smiling

this song makes me smile... even when my flights have been continuously canceled and i'll be sleeping on the floor of an airport this evening. tomorrow is always another day.

something to remember

wilderness is more then a hunger for what is always beyond reach: it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth which bore us and sustains us. the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need - if only we had eyes to see

- ed abbey

today begins my 3 week journey going everywhere except "home." Seattle - raquette lake - portland - sophia's wedding - ELC - east side - bellingham.

minus porland and the wedding, all of those places i listed above have been considered (or will be considered) home to me at some point in my life. I kind of feel like i'm going on tour... maybe should go to VT for a few days too just to make it all encompassing. Anyway, i'll post as I can while in upstate, and i'll fill you in on some other fun stuff (i.e. run to stehekin) when i can force myself to sit down for more then 5 minutes.

Living outside will slowly be transitioned to "trying to learn how to live in a city again"

moving out and up

in the process of packing, i came across two notes I have hung onto for varying amounts of time. I want to share them with you since they made me laugh:

4/12/08:
Stephanie -
we care for you, and did not want you to re-injure yourself. But we warned you it was a bad idea.
Doug & Stew

August 2010:
Steph B
I hope your hike up desolation was awesome! you are such a tough ass. You can always jog a mile or two of the hike for funsies. I got no words of wisdom for you, but enjoy the freezing cold dips in the creek at perry and watch out for stinging nettles on the way to Stillwell. Oh, and fear not, you may enjoy the switch backs leaving stillwell up to the Pass. I truly hope you enjoy this, although somewhat leisurely, time in this place you love so much. See something new, and know that a lot of folks, myself included, admire your tenacity.
CeCe


hearts & stars friends. I'll be back in the land of cell service starting in September... but before then, i'll be in upstate new york for 2 weeks thinking, enjoying, running, swimming and laughing.

running saved my life

for those who have known me for 10 years, you would recognize that this is a true statement. For those that haven't... just imagine someone that would watch tv or read and not really venture outside often. When I started running, i was in a super shitty relationship and my only way to get out was to "go for a run." after a while of claiming running, i actually started running. First just a few miles, and then more and more and more. Running helped me get the confidence I needed to get out of said shitty relationship and move on with my life in a healthier fashion.

i began to run in a few different races around town including the catamount weekly 5k and whatever other random races VT had to offer. A few years down the road I found myself entering my first triathlon (I came in last) and then running my first marathon.

After moving out to Washington I found a new form of running, long distance trail running followed up by self-supported over-night trail excursions. Both types of adventures changed my life, and continue to have a powerful impact on me even now... nearly 8 years after my first legitimate running shoe purchase.

On Wednesday Tanya, Gretchen & I left the Cascade Pass and ran to Stehekin. 6 hours and 20+ miles later, we landed at the bus stop and were on our way to the campground and dinner. The next day we headed back to highway 20 via McCallister Pass where we passed through wildflowers and burns to finally find ourselves at the end of a 2 day journey. I remember walking out on highway 20 by myself, with no cars to be seen or heard. No one else was there, except me. I realized at that moment the impact that running has had on my life, and how it's time that it should take a much stronger focus. more adventures, more sweat, more exhaustion and more peacefulness will occur in the next days, weeks, months & years of my life solely due to the shoes I will have on my feet and the places I will go. Even 8 years later, running still has saved my life and continues to offer change and passion that we all so desperately need.

Chelan

So, after I got off the boat from Stehekin, I walked 6 miles with a pie in my hands, since I could not get picked up hitch-hiking... which was pretty annoying. The good part was that I hadn't talked to anyone in about a week, so the 1.5 hour walk gave me time to talk to my parents & frankie. good deal. Once I reached my destination, the bachelorette party began. One of my good friends, Sophia, is getting married this September so about 20 girls descended onto the desert town of Chelan to celebrate. We spent most of our days by the pool catching up with each other, reading and drinking sangria, margarita's, mimosa's and water. At night we'd all hang out at the house, eat dinner and have our own dance party. We did actually go out one night in the raging bar scene of downtown Chelan... but we pretty much just danced with each other in the obligatory circle that girls some how always form.

It was a great time, and I was really excited to have the opportunity to catch up with everyone I used to see each day in Seattle that I haven't seen in over a year. Oh, it was also 90 degrees and sunny every day to. yes! Also, if you ever want to hear a fun story, ask me how i got back home. If you remember from the previous post, i hiked to stehekin then took a boat to Chelan. it was fun.

Porch sunset view

Dressed up for neon night... heels & make-up!

Girls!

girls in bikini's everywhere

where we stayed.

Stehekin

So a week or two ago I went to Stehekin to shadow the interp rangers that work down at the Visitors Center there. Stehekin is a pretty awesome place for the following reasons:
1) they have a bakery
2) the shuttle bus stops at the bakery
3) you can only get there by foot, boat & sea plane
4) the full-time resident population is about 85
5) in the summer, the population is about 200 with park employees
6) it's on a lake

and the list goes on. I was really lucky to be able to hike in on a beautiful trail and then camp out on the front lawn of one of the park houses in a hammock. Also, cell phones don't work so people will go around and make plans during the day for an evening camp fire or get together to watch the stars and everyone is always invited. The community there is amazing and the people that make it up are unique and fantastic individuals. I really want to go back to Stehekin (and I will next week), but I hope next time I go and can stay for a while longer and explore more of its surroundings. I was there Tuesday evening through Thursday afternoon, when I departed on a 55 mile boat ride to the Town of Chelan carrying an apple pie. More on that in my next post. Enjoy the photos

Ranger Dork

Ranger Keith & I went canoeing one morning during "work"

Flowers!

View from my hammock

Trail hiking to Stehekin

please hit the pause button

so. somehow, it is now august 7th... tomorrow will be the 8th or 9th day in a row I have worked.

quick updates
i went to a town on a lake
i went to a bachelorette party
inaugurated some junior rangers
gave my first evening program to 75 people!!
hiked around with some adults


more photos and stories later... all in all. amazing