May 2013
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“Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without...”
– Robert Pirsig. This reminds me of our expedition leader, Chris Warner, and his idea that people can “reach the peak, but miss the point.” The journey is the reward.
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Stage Blood
Getting Wilderness First Aid certified with the Wilderness Medical Institute of NOLS next weekend at REI. This was part of the preparation email for the course:
“Please dress accordingly for indoor and outdoor activity. Also, this course uses stage blood for realistic scenarios, which may stain some fabrics. Please wear clothing you do not mind getting dirty/stained.”
If...
April 2013
37 posts
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The Texas 4000 Alumni Network ATLAS 2013...
Last chance for any Texas 4000 for Cancer alumni to get in on The Texas 4000 Alumni Network ATLAS 2013 Challenge before it closes tomorrow, April 30, at 11 p.m. CDT. The goal is to try to log as many miles on your bike for four weeks between Wednesday, May 1 and Wednesday, May 29 as a way of getting ready for the ATLAS Ride. So far, we have 19 alumni signed up for this friendly competition. The...
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“My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of...”
– Aldous Huxley
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The Best Weekends are Spent Outside
I went climbing at Reimers Ranch today. I ended up smelling like sweat, sunscreen, and dirt for a solid eight hours. And I kept having flashbacks to the Kilimanjaro hike whenever I would traverse across rocks and stare at the person’s backpack walking along in front of me.
Needless to say, I’m so happy and so tired after a weekend well-spent.
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Ouch
Who knew “jug rash” was a four letter word?
…p.s. Tiger Balm and a foam roller are the two loves of my life right now. My IT band is so happy.
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Out in the Great Alone →
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race pushes participants to the brink on an unforgiving trek to the end of the world. And, as one writer who tracked the race by air discovers, that is exactly the point.
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Wishlist
So remember that time I had over 50 books on my wishlist and not enough time to read all of them? I’m drowning in pages of text over here; I might love books a little too much.
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The List: The 11 Best U.S. National Parks For... →
I sure do love this list. St. Elias is one of my favorite mountains ever. And number 11 needs to happen soon, too.
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Indoor Camping
I took a Map & Compass Navigation Basics class at REI tonight. When it finished at 9 p.m., I totally missed my chance to play hide and seek with the retail staff, and stay overnight in the store.
Until next time, sleeping bag wall…
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Living on One Dollar →
Have an hour to spare for enlightenment? Watch as four young friends set out to live on just a dollar a day for two months in rural Guatemala. They battle hunger and parasites, as they attempt to understand how 1.1 billion people survive at this level on a daily basis. I’ve seen a lot of similar sights in Tanzania, and throughout many of my travels to Southeast Asia. And, there are plenty in...
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Flow →
“In addition to the experience itself, where you are actually in that state of Flow, there is the phenomenon of afterglow – that warm feeling you get afterwards, that intense satisfaction of having achieved something that you worked hard for.”
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“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of...”
– John Muir
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The Hallmark of a Good Weekend
I’m a card-carrying Austin Rock Gym member now. Who wants to climb?
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“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”
– Jack Kerouac, Dharma Bums
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Success!
Did my first kakasana “crow pose” today at yoga! I promptly treated myself to vegan avocado sushi as a reward. Happy day :)
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Holy NARG
My little arms hurt from climbing at the North Austin Rock Gym.
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A Setback
Something I haven’t had to chance to share on here before is that I’ve suffered through some gastrointestinal issues on and off for the better part of a decade. I find that when I’m active, I feel a lot better in mind, body, and spirit—for a number of years, riding my bike, hiking, or running have been really helpful when my stomach hurts. And during Texas 4000 and my...
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Highlights from the Weekend
Enjoyed lots of things this weekend, like:
Going to class at Dharma Yoga
Meeting a friend for lunch at Whole Foods
Shopping at REI
Bouldering at South Austin Rock Gym
Drinking a craft beer at Workhorse
Riding my bike 15-20 miles around Shoal Creek with friends
Making vegan chocolate-strawberry pudding with avocado, honey, and coconut milk
Cooking chicken and zucchini...
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“We stood steady as the stars in the woods. So happy-hearted and the warmth rang...”
– Old Pine, Ben Howard (via rainydaysandblankets)
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“And what is it to work with love?
It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn...”
– From Kahlil Gibran, “On Work.” These were part of our words of intention during yoga this morning.
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Want to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for a Good Cause?
I did last year. Now it’s your turn! Registration for Survivor Summit, a LIVESTRONG-partnered event I participated in as part of the inaugural 2012 team, opens today for its February 8-21, 2014 expedition… This is an opportunity to fundraise $10,000 for cancer programs and services, and challenge yourself as you climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain and...
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“Be happy.”
– Best advice yet from Chris Warner, Earth Treks founder and our Kilimanjaro expedition leader. Thanks for the email first thing this morning, Chris; I needed to hear that.
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My Austin Partner in Climb
It was so nice to catch up with my tentmate and “partner in climb” from Survivor Summit, Mindy today at Whole Foods! Even though we both live in Austin, we hadn’t seen each other since October. This time around, we didn’t have to worry about setting up our sleeping bags and sleeping pads in the shadow of Uhuru—we just ate good food and enjoyed each other’s...
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The More You Know
According to Jerry DeCapua, as featured in a recent REI blog post, you are an accomplished backpacker if you can…
Look at the sky and know what will happen weather-wise in 5 hours.
Set up a tent and cook a meal in the dark with only a headlamp.
Minimize impact on an area by configuring a campsite properly.
Know area regulations regarding human waste disposal and implement them.
Find...
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“We all have dreams, but they don’t mean much if we don’t act on...”
– Brendan Leonard of Semi-Rad, voiceover for the Duct Tape Then Beer short, “35”
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Holy Crap
Good news: Even after a long hiatus, I can still ride my bike 30+ miles! Bad news: There aren’t enough calories in the world right now. Must. Eat. EVERYTHING.
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Rawr
Belayed a 160 pound guy yesterday during climbing class at Gregory. That’s no small feat for this pint-sized girl.
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Shoutout to our National Parks and Monuments →
From The Washington Post. How many of these can I add to my bucket list?
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Climbed at Gregory Gym today
…shoulders are. ON. FIRE. It’s a good type of pain, but I will definitely need assistance typing at work tomorrow. Any takers?
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April is Texas State Parks Month →
Get out there and explore.
March 2013
19 posts
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I'm Back!
Went for a long run yesterday, did yoga this morning, and I have a bike ride scheduled this afternoon. After many months of working with a Naturopathic Doctor to fight against my gastrointestinal issues, keep your fingers crossed, Tumblr—but I think I’m finally back on the road to recovery and feeling 100%!
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“We will never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it. It’s...”
– Travis Rice
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Photos from "My Wife's Fight with Breast Cancer" →
So many emotions ran through me as I viewed these stunning photos of one woman’s brave fight against breast cancer, as captured by her loving husband. Click the link to check it out for yourself.
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Used My REI Member Dividend Today...
…and it feels like Christmas. Here’s what I was able to get:
Black Diamond Primrose SA Climbing Harness Package
La Sportiva NAGO Women’s Rock Shoes
Black Diamond GTX Frontpoint Unisex Gaiters
I picked up another cool thing this morning at Natural Grocers, too: Manuka Honey. So excited to see if this helps my skin clear up and my gastrointestinal system continue to function a...
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“All my life, people have asked the question, directly or indirectly, “Why...”
– Paul Petzoldt
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Coming up: Wilderness Leadership Training Program
Honestly, I’ve been in a rut for a little while. Wanderlust must be getting to me again. But something I’ve always wanted to do is get my WFA certification, and UT’s Rec Sports Outdoor Recreation Program is helping me do just that on April 27 and 28! Hoping these next few weeks fly by so I can learn these invaluable skills and put them to good use, if ever needed. Looking forward...
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“I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of...”
– E.B. White 