beyond the concrete chaos

Maintaining peace is a fine balance in the city. It is possible that I attract this type of urban experience by attempting to complete an absurd amount of errands and chores in a small amount of time. Today there was too many stop lights.
Too many one way streets.
Too many Target-Panera-Nail Salon malls.
Too many off ramps.
Too many things to take my money.
Too many shut-down bike stores…ok, just one of those.

I could feel the stress-level begin to snowball. Unable to kayak—not just because there are no rivers in downtown Denver—and unable to bike on a flat, I dropped my car off at the shop, grabbed my longboard and ipod, and took off.
Two hours later, exhausted and elated, I remembered that stress is often a useless and fake emotion. I also remembered that for me, this epiphany usually comes with the release of adrenaline.

reprogram

I have referred to every vehicle as van. "We'll pack your van later...i mean truck" By the third time I noticed the pattern, realizing how many times i've said van in the past two months.

Done and Done.

Graduation day and now its over. It felt as abrupt as that sentence. Now I’m reminding myself what it is I do with myself when no one is planning out my day for me.

Mornings of review or finals and afternoons of surfing comprised most days throughout the week. The group also came together to beautify our home base, Crystal Springs, by laying stones for a walkway that circled around to the side of the house. Looking at the finished project, I am amazed at what you can accomplish with 13 students and 5 teachers shoveling, leveling, hauling and fitting.

What do you do when stressed? Jesse plays dress-up.

After the flurry of finals week slowly came to a close the weight of classes was lifted off the student’s shoulders. They began to feel summer’s presence and the end of a semester of experiencing, traveling, paddling and living the dream getting even closer. Many were only just beginning to process what just happened, most will take the rest of their lives to fully appreciate the time we have spent together. I know I will.

Erik and Jerry Johnson

Parents began to arrive, hugs and stories were exchanged and good food was eaten. As a teacher, it was fun to play the Who-Belongs-to-Who game. Facial features, mannerisms and, of course, nametags all gave it away pretty easily.

Graduation platform, overlooking Alberton Gorge

I happened upon help, yet again. Sam’s dad, Stan Makman the Orthopedist, examined my shoulder offering advice and help as to how I can continue treating it. Next came Amy the physical therapist, Dave Zinn’s girlfriend, who moved my shoulders in every way possible and sent me a plan to begin more intensive therapy for it.

Thank you world. I needed that.

Now there is this overwhelming sense of freedom. First, celebration. Graduation and LJ's birthday. Best in the West, Sushi and probably ending at Charley's. Where else?

Ten Days Ago

No more miles to be covered, no more kitchens to be assembled, no more tent sites to be scouted. At least not for a few months. The final leg of our journey, however, was not without flair. Rumor of a “short cut” through the backcountry Montana had us on windy, country flattened strips of land (purposely not using the word “road”). With multiple unhitching of trailers to turn the caravan around due to wrong turns and deep, muddy snow we backtracked to the mail road, found the real short cut and continued on to Crystal Springs, our home base, with only a few hours lost thanks to a short cut.





I fight the desire to settle into my place here. Lucky enough to have my own room (4 walls! A mattress! A door!) I can imagine setting out all my books, organizing my “closet” and building a study space. But I know 5 days from now I will be wrapping things up again, compacting them into my vehicle and driving away. Thus I settle for the minimal in my temporary home; sleeping bag, computer, backpack.

A week of writing reviews, creating finals, grading essays—not terrible, just wait—and hanging out with the incredible group of youth and staff who have experienced the world with me alongside a deep river gorge amidst the mountains of western Montana.



Business mixed with pleasure as usual.

Falling with Water

Take the 360 degree views of verdant slopes, dripping with the earth’s moisture despite the lack of precipitation. Combine this with steep gorge walls, steep grades and basalt rock and you get the Pacific Northwest.

Go for a walk in the woods.

Meander over the soft terrain where each foot step sinks into the earth slightly giving you a bounce in your stride.

Weave around the towering pine trees and smaller shrubs and brush.

A small stream appears, flowing slowly and calmly around small river rocks. You decide to follow its path through forest.

Light shines through to a clearing ahead. As you approach the light, the earth turns rocky and abruptly ends.

A canyon hundreds of feet drops out in front of you. The innocent brook cascades off the end of the earth; falling, falling, falling.

It lands in a deep pool, clear and fresh, and continues its smooth and easy journey downhill as if it hadn’t just thrown itself off a huge cliff.

Spirit Falls, Little White Salmon, Washington

Nate Garcia, coming out from behind the curtain at Spirit

Downstream shot from the lip

Jesse Shimrock's tree-slide, Sweet Creek, Oregon

I forget the name of this one, just outside Hood River, Oregon

Downstream of the gorge after Punchbowl Falls on Eagle Creek, Oregon

Nate Garcia going off the lip at Punchbowl

Eric Parker sticking his line

Jason Cohen, about to punch the bowl


We barely scratched the surface of the waterfall fun in these parts. I can't wait to return on my own, perhaps with my girl Megan, to fall off these amazing drops over and over and over again.

So much yet to explore...