Westward Ho

Nothing quite like taking to the road again. Winter driving can be a bit intimidating, but I've safely made my way from Colorado Springs to Bozeman (750 miles). I'm sitting out a few days to rest and wait out the snow before making a move to conquer the mountain passes between western Washington and here.

Visiting a Familiar Place

I don't know what it is about familiar places. They are so fun to share with others. While Lana and I visited friends and gathered up the rest of my earthly belongings in North Carolina we had a few precious moments to visit Crowders Mountain, one of my favorite local hikes. It was good to be reminded of the distinctive smells of the deciduous forest, to feel the cold wind whip through the trees, and to see the raptors soaring on the updrafts.

I have had lots of memories on Crowders Mountain, and hiking the trail brought all of those hidden moments back to the present.

• first intro to Crowders was on a first date
• hiking up and down and back up with a loaded pack to train for the Appalachian Trail
• running, jumping, slipping, sliding through a thunderstorm trying to get off of the mountain as lightning struck all around
• running into Dr. Winkler, superintendent of my school system
• hiking with one of my students who presumptuously asked if she could go hiking with me in front of the entire class
• nearly being sited a ticket for staying on the mountain past sunset

And now I can add one more: Hiking Crowders with Lana, my sister who for years has admittedly "hated the outdoors". But on our way down I hear her say, "You know, I do like doing outdoor activities. I'll never plan them, of course, but if someone else initiates them, I'd go along."

Wow! That is a breakthrough! Go Lana!

A Trip to Breckenridge

My first successful snowboarding experience began on Sunday at Breckenridge, Colorado. Ricci, my friend from IWU, super passionate about snowboarding, graciously volunteered to spend a few days teaching me the basics of the sport. She's been so excited about our trip that over the past month she's had my board waxed and edged, and even taken it out one weekend to test it out. I guess it passed the test, because it was sitting by the door when I walked in on Saturday.

Ricci took a week vacation to snowboard at Breckenridge with some friends, and was adamant that I tag-a-long for a few days. I accepted the offer with out much of a thought and was graced with a place to stay and personalized snowboarding lessons for free.

Sunday, Ricci spent most of the day teaching me the basics, then cutting down the slope a ways, stopping, and looking up to where I was so ungracefully making my way down at a snail's speed. I took some tumbles, but managed to avoid people and trees, which was an answer to prayer. By day two I was making my way down the slopes on my own, turning (though every so slowly), but managing to appear somewhat like a snowboarder.

Ricci and I worked out a deal upon my departure from Breckenridge. For all of her help and use of her buddy pass, I gave her my new bindings, and to encourage me to continue boarding, she gave me her old bindings and boots. I feel blessed to have a friend who would slow down and take the time to patiently teach me a skill of snowboarding, when I know she would've rather been carving her way down the slopes at break-neck speed. Thank you Ricci!

Twisting Temperatures

I left Chicago yesterday at 6:00pm, it was 17 degrees. I arrived in Denver at 8:00pm and I walked out of the airport to discover a balmy 43 degrees. What in the world is that about?

Christmas Past

Everyone but Dad in this shot. We are looking forward to Christmas feast.

Weeks have passed. Not sure where the time went. In fact it feels like father time has been playing an evil joke on me. A few blinks of the ole eyelid and here I am a few days from hitting the road again.

Christmas was more like a marathon than anything else. Christmas in NC, Christmas on the 25th, and Christmas last Saturday with the fam. I've been devouring heavenly food and drink since arriving here a month ago. I will be returning to the West about 10 pounds heavier. Ouch. I've started to develop a trend where I eat my heart out when I'm visiting at home, because I'm not going to see food like that for another year. So I tell myself..."eat all you want, you'll work it off later". It's worked the last few years, lets hope it continues to 'work out'.

Enjoying the Dora Scavenger Hunt book. That Dora, she's crazy!

Mom and Katie spent an afternoon making gingerbread men.

Mariocart found its way into our post-Christmas celebration.

The last month has been a whirlwind of travels, I've been on the move since November 16th. And finally after weeks of flying, driving, and incidently riding zebras, I've made it home to Rochester, IN. Home is one of the only places I've found where I can just sit and relax.

It wasn't always like that. Four kids, three cats, two gerbils, two parents, and one dog. Schedules and lists ruled our lives, to create a sort of controlled chaos, of which we all survived and are better for it, I'm sure.

What I've been up to since my last attempt at posting on this blog:

• traveled over 3500 miles by airplane


• read three books


• went to a hockey game


• played 18 holes of golf


• observed and identified many of Florida's estuary birds


• slept on a Murphy bed (that's right folks, it comes out of the wall)


• attended a cooking class


• finished my Christmas shopping

Along the estuary on the J.N. "Ding" Darling Nature Preserve.

I've been keeping busy visiting various family members around the country. Most recently I was fortunate enough to spend some time in South Florida visiting my grandparents and my Aunt Connie. They graciously and energetically entertained me for five days.

Grandpa and I on the Murphy bed. As many different types of beds that I've slept on this year, it only seemed right and complete to add this to the list.

My new place of residence for the next night or two is with my cousins Alaina and Andrew and their two boys. I'm back in the midwest, the place of my birth. The snow is bright, the air is cold, and it finally feels like Christmas!

Patrick and Calvin practicing the art of stocking shelves.

See, Sea, Si

Thanksgiving this year found me in Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), Mexico with Emily, Franz, Maddie, Katie, and Lana. We stayed in Emily and Franz's condo on the beach (Sea of Cortez), with ammenities such as ocean view, hot tub and pools, exercise room, internet, flat screen televisions. I experienced utter relaxation for the four days that we resided there. Not once did I put my watch on or check the time on any clock. It just didn't matter, no schedule, no phone service, no demands.

Maddie and Katie, as much as Emily, Lana, and I, loved going out at low tide searching for the sea's treasures: crabs, sponges, snails, shells, sting rays, and fish in the tidal pools left in and around the shallow coral reef.

Lots of game playing ocurred. Emily and I are officially addicted to the Seafarers of Catan, a rockin' expansion to the Settlers of Catan, where you have to worry about the thief as well as the pirate ship.

A Witness to the Changes

It was kind of hard to leave Montana last Friday. Nine months had passed since I was ushered into the Big Sky country by a snow storm whipping across eastern Montana. By late April, the snows of February and March quickly melted in the flat country and in the high country those same snows fed rivers and lakes for many more months. The summer was hot and dry and smoky from all the fires. But that didn't stop me from hiking, rock climbing, and traveling the state. And by August, the heat dissipated and fall settled in with cool breezes, golden aspens, and the occasional snow that majestically crowned the 9-10,000 ft peaks.

Its incredible. I've been a part of four seasons in Montana. I've watched this chunk of earth change as it makes its way around the sun. I've marveled at the beauty of the last wild (undammed) river in our country, the Yellowstone. I've paused to watch bald eagles soaring above alpine lakes. I've come face to face with weasels, martens, and marmots. I've seen meadows change from green grasses, to blankets of wildflowers, to burnt orange remnants of vegetation. I've picked my way along the frozen earth where bison have left three to four inch deep scars as they moved along the river foraging for grasses. I've been awakened from sleep to the chill howl of coyotes in the distance. I am a witness to these changes, to these lives. I've lived in Montana.

I feel a tug, a current that might just carry me back there someday. I'll be ready.

On Square Dancing

I have been recently introduced to the historic art of square dancing. The past two nights I have worn the night away spinning, doe see doeing, stomping and clapping. My friend, Collier, has a bluegrass band that plays around town. She and another band member just got back from a square dance calling workshop in Portland the other day and were excited to practice their new skill. They came equipped with about 13 dances to call. About 12 of us MCCers made it to the dance Thursday night (all of us novices). We danced for a few hours, it felt like I had ran three miles by the end of the night.

Collier invited some of us to her friend's farmhouse last night to do some more dancing. We had a feast of elk roast, potatoes, cole slaw, and garlic bread before the music playing began. The musicians included two fiddle players, one stand up bass player, a mandolin player, a banjo player and a guitar player. Throughout the night most of the musicians traded instruments and continued making music. It was incredible. There was also a washboard that some of us, not so musically talented, could try out. Square dancing once again into the night.

How cool is this place? I love it!