SAD NEWS

While we fully expected a lighthearted, fun-filled trip, it seems life has other plans for us. The trip we had planned has turned into a disconcerting journey.

Last Wednesday night around 8 p.m. we were involved in a horrible accident that resulted in the loss of a life. While we are thankful that everyone in our family is healthy and safe, we are pained beyond words by this terrible tragedy. We are finding our own paths foggy now with far too many forks. We’re unsure of where and when to turn and if we should stay the course. It does seem clear though that we will gain far more insight from this time than we ever imagined.

We had the pleasure of attending a service at the Unitarian Church in Boulder last Sunday. Rabbi Jamie Korngold, author of God in the Wilderness: Rediscovering the Spirituality of the Great Outdoors and an ex-ultra-runner (yes, even the Rabbis are ultra-runners in Boulder), gave a sermon on Rediscovering Spirituality in the Great Outdoors. She spoke of the clarity that we all seem to find when we head into the wilderness. Perhaps the first thirty minutes we will still run through the laundry lists of our lives, but then things seem to simplify. Our spirits lift and we feel lighter. Each moment just leads to the next and we loose track of time and worries.

We spend so many hours working “out”. It became clear to us during Sunday’s sermon that the peace and clarity that come from being without a computer or TV or phone or car is what we are out seeking. Isaiah, at four years old, already knows this. (Perhaps, he just hasn’t unlearned it!) He will hike for hours and hours. He doesn’t tire or complain. During a hike that included a mile up a steep hill he commented how he loves it here. He loves all the paths and mountains. He even encourages us all (especially Owen) to be quiet so we don’t disturb the animals. How awesome that a kid who abhors even the idea of rest can find peace in the wilderness.

What can a reformed Rabbi at a Unitarian church and a four year old who prefers a day in the woods to a day at Disney teach us about how to find peace with a deadly accident? Well, I just don’t exactly know. It seems there’s something to learn though. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have to do with a fancy house or a shopping spree or a top-notch job though.  Relationships, empathy, love, respect, and spirituality are just a few ideas that seem to resonate. I guess that’s why we are finding so many forks in the road... there are many paths that need exploring.

Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, “All our progress is an unfolding, like a vegetable bud. You have first an instinct, then an opinion, then a knowledge as the plant has root, bud, and fruit. Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason.” We are following our instinct to continue our travels.  While we cannot render a reason for doing so, we trust that continuing on will allow our own purposes to unfold and eventually lead us to more knowledgeable and fruitful existences.

 

FEELING THAT ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

It was awesome to hit the foot of the Rockies after days of driving across prairie. We could imagine the “oh shit” feeling the pioneers must have fest when they approached those babies. So different from the mountainous regions in the East, the Rocky Mountains seem to rise from nowhere and assume their presence.

We outskirted Denver for the moment since we were still dragging our house on our backs and decided to head straight for Bolder. Needing some dependably nutritious food we stopped at the Whole Foods and enjoyed soup and fruit. Boulder is home to the usual plethora of big box bullies. We patronized Barnes and Noble for a few travel books and then took a super scenic route to our new spot: A room, “cute as a button,” on a Farmstead in Lyons.

We’d spent the previous night in a KOA campground right along I70 after an exhausting ten hours of driving. It was comfy, but cool, so we decided to check in on our trustworthy buddy Craig. Once again he checked his list and checked it twice and handed us a suweet deal. A room less than a half hour from Boulder and just outside Rocky Mountain National Park for just $100 a week. Nice! Cheaper than camping!  Upon calling Barb we were informed that the “cute of as a button” room would be available today... and yes we could park our camper there.

After settling in and ridding ourselves of an alarming amount of garbage from our road trip, there was nothing to do but power up with the leftovers from Whole Foods and head for the mountains. I hit the trail running and Chris and the kiddos took it slower and soaked in the sites. Just two miles from our spot sits Hall Ranch Loop. Upon entering the trail, we were warned to stay alert for mountain cats. A few miles on that trail and my awe for those 100 mile trail runners more than doubled. I ran out looking forward to doing Sunday’s long run there. Isaiah walked out ready to pack a day’s worth of food and set out for the long haul!

UPDATES on the LOGISTICS:

GAS: We’ve been burning up far more than our fair share of gasoline. Pulling a camper with a huge truck loaded with tons of random junk inside isn’t the way to go green. It’s an expected expense totaling $603 right now.

TOLLS: Once we left the insane NY metro area, we’ve spent less than $10. Total to get from Long Island to Maryland: $94

FOOD: After wasting a mere $25 a day for two days at iHop we went PBJ. So much healthier and nourishing. We are buying minimal groceries, eliminating as much waste as possible. We anticipate eating out for a portion of our meals so we don’t stock up at the food store. Things seem to even out pretty well this way. Our total for food for a week: $250. That’s our average grocery bill, without eating out, at home.

LODGING: We camped, hit a hotel with a water park, and rented a room for a week all for $332.

INCIDENTALS: We’re really only buying necessities since we are already moving and organizing future landfills ad nauseum. We did snatch up a few travel books and socks and gloves though.

The REAL trip is on!

Monday morning, October 5th, 2009, was the day to head off of Long Island. After visiting Aunt Cindy, Uncle Kenny, Kerry, and Shawn we headed west. Following Interstate 70 for about 21 hours straight brought us to Kansas City, KS. Mom and Dad had to alternate driving and sleeping to get there. It was worth it though since Isaiah and Owen slept through a good portion of it. A night at Great Wolf Lodge helped everyone feel better. Lots of sleep and some time in the water park and we're off again. Boulder here we come!

Mystic

An historic fishing village was the perfect place to soak up some sun and learn about times past.

Martha's Vineyard

A short ride down from New Hampshire and onto a ferry brought Isaiah and Owen to Martha's Vineyard. They set up camp at the family campground and then headed for the bus stop. Frequent buses make it possible to travel the island by bus. (If they hadn't left their bike trailer back on Long Island, they could have used the many bike lanes.) Hopping on the bus to Edgartown brought them to a scenic harbor with a nice lighthouse to climb. Isaiah's most memorable moment was jumping off a huge bridge into a channel below. They had to head out just a day before President Obama arrived though.