday! The resorts are staying open on the weekends and people are loving it. The Amgen Tour, a huge bike race in Cali, was canceled due to snow last weekend. We're all a little over it and I've been itching to get my bike out, but that will all come with time. Well, Katie and I actually did ride our bikes to the bars Saturday, but to our surprise we rode back amid huge dumping snowflakes falling on our cold legs! Anyway, here's a wrap up of the Winter Season 2010-2o11.

I got back from Chile and started a month late into work, Dec. 1, but still had time to train our new rookies at ski school. The season started off with a ton of snow (the theme of the winter) and we jumped right into business!

Squaw Valley has been sold to a new company: KSL. We were all a bit nervous about the changes and expectations. Of course there was good and bad, stress and pressure, but in the end I think it will work to Squaw's advantage.

Squaw has always had an independent "go big or go home" kind of attitude. Powder days include security at the world famous KT-22 lift due to massive lines full of impatient powder hounds chomping at the bit. World class skiers come to Squaw and huck themselves off anything, and do it with style. The mountain is definitely intimidating with way more advanced terrain than beginner and it has picked up nicknames like: Squawsome and Squalleywood. Every year people get seriously injured here (including my roommate who broke his back a few years back), but Squaw is a mantra to those who live and ski there. I have to say you will never realize the full extent of a ski season and the crazies who are part of it until you live and work at a resort. I've been blessed to be a part of it.

This is officically my last season at Squaw Kids. Five loyal years of service is enough to feel good about moving on. I am so indebted to Karen, my boss, and our crew. I have learned so much about management skills and have built upon my own confidence and knowledge in a working world. Squaw Kids has been a perfect fit for me: working with kids, helping instructors and interacting with the parents has taught me how to balance a work environment with professionalism and fun. And we always have fun. I've had a good amount of responisibility, but at the same time am working with young fun people from all corners of the globe. I'm always laughing at work and learning new phrases in Spanish. I'm outdoors in the sunshine physically and mentally working hard, and it's been a blast every season. But alas, all good things must come to an end.

Tahoe is a seasonal town full of transitional people. For my 20s it's been perfect: parties, activities, adventure, roommates....all with no strings attached. But when I peer down the road ahead of me, I don't see the same lifestyle. I'm ready for stability (to a degree) and being available over the money-making holidays to sit down to a turkey dinner with my family. I don't know exactly where or how I will get there, but I am saying goodbye to Tahoe and to Squaw Kids this season and am embarking on a new type of adventure: adulthood.

This blog is meant to recap the winter, so here's the list of events:

*visit from dad and the fam

*visit from my Brazilian friend, Camilla *Australia Day *snow shoeing a huge snow storm with Jonny *TAG (Traverse and Grill) bar-b-que day on the slopes

*Mom and Shelley visit

*LIVE BAND Karaoke in Reno *skiing new resorts: Alpine Meadows and Homewood *ski movie release of G.N.A.R. (see http://www.unofficialnetworks.com/)

*bbqs, parties, asados, onces and shoveling shoveling shoveling!!!

Thanks for a great season everyone!

SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!

2011-02-17T19:43:00.001-08:00

Wow, the snow won't stop falling here in Tahoe, about an inch an hour over 2 days and counting, and my days off work have perfectly aligned with the storm!! It has been some incredible skiing and I've been lucky to catch rides with friends to get to the slopes. (No offense Honda Accord, you're always a trooper, it's the other cars on the road I'm worried about).

So heck yeah for some freshies and ripping the gnar in the endless pow!

Hope you enjoyed the photos from my mountain, Squaw, and a smaller mountain, Homewood, neither running out of the fresh stuff on every run!!!

A visit to Indiana during the "Storm of the Century"

2011-02-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

It had been too long since I visited my mom's side of the family in her birthplace of Northeastern Indiana, so I bought a ticket to help my Grandpa celebrate his 81st birthday. There was no way I could have known that the "Storm of the Century" would be sweeping through the midwest the very day my plane was meant to land.

A few days before my trip, my uncles and mom recommended that I change the dates due to the big storm predicted to hit the night I get in, but I decided to take my chances. If I only made it to my layover in Denver at least I'd get a visit to my dad out of it, so off I went.

I made it to Denver just fine and looked at the flight board to see all flights to Indianapolis canceled, save miraculously for mine. How was this possible? My plane was coming from Toronto, not storm ridden Chicago. So off I went to Indianapolis. When I landed, the airport had closed and we were pretty much the only flight coming in. I quickly rented my Hundai Accent and got out of Dodge, making my 2 hour journey Northeast to my Uncle Jim's house. Yes, it was sleeting/snowing, yes, the winds swept across the wide open Interstate, and yes, I listened to the AM radio station telling everyone that if they didn't need to be on the roads, get the heck off of them. But, I continued on and made it safely to Uncle Jim's. He welcomed me with open arms and a buffalo burger. It felt good to be with my family.

The next day I knew my little Hundai Accent wouldn't make it out of a country driveway, so of course Uncle Jim had the solution: get the Backhoe out of the barn. He plowed his way through the county roads to Grandpa and Grandpa's house with me sitting on a boat cushion next to him in the cab. I love my family.

My Grandpa is an incredible man, and despite being on oxygen, he keeps his awesome sense of humor, including making fun of how slow his motorized chair is to get down the stairs. I can always learn something from my Grandpa. And my Grandma handed down an old "How to Learn Spanish" book from the 60s that my Uncle Keith (who the book was intended for) had obviously never opened.

I got to hang with my cousins and my Aunt Tamie even made "Dirt Pudding," my favorite country dessert. It was so wonderful and comforting to be back in the country with my family and their hilarious sense of humor. And I knew that if I really did get stuck here in the storm, my Uncle Jim has a year's supply of fish in the freezer, my Aunt Tamie has jars of fresh sealed veggies, my cousin has a truck with a plow attached and there is an endless supply of Carhart gear. If the world were to come to an end, I'd want to be here in the farmlands of Indina.

Carrying on the family legacy, 3 of my cousins are pregnant, which was incredible to see. And we all managed to get together at the local Pizza Hut to celebrate my Grandpa's birthday. After being in Chile where everything is about family, I felt so at home being with my own. Family will do anything for you: they will feed you, house you, and give you the most honest advice. They are almost who you are, and I'm pretty sure there's a karaoke gene in our blood because my cousins took me out karaoking, country western style.

Despite the storm trying to steer me off track, I made it back for a worthwhile visit to the people most important to me: my family.

Saying Goodbye to Chile

2010-12-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

GOODBYE CHILE, I WILL MISS YOU.

Saying goodbye to Chile was much more difficult than I every imagined it would be. When I started out this journey, I assumed I would live in a different country, improve my Spanish, tour around the sights to see, make a positive impact on the kids at school, and then leave and return back to my normal life. I wish it were that simple.

When I first came to Chile, I didn't feel like I was in a different country. I have many ski school friends in Santiago and they know my life in Tahoe and all speak English, so I felt oddly at home. But when I moved down South, I knew no one and hardly anyone speaks English...the challenges began.

I had a hard time adjusting to Chilean culture: everyone is always late and they never move out of the way on the sidewalks. It rained almost every day and the kids never study. It takes forever for change to come about and things are not very "productive" by North American standards. I couldn't really communicate with anybody. These were the challenges I had to overcome and I had never felt so homesick before in my life. I waited for my mom to log on to Skype and for my dad to pick up the long distance calls. I was counting down the days....

...then something changed. I became busy with my schedule and was committed fully to my basketball team. I was judging singing competitions and taking weekend trips to nearby beautiful cities. The weather started to change and it only rained 3-4 days a week. My students and I finally started to understand each other and I was taking field trips with them and having BBQs with the teachers. I met a special Chilean man who made me feel a part of his family and taught me how to dance salsa. Suddenly my life was Chilean and even my Spanish was progressing and I wanted to put the brakes on the days that started to pass by so quickly. It was a total 180 and I dreaded the day of departure.

Chileans are a special breed of people. At first they seem lazy and a little rough around the edges, but when you get to know them they are honest, funny and hard working people. When you step over the threshold of anyone's house, you are instantly family, "una hijita" (a little daughter). They would happily give you the shirts of their backs without asking for a thing in return. They love you with food and will gladly give whatever is in their house to you without asking for anything in return. One teacher gave me a tour of her house, pulled a matching pair of earrings and necklace out of her closet and told me to give it to my mom as a gift. She doesn't even know my mom!!! I feel that in our country, people are friendly and always give you a helping hand, but we also expect things to be just and fair and for each individual to be able to take care of himself. Chileans are one big family and they love you and open their home to you as if you really were a daughter. I think the part that really got me was that I let myself be loved by these Chileans. I finally let myself go into their culture. It's incredible and difficult to explain, but for this, my heart became bound to the people in Puerto Montt and I never had such a hard time saying goodbye to a place. And the people there had a hard time saying goodbye to me too.

DESPERDIDAS

A desperdida is a farewell party, and I had a solid week of them booked before leaving. I had one on Thursday night with the other volunteers, Friday night with the teachers, Saturday night with my friends, Sunday afternoon with another group of teachers, Monday morning with the school, and Tuesday night with my basketball team. My bus left Wednesday.

I received so many wonderful gifts and the hardest part was leaving the school. Half of the students were there in the cafeteria to say farewell. I was shocked! They had a slideshow presentation, a few speeches, 2 students sang a song for me and 2 couples danced the cueca for me because they know I love it. I cried. Then we had cake for breakfast. It was difficult for me to walk out the door without one last photo or one last adios. One student didn't let me go, and these are high schoolers, not little kids! I had no idea what kind of impact I was making at this school, but at the farewell I realized how special my time here was, for both the students and for myself.

So thank you CHILE for totally rocking my world. I have never experienced such emotion in my travels before. This was the greatest challenge but most rewarding experience of my life. Thank you to you too for reading and supporting my journey.

Pucon in Pictures

2010-10-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the turist city of Pucon. It's an expensive town with nice restaurants and a lot to do. It was the most relaxing weekend I've had so far here in Chile. I think I could live here if everyone spoke English =)

VOLCAN VILLARRICA (with smoke!)

The BEST ice cream in town.

Los Ojos de Caburgua: beautiful waterfalls that were easy to get to!

Jumping in the LAGUNA AZUL

Relaxing at the hostel Tree House...this is the life =)

At the Termas Los Pazones outside of Pucon...AMAZING!

It was a very relaxing beautiful weekend. I'm glad I had the opportunity to get to know Pucon!

Torres Del Paine

2010-09-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Torres del Paine and wow, what an incredible journey. I don't really know how to describe it all, but I have never seen a place like Torres ever before in my life.

September 15
I flew to Punta Arenas at the end of the world and saw the Magellan Strait. Strange to think that this was the passage explorers were looking for for so long hundreds of years ago. Then I hopped on a 3 hour bus ride to Puerto Natalis, the gateway to the park. I stayed at a hostel some friends had recommended called Erratic Rock and it was fantastic. My original plan was to have a home base in the park and set off on day hikes from there because I was hiking solo, but a guide, Nacho, suggested I hike the "W" trail to get a true understanding of the wonders of the park. The trail is called the "W" because you hike around the main part of the massif and hike up valleys along the way, making a "W" shape. The Paine Massif that makes up the park is a separate mountain formation from the Andes mountain chain. It was formed 12 million years ago by magma and later by glacial erosion, giving it its unique look and formation. And I have to say, nothing else is comparable to its formation.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, I was nervous. I would be carrying all the weight of food, a tent and everything else alone, and would be hiking alone, and camping alone. And it's the off season, so there wasn't a lot of hope for meeting people along the way. But then I got pumped up for this once in a lifetime opportunity and said, LETS DO IT! I bought all my supplies and rented the rest and was off for a 4 day journey early the next day after the hostel loaded me up with a hefty breakfast.

SUPPLIES:
Tent
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Stove
Pot
Gas
Spoon
Bowl
Cup
Backpack
One Change of Clothes
Headlamp
Knife
Food
First Aid Kit
Toilet Paper

September 16: Day 1
I met a couple from France (Carolin) and Belgium (Samuel) and hiked the first day with them, which was lucky. Here is a journal entry from that day:

THANK GOD I had these 2 for starting out. I probably would have never found the trail head on my own. We walked through an open field in a valley with a big old rainbow stretched out on our left side and the Paine Massif on the right, although the clouds covered much of it. But HOLY CRAP the wind is incredibly strong-the strongest I've ever been in. It literally pushed me sideways as I wondered if it was possible for my contacts to blow out of my eyeballs. My mouth was open and my spit was blowing out of my mouth-seriously. I would have been frustrated and disheartened if I didn't have the company. I was actually drafting behind Carolin. But the views of the Paine Massif are just spectacular and there is no one in the park really, except a decaying horse carcass that was killed by a puma (yes, we really saw that) and when we came upon the bright blue lake with the mountains in the background, I thought I was in a place that wasn't real.
After 5 hours of hiking we set up camp outside of a Refugio, or hostel inside the park. Bunk beds run for $30 and dinner for $20, so it was much cheaper to camp and cook your own food. We got to sleep outside near the giant mountains and the skies were clear. It's incredible to look up at a whole new sky here in the Southern Hemisphere.

September 17: Day 2
I woke up to the Paine Massif and plenty of sunshine. While everyone was cooking breakfast inside the Refugio, I was boiling water for oatmeal and tea outside in the temperate weather. I had to say goodbye to my European friends as they were on a different schedule. I started on the first stretch of the "W" and so could leave my heavy pack at the Refugio, as I would be passing by it again on my way back from Gray's Glacier...that was a nice feeling.

There was nobody on the trail to Gray's Glacier and when I came upon it I said aloud, "Oh my God. Whoa. Oh my God." Gray's Glacier is absolutely humongous and the massive mountains behind it make it surreal.

I can actually hear the ice cracking even though I'm pretty far away. I am so intrigued by glaciers, maybe because we don't really have any in the States. I don't get to see them often, most are receding, and they're just so monstrous, powerful and alive. I could just sit here forever and watch it recede, carving out the land like an erratic artist.

I grabbed my pack at the Refugio and headed another 2 hours to Campamento Italiano. It was a quiet cloudy day and it was just me on the trail. The lakes were calm and I could see the reflection of the Paine Massif mirrored in the lake. Another awesome thing about this area is that you can drink straight from the lakes and streams, as they are all glacial fed and contain no bacteria or microorganisms, which helps with the weight in the pack!

As I've been hiking John Denver's Rocky Mountain High has been stuck in my head. I've also been thinking of The Lord of the Rings. Can you imagine journeying this much and then having to battle orks?

I reached the campsite and set up my tent in 6 minutes flat! Then I continued up into the French Valley, the middle part of the "W". I didn't make it up too far as my legs were tired, but suddenly I heard a sound like thunder and looked up at the massive mountain (Cerro Paine Grande) to my left only to see snow falling from its cliffs. The sound of thunder was an avalanche, and there were many. I sat on a rock and watched about 5 of them go, amazed at the fact that I was really there watching such a spectacular event. Later I enjoyed some tea and lemon cookies by the river. I am quite comfortable and quite happy here in the wilderness.

There were a group of Germans at the campsite who I chatted with a bit; it was nice to have the company at night. As I slept I heard a bit of rain outside. I dreamed of the weather holding out for a few more days.

September 18: Day 3
I woke up to a windy day, but no rain. I got my day started before the Germans as I had about a 10 hour hike ahead of me. I was pumped and happy to be able to go at my own pace.

As I hiked I left Cerro Paine Grande behind me, but could still hear the avalanches falling. An impossibly blue lake opened up to my right and the Andes were behind it. I walked passed the Paine Massif on my left and then through an open valley, where the wind pounded my face. I found the shortcut to my campsite and made the turn into the last canyon, the last section of the "W" shape.

I'm not going to lie, it was a long hike to Campamento Torres. It was a lot of ups and downs, but luckily I have consumed a lot of the food weight from my pack. The Germans passed me with about 2 hours left to hike. We stopped at a "closed" Refugio but there was a Chilean there selling coffee. The Germans and I took a much deserved rest. Then we carried on to the campsite. It was getting colder and there were signs of snow. I pitched my tent beside a creek and fell asleep to its lulling sounds. My legs were very happy for the rest.

September 19: Day 4
I unzipped my tent and snow fell into it. Yes, it had snowed about 6 inches that night...WHOA! I didn't sleep great, but luckily today was the day for the sunrise hike to the famous Torres- the Towers of the park that gives it its name.

The Germans started out early, but I have my priorities: I made breakfast. I started up the snowy trail around 6:30am and it was steep and slippery, but pristine and beautiful. I'm really glad the Germans blazed the trail, as I probably would have lost it.

(And at this point I have to say I finally have all the perfect gear for trekking: a good rain jacket, water proof boots, a micro fleece and hard shell fleece and snow pants with thermals and wool socks. It takes a while to accumulate these clothes, as they are expensive! But thanks to working at Squaw Valley where I get 30% off everything, I was prepared.)

Anyway, I got to the top and the Germans were waiting for the snow clouds to clear. We all waited about an hour and nothing changed. We couldn't see the Torres =( The Germans headed back down, but I waited a bit longer as another group had arrived to the top. One was an Asian hiking in CONVERSE SNEAKERS and JEANS! What a crazy person! We waited and waited and waited and then it started to snow again.

I decided to hike back down. I got 1/3 of the way down and the sun started to rise. I turned around for a few minutes to hike back up, but the clouds were still there, so I started to hike back down again. Then the sun rose more and I couldn't tell if there was a view above or not. I thought, why the heck am I even compromising the wisp of a hope that with the sun maybe there will be a view? I will be here only once in my life: get your butt back up there Kim!! So up again I went and NO REGRETS because the clouds cleared just enough to see the Torres...

...and they were incredible! I mean, in the clouds I thought, 'no big deal, I don't know what I'm missing,' but once I saw them it was majestic. It was like the Towers were 3 old friends and that's where they liked to stand and give advice with their ancient wisdom and knowledge on life. They really were a sight to see and you can bet I was glad I went for one last look.

I hiked back down, packed up camp, and then headed out of the park happy as a clam, save for the pain in my right knee from hiking. Am I getting old?

Another guy and I hitched a ride on a truck to our meeting point...that was lucky and FREE! The van picked us up and I was back at the hostel welcomed by open arms and a hot shower. Good thing because I was stinky. They made me a big breakfast the next morning, I caught the bus to Punta Arenas and flew back to Puerto Montt and now I'm back into the school routine.

On the trail I felt like a badass. I flew to the bottom of the world, hiked the "W" solo, saw some life changing sights and now I can wear my Patagonia gear with pride because, yep, I WAS THERE.

For a Photo Album of the trip, click below:
http://asnapoflife.shutterfly.com/pictures

18th of September

2010-09-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

This year is Chile's Bicentenial and were they ever preparing for a party! Septermber 18th is Independence Day and Chile is full and rich with traditions. I was lucky enough to experience them with my family and school.

EMPANADAS: My host mom, Rossy, is an incredible cook. She wants to open a restaurant some day...how did I get so lucky? She made homemade empanadas from scratch and even taught me the tricks to the trade, although I highly doubt I will be able to replicate them. A lot of food here in the south is still made my hand or your neighbor sells some homemade goods. Empanadas are basically hot pockets with a mixture of meat, onion, spices, olives and raisons inside called PINO. You can get them in any restaurant for cheap...I will miss them when I go. But everybody ate them during Independence Week.

La CUECA: La cueca is a traditional dance of Chile and all residents of Chile have been taught how to dance it, but some are better than others. The students had a cueca dance off during school and it was so entertaining to watch young kids dance something so old and traditional. La cueca involves a white hankerchief and a couple who dance around each other waving the hankerchiefs in the air. They wear traditional dress: the men wear hats and boots with spurs, the women wear dresses that flare out and are colorful.

ASADO: aka Bar-b-que Chilean style. Chile LOVES its meat and when they cook up an asado, they do it right. It takes hours for everything to be prepared and cooked, but after you are enjoying smoked meat, chicken, sausages covered with fresh bread and PREBRE to top it all, which is basically what we call pico de gallo.

My school also had an Expo presenting the history of Chile and explaining its traditions, indiginous people, La Mapuche, geographical features, wars, history and foods. I learned a lot, but would have learned way more if it were in English! The kids received marks in their history classes for their projects.

Chile also celebrated with 2 days off work, fireworks, parades and a flag on seriously ever person's house. I heard you could get fined if you weren't displaying a Chilean flag somewhere in your house, but that could just be a rumor.

So 3 cheers for Chile's bicentineal and amazing independence day!!! What an awesome way to learn about a country rich with culture, pride and tradition.

Chi Chi Chi, Le Le Le !VIVA CHILE!

The Colegio

2010-08-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

So I've been posting blogs and photos from all my trips in this Chilean adventure, but now it's time to share what I really do with all my time. This blog is all about the Colegio, translated literally to "college," but it's what they call high schools around here.

My School
Liceo Bosque Nativo = "Native Forest"
Kids in ONE classroom = 45
Block Periods = 1 1/2 hours for each subject
Poverty Rate = 70%
Uniforms = Yes
Amount of kids I teach every week: 360
Our School Color = Green

Here's How It Works:
I work 25 hours in the school and about 6 hours outside of it with extra curricular activities, so I get Fridays off...sweet!

I work with 2 English teachers, Rosita and Janette, but mostly I work with Miss Rosita and she is AWESOME. She's 26 years old, fun and very flexible.

Miss Rosita and I split the class, so I take the first 23 students for 45 minutes, and then we switch the kids so I teach the 2nd half of class for the last 45 minutes. Miss Rosita teaches the grammar parts with reading and writing, and I provide the fun activities, songs and games to get the alumnos (students) to practice listening and speaking.

How It's Really Going:
So I had high expectations of speaking with the students, but reality has hit and it's saying, "These kids don't study!" I've found that it's the same in ALL classes, not just English. I am teaching high school and these kids have learned English since 5th grade and when I ask, "How are you?" I get an absolute blank look back. So I've adjusted. My lesson plans are VERY simple and provide A LOT of structure. For example, today we reviewed "Winter Vacation Vocabulary" so I drew a stick figure skier on the board and the kids had to draw and label the skier with items of ski clothing. Then we repeated all the words. The kids get a kick out of it because we're doing a lot of group exercises and games.

Other Lesson Plans:
*The Hokie Pokie
*Bob Marley songs
*Dress for the Weather
*Practicing Imperatives with a Beach Ball
*Using a Student to Label the Parts of the Body

Advice I've Received:
Everyday I still find it incredible how much these kids don't understand because they are unmotivated to learn. (How well would you learn stuffed into a classroom with 45 of your friends and no room to separate the desks away from each other?) So the teachers tell me:

"Enjoy your time here. You are a foreigner and that alone will help these kids think differently."

"Just teach them the basics. If you can get them to respond to "how are you?" you've accomplished something."

"Relax and remember some of these kids have bigger problems outside of school. Make your classroom a fun and safe environment."

So I've finally listened to the advice and we spent a week learning ways to respond to "How are you?" We made posters and lots of visuals and everyday I ask the kids that question. They are finally responding in a variety of ways, even in the hallways outside of the classroom!

The key is to "go with the flow." To be honest, I'm starting to get attached to these kids as I'm beginning to remember a lot of their names and we all have been laughing together in the classroom, although some of them still drive me crazy. It's difficult to get the whole class to listen, but I just figure the ones who want to get something out of the class will. And I've been helping out with the basketball team. Coach Robert told me that after I started helping out, more girls have been coming to practice =)
PS- Robert is the big black guy who was a shock to see on my first day. He's from New Jersey and plays professional basketball here in Chile.

Other Differences:
1. The kids occupy a classroom for the whole day. For example, Aula 4 is always in classroom #4 and the teachers do all the switching. But I get my own classroom so I can make seating arrangements and decorate it however I please.

2. All teachers wear white lab coats.

3. There is no heat in the school, so kids wear gloves, scarves and hats. The teacher's lounge is the only place with heat and no one ever wants to leave it!

4. The gym is a barn with one light.

5. When the teacher walks into a room, the students stand at attention until asked to sit.

6. They all call you Miss + your first name. So I am always Miss Kim/Kem.

7. They have "inspectadoras" who take care of all the discipline, roam the halls, lock the school doors and call parents if the student is not in class.

8. The kids love to play ping pong in between classes, and they're really good at it.

9. There's something called "THE BOOK" which is really like the Bible. It has a roll call of the students for a specific class (ex: Aula 4). All the grades, lesson plans and absent kids are written in this book. The teachers scramble with them at the end of term so they can finish all the grades, but you only have the book while you're teaching that class.

Check out our Facebook page: Bosque Nativo English Club!

Argentina

2010-08-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

CAST OF CHARACTERS:
Kim: narrator
Steve: volunteer from Louisiana
Tina: volunteer from Pennsylvania
Corie: volunteer from...I forget
Camilla: old Squaw Kids ski instructor (06-07, 07-08) from Brazil
Lucy: old rentals worker in Squaw Valley, from Brazil
Esteban: new Argentinian friend in Las Lenas
Cesar, Manuel T. and Alejo: old Squaw Kids ski instructors (09-10) from Buenos Aires
Sara: volunteer from Montana
Frankie: volunteer from New York

First of all, the flight from Santiago to Mendoza, Argentina was incredible. I had to fly from Puerto Montt to Santiago first and it was only then I realized just how narrow this country is. The ocean was on my left and those incredible Andes were on my right and there wasn't much land in between. Crossing over the Andes to Argentina was well worth the extra expense of a flight vs. a bus, and after I heard horror stories of my friends having to push their bus out of the snow, spend 4 hours at customs and then pay $300 for a taxi ride to get to Mendoza, I was extra glad I took a plane.

MENDOZA
Mendoza is the equivalent to Napa Valley; it's famous for its vineyards and wine. I met up with 4 other volunteers in Mendoza and miraculously, thanks to Facebook, we all found each other at a little hostel without the use of cell phones (it's still possible!)

Corie had some friends in Mendoza and one worked at a fine wine shop located in the governor's old mansion. We marveled at how much someone would pay for a bottle of the good stuff.

We took advantage of the nightclub scene and all the parks and plazas. It's really popular to take siestas in Argentina, so most stuff is closed from 1-4 or 5. And there are lots of ditches lining the streets to water the trees. Our friend Steve found that out the hard way after a few beers! He was busy watching 2 people get arrested by police armed with rifles when he fell into one.

Tina and I bought a bus ticket to leave for Las Lenas, a small ski town 8 hours away, at 6:00AM. I woke up at 5:15 and saw that she was still out at the bars. I packed my stuff, hopped in a cab and just had enough time to buy a coffee before boarding the bus. It was 5:59AM and I assumed Tina would meet me later, but low and behold I hear a "KIM! OH MY GOD" behind me and there's Tina looking like a mess, but on time for the bus.

LAS LENAS

So Tina and I met with 2 old friends from Squaw Valley,
Camilla and Lucy. They are both from Brazil and set up a vacation in Las Lenas for Tina and I to join. Steve met up with us the next day, so we had a right size party group. Plus we made good friends with Esteban, the hotel's front desk man. I definitely felt right at home in that mountain town: I made friends quickly, took advantage of the incredible skiing, enjoyed some good beers and felt like myself there wrapped around tall peaks, running streams, white snow and low valleys. It was strange; it was like suddenly I was aligned within.

So Camilla and I ripped up the slopes after we gave Steve, Tina and Lucy a few lessons to work on for the day. We discovered canyons, gullies, chutes and stunning beauty. One gully we discovered shot us out far away from the chair lift, so we had to traverse back, but I didn't mind because it was a gorgeous day.

Although I didn't have my normal ski gear and had to rent some basic skis (due to my budget) I realized that you don't need much to enjoy your day, just friends and good snow! I also discovered the ALFAJORE in Argentina, which added to my happiness. It's a chocolate covered cookie filled with dulce de leche, a yummy caramel cream.

BUENOS AIRES
So I had a flight to return to Puerto Montt, but with a week left of vacation and an addiction to Argentina's culture, I said "screw it" and bought a bus ticket to Buenos Aires. 12 hours later I was at the bus terminal and my Argentinian friend, Cesar, was there to pick me up.

At this point I must say THANK YOU to a job that provides an opportunity to work with people from all over the world. After 4 years at Squaw Kids, I've met and worked with my fair share of foreigners, and now I was Facebooking them all for places to stay and tours of their city. I'm a lucky girl and I laughed to see people on those sight seeing tour buses...I had my own personal guides!
Cesar's family all spoke English, thank God! And they live in a really nice apartment downtown. I was spoiled with Frosted Flakes for breakfast and cafe con leche and alfajores...JOY. Cesar, Alejo and Manuel had an ASADO (BBQ) for me and whoa, Argentinians take their meat seriously. I mean, I think from now on I will only go to the butcher for meat. But they also sold cow lengua (tongue) and intestines in the supermarcado...gross. I took a nice tour of Buenos Aires and enjoyed some Milanesa, a delicious cut of meat breaded and fried just right with sauce and cheese...TAKE ME BACK!

Argentina has seen its share of political turmoil, and like Chile, the military has taken over from a sour dictatorship, but instead of passing the power, they kept it and mysteriously neighbors and everyday people went missing. Yes, Americans can gripe about their govt., but to be honest, at least we all feel safe and protected by our rights in our country. There were posters of the revered Evita everywhere too, as it was close to the anniversary of her death.

Cesar, Manuel and I also checked out the Royal Expo, which was kinda like a State Fair, but bigger. There were cows, sheep and llamas all being shown in competition. They had fresh meats and cheeses from the country side and a huge variety of tractors. I guess Argentina has a pretty big farming community. But it reminded me of home because my cousins live on a farm and thrive off that kind of thing. I ran into some cowboys drinking MATE, a strong herbal tea that tastes really earthy. You usually pass the drink around with friends and there were hot water dispensers everywhere to refill your thermos for Mate. Anyway, I stopped them for a photo, but they didn't seem that interested.

So after enjoying the city life, Manuel and Cesar took me back to the bus terminal and waved farewell as my bus pulled away. I have to say that boys have much better manners in Argentina. I always had to walk through the door first, never carried my bag and was always refused when I offered to pay for something. All in all, I felt like a princess!

BARILOCHE
22 hours later on a bus I ended up in the resort town of Bariloche, where I met 2 other volunteers, Sara and Frankie. I can't believe I really didn't have to be alone at all during this whole tour...it all worked out perfectly.

Bariloche...WHOA. Similar to Tahoe, but I'd have to say more incredible, Bariloche is a town situated on a beautiful lake with a few ski resorts near by. Now this town has a huge influence from the Swiss and Germans, and so the chocolate and beer were amazing. I mean, we went on a chocolate tasting tour and I felt like I was in heaven! Every ice cream was better than the one before and we even treated ourselves to some cheese fondue. Everything is pretty cheap in Argentina.

I wasn't going to ski again due to my financial situation, but then I said "screw it" and rented some skis and bought a day pass and I'm so glad I did. Frankie, Sara and I all skied well together and so we really challenged each other on the slopes. We skied down chutes and enjoyed the incredible views of the absolutely HUGE mountains and beautiful lake below. We sang and woohooed all the way down the mountain. We even had to ford a creek to get to the base, but I didn't mind walking at all...a new experience! Also a new experience for me: looking like a gaper (a person who is obviously an out of towner on the ski slopes). I didn't have goggles or proper gloves, but who cares??!!

When it was all said and done, I skied 5 days total, met up with many friends, shared some great memories, ate a lot of incredible food and saw some spectacular vistas. Then I contracted Montezuma's revenge, but at least it didn't hit until I got home to Puerto Montt and I've had this whole week off getting better. Everything works out alright in the end, eh?

Chile in Pictures

2010-07-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Petrohue

2010-07-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

So I hopped on a bus with the Turismo group at school for a field trip to Petrohue. I have to say I really needed that jump start today. This past week has been a little crazy. Winter vacations begin Friday and nothing has been normal. My classroom is occupied for the week and my host teacher has been grading papers like crazy, so we've been watching a lot of movies and such. I've come home bored and uninvolved searching like crazy for conversations and news from the States, making me all the more homesick. But today, I got involved.

A few things I need to realize while in Chile:
1. My Spanish is not that bad; stop being intimidated by it!
2. I need to speak Spanish more with the students so we can actually get to know each other.
3. I have to get involved more in classes and after school. My efforts need to be stronger.

Today snapped me out of my slump. The weather was absolutely beautiful and splendidly sunny (a RARE RARE occurrence in this rainy part of the country) and I was able to see the volcanoes and mountains. The students were the tour guides and they took a special interest in explaining everything to me, which was awesome! I even made a few jokes in Spanish =) The tour was incredible and so is this country.

I feel excited again to be here, and now I am traveling to Argentina to ski with some old friends. I'm glad to be back to my old self again!!! Thank God for the sun!

CHILOE

2010-06-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

Another adventure in the books here in Chile. There is a large island, the 2nd largest in Chile, very close to Puerto Montt and Rosie, my host mom, has friends there. So this past long weekend we went for a visit.

Our bus had to ferry across the sea until we got to Castro. Rosie's friends live in the country side (campo) and when we arrived, I was greeted by a very sweet older couple and was introduced to about 10 extra lbs on my body. We did nothing but eat in Chiloe! Tia cooked everything fresh, and when I say fresh, I mean that they owned a butchery right next door where the cows entered and after exited edible, if you know what I mean. We had fresh meat, fresh fish, fresh eggs and fresh bread smeared in pig grease to make it that much more delicious!

(PS: this sheep was stuck in the fence! I felt sorry for it, but also thought it was pretty funny.)

I looked around the house and saw lots of Bibles and pictures of Jesus. These must be religious friends of Rosie, so after introductions when the couple asked if "Tu Crees en Dios?" (Do you believe in God?) I answered, "Si, soy catolica" (Yes, I am Catholic). I left out the part that I've written a 50 page essay on my thoughts on religions and the power of belief systems, but I didn't want to offend anyone.

The grandparents had a granddaughter, Connie, who was very interested in English. She's 15 and couldn't stop staring at my blue eyes over lunch. We went downtown later and she wouldn't stop questioning me! One question after the other about English and pop culture in America. Sometimes I wish I were more into the pop scene so I could share a love for Britney Spears or something, but I couldn't break her heart by saying that I live in a small mt. town in Tahoe and dislike shopping, pop culture and everything that sparkles in the American culture. Kudos to her curiosity though!

Saturday Rosie and I took a bus to visit a state park. It was absolutely pouring buckets of rain and then the heavy wind blew it all around. The bus dropped us off at the national park at 10:30. Rosie said it was picking us back up at 1:00pm. Whoa. So I was a bit fussy about walking around seeing nothing in the torrential downpour, but after I got soaked, I embraced the adventure and enjoyed our walk in the rain through forests that reminded me a lot of New Zealand. (Notice that my pants look like they're about to fall down; they are heavy with rain!)

So Chiloe was a beautiful adventure filled with good people, good food and good views. And the old fashioned stove kept us all warm!! (Notice how much taller I am than everyone in this country! Cheers to being a foreigner!)

My First Field Trip

2010-06-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Now I believe I am in Patagonia! The past two weeks have been rainy and cloudy and so I have been unable to see the volcanoes that stand nearby. I kept telling everyone that I didn't think they really existed, but now I'm a believer.

The school had an optional field trip this past Saturday and so I went with my host teacher, the students and a few other teachers. We took a bus tour to an incredible Parque National and I felt like I was right back in New Zealand. The river was running glacier blue, it was lush and green and waterfalls were pouring out from everywhere. I was a very happy girl.

After, we took a boat cruise to Puella around a big beautiful lake and I could finally see (partial) views of the big Volcan Oserno. There are some beautiful views of mountains and lakes in this area. I am very excited to be here and finally see some of the sights of Patagonia!

My New Home: Puerto Montt, CHILE

2010-06-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

Well I've finally settled into the South and have met my new family, which includes my host mom Rosie, my host teacher Rosita and my school Bosque Nativo.

I live in a 2 bedroom house with Rosie and she always keeps the fire going, so there is no need for central heating! She is a quirky character who plants flowers in the middle of the night, buys more plates and silverware than she has room for, and lets me live my life comfortably (vives tu vida!) She also has chocolate all over the house...we were meant to be roommates!

Rosita, my host teacher, is young (about my age), fun and super accommodating. She plans the material and tests and I follow up with speaking and listening activities. Sometimes they go well and sometimes the kids stare at me with absolute blank faces. And some of them are only interested in American swear words. I tell them to learn 10 useful verbs 1st and then maybe I'll clue them in on some bad words. (I think I will win that one.) And we've had some classes off lately in order to watch Chile play in the World Cup (2-0 so far!) It's been exciting!

Puerto Montt lies within the Lake District of Patagonia, Chile. Our port is the most popular in the region and so there are a lot of amenities downtown, like a mall and cinema! I just have to take a cheap colectivo (shared taxi) to get there! I still need to do some more exploring, but there's plenty of time for that later.

So one month into it here in Chile and it's going well. It rains almost everyday, but I'm in the school most of the time anyway.

Stay tuned for more!

Santiago

2010-05-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Santiago

It's been a whirlwind of adventure so far. I get around on the Metro and stay in my little room at Eileen's mom's place. I feel like I have a little home here in Santiago!

Romina's party was a blast welcoming me to Chile. There were so many instructors there who I haven't seen in years! And of course they are party animals and were handing me pisco sour after pisco sour.

Pichilemu was an awesome beach excursion with Eileen's family: we ate good seafood, slept in and enjoyed the sun. The four year olds helped me with my Spanish homework and entertained me when I had no clue what all the adults were talking about.

I am very slowly starting to break down my Spanish speaking hesitations as I find that you still have to live life daily. Nothing is as bad as it seems and you can always find a way to get the important information across, even if it's not everything you mean or want to say.

I'm not really in culture shock or feel that I won't be able to get through this experience. I am so excited to be in the classroom. This trip is certainly different in that my main goal is to be a positive influence in the classroom and not so much to travel and sight see, although that is always part of the package. I find myself taking less photos and writing less in my journal and I'm not sure why. Maybe because I feel more comfortable in traveling or that I've seen the differences between cultures before. Maybe it's because I've become more relaxed and comfortable in my life....who knows. After this trip though, I do feel a little more ready to stay in one spot (hear that Mom??!!) Life is just sorta funny how it is always coming together. You never fully get it, but you're always working towards all those little goals that lead somehow to the big picture.

Goodbye Winter, Hello Winter!

2010-04-22T20:01:00.001-07:00

Well, the end of another ski season is here, but not really because the sky keeps deciding to dump down snow. In fact, today was a lovely little powder day, and last night was an unexpected icy slushy ride back from a movie in Reno. Is it really Spring?

We had a great snow pack this year...storms came in pretty regular increments, which even brought some Colorado friends out to me: Stevo and Stacey. They had a pretty quick weekend visit, but it was wonderful to ski with them! Here's a photo of James and Marco trying to dig out one of our Magic Carpets! WOOHOO!

My mom and sis came for a visit over Christmas, which was awesome, but shortened due to some health complications with my Grandpa. We still enjoyed the time we had together.

I brought in a Happy New Year with 3 very good friends as we cross country skied near Donner Lake during the full moon. It was a very peaceful and tranquil way to bring in the new year, but it has not manifested into a year full of more exercise...yet!

And of course the season was filled with karaoke and retro parties!

Now I'm getting ready to embark upon a new adventure: Patagonia Chile. Happy Spring to all of you!!! And for me, another Winter in the Southern Hemisphere =)

VEGAS BABY!

2010-02-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

Finally after 4 years of living within a drivable distance from Vegas, I've entered the land of lights, "hot babes," flexible laws and endless buffets.
A friend was celebrating his 23rd birthday, so James and I decided to drive down and meet up with about 15 of our wonderful fun co-workers. We met at the Playboy club, where I needed to talk my way into a pass to get in...thank God I have the girl thing going for me, but James had to pay $20. We ascended to the 52nd floor where a million dollar view and $10 beers awaited us.

The club was fun and it was great to see everyone dressed up, but we weren't allowed to put our coats at a table unless we paid for a $400 bottle of vodka. We decided to throw all our belongings on the floor and dance around them, but security quickly caught on and made us pick it all up. A little uptight compared to our local watering holes, but the DJ was incredible and of course we danced the night away!

We stayed at the Luxor, the big pyramid shaped hotel on the Strip, and enjoyed the sights of Vegas. NY, New York was the most fun with a sweet roller coaster that I would rate a 7, and that's coming from a girl who had a season pass to Kings Island in 6th grade. And of course we ate a ton after the roller coaster experience. The dessert buffet made decisions difficult! I accidentally poured hot chocolate into my ice cream bowl...oops, but I wasn't too upset about it.

It's unbelievable how much sex is sold in Vegas. Everywhere you go people are handing out cards of naked girls (and I caught James scraping a bunch of them up off the street corner =) The casinos are dark and maze-like and my eyes took some time adjusting to the bright sky outside. And yes, I did gamble, and lost all of my $10 on the slots, but got a free drink out of it!

We watched the fountains at the Belagio put on a spectacular show and I found it funny when people took pictures and wondered at the imitations of the true classic European art, sculpture and architecture. The Vegas replicas are cheap and modern, but ya know, I've seen the real thing and it looks pretty much the same.

Overall, Vegas is cheesey, smokey, expensive if you're not gambling, and full of strange strange people. Only in Vegas will you see midgets being exploited as advertising leprachans and Elivises. But the 8 hour drive through the desert was worth it to see the famous sights of fabulous Las Vegas!

NEPAL

2009-11-11T10:21:00.000-08:00

Where do I even begin? You can only describe a place half way around the world so well; to really understand it you just have to go there. But, I will do my best to paint a picture of the experience for you.

Kathmandu

The capital of Nepal is absolutely huge, colorful, poluted and BUSY! We got out as soon as we could. A taxi driver (who earned commission) drove us to a Guest House where we paid $20 for a room and quickly organized the trek with Shankar, a representive of Swan Valley Trekking. We got a package that included meals, lodging, a guide, a porter, bus tickets and our permits. We left for the trail the next day.

Our Crew

Our guide, Jivan, and porter, Rom, are neighbors from Ghorka, Nepal. Jivan spoke pretty decent English while Rom remained the silent strong type. Jivan was social and taught us card tricks and games. Rom sat beside us giving Brad pointers on which cards to throw down. Jivan lead the expedition setting the pace. Rom took up the back carrying his load. Jivan and Rom both ate Dal Bhat always with glasses of "mountain medicine," or local wine (kinda like Saki). And of course there was Katie, Brad and myself. Katie and Brad kept everyone laughing. I recorded the trip with a detailed journal and photographs.

The Bus Ride

We loaded up on a colorful bus titled 'DVD Coach' and we puzzled over the concept of a TV in this short fully loaded animated shuttle. But sure enough, they played a Nepali movie that included lots of Indian style singing and a dramatic story of a forbidden love, or at least that's what we gathered from their actions. The bus was public and so we stopped often to load up and drop off while all our bags were tied down on the roof. I really had no worries about theft, even when passengers were riding on the roof. People are pretty respectful in this country. So we endured 7 hours of potholes, cramped quarters, a crazy driver who passed cars no matter what, and LOUD Nepali music. And everyone honks musical horns while passing, adding to the music of the trip. We all had a laugh when Katie got splashed with muddy road water jumping up from a puddle when another bus passed us.

The Trek

Click on link to see map of the Annapurna Circuit

http://www.pigeontravels.com/picture/map_of_annapurna_tour.jpg

Ngadi (930m/3,050ft)

Our 1st stop on the trek came a bit early due to Brad contracting some sort of illness that kept him throwing up until the next day when he started to feel better. We think it was food related, but it was just a one day bug. It was Jivan's birthday and so we celebrated with Everest beer, card games and a Snickers bar.

The Jungle

We continued trekking alongside a river in lush greenery. Waterfalls poured out from all over and my legs broke out in pimples due to the humidity. Whatever lodges we stayed in Jivan always led us right to our rooms and ordered tea and snacks for us. Having a guide took a lot of stressful decision making out of the equation. We ran into donkey trains carrying loads of supplies and porters making thier way in flip flops with a strap over their foreheads to carry their own loads. We crossed lots of bridges as we slowly climbed our way to higher grounds and got little peeks of some big snow covered peaks.

Chame (2670m/8757ft)

As the headquarters of the region, Chame was full of modern luxuries such as a Western toliet attached to our bedroom, hot showers and Internet. We were able to connect with our families to say we were doing fine. The weather is getting a bit chillier.

Pisang (3240m/10,627)

The days are getting shorter due to acclimazation and our surroundings are looking more like Tahoe with dryer air and more pine trees. We witnessed a man here who burst in the door at dinner coughing and disoriented. The next morning we found out he died from Pulminary Edema. He didn't have insurance for a helicopter evacuation and didn't descend enough to cure his symptoms. Serious stuff here in the mts, and we all hiked on with a little more respect for the place.

Manang (3540m/11,611ft)

We are well into the mountains here and every view is breathtaking. Glaciers and avalanches bombard the tall peaks and the sun shines brightly off of them. There is a bakery here that we took full advantage of and we did a little day hike to help acclimate. We also attended a talk on altitude sickness and its effects at a free clinic, which was helpful even though Jivan knows it all anyway. But we were all feeling good thus far.

Gunsang (3900m/12,792ft)

What a cool little place equipped with a few rooms, a rooftop deck of the incredible Annapurna Range, and a whole wheel of Yak cheese to flavor our food. We really enjoyed the 2 hour hike to this place where we continued to acclimate.

Thorung Phedi (4420m/14,498ft)

Literally translated "foot of the mountain," this was our last stop before the pass. It was cold and began snowing that night. It was at this lodge where I really felt like we were on a mt expedition. There was a sense of anticipation in the air as we looked around at the two sorts of people there: porters who wore simple clothes vs mountaineers who wore solid gear. We ate a lot of carbs and played a lot of cards before curling up in our sleeping bags ignoring mice scampering underneath our beds.

The Pass (5415m/17,761ft)

We awoke at 3:30am, ate breakfast, turned on our headlamps and started up the switchbacks with a line of headlights behind us and in front. It was completely dark save for the stars in the clear black sky. As dawn approached you could just barely make out the outline of the mountains as the light started to reflect off the snow. We kept going UPUPUP and it was cold.

But how could you complain when your hands were cold with gloves on while Rom simply shoved his hands in his pockets to stay warm? We stopped for tea part way up and took in the views. There was a man outside with a donkey looking for weaker hikers to pay him a fortune for a mule ride to the top. We continued on foot.

No one had altitude sickness symptoms, but my body had slowed down quite a bit and I took it very slowly. Brad wrote a message in the snow to encourage me. Then the top came into view and Rom was there to give us high fives as we put our packs down to take congratulatory photos. And yes, there was a tea shack at the top. Then we started the decent, which was long, slippery and hard. But we were happy the pass was over. WE DID IT!

Muktinath (3710m/12,168ft)

I took a shower and we spent the morning exploring the temple, which is a sort of Mecca for the people of Nepal. Prayer flags flew everywhere within these closed grounds as the leaves yellowed above the flowing creeks. It was a beautiful area with lots of bells that when rung bring prayers to the sky.

Kagbeni (2800m/9184ft)

This is where I celebrated my birthday in another fine lodge with a bathroom attached to our room. Katie and Brad got me a treat as a gift: Pringles! And we started ordering bottles of Everest early to celebrate. We taught Jivan some drinking games, including Kings Cup and Screw the Dealer. He really got a kick out of the games and we all laughed when we tryed to explain the 'Busta Rhyme' rule in Kings Cup. We told Jivan to just pick any word at all and Katie would have to rhyme with it and it would continue around the circle. So he looks at Katie and says, "Water." Katie's smile faded as she tried to think of a word to rhyme, but couldn't, so she drank. A pretty clever guide =)

Then a woman from the kitchen brought out a chocolate cake much to my surprise! She wrapped a Yak shawl around me and everyone sang. I blew out the candles and we passed a piece of cake to everyone in the room. What a wonderful way to turn 27.

Kotapani (2530m/8,298ft)

We had a long day of hiking to Katopani and none of us were really sure why. There were places to stop along the way, but Jivan wanted to keep going. We joked that he had a girlfriend waiting for him. To cut off some time from the trail, we decided to ford a river flowing with glacial water. It was such a cold long process of wading barefoot through the river that it would have been faster to have gone around! Oh well. Our feet were tired that night and we ate a huge delicious meal of Dal Bhat...the best so far.

Tatopani (1190m/3,903ft)

Hot Springs! We talked Jivan into staying 2 nights here, and if he said no we threatened to drug his mountain medicine =) Americans like to rest! But we relaxed near the hot springs for 2 days here as we were ahead of schedule.

Ghorepani via Poon Hill (2750/9,020ft)

Ugh Poon Hill. UPUPUPUP all in one day. I had a harder time climbing these endless stone steps than going over the pass! The next morning we summited Poon Hill at sunrise to watch Mother Nature show her radiant morning colors against a backdrop of the highest mountains in the world.

To Pokhara

We had 3 extra days and so were going to cut into the Annapurna Sanctuary, but as we started to head up more stone stairs, Katie's chest started hurting and it was hard for her to take deep breaths. We stopped to assess the situation and I told her, "Katie, if you want to turn around and go down, I'm totally ok with that." And so was Brad. We were all a little burnt out on the trek and so we decided to make our way to Pokhara to rest for 5 days.

And so we trekked 300 km or 184 miles over a 17,761 foot pass through the Himalayas. It was stunning, tiring, adventurous and fun.

Pokhara (884m/2,900ft)

We killed time in Pokhara, the 2nd largest city in Nepal but not nearly as crazy because the tourist section is located near a large calm lake. We spent our time rowing in it, hiking to the Peace Pagoda, eating Banana Choc Chip cake, shopping and riding bikes to museums. I came down with some sort of diarhea/stomach cramp thing, but took some antibiotics and felt better. Then we got on a bus back to Kathmandu.

Kathmandu (again)

Jivan was there to greet us as we stepped off the bus. He insisted we stay at his place with his 2 cousins. They rented 2 rooms below their landlord about a 10 min walk from Thamel, the tourist district. We were the only tourists in his neighborhood. They had 3 beds and insisted that Katie, Brad and I take 2 of them. They shared the other and 1 slept on the floor. They made Dal Bhat and breakfast for us everyday and wouldn't let us give them a cent. They took us out to the Nepali bars, which was a unique scene of dancing and singing. Again, we were the only tourists in their bars. We picked up last minute souvineers, saw a whole lotta temples, including a monkey temple, which is exactly what it sounds like, and an area where families cremate their dead and send them down a river.

I can't believe the experiences we had while in Nepal and the hospitality we were shown. I would reccommend a trip there in a heartbeat. I've included a few more tidbits below from the trip. ENJOY!

Moods of the SteriPen

We used a nifty device called the Steripen to purify our water. We filled our bottles from a local water source and then waved the magic Steripen UV light wand in the water for 90 seconds per liter of water. It scrambles the DNA of bacteria, so you're still drinking them, but they are unable to reproduce to make you sick. If the process is successful, the Steripen gives you a :) If something went wrong, it :( At altitude, it gets finiky and often :( much to our dismay, but Jivan :) and fills our bottles with boiling water. After the pass, the Steripen was back to its old self, smiling away after liters of water were purified. It was an easy and reliable process.

Typical Meals for the Day:
Breakfast: fried egg + chipati (flat bread) OR apple porridge, tea
Snack: apple or banana, tea
Lunch: fried noodles, tea
Snack: popcorn or french fries, tea
Dinner: Dal Bhat*, tea

*DAL BHAT- the staple food of every Nepali that can be found EVERYWHERE
1. a heaping pile of rice
2. lentil soup
3. curried vegetables
4. pickled radishes
5. curried chicken (only at dinner)

How to Eat:
First, you pour the lentil soup over the rice, then with your right hand (never never never your left because that's what you clean your bum with after the bathroom) you take the curry and mash up the potatoes into the rice and mix in the veggies. They you put a scoop of the mixture into your hand and use your thumb to shovel it all into your mouth. Add in the delicious chicken at intervals and eat the pickled radishes last if they aren't too spicy. You can always ask for more of everything, but you never waste anything on your plate. It really is a delicious dish!!!

The Art of the Squat Toliet

Many of you may cringe at the thought of not being able to sit on a 'throne' while going to the bathroom, but I must say the Squat Toliet is very effective. After arriving in Nepal I was very afraid of being stopped up due to the grossness of a sloppy toliet you hold yourself over. I imagined straining my leg muscles over a poop covered floor to go, but in reality it wasn't that bad. First of all, there was usually a porcelin toliet placed in the floor and once you get into that natural squat position, it all comes out. And eventually, the stinky outhouse smell stops bothering you. I don't know why we sit on toliets at all reading a magazine waiting for the drop. With a Squat Toliet, you squat and then you're done...it's easy! Then you pour buckets of water down the hole until gravity works its magic.

Tips on making your squat toliet experience enjoyable:

1. Roll up your pants

2. Bring your own TP

3. Aim correctly

4. Relax and have fun with the experience =)

Religion

Hinduism and Buddhism are ever prevalent in Nepal and often you can't tell the difference between the two. Posters of Buddha and Vishnu are hung next to each other in lodges, Monasteries and Temples are built right next to each other. Prayer flags are everywhere and I'm still unsure exactly which religion they serve, so I assume both. Most people wear the tika, or red dot on the forehead and Hindu sadhus and Buddhist monks are often roaming the streets. Both religions offer a lot of color and traditions. I asked Jivan which religion he practices, to which he responded Buddhism, but his Facebook page says he's Hindu. Nepal is one country we can learn from as far as religious tolerance goes: religions meld into daily life without a sense of competition and with complete adaptation.

Other Tid Bits

1. No public displays of affection (Katie and Brad!)

2. Dogs are everywhere and don't belong to anyone

3. Don't open your mouth in the shower

4. Jivan's cell phone works everywhere except over the pass

5. The best place to dry anything is on the roof

And now for the sentimental side: my last journal entry. Most blogs spill out its creator's inner thoughts, so I guess I will do that just this one time. Hope it's not overkill =)

November 6, 2009 TRUCKEE
I am home in Truckee at last. Staying with Ingrid and John in Santa Cruz (Brad's brother and sister-in-law) was wonderful, but I was so ready to get home to take a shower- it had been 6 days. We went out for a huge breakfast with pancakes, sausage, and coffee and rode our bikes to the restaurant. It's a wonderful feeling to be comfortable with customs and culture. I knew how to ride on the roads, what to order at breakfast, how to ask the waitress for something and how to pay properly. It can be unnerving to not know what's acceptable and what's not during the simplest tasks in another country. Here, back in America, I can just be myself and know I'll fit in.

As we were driving back from Santa Cruz in a comfortable safe car on a comfortable safe pothole free but highway patrol loaded interstate, I couldn't help but wonder what Jivan would think of it all if he were here. It's so exciting to show a foreigner your own country- there is a great amount of pride in it. For Jivan, it's the beauty of the Himalayas and customs of his people and sharing in food. For me it would be showing him the great architecture and bridges of San Francisco and how clean the bathrooms are. We would cover so much ground on our efficient highways and still find solitude by Lake Tahoe. Anything he could possibly want is accessable via the huge variety and size of stores and markets and malls. Opportunity is at your fingertips here in America and I wouldn't change my place of birth for anything in the world.

I walked into my apartment in Truckee, put my things down, marveled at how clean it is, and then jumped in the shower. It was a very long shower (mostly because I had to shave a month's worth of leg hair) and I scrubbed my skin pink. My feet are still dirty though. I clipped my toenails, swabbed my ears, and plucked my eyebrows. I put on cotton underwear, cotton pants and a cotton shirt, having grown tired of polypropolene attire. And I felt CLEAN! And the biggest difference is that I'm staying clean.

I did my laundry and a stink that I thought would never come out has turned to 'spring fresh.' Everything is so easy in the kitchen and all my stuff has its place, unlike Jivan and his cousins' kitchen/bedroom. I am so glad to be home.

After I went to the grocery store where everything is packaged and processed, my phone rang and it was Jivan calling to make sure we all got home alright. The hospitality continues, ever over the miles and after the fact. It was good to hear his voice because I do miss him and the high regard in friendship that he holds us all in. I feel spoiled just leaving him and his country so I can come back to my luxurious lifestyle, and even though my lifestyle is meager by American standards, all of our lifestyles are very very luxurious in comparison. It's so easy to just leave all that behind, but so many people in Nepal don't know the difference and most seem very happy with their lifestyles. People in Nepal are happy- genuinely so. There is certainly something we can learn from that: take in life as it is, respect the higher power that has brought us all here, be self-suffiecient, and value your few but useful possessions. Love your family, celebrate festivals and don't overindulge yourself. I think every American can work on those things that a Nepali finds everyday in his work and life.

Nepal was an incredible experience. The people are sincere and friendly and the landscape is breathtaking. The country makes it easy to visit and go on any trek you want with all services provided. It is crazy in the cities, but the hospitality is unlimited. My mind and body took on Nepal with an enthusiastic fervor, drinking in the extreme differences, the exercise, the food, the people and children and the beautiful surroundings. But toward the end my body grew tired and I became accustomed to the culture and grew weary of the begging, the nomadic lifestyle, the pollution and lack of sanitation, causing me to learn something about myself: I value travel, I truly do. Having the opportunity to leave your comfort level to compare your simple and narrow idea of what life is to the stark contrast of life in other parts of the world always steers your mind away from ignorance. You grow as a person and value what you do have more. But I learned that in comparison to such a poorer lifestyle, I was very ready to come home instead of continuing to embrace it. I thought I was tougher than that. I give myself credit: I went and experienced it and would do it again in Nepal or another country like it, but I love my life here in America and how convenient this country can make life be.

I am so amazed and proud that Katie, Brad and I traveled so far to a completely different culture, trusted its people with our lives, and climbed a pass that reached 17, 761 ft. I hope I never pass up those kids of opportunities because they are few and far between. Life is too short to look the other way. I wonder what the next adventure will be =)

Summer of 2009

2009-11-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Not a whole lot of new occurrences this summer...the same old biking, hiking, golfing, swimming, sailing, paddle boarding, kayaking and softball leaguing. Our softball team once again has come into last place. We invested in a new bat, which actually did make our hits go further, but it unfortunately had no effect on our fielding talents (or lack thereof). But of course, it's always about the fun and the free drink ticket for the local bar afterward.

The golf course was an adventure of course. Another crash this summer in one of our brand new electric carts. The parents thought it would be a great idea to let their 8 year old kid drive the cart down a hill to his mom's golf ball. Well of course he got scared and lost control and didn't know how to react because he doesn't know how to DRIVE!! People don't understand that carts are mini cars. I actually almost got run over by one this summer when a guy was loading a cart up with boxes of wine. One box fell on the gas pedal and the cart shot forward as I dodged out of the way. Anyway, in both cases no one was injured.

I did have the opportunity to drive the Beverage Cart for one day when all the regular girls were sick. I have to say I really enjoyed driving that little cart full of free food for the driver. I got it stuck in a ditch once, but other than that all went smoothly. I had never made a Bloody Mary before and of course that's exactly what the first group of golfers wanted, so I just made them strong and no one complained. Good times.

I've also moved away from the lake to Truckee, about 15 miles north of it. I'm pretty excited for the change and I think it'll motivate me to try something new for next summer...we'll see what happens. For now I'm scrounging the thrift stores for unique home items.

And of course lots of hiking this summer, including Mt. Tallac, the quintessential peak of Tahoe. It was a steep climb, but I kept thinking, "Nepal, Nepal, Nepal" to stay focused. The views from above are the best I've seen of the lake so far.
Have a wonderful fall and do a snow dance for all the people who are all ready for the ski season to begin!

I leave you with this wonderful 80s photo of a fun crew before leaving to see Tainted Love, a talented 80s cover band that makes yours truly the happiest girl on the planet =)

Stevo Visits Tahoe and Conquers It!

2009-08-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

My very very good friend from college, Steve Zander, just came for a lovely visit to beautiful Lake Tahoe. I owed him a tour of the place after all the bike rides he gave me to the bars when I had torn my ACL in Boulder =) So here's the recap:

I picked Steve up at the Reno Airport and we immediately went to California's famous burger chain, In-N-Out. After scarfing down a Double Double and shake, we headed back to Tahoe and went to a free Bluegrass kinda Funk show at the local casino, the Crystal Bay Club. The band, Blue Turtle Seduction, is one of my local faves and it wasn't crowded so there was plenty of room on the dance floor!

The next day I made pancakes (that were excellent if I must say so myself) and Steve asked where a good coffee place is, so we biked to Tahoe House that serves a rich strong coffee that is often nicknamed crack cocaine coffee because of the strong after effects. We enjoyed some tasty pastries and caffeine and then biked up to Squaw Valley where we began our steep hike to Shirley Lake and then up to High Camp. My 8oz coffee kicked in on the hike and I was in the zone not stopping for anything, even a steep slab of granite that we had to scramble up! We swam in Shirley Lake and then continued to High Camp where we took the Cable Car back down to the base, climbed on our bikes, and made the 9 mile trek back home.

The one great thing about Steve coming out to visit is that he already lives at altitude in Denver and is an active person, so I didn't take it easy on him in Tahoe. I feel I just need to defend myself here in case you think, as you read on, that I'm pushing Steve a little too much with the local hiking and biking Tahoe lifestyle =) He was ready for it!

That night we made a big delicious dinner with my roommates and played a little drunken Jenga, the original wooden block game! We stacked it up pretty high and then Matt pulled the wrong block and Steve captured some good shots with his highly expensive very nice Canon camera. A bunch of friends came over and then we biked to the local bars in a Tahoe style typical bike gang. It was a great night on the town!

Saturday, we had a delicious breakfast at the Old Post Office, saw some of the classic old wooden boats (Cris Crafts and Gar Woods) at the marina and visited a "Huge Yard Sale" that was disappointingly small only offering 10 VHS tapes and a bracelet. Steve fixed our shower because the water pressure in the shower head was awful, and then I made Steve get back on the bike to stroll down the West Shore. We got some great views of the lake and all the mansions that border it and hiked up to Eagle Rock which shows a nice elevated view of the lake, as you can see below. (Steve takes great photos!)
Then we met up with Katie and Bradford, packed up our overnight bags, and hiked down to Chimney Beach on the East Shore to do a little sleeping under the stars. So you're not supposed to camp down there and when we got to the beach some guy jumped out of the bushes at us and said with authority, "You guys are busted." It ended up being another camper who thought we were rangers and he was hiding from us. He and his pal were a little strange, but they made a fire in the Chimney and didn't bother us too much.

We all got a great nights sleep, including Bradford who was all cozy in his sleeping bag after going for a late night swim in the cold waters of Tahoe. We woke up to a beautiful sunrise and Tim Tam slams, which is a little chocolate snack brought over from New Zealand. This is the wonderful part about Tahoe: camping, star gazing, beautiful blue waters, endless bike paths, hiking trails and friendly outgoing people are all in your very backyard. You have to travel nowhere to experience a lifestyle that people in the city and suburbs travel hours to get to only to emerse themselves in Nature for the weekend. I love it here.

After eating breakfast at the local cafe, Bradford, Matt, Stevo and myself headed out for a gnarly hike starting from Emerald Bay, heading to Eagle Lake and then to Velma Lakes, crossing over to Maggie's Peaks and then back down the Bayview trail to a vista piont of Lake Tahoe. About 10 miles overall. Again, Steve is already aclimated! And it was a wonderful hike with a refreshing jump into Velma Lakes and delicious sandwhiches that were previously purchased.

We ended up at a different trailhead than where we started from, so the gang nominated me to hitchhike down the hill back to the car. It was logical: a girl should get a ride quicker than a guy. I hitchhike occasionally in Tahoe City and get a ride pretty fast, but this was a tourist's parking lot and NO ONE was picking me up. I even confronted a couple and said that I just needed a ride down the road and they looked at each other like I had a gun in my backpack and then replied, "We don't have room." Finally, a truck pulled over and the driver was from Truckee...you can always rely on the locals! He gave me a ride down the hill as Steve took photos of his liscense plate with his mega zoom just in case =0)

My roommate made dinner that night and then we pretty much just passed out.

Monday was the day for Steve's departure, so we ate at the BEST local breakfast joint, Fire Sign (we had tried to go Sunday but it was a hour and a half wait!) It was nice to have that morning to just hang out with my old college friend. The whole weekend was jam packed with adventures with some of my closest friends here in Tahoe. Everyone is always up for anything and I'm psyched that Steve got to hang out with everyone so much. Everyone wanted him to move to Tahoe, including me! And I'm still working on a persuasion plan.

So we went to Secret Cove on the West Shore to swim in one the the most amazing spots on the lake. Then it was time to head to the Airport. I was very sad to see such a good friend go, but also in life, we must travel and see all there is to see and meet good friends along the way. In a perfect world, I would create a community in the mountains where all my family and friends from all stages of life would live. But until they all turn into hippies and are willing to uproot from home, I will just have to settle with great visits to all the wonderful places where all my wonderful friends reside. And know you always have a home in Tahoe too!

A Wedding in Chicago

2009-08-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

CHI TOWN

Chicago is one of the coolest cities in this world, and we had the opportunity to check it out with a wedding perspective. My mom's best friend, Gail King, has a beautiful daughter who met a wonderful man and they tied the knot in complete style and class.

Sarah, the bride, and I used to set up lemonade stands at the top of Surfside Dr. in Kentucky and we would sell cookies and snacks too. I remember one guy emptied out his coin tray into our tip cup and we thought we were rich. But now she's all grown up and our family was able to participate in the big day, with Michael Fay, an old neighbor who now lives in Chicago, as a date for 3 lovely ladies.

Michael works at the Hyatt and hooked it up with a very nice room with a stunning view of downtown and the Chicago River. We heard a knock at the door and in comes room service with chocolate strawberries, local beer, cheese and wine and a nice note. Michael was raised well!!

We then headed to a little Polish place to celebrate a birthday for Greg, Gail's boyfriend. We enjoyed Polish beer and tons of meat, fried and delicious! And mom took home the bottle of port she's holding in her hand with her new Polish pal, the owner. =)

The next day included shopping on Michigan Avenue and meeting up with an old high school friend, Denise. We used to be lab partners freshman year in Physics and we haven't lost our sense of humor! Shelley's pants ripped getting into the cab, which was a hilarious episode, but luckily she had a nice shawl to tie around her waist to hide the rip. The sushi was great and it was so fun to catch up with old friends and enjoy some stylish nightlife! A little different from what we've got in Tahoe. And we're pretty sure our waiter was jacked up on steroids and Red Bull, which made the evening even more humorous.

The next day was rainy and gloomy so we enjoyed the Field Museum and walked passed Lalapalooza that was happening in Grant Park. It was entertaining to watch kids scout out the concert, jump the fence and run like hell and then watch a security officer take off after them.

That night Sarah and Adam arranged for a cocktail hour at the Drake Hotel, a classic of Chicago. My grandparents on my dad's side used to dine there occasionally and it was like walking back in time going through the Hotel. Shelley and I even slipped into the closed Cod room where a bartender was cleaning up. He ended up telling us old stories about the place as he showed us where Marilyn Monroe and the like had carved their initials into the bar top. It was a very tasteful evening.

And now, the wedding day. Sarah got married in a Cathedral right on Michigan Ave. The ceremony was short and sweet (so it was not a Catholic wedding) and then we all headed to the Alder Planetarium for the reception. Michael was a good date and hailed the cab for us while the wedding party took a cute little trolley.

The planetarium was an amazing place to have a reception. It is located at the end of a point that juts out into Lake Michigan. The result: an incredible view of the city. We were able to enjoy the setting sun with a cosmo in hand (and a beer for Michael) and a delicious meal. There are also fireworks that are set off from Navy Pier every Saturday night in the summer. And of course, the wedding was on a Saturday and we all were able to enjoy an uninterrupted view of the bright show. The band was a lot of fun and Sarah's friends are even more fun. The dance floor was pumping and even a Sarah's half brother, who is 4, couldn't stop break dancing! Sarah even had a photo booth set up to take group pictures like you would with all your friends at the movies in middle school.

(In the photo: Shelley, Sarah, Gail, Kathy, Kim)

When the party was over 2 city buses pulled up to the planetarium and we all loaded on. Some of Sarah's friends grabbed some bottles of Kaluha and downed shots like champs! It was very entertaining to hear all the sorority songs being sung by all the Tri Deltas on the bus!

We were drpped off at the Hyatt and Michael and I went out to the bars. City life is so diverse and entertaining with every type of person and bar imaginable around. Don't get me wrong, I love my mountains and being able to see the stars in the night sky, but if I could live in a city, it would be CHICAGO!!!

WANDERLUST

2009-07-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the WANDERLUST Festival in Beautiful SQUAW VALLEY USA!

So we all heard about this great weekend festival at the top of Squaw Valley a long time ago, but no one wants to buy tickets to a place they get a free pass to in the winter. So here were the list of options to see the shows:

1. Write a haiku online and win tickets
2. Call into a radio station and win tickets
3. Pass out flyers on the streets and get free tickets
4. Hike up to the top and poach the fence or know the person patrolling and beg him to let you through
5. Somehow find a festival wristband on the ground and claim it

Well I went with option 2. That's right! I won tickets from a local radio station. Funny story actually. I had to work later in the day and so I woke up and laid in bed for a while. While dozing I decided to turn on the radio to see if I could win some tickets. I heard a Spoon song playing, which is one of the bands in the festival, and I thought maybe I would call in just to see if they were giving away tickets when an artist from the festival is on air. I called in when the song was over and as it started ringing I almost hung up thinking I was an idiot for trying. Howie, the host, picked up and I asked if I could win tickets. He said,

"Are you serious, did you realize you were already calling in to win tickets? Did you even realize you heard a Spoon song? You've won tickets to Wanderlust!"

Kim: "What the heck? Really??!! I will be right there. Where are you guys located?"

Howie: "South Lake Tahoe."

Kim: "On my way!"

It took an hour to get there and Howie stuck around to meet me. He even recorded my voice telling everyone to listen to his radio station. Everyone in the station was laughing when they heard I came all the way down from Tahoe City. I was PUMPED!

FRIDAY
We collected a bike gang and rode up to Squaw to see The Mutaytor and Sharon Stone and the Dap Kings. That woman is sassy! Then we saw a decent DJ and yes, actually closed the festival down. We were the last gang in the Village and scored free pizza out of it! Our bike gang rode home and got back at 4am.

SATURDAY
We took the gondola up to the top of Squaw Valley where an immense stage was set up. We enjoyed Rebecca Welsch and her folksy banjo and guitar and then were entertained by Jenny Lewis and her band. If you haven't checked her music out, do it soon! It then got a little hot and we all jumped in the mountain lake under the chair lift. Weird seeing all those little wonders that are normally covered by snow! And of course the place was full of locals and I knew all the beer pourers. This concert was pretty much free the whole weekend!

Michael Franti and Spearhead were supposed to play, but he got apendicides and so the rapper Common replaced them. Not the same, but still a good show. Then we headed down the gondola to see the other shows: The Mutaytor again and the awesome DJ Girl Talk. He mixes old hits like Bruce Hornsby and Michael Jackson to newer songs. It was incredible!

Matt and I were going to ride our bikes home, but we were lazy and stuck out our thumbs when a Jeep pulled over to pick us up. It happened to be a Squaw Kids instructor and we were grateful for the ride!

SUNDAY
Well I had to work the close shift on Sunday, but Spoon was playing at the top of the gondola and I really wanted to go! I made a deal with my co-worker. He let me ditch out of work for 2 hours to see the show and I promised to stay extra long to finish up all the work. I hurried over across the valley and met up with some friends at the top, watched the show, and rushed back to work to close up.

What an amazing FREE fun weekend!!! I hope they do it again next year!

Oops I Did It Again

2009-07-01T18:05:00.001-07:00

So I have a new scar from another mountain biking mishap, but this time it's on my knee and not my head, which is a slight improvement in location. I was just wandering around Page Meadows to check out the blooming wild flowers and was then going to commute to Squaw to play some golf, and halfway though the plans I had to make a detour to the hospital after an "opps, I went over the handlebars and fell on a rock" moment. It's all good though; I carry a first aid kit and cleaned the gash right away...the doctor even said I did a good job. I was going to bypass stitches altogether, but it kinda kept bleeding, so I thought I better get a few. Luckily, my friend Katie P. was working at the hospital that day, so she kept me company and snagged a few photos. I have to admit I am a weirdo and don't mind messing a few things on my body up as long as it's fixable. I feel alive and almost brave when I do these things, and it's nothing that doctors and Dairy Queen can't fix. Enjoy!

San Diego June 16-22

2009-07-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hello again friends! So my sister up and moved to the lovely city by the ocean: Saint Diego, so of course my mom and I hopped on planes to come and visit. I had never been to this city before, but by the end of the trip I'm pretty sure I could live comfortably there, even though it's so close to Tijuana, which mom had absolutely no desire to visit. Here's how it goes:

First of all, we were treated like royalty. Catherine, Shelley's friend and roommate, has parents who are, well, loaded. They have a condo downtown, and I mean downtown, San Diego that no one uses, so we volunteered for the difficult job of looking after the place. It was high security and we needed our key for just about everything. And parked in the garage to use at our disposal was a BMW convertible....yeah, pretty sweet.

So we spent some days at the beach while Shelley did her surf thing, checked out a Farmer's Market at Ocean Beach and ate at a vegan buffet that actually wasn't too bad. (My taste buds are now much more flexible after The Cleanse).

So if you ever go to San Diego you have to visit Balboa Park. It is a ginormous park filled with museums, architecture, theaters, fountains and gardens. Our first visit was the Museum of Man where we learned about the early days of brain surgery (like thousands of years ago using rocks as hammers), mummies and shrunken heads. A few days later we visited the Natural History Museum where Body Worlds 2 was on tour, you know, that weirdo process that German doctor created that preserves human cadavers perfectly in tact. It wasn't as creepy as I thought it'd be and I learned heaps about the human body and the importance of keeping it healthy. They also had a life size model of a great white shark that eerily freaked me out.

We made an excursion to a Padres baseball game. Wait, it wasn't an excursion because it was right down the street from our conveniently located condo! I was so excited for some baseball culture so of course mom and I got a hot dog at the game. The Padres are a pretty good team and I found myself cheering for them as if they were the Reds...strange, I know! And mom cheered for them too: "Go Pedros!" (It's Padres mom!!!) So then they started playing some fun music and I was having such a great time I stood up and danced to "do the mashed potato (do-do), do the alligator (do-do), put your hands on your hips (do-do), let your back bone slip (do-do). Nanananananananananana." When Shelley pulls my arm and points to the Jumbo Screen, and there was a gigantic Kim dancing for the whole stadium to see! I was shocked, but the guy in front of me said, "Just keep dancing!" It was a great game and we even got to see the "Friarworks" after the game. That city is so clever!

We also visited the world famous San Diego Zoo and did we see a lot! There's actually a gondola there called the Skyfari that takes you from one side to the other and buses that pick you up and drop you off due to the size of the place. We saw pandas, zebras, koalas, loads of snakes, polar bears, hippos, gorillas, elephants and a million different types of strollers! I mean, those prams are fancy now a days: dual strollers, fat tire strollers, wide load strollers, strollers with conveniently placed cup holders, and on and on. But back to the animals. I have to say my favorites were the gorillas. It is wildly strange how similar their behavior is to ours.

So we went out to eat a bunch and on the last night we strolled around looking for a nice restaurant. Mom and I agreed on a menu with lots of variety. We all enjoyed the meal on the patio when I glanced inside and noticed words on a big screen. This place had a karaoke night going!! I was so excited that I signed up right away. It was a little nerve racking singing in a new place, but all went smoothly and then Shelley and I sang a duet: "We Built This City." People were rocking.

San Diego is quite a town filled with great taco joints, gelato places that are open until midnight, beaches, baseball, shopping and class. I would love to visit again!

Ride Around the Lake!

2009-06-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

After 3 years of living in paradise, I finally followed through with a big goal of mine: riding my bike around Lake Tahoe. It's a 72 mile trip by car, which I have driven many times and became alarmingly aware of the many hills and climbs. I always imagined how I may struggle on my bike up those hills and if I could actually make the whole ride in one trip. I found out that I could.

My roommate Katie, who seems to always be by my side in these adventures, is racing for a cause around the lake next week, so I promised I would encourage her by riding by her side around the lake before the race. We planned on doing it in 2 days because the furthest I've ever ridden had been 30 miles. We were going to stay in South Lake Tahoe, but Katie invited 2 other girls who wanted to do it in one day. I was a bit disheartened knowing I would be the slowest in the pack, but then I walked into the bike store to buy a spare tube and a very nice clerk told me I could easily do it...no big deal. My spirits started to lift. I also wore some awesome 80s style thrift store spandex to keep a sense of humor.

So we started on our adventure tackling the West Shore first climbing to Emerald Bay on our way to South Lake. I quickly learned that the trick about riding around the lake is to make sure your tires are fully inflated and to go in the early season so a car doesn't shove you off the shoulder.
It was a cloudy day, which was nice because the first climb was a killer and I probably would have worn out easier if the sun was beating down on me. Here's my reaction to that first climb:

We got to South Lake and I scarfed down a hummus bagel and carrot juice blend...I definitely needed the energy. We started climbing the hill that leads to the Carson Valley, which seemed to never end. Then we made our way to the East Shore and experienced some glorious downhill where we abruptly came upon some orange construction signs and found that we couldn't bike through. Instead, we had to pile our bikes into the pilot truck and be driven by a very nice construction worker to the end of the site. It was less than 2 miles, so this trip still counts!

It only started to rain toward the very end when we were almost home. I felt great during the whole ride and could have even gone further. I wasn't too sore the next day and I could be talked into the trip again! I feel full of energy and am glad we did 75 miles in 8 hours!! And look Mom, I'm wearing my helmet!

Spring Time 2009

2009-05-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO
The weather has finally stabilized as warm and sunny and I'm in between jobs again. After Squaw Kids terminated, it rained for about a week, which meant I didn't feel guilty relaxing inside all day! But Casey and I decided to hit the coast to get away from the Tahoe chill and gloom. So we packed our bikes in the car and headed to our friend's house in San Francisco where we did the typical city thing and spoiled ourselves by buying expensive makeup from a shop downtown =0)
[Chris, Casey and Kim with San Fran in the background]

SANTA CRUZ/CAPITOLA
Then we headed to the best camping spot: New Brighton Beach near Santa Cruz. We rode our bikes into the nearby small town of Capitola and took lots of walks on the beach. Oh yeah! And
on our way down we stopped at a lighthouse and saw Blue Whales migrating north for the summer!!! We also learned how to swim away from riptides at a little museum we ran into on one of our walks.

BENSON HOT SPRINGS
The next camping excursion took place in the middle of the desert with my two bosses Karen and Robyn. Robyn took the two of us seriously into the middle of nowhere: Benson Hot Springs; Population 13 1/2. We had our own hot tub at the site with the local hot water source flowing from a spring nearby. As we set up camp I thought to myself: what in the world are we going to do for the whole day tomorrow? Well, we attempted a hike that led nowhere into the hills, we drove to a local river that was more of a stream, and then headed to Mammoth Lakes to get a cup of coffee. It was actually a great and relaxing trip with lots of reading and good eating involved (Robyn is a wonderful cook). Pictured below are Robyn and Karen at the campsite, a view from our hot tub and exploring the river.

And of course with all the melting snow we had to explore all the new waterfalls exploding all over the place. So here are two hikes taken in the Tahoe area:

HORSETAIL FALLS, past South Lake Tahoe
[Bradford, Katie M., me and Katie Kuber scrambling up the granite rock]

SHIRLEY CANYON
Located in Squaw Valley, all the snow melt caused some raging waterfalls!
[Ryan, Joy, Jack and Kim]

HAPPY SPRING! Enjoy the changing of the seasons. XOXO

The Cleanse

2009-03-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, the title of this blog sounds like a bad horror flick, and in reality, the actual cleanse is in fact a little terrifying. First, there's the uneasy suspense of eating healthy organic foods, most of them greens, only in amounts specified on the daily menu. Second, there's the actual consuming of the food, which mostly tastes like healthy super green shakes and pureed broccoli (oh wait, that actually is a meal item). Third, there's the massive temptations lurking around every corner! Today alone I've avoided zucchini bread, rice krispy treats, mac n cheese, coffee cake and even granola bars. But, I've committed to the cause and I'm in it to win it!

So it all began when my roommate Katie came home with a printed copy of a cleanse she researched on the internet. I looked at it semi-interested and thought, "I could do this." The cleanse consists of mostly blended items ranging from fruit, greens and even fresh salmon (not blended). I loathe the word diet and think most of them are silly, but cleanse has a different ring to it. So I went in on it fairly certain I would follow through with the whole menu for the whole week.

Katie and I traveled to Reno to gather the ingredients at Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck) and we were laughing hysterically trying to find all the items. I've never heard of half the greens required, but the produce stockers were very informative and helpful in leading us all around the store finding wakame, water cress, rice vinegar, etc. When we got to the cash register, we both went into shock. I won't specify, but lets just say that after spending all that money, I'm not backing out of this cleanse.

So here is a true blog of my 7 day cleanse/detox with my roommate Katie. If you are at all interested, check out http://goop.com/

DAY ONE

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
11:30am: Coconut water*
1:30pm (lunch): Salad with Carrot and Ginger Dressing
4pm (snack): A handful of mixed pumpkin and sunflower seeds
6pm (dinner): Broccoli and Arugula Soup
*Make sure that the coconut water has no added sugar. Fresh is ideal but the brands Zico or Vita Coco are readily available.

To be honest, I couldn't sleep because I was so excited to embark upon a healthy and dedicated week. I definitely yearned for some Lucky Charms with delicious 2% milk for breakfast, but had to settle with lemon water.

The smoothie actually didn't sound too bad, and it wouldn't have been, save for the super greens and whey powders that taste like crap. But I finished every last drop. By the end of the day, I wasn't too hungry, but it is difficult to come home after work and resist some chocolate indulgence. Instead, Katie and I had to settle with purred broccoli, which looks a lot more watery than the picture portrays. Overall, the day was a success and I peed about every 2 hours =0)

Photos of blending the ginger dressing and eating the broccoli soup

DAY TWO

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Raspberry and Rice Milk Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Detox Teriyaki Chicken and Steamed Greens
4pm (snack): Miso Soup with Watercress
6pm (dinner): Pea and Basil Soup (follow method for Broccoli and Arugula Soup)

I think I'm already getting used to this cleanse. The breakfast smoothie went down a little smoother and I even got to indulge in some chicken for lunch! The biggest pain was having to make all 3 meals the night before because I'm going to the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Reno tonight. It may be a little rough heating up some pea soup while everyone else dives into the best pizza in town. But you know, I'm really not tempted by other food anymore. This cleanse is only for one week and I can eat all that other junk any other time (and I will). I can't really tell a difference in my energy levels, but I'm sure my organs are all thanking me right now. I just hope they don't serve finger foods at this film fest.

DAY THREE

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Oatmeal (make with rice or almond milk instead of water so it’s a bit more substantial)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
4pm (snack): Cucumber, Lime and Basil Juice
6pm (dinner): Super Greens Juice / Miso Soup with Watercress

Ok, avoiding the food last night in Reno was harder than I thought. It wasn't the pizza that got me, but the popcorn at the film fest!! I love popcorn almost as much as I love ice cream! I eat it everyday, sometimes as meals, and it's all I'm craving!

I'm not sure how much this detox is cleansing out my body. I feel super hydrated, which is great, but as far as the bowel cleansing goes, it's about normal. So here's what I'm thinking: maybe I can just have a little popcorn without butter or salt because this is a healthy food and vitamin plan, not a detox! I'm just eating pureed veggies instead of taking vitamins, but I can have a bit of popcorn along the way. Ahhhh! I can't think like that because I will just keep pushing the envelope. Today is my day off and it is not easy to be at home or skiing on the slopes and be satisfied with coconut water and almond milk.

Ok Kim, pull yourself together, it's not that bad...I'm still in it. I can do it!!!

DAY FOUR

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Mango and Coconut Milk Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Miso Soup with Watercress
4pm (snack): A handful of blueberries
6pm (dinner): Steamed Salmon and Greens

I'm hungry!! For the first time on this cleanse, I'm truly hungry. I had oatmeal in the morning yesterday, but after that it's been all liquids. I came home from skiing and was about to walk out the door to go to Katie's work so I could juice my snack, but she called and said I couldn't come until 6. So I sat around and had a major moment of weakness. I put the popcorn kernels in the popper and plugged it in!! Then I felt incredibly guilty and weak and so immediately unplugged it. I was a good girl and made some miso soup as a snack instead.

This shouldn't be hard. There are so many people out there who survive on so much less. I've already lost 3 pounds and haven't weighed under 150 lbs since I was 17. It's not worth it after this week though. I don't know how models and dieters do it. I'd rather be eating what I want (and be fairly healthy) than go to extremes! But I can certainly suck it up for the week; it's good for me. 3 more days to go!

PS- I hope I don't pass out playing pick up basketball tonight! If I do, I should just tell the players to pour olive oil down my throat =0)

DAY FIVE

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Peach and Almond Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Raw crudite (carrots, green beans, radishes, cucumbers, zucchini) with Carrot and Ginger Dressing
4pm (snack): Beet, Carrot, Apple and Ginger Juice
6pm (dinner): Cucumber and Avocado Soup

I'm getting used to this cleanse and have graduated from the temptation stage probably because I'm more than half way through! There have been some strange things happening to me though. For example, I drank a whole juiced beet today and I had no idea how strong its dye is! Red stained my fingers, my lips, and YES, my pee!!! I thought something was wrong with me when I went to flush the toilet, then I remembered the beet =0) I suppose it's normal.

Eating only raw veggies for lunch wasn't too fun and the cucumber and avocado soup was so unfun I threw most of it out. Both delicious items independently, but not so good blended together with a little salt to qualify it as cold soup. Something positive did result from the soup, however- my favorite quote from the cleanse:

Kim- "This is gross."
Katie- "Just keep eating it."

DAY SIX

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Mixed Greens with Steamed Salmon, Olive Oil & Lemon Juice
4pm (snack): Super Greens Juice
6pm (dinner): Detox Teriyaki Chicken, brown rice, steamed zucchini

Whoa! I get two very substantial items today: fish AND chicken! I have to admit, I am pretty full still from the salmon I ate 5 hours ago. Would you say my stomach has shrunk? YES!

I did receive a bit of enlightenment strolling through the grocery store today to pick up some more tasty rice milk: there is so much junk that we eat everyday!! This detox glaringly juxtaposes my normal food regiment, which I always thought was fair compared to most people's diets. There is just so much sugar in EVERYTHING and so many items are over processed, so that even if you think you are eating healthily, most of the nutrients are simply enriched or have been lost in the processing. What does this mean? I don't know really, but I do know that anything you can buy in a package doesn't compare to the raw and blended health I've consumed over this past week. Who knows what causes cancer and what the best route to health is, but I do know that I've never eaten as well as I have this past week, and that's worth some consideration.

In a perfect world, I'd buy fresh organic items at Whole Paycheck everyday, but it's not convenient or reasonable to my wallet. So what should I do? I think there are some items that are worth buying fresh: meats, fish, veggies and fruits, and probably milk. The rest is up to your own diet, likes and dislikes. And that is my conclusion for the day =0)

HAPPY EATING!

DAY SEVEN

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Raspberry and Rice Milk Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Miso Soup with Vegetables
4pm (snack): A handful of almonds
6pm (dinner): Steamed fish, quinoa, roasted squash

THE LAST DAY!

I cannot believe I didn't break down today. Sunday is an extremely busy day at work because of a locals program we put together every season. Today was its grand finale and the magic carpet area (the area I supervise) was packed with an obstacle course for 130 kids. It was busy and afterwards all the kids and instructors indulged in ice cream topped with a warm gooey brownie.

That part isn't what got me though.

Immediately after work was a memorial for Shane McConkey, the Michael Jordan of skiing, who died base jumping in Italy. His home base was Squaw Valley, and the memorial was packed. Some volunteers at Squaw Kids, including myself, babysat for the parents attending the memorial. A little 2 year old walked in with his big sister and the parents bolted. Then the 2 year old looked around anxiously crying, "Mommy? Mommy?! MOOOMMMMY!!!" So I picked up the screaming kid and took him outside to try and calm him down. Now, I deal with crying kids everyday, but they are between the ages of 4 and 6, so I had no idea what to say to this 2 year old to get him to stop freaking out. As he screamed in my ear, I started crying myself thinking, "I can't handle this right now." Then, the kid threw up all over me. I walked into the bathroom and started laughing and sobbing from work overload. My boss came in and almost broke down too! And all I could think was, "When that pizza for the kids gets delivered, I'm eating most of it myself!!!"

But I resisted and made it through the whole 7 days without cheating once. Yeah for me!

So in conclusion, I don't feel different, but I lost 5 lbs overall and don't feel hungry all that often. I'm more aware of what I'm eating and am going to throw in way more fruits and veggies and buy organic whenever possible...after I indulge in some delicious Skyline Chili during the NCAA Championship Basketball game!!! Hahahaha =0) I LOVE FOOD!
YUM! Greasy cheesy deliciousness with a side of salty chips!!!

2009-03-10T19:01:00.001-07:00

POW!
So if you've been in the loop at all with the Weather Channel, you know we've been getting lots and lots of snow and I've been enjoying every minute of it! My roommate, Casey, coaxed me into getting up early on my day off to stand in line at the Funitel (our gondola) to get fresh tracks at the top of the mountain, which hadn't opened yet due to avalanche bombing. I rolled out of bed, got a Chai after getting my car checked out due to the snow tearing off the mud guard under the engine, and then headed up to Squaw. Here is a photo guide to our adventures on the POW day and a nice BLUEBIRD day from January.
(Congratulations....you've now learned some mountain lingo. If you feel confident, you can use the phrase: "We were shralping the gnar gnar on a bluebird corduroy day.")

Ok, so I have to explain this face shot story. I was going off a little jump off a groomer and didn't realize it was all powder below me. My skis stuck straight into the power while the rest of my body continued to propel forward. I double ejected and my head and face landed straight into the pow. When I pulled my head up I was laughing so loud as Casey stood over me laughing herself stupid too. I LOVE POW!

And then the groomer day. I'm holding the Notre Damian, my high school alumni newsletter. Lots of alum take photos of themselves all over the world and then send them into Notre Dame to show how much they've utilized their education. Well, this is what I've done with mine....

...and I couldn't be happier!!!!!!!!

Big Air in a Little Plane

2009-03-05T15:07:00.001-08:00

So my buddy Clay (who is actually from Edgewood, Kentucky, but we didn't meet til Tahoe) is a pilot! I've been trying for a year to get a ride with him, and it finally worked out for a lovely sunset trip a few weeks ago.

Now, I was a little nervous about flying in such a small plane for 2 reasons: 1. If we went down over the lake, I'd be a dead body perfectly preserved floating at a certain depth with all the mafia members and immigrant Chinese workers who were thrown overboard back in the day. (You can read up on this information further if you wish, but apparently Lake Tahoe is so cold that at about 1,000 feet below the surface things just circulate in flawless condition...freaky). And 2. all of my other friends who have flown with Clay have puked into a convenient plastic bag shoved in the side of the plane (oh, but one of my friends didn't make the plastic bag...gross).

But I manned up and decided this adventure is just too good to pass up.

Now, Clay is a pretty funny laid back kinda guy, but he took his piloting seriously, which was reassuring. The take off was smooth sailing and we were soon en route to flying over the Lake. He took us over the East Shore and over a lake that is just above it. It was strange seeing so many places I had hiked to from a bird's eye view, but it was equally beautiful. We then continued on to South Lake Tahoe where we could actually see the difference in elevations between the Carson Valley, the Sierra Nevadas and then the lake...pretty cool. Carson Valley is actually below Lake level. Then we continued onto Desolation Wilderness, which is an empty area filled with plenty of lakes, granite rock and no one within miles of you. Then Clay wove through a little canyon where we popped out onto Emerald Bay, the only inlet on the Lake. (Please enjoy the video posted below.)

By this point, I was starting to gain some confidence so Clay let me fly the plane...ahhh! He said the plane does most of the work, but I had a hard time keeping it level. After about 30 seconds Clay took the wheel again. He flew low over the lake and then took us over Squaw Valley, where we waved to all our friends. We even did a Flyby of the Resort at Squaw Creek, which is where I work over the summer.

Then Clay asked how we were all feeling, to which I said, "Great! Why?" Then he explained this thrill called "Zero Gravity" and I nervously said, "Lets try it." So he flew the plane straight up in the air to the point where I thought we were going to do a back flip and then did a nose dive like a hill on a roller coaster. I guess I didn't trust Clay that much because I was a little freaked out that we were "Going Down!" Instead, my camera case that was once placed in my lap was now floating up in my face until Clay leveled out the plane. It was such a scary thrill!! He did it one more time and then we came in for the landing.

So it was a successful flight with no puking and lots of laughs. It was incredible to get such a new look at beautiful Lake Tahoe and its surrounding areas. Thank you Clay!!

Happy Holidays...Share the Wealth!

2009-01-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Lets start with Thanksgiving. We created our own little "family" gathering by inviting our good friends into our small home and cooking a giant turkey! Luckily my roommate, Brad, has a brother who lives in Santa Cruz who has a wife who knows how to cook! She basically pulled everything together. I just made a small contribution of Skyline Chili dip, but everyone loved it! We had a ton of leftovers and couldn't move our big bellies for days!

After Thanksgiving, we took Christmas Tree shopping into our own hands. You can pay $10 to the Forest Service and go find your own little gem of a tree within the Tahoe area. We purchased a tree stand at the Thrift Store, borrowed a saw and went on a little adventure. We came out with a beautiful tree! But Brad is allergic to pine only when he sits in a room with it for long periods of time, so we set it up outside our living room window and keep shaking all the snow off of it!

Then my mom and sister came into town for Christmas and we spent it trying to stay warm in the big snow storms! The first adventure was picking Mom up at the Airport in Reno. We ate at In-n-Out and made a few other stops before realizing the Interstate was enforcing the Chain Law. I pulled over to put on my chains and was almost through when a guy tapped me on the shoulder and said, "I've never done this before, can you help?" So I then put his chains on for him and by the time we got back to I-80 it was closed due to an accident and a helicopter's need to land on the Interstate. So we waited an hour and then drove 40 mph back to Tahoe City in whiteout conditions...awesome =0P

But we made it and began to enjoy a wonderful visit! Mom likes to stay in town with a nice view of the lake from her hotel room. After doing a little shopping, she comes up to Squaw to visit me while I work. Now the best part about that is that she brings me hot chocolate and helps me calm down the crying kids or kids who don't want to ski. Life is always nicer when moms are around =0)
Then my sister, Shelley, came into town and that's when the real party started. Now, I LOVE Karaoke and go every Monday at the local hot spot. I think this is a family trait because we killed it on the mic singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Everyone cheered and loved our little family sing-along. Mom, if you're reading this, I think this photo should be our Christmas picture for next year! (even though I have a beer in my hand...I'm sure people won't judge)

The fam then left with some great memories made. I continued the celebration with some friends on New Year's at a local dance spot with bad music but lots of familiar faces. And speaking of familiar faces, everyone is coming to visit me this year and I couldn't be more excited!!

Six of my college friends just came into town for a week early January. Unfortunately the snow has stopped coming down (temporarily), but we still had fun! Andrea and Omar (my college freshman roommate and her boyfriend) came in first and we enjoyed a snowshoe hike and drive around the lake!
Then the rest of the crew came in: Kristy (my sophomore roommate), Matt (her husband), Kate and Bret. We all had a ski and enjoyed some nightlife and dinners out. It is so great to have
friends from different stages of your life come out and experience where you're at right now! I could not have been more grateful to have such a great group of people come out and enjoy Tahoe! And there are more people coming! Some great high school friends are coming out in February and March and there's always room for more!

So take care of yourselves and never lose touch with all the great people who weave in and out of your life!

Two More Weddings

2008-11-26T15:15:00.000-08:00

This year was ringing loudly with wedding bells. I made my way back to Kentucky for 2 weeks to catch up and get down. And it was nice to be home for my birthday...26...ahhh! Ok, that's not old, still plenty of time to do lots of stuff. So my mom and I went down by the Ohio River to some pumpkin patches and picked some very cute ones for all the neighborhood kids to carve up. It was nice to be home for my birthday and favorite holiday and spend it the way I did when I was a little kid!

But the real reasons for the visit were my cousin's wedding Saturday in Indiana and then a quick sprint back home for my good friend's wedding back in Northern Kentucky on Sunday.

Mandy is the first of the cousins on my mom's side to get married, so we were all excited to enjoy in a country style wedding! And I'm not kidding- look at the cake! Tractors, horse drawn carriages, hay stacks and corn stalks were all proudly involved in the ceremony! My Uncle Keith actually fattened up the 2 pigs they butchered and we ate for dinner! We all boogied on the dance floor, but my mom and I had to cut out early to drive 4 hours back home so I could get a rest before participating in Nicole Spaulding's wedding the next day. (Pictured below are my cousins on the Freed side!)

So now back home in Kentucky, I drove to Nicole's house in the morning to help her get ready. Now Nicole and I go back quite a ways. I remember attending her 6th grade CO-ED (!) birthday party and creating our own glamorous Spice Girls tapes in her living room. We've had a lot of laughs along the way and so I was honored to participate in such a big day (and excited that our bridesmaid attire were reasonably priced cute little black dresses from The Gap...Nicole usually picks out my clothes anyway whenever we shop =0) ) Her wedding was typical Nicole style: trendy, simply and a whole lotta fun. She had a local bar band play at the reception and we all enjoyed the delicious pumpkin cupcakes loaded with icing! Her husband, Andrew, was the main attraction showing off all is fabulous dance moves on stage!
It is such a thrill to see people you've grown up with and loved your whole life to find such a special someone. To be involved in the beginning of that huge commitment that is marriage is a great honor and is wonderful to witness. I hope everyone finds their happiness in something bigger than oneself...whether that's in a commitment with another person, a place or a way of life. Cheers to finding peace, happiness and challenges that result in a stronger and more experienced you!

Summer is Over...Here's the Recap!

2008-10-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

So summer is officially over and a swarm of great memories were made! I finished up another season at the golf course at the Resort at Squaw Creek. You'd be surprised at how many strange things can happen while playing golf, including two Asian women mistaking the gas pedal for the brake pedal in a golf cart. They rolled the cart down a steep hill and bailed out along the way while the cart continued to pick up momentum and slam into a valet parked car...everyone survived.

The bike path I take to work will soon be closed as soon as the snow storms roll in. The pedaling mode of transportation definitely kept me in shape, so now I'll just have to crank it up on the slopes!

Many hikes were taken all through the summer, most of them with beautiful overlooks of Lake Tahoe. July and August are our money making months, so my downtime in September and October was spent exploring the area by myself or with my friends. Luckily I didn't run into any bears!

Kayaking is also a popular activity on beautiful Lake Tahoe, and I'm lucky enough to have a good friend, Katie Kueber, who works for a local company. Bored one day, we decided to take a few kayaks out for a spin!

We also got in a bit of mountain biking to explore some areas more quickly. Katie (my roommate) and I never really know where we're going when we ride, but we always pop out somewhere we recognize and so are able to make it back home. After this particular ride we saw our friends floating down the river (which is another summer pastime) and so we joined them for some cruising and a much needed soaking of the muscles in the Truckee River!

Camping is very accessible throughout the area. We didn't take as much advantage of it as we should have, but a few of us managed to hike down to Chimney Beach to enjoy a full moonlight walk and a beautiful sunrise in the morning.

My buddy Jonny is a rafting guide for a company that my friend partially owns...so what does that mean? Free rafting on the Truckee River for Kim! I also had the opportunity to go wake boarding with my friend Heather on her family's boat. It was the first time I had ever been and I got up on my second try! I couldn't believe how blue the water is off the shoreline and I also can't believe how sore I was the next day. =0)

And of course we did the normal summer activities such as chowing down on a good barbecued burger, swimming in the lake, enjoying a good book at the beach, celebrating the 4th of July with fireworks, star gazing and living up the night life! Our softball team had a losing season (again), but it was still a blast!

So the summer has treated me well. It's my favorite time of year due to all the different activities you can enjoy everyday. Before I know it, it'll be time to haul out the skis, snowshoes, and tire chains! Until then, enjoy the beautiful Autumn and keep in touch!

2008-10-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

Papa Joe's Visit to California! October 1-6, 2008
So my Dad flew into Reno to visit his daughter in California for 6 days and it was a whirlwind of adventure! We went straight to Yosemite (after we got my rattling muffler fixed first...I swear I was going to get it fixed soon!) We camped at a great sight in Crane Flat within the park and took on Yosemite the easy and mellow way. We spied climbers on El Capitan, ate a relaxing lunch on
the river and then drove up to Glacier Point to get an amazing view of Half Dome. The sun was starting to set and we booked in on a short hike to Taft Point to get a view of El Capitan (right most cliff in the photo). I raced to the railing to see into the Valley when my dad yelled out, "Kim, you're on a ledge!" The meager fence was not enough to keep us on the edge. After the sunset we hiked back to the car in darkness banging sticks on rocks to keep the bears away. Always an adventure with dad...

After 2 nights in Yosemite, we drove to Hetch Hetchy, a controversial damn that lies within the National Park created to supply 2.4 million San Fanciscans with water.
If we hadn't just left Yosemite Valley, it would be a wonder in itself, but it seems to be a mini version compared to the enormity of Half Dome and El Capitan. Still a beautiful place and still a controversy to environmentalists and conservationists.

We then drove through the gold mining bonanza area and toured the little towns of Columbia and Murphys. Columbia's old town streets are still intact with horse stables and historic buildings and remains the modern main st. and downtown area. And Murphy's was just as aesthetic. We then headed over the darkening mountain passes via Hwy 4 when the lane narrowed to a car and a half width and the rain started in. It was an intense drive and we missed seeing the West Shore of Lake Tahoe in daylight, but it was nice to finally get home and get a good night's sleep. We needed it for the race we had entered into the next day...

We both entered into the 5K Exterra Trail Run race with my friend Kyle. We had to run over logs and cross streams in the midst of rainy weather, but it felt great afterwards! Dad won 1st place in his age bracket and I got 4th. We ate a big breakfast afterwards, checked into the Resort at Squaw Creek (where I work) and swam in the heated pool to relax our muscles.

It was a different perspective being a guest in the hotel I work at, but we got all the perks from
knowing everyone! We had an upgraded view of the valley (seen as the fog lifts from the golf course), received free room service. got half off at the spa (which we decided was still too expensive) and free golf! And I got to use the facilities and walk around in the fancy bath robes the Resort provides! It was a relaxing stay! We then went to my favorite Italian place called Lanza's and indulged in some wine tasting and delicious food!

Sunday, Dad's last day, was set aside for a visit to the Donner Memorial Museum located in Truckee, about 10 minutes away. Dad has read a lot about the tragic fate of the Donner Party, and seeing where they actually camped and the pass they just couldn't get over gave a whole new perspective of the struggle for survival. Shown is the tent site of the actual Donner Family, which was located about 5-7 miles from the rest of the party's cabin sites near Donner Lake. It's a pretty humbling experience to read about such an ordeal and then see the reality of where they lived.

Anyway, we ate at the local hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint and then managed to get in 6 holes of golf at the Resort. Dad was hitting well with the forgiving rental clubs and the extra distance that comes with the thin air in the high altitude. We had room service breakfast in the morning and then drove to Reno for the departing flight.

What a wonderful trip. It was so great and important to have my dad meet the people I am around everyday and experience the beauty and excitement of Tahoe and its surrounding areas. This trip is a recap of all the fun, but also an advertisement for YOU to come and visit! Take care!!

Monterey Trip

2008-09-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

Monterey Peninsula
September 17-19, 2008
Work is slowing down quite a bit on the golf course and I had 3 days off in a row. I thought a little independent vacation to the coast would be a nice change, so I packed up and headed to Monterey Peninsula, about 5 hours away. I found a centrally located campground atop a hill near downtown Monterey and began to explore the area. I went down to Cannery Row, where not surprisingly, sardines were canned back in the day.

The great thing about Monterey Bay is all the Marine life. There are tons of little tide pools filled with starfish, sea anemones (which I accidentally mistakened for dead jellyfish, but they moved when I touched them), seals, sea otters and sea lions. There is so much life here and when the ocean moves in and out, it's as if the water is breathing life with every surge. *Look at the seagull; it's about to swallow a starfish whole!

At dark I headed back to the campsite and listened to my headphones when an angry couple ignorant of camp etiquette decided to fight for a half hour. But I still got up early the next day to head down the coast to Big Sur.
Big Sur is a beautiful scenic drive on Coastal Hwy 1 of rocky cliffs, dramatic views and winding roads. I continued on it for about 25 miles and found a nice state park to wander on. I even ran into some people from Cincinnati and we talked about home for a moment, which is always nice.

I discovered a little homey hippie place called, "The Henry Miller Library." It included an amazing collection of books on philosophy and psychology and is run by an open minded liberal group of employees. I bought a book entitled Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast, which
reflects upon the psychology of belief systems and why they are needed in society...can't wait to read it!

I then treated myself to a nice little restaurant set upon the sea bluff overlooking the beautiful ocean and horizon.

I tried to navigate the famous "17 Mile Drive," but got lost due to detours and lack of a good map. So I missed out on seeing the famous golf courses, including Pebble Beach, and although I threw my clubs in the trunk before leaving on a whim, there is no way I could play any of the courses in this area! So instead I headed into the charming (and $loaded$) town of Carmel.

Carmel is very unique and has a bit of a European feel to it. There are a lot of wealthy citizens, however, and the whole of Monterey was way more populated and busy than I expected. An old man in a nice red Mercedes shook his fist at me when I thought he would let me merge in front of him. Kim, you're not in Tahoe anymore! But overall people were friendly and I managed my way around.

After Carmel, I happened upon a free night at the local Art Museum, which served up drinks and hors d'oeuvres. They had a nice jazz band playing and I felt very cultured!
I then headed back down to Big Sur during sunset to the Henry Miller Library to participate in a little film festival. They ended up showing about 6 or 7 independent films from Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Austria, France and the US. They had a great set up and I met a lot of friendly people. It was definitely worth the drive!

I saved the main attraction for the last day: The Monterey Bay Aquarium. It's world famous and a beautiful place to visit. They have an excellent sea otter exhibit and the best part is you can learn about the ocean, and then go to the viewing deck to look out a telescope and see it all for yourself! My favorite exhibit was the kelp tank. It's very soothing to watch the plants sway in the currents. I just missed the Great White shark that was kept in captivity there for a few weeks. She wasn't feeding, so they released her about 2 weeks before I got there...oh well, there was plenty else to see! I'll just post some of my favorite photos from the aquarium...ENJOY!! (PS- look closely at the sea life camouflaged into the rocks!)

Emerald Pools

2008-08-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

EMERALD POOLS, CALIFORNIA
AUGUST 25-26, 2008

CANYONS

CLIFFS

CLIFF JUMPING

WATER

WATERFALL SURFING

HIKING

CAMPING

SURVIVING W. JONNY

STAR GAZING

REFLECTING AND APPRECIATING

LIFE IS SO GOOD! One of the best camping trips EVER! Keep on truckin' friends and always always always take advantage of the beautiful things that come your way EVERYDAY! xoxo-Kim