The Boyz Week in Colorado Video Highlights!

Sweet Colorado

It's been a few days since I had a chance to update the blog. On Wednesday night I picked up Josh and Brad in Denver. Denver is a very nice, small city just on the edge of the Colorado Rocky Mountain Range. The streets and downtown area remind me a lot of Nashville TN. Denver has more non-profit companies than any other city in the United States, and is also the smartest city in the country per capita. The food is rated as some of the best with the local cullinary institute placing many great chef's in the community restaurants. Unfortunately we couldn't stay in Denver long because we had hotel reservations in Frisco, CO placing us in closer proximity to Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, and A-Basin. Brad and Josh were both very excited to get out in the snow on Thursday. With 6" of fresh snow on the slopes we set out on an epic journey. By 2:00 on Thursday we had the idea to hike up to the top of a peak that was a little ways off the beaten path. The hike was much more than we had bargained for. Each step was a risk to drop into an open gap beneath the snow that could be as deep as chest high. On several occasions we were forced to pull one another out of the snow, but in the end it was all worth it. 1500 ft later we had reached the peak where we decided we would drop down into the untouched powder. This was an experience for all three of us, and the rush that came from flying through the snow on the side of a jagged rocky mountain face was equal to anything i've ever enjoyed. After the day was over we piled into the VOLVO for the ride home. We realized quickly that the altitude, wind, and snow had worn us down immensly, and the hike also had something to do with it. Either way we were all three in bad shape. Splitting headaches plagued us, and soar muscles kept us bed ridden for the remainder of Thursday night. Friday and Saturday brought much of the same with fresh new snow in Breckenridge, and Vail. Outside of a minor mishap in Vail where Josh and I were ticketed for using someone else's lift tickets the week went wonderfully. The highlight of the week thus far came tonight when the HEELS punched their ticket to San Antonio. This has huge implications for me because had they lost I would have been heading back to Raleigh on Monday morning. The plan now is to drop off Brad and Josh at the Denver airport and head East on 70 and then South on 35 through Kansas and Oklahoma all the way to the Final Four. Look's like that ticket I bought back in January was a good investment! Next stop... Austin, TX. I'll have a few days to hang out down in South Texas before the games next weekend, so who knows I have my eyes set on getting into Mexico before it's all over.

Learning to Love Snowboarding!

Well, I arrived in Frisco, Colorado a day before my buds from the east coast. Of course sitting around today was not an option, so by 10 o'clock this morning I purchased a lift ticket and was headed up the mountain for another day of snowboarding. I've never really been into snowboarding. Today actually marks the third time I've ever been snowboarding, but I must admit the better I get the more fun it becomes. The drive over from Utah was beautiful. I stopped in and visited with an artist from the Navajo tribe who specializes in horse hair pottery. The process has been around for centuries, and although I don't exactly understand it, there is a very interesting way of weaving in horse hair for added detail and texture to the pots when they are fired. The result is beautiful pottery, and it can be purchased for wonderful prices on the side of the interstate somewhere in the middle of Utah. Don't ask me how to get there though, because honestly I didn't even know what state I was in when I stopped. After taking a breather at the Colorado River State Park I decided to finish the 7 hour drive on Monday. There was a woman on the side of the road trying to hitch a ride to LA. For a second it crossed my mind to pick her up and head back, but instead I just wished her luck and told her I was headed east. Colorado is very nice to drive through. The winding mountainous roads take you up in elevation steadily. In Frisco we're hanging out at about 9700 ft. Many of Colorado's' ski resorts peak at over 13,000 ft. This is what I call a tummy teaser, because going up to that altitude is sure to make you at least a little nauseous. This morning I lost last nights dinner on the dash of my volvo when I hit 11,000 ft. I'm just kidding, but there have been moments where I thought it was coming. Back in the hotel here in Frisco, and looks like I better take this extra time to study some Spanish. It'd be good to know a little of that before I wake up in May and find myself living in Masaya.

Wasatch Range, Salt Lake City Utah

Another destination, and another series of lasting memories. I've had to pinch myself several times on this journey to make sure that I am not actually dreaming. How exactly do you explain the view of Utah's most picturesque mountain range from 12,000 ft just seconds before descending into white powdery snow that accumulates at about 500 inches per year. The ski lift will only take you up to about 11,000 ft, so your on your own from there. Hiking up the last stretch of the mountain took a greater physical toll on me than anything i've done since... well since paddling out into the rough waters of "Steamers Lane". I feel more alive than I have ever felt. Just when I think this whole traveling thing is getting tiresome, I'm revitalized to new experiences. The landscape just doesn't get old. As I drove across the state of Nevade I noticed smoke rising from the earths surface. Curious, I got off the interstate at the next exit and drove a mile down a dirt road to find the source of the smoke. The geothermal activity had created a boil in the earths surface. The dirt around the whole was moistened and the steam rising out of the ground was so hot you couldn't even set your hand over it. With just a couple of weeks left on my trip, I think back on the countless moments of ecstacy, and I think of ways that I can bring this excitement into my life for all of the days to come. Maybe I'll wake up one day to find it was all a dream, but until then I figure I'll just keep living it as the only reality I know.

Steamers Lane, Santa Cruz CA

Steamers Lane in Santa Cruz California is known by most surfers for it's legendary point break first featured in the "Endless Summer". I am fortunate enough to have friends that live in Santa Cruz, and surf this break regularly. For an amateur surfer with little experience surfing overhead, coldwater conditions, I must say it was a little intimidating. On Tuesday evening I found the waters mostly friendly. The shoulder high clean waves made my introduction with "The Lane" as the locals call it, one I won't soon forget. We decided to pull out a little early to save some energy for the Wednesday morning swell that was forecast to grow in size significantly over night. By 7 am the next day I could hardly recognize this now viscious slice of Pacific Coast. One key difference was that high tide leaves you only one option to paddle out. You would stand at the edge of a 15 ft. embankment, wait for one crashing wall of white wash to pass, and jump into the water. The key here is that you must be fully prepared to duck dive the oncoming fury of breaking waves which are fully capable of sending you directly backwards into a wall of jagged rocks. With little energy to spare I made it out into the open waters where I assumed I'd be safe for a while. Little did I know that the next oversized set would once again put me in harms way. Having not made it completely to the outside of the breaking waves, I was bombarded by a huge set of waves that must have been ten footers that lined up with no time in between. It took only a matter of seconds before I was feet from the wall of rocks. Climbing out of the water I realized the power of unfamiliar ocean waters and was humbled by mother nature once again.

Yosemite

Perhaps I am not the most qualified to comment on the beauty held in the hands of Yosemite National Park. Ansel Adams once said, "Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space." My thoughts were that even Ansel Adams who spent a lifetime capturing the most magical moments this park has ever offerred to a camera, would have probably agreed that no words or images could ever fully capture it's majesty. Driving into the park is a step up a spiritual ladder that no doubt leaves you feeling closer to GOD than you were before you crossed into this mountain range of glory. The fir trees at the base of the mountains congregate around reflecting pools of water. This time of year as the snow packed peaks begin to thaw out there are hundreds of water falls that flow endless from the blue sky's above. One could spend a lifetime in this park and never see the same thing twice. Boulders as big as suburban dream homes fall to their death from thousands of feet forever changing the image of a mountian that was there before the water reflecting it's beauty. Men will come and go, and their hearts will change like the earth beneath their feet, but Yosemite will testify that I did, for at least one day, truly breathe the air of the spirit.

San Fran and I Bid Farewell

Sometimes we go places and meet people in our lives that have a profound impact on us. I don't mean that we leave the place thinking about it, or that the goodbye's are hard because we've grown so close. The idea is that for a moment in time you can comprehend foreverness, and somehow experience the standing still of time with a place and a body of people. This idea may seem farout for someone who has yet to experience it themselves, but once it's glory has found it's way into your heart there is always a trail back should you wish to return.

Fear transforms without even knowing it and is replaced with a faith that works. The loosly connected ideas that once seemed difficult to implement suddenly have rock solid footing in your walk. No person, or place is insignificant, and with the freedom comes great responsibility. So to San Fransisco I say farewell my great friend. Those I have met here and grown to love can't possibly know the impact they have had on my heart. The journey continues for all of us, and we can know that while we may be seperated by space we are one in our walk.

San Fran Welcomes Me

After spending nearly an entire day driving through wine country and along sections of the Pacific Coast Highway that I would have easily exchanged for others that I accidentally missed, my arrival into San Fransisco was timed perfectly. Friday afternoon in this city is something to behold. First of all, the vast majority of the population are young, attractive, working professionals that carry themselves with confidence on these beautifully kept, hilly streets. It's no wonder Danny Tanner on Full House was always so happy. Living in a pastel painted three story house in San Fransisco must of cost Danny a pretty penny. The work day ends, and the bars and restaurants fill with the type of people that make family reunions louder than grandma can stand. Opinionated, well spoken, and intelligent people share their ideas over coffee at corner cafe's, and the water that surrounds the peninsula on three sides reminds the land mass and it's people that while they may be free thinkers and have great ideas that could work without the likes of DC buerocrats, this body of land is still under the governorship of the Terminator, and by virtue of being only a peninsula still connected to both California, and the United States of America.

The downtown city scape shines in the night sky like a Manhattan or Chicago. But in all of it's glory it wakes up not to dirty streets, but remains sparkling so that it can host friendly park picnics, and welcome the weary into it's lovely charm. Art museums, financial districts, and seedy back street bodega's can all be found without looking very hard. Whether you want authentic Asian, Indian, or North Carolina barbeque, there is something for you when it comes to San Fran's cullinary provision. With a decent job, and a few friends I could see how someone might prance through the streets at 40 looking suprisingly like the 26 year old they were when they found out about this great place. Simply put, it's just not a community that is condusive to aging, or leaving behind the healthier, more vibrant years of your life.

Back on the Road

Well after what seems like a year in Southern California I'm finally making my way north this morning. No regrets here, Palm Springs, Pasadena, and LA have been nice, but I'm defenitely craving some new visual stimulus. What a great day to travel the famed pacific coast highway. The clouds have began to roll in, and it's a good 20 degrees cooler today than it has been the past week. Perfect for some base jumping off the ledges of the Monterey Bay... I'm just kidding mom!

California: Take 1

The most recent pictures are of traveling that I have done in Southern California. My first stop after driving across California was in Pasadena. It was nice to finally make it all the way to some West Coast beaches. The volume in LA was turned up pretty high even for a Sunday night. I found myself sitting in traffic on a hot, sunny, day in Southern California without AC in the VOLVO. I must say, it beats the heck out of the hot days in Washington DC when I was dressed down in a black suit just trying to figure out how I'd keep myself from sweating before I walked into an office for an architectural presentation. All it took was one good walk through the streets of Pasadena to realize that the people out here are glamorous. If your not in the top 5% percent where you live, than it is probably not gonna be a good idea to move to LA anytime soon, I just think we'd all feel a little ugly out here.

My good friend Caitlin and I made our way out to Santa Monica Blvd. and the run on the beach was excellent. By the time we stopped we had crossed over into Venice Beach. For those of you who aren't familiar with the freak show that is Venice Beach, just picture a boardwalk that is tripping on acid. The rest of the evening in Santa Monica was beautiful. The sunset was tremendous, as most all of them have been in my first week of travel. The weather couldn't have been any more ideal. I'm waiting for the weather to take a turn for the worst. It appears that their may be some rain on the way, but at this point I haven't seen a day under 65 degrees, and the last several in Indio, CA have been nearly 90. Santa Monica Blvd is just like you would imagine it to be. Street preformers, coffee shops, bars, and of course shopping, make up the 3rd street promonade. The only pedestrian mall in the U.S. that I've seen that is anything like it is the Lincoln Road Mall down in famed South Beach.

After arriving in Indio, CA where Caitlin's grandparents live we took a day and made our way 20 miles east to Joshua Tree National Park. Famous for it's rock formations and fascinating desert wild flowers, this park see's it's fare share of tourists. However, it's an enormous park and easy to get lost in, which of course I set out to do. After a couple of hikes, and a walk through the rock maze I decided I needed to run a few miles in the middle of the desert to feel like I'd really experienced the full scope of Joshua Tree. Insistant that Caitlin drive the car up 5 miles and wait for me, I set out on my trek. After nearly breaking my ankle a couple of times and begining to hallucinate from the heat, I finally made it back to the car. Caitlin was smiling with a bottle of water. She had no idea how bad I needed that water.

With three National Parks under my belt now, I am anxious to get up to cooler climates. It's been really nice down here in the Valley. Caitlin's grandparents have made staying in Indio, CA a first class spa. This morning I played tennis, lifted weights, and sat around by the pool for a few hours working on my tan. Which I'll need to compete in the glamour war when I get back to LA tomorrow. It's easy to feel at home on a trip like this when you have friends to spend your time with. Caitlin leaves Friday morning, and I'll make my way up the Pacific Coast to see new things. Some of them by myself, and some with new friends along the way.

Living While I Can.

Today after camping and hiking for two days in Red Rock, and Grand Canyon National Parks I made it down into Tempe AZ. Arizona has astonished me from the moment I crossed the New Mexico border. There is so much that seems the same from the outside, but never says the same thing once you get closer. The hike into the Grand Canyon was amazing. To feel it's power by descending down into it's depths was the perfect way to conclude my stay in the National Park. 70 miles south of Grand Canyon National Park is Sedona, AZ. Sedona is famous for it's 4 major vortex energy fields. Apparently there are some pretty swanky resorts that the stars have been staying in for years. I didn't see any of that. You'll notice in my pictures however that there was a four star breakfast this morning which included instant coffee, liquid eggs, and cereal w/no milk. But, let me assure you that I enjoyed every bite! Camping isn't as easy as I thought it would be, but I'm learning through trial and error. It's a good thing I'm not in Bear Country yet, because my car is full of wrappers and left over food that is uneaten. I'll have to get a handle on that before Yosemite...

There have been moments already on my journey where I've had reassurance that everything is being done exactly the way it is supposed to be. I've found that you can learn a lot from just watching the world. There is something completely different from cultural experiences, like one you get through visiting cities in Western Europe, and what you gather from back packing through natural open spaces and coming into close contact with the land. My belief is that they are both very useful in life, and that each of them offers something unique that can be channelled towards helping someone else and adapting in future endeavors. The greatest thing of all is that I have wonderful family and friends to share it all with. It's hard to imagine what it would be like if even one of you was taken from me... Let's all prey for the friends and family of Eve Carson. She was clearly an amazing girl, and her accomplishments will not be forgotten. Once again, GOD has a way of building a wonderful kingdom in mysterious ways. I guess we all know where we'll get to meet Eve one day.

Sayre... What a fine little town!

Waking up this morning I realized that I had no where to be. The feeling is one that I am still trying to get used to. After driving for nearly 30 hours through Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and now New Mexico, it came to me. I don't have anywhere to go! So, as I was starting to really fear for my safety last night, I pulled off the road and decided to splurge on a hotel. Let's just say I was a little dissapointed. I fancy myself as an "Alexander Supertramp" type of character, however what I fail to aknowledge is that I have several years of post-college luxury living etched into my conscience, and it can sometimes be very difficult to break yourself of a mindset. As I set out today from a little town called Santa Rosa, NM I will make my way to the Grand Canyon's South Rim. This is the most visited National Park in the United States, so apparently there is something there to see! There is really nothing very different from where I am today, and where I was maybe 2 months ago. The same obstacles exist. The obstacle is the mindset. What will I do today to see my life as the dream that it already is. The miracle has happened already, now it is time to let the miracle swallow me whole.