Real Chick's Hike

..because real chick's hike and hiking is for REAL chicks...

Today is the first time since I moved (ahem, not that long ago) that I am missing Omaha. Maybe it's because I've been here long enough now that I'm realizing this is more than a vacation. Perhaps it's because all of my former co-workers just got to spend the last four days being their incredible selves together at a manager's meeting...without me. Or it could just be the longing to fit in here the way I felt I did back home, with my people, in my job, in my town. Life's curve balls always seem to come just as you find your stride. Some might say, just as complacency hits.

Tonight though, more than anything, I am thinking about Real Chicks.

Two and a half years ago, I started a women's hiking group in Omaha, the Real Chick's Hike. The first hike was comprised of five women, three of which I was related to. Having been the only woman on many an outdoor adventure and having heard countless females torn between their fears, finances and obligations and their desire to spend time outside, I had a vision for this group. We hiked once a month, always the third Saturday, and it was to be accessible to ANY woman who wanted to be there and the group would be there to empower ANY woman to get outside. Before long our group of 5 became a consistent 12, then 20, then almost 30 hikers a month. My email interest list grew to over 250. It became almost a movement in Omaha. Women responded to this idea in a way I had dreamed about but never actually considered a reality.

Two and a half weeks ago, I had to say goodbye to this amazing group of women. As we celebrated our time together on the trail and over a few (errr) glasses of wine, laughing and talking and genuinely connecting with one another, I realized that these women, this group, would be the thing I would miss most in Omaha. (Disclaimer: family and best friends are always present in one another's journey so I try not to think about them as being "gone") I learned more about myself in being around this strong, diverse group of women than I ever could have imagined. And they saw more in me as their leader and friend than I ever would have discovered on my own. At some point, Real Chick's stopped being mine and became theirs. They had ownership in it, loyalty to it and strength in each other. It was/is it's own entity and community, with or without me.

On my last hike, which was also my last official day in Omaha, they surprised me with personal and thoughtful gifts. I showed up to hike and they presented me with a "Property of the Omaha Police Department" t-shirt (I have many cop hikers...they're very protective) and an apron (another story on why it was an apron) that they had had embroidered with the Real Chick's logo and that each person present had signed messages onto. It is probably one of the most meaningful gifts I've ever received.

This group and these women have changed my life. I am a better person for having spent time on the muddy, icy, rocky trails with them. For getting up early, even after late nights, and sloughing through deep snow, bugs, rain and countless sunny mornings. For listening to their life stories and telling them mine. For teaching them gear and allowing them to teach me...well, a million things. I have met their families and they showed up to my going away party. I would go so far to say that they ARE my family. And now that I am starting (or trying to) a new life in a new town, feeling a bit lost and out of place, those written words of encouragement speak to me daily. They remind me that I am capable of doing amazing things if I am patient enough to let them be developed.

There aren't enough words to thank each of them for being part of my life but for those Real Chicks who find themselves reading this,

THANK YOU!

Needless to say, I will be making a point to always come back to Omaha on the third Saturday of a month and in the mean time, every glass of wine I drink will be in toast to Omaha's REAL CHICKS!

In Paradise Sans Camera

In October 2006, I reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It took seven days of trekking though rain, dirt and dust, while dealing with weather conditions ranging from warm and humid to frigid and windy. Upon reaching the top, I pulled my camera from my pack, ready to take as many pictures as my brick-sized digital camera would allow. It was only after a half an hour on the Roof of Africa that I realized my shutter wasn't opening, seemingly clogged with a week's worth of blowing debris.

Flash forward to October 2009 (well, aaaaalmost October). The shutter on my camera hasn't worked properly for the last three years but it, for all intents and purposes, still did it's job. Not trying to be the typical American consumer, I dealt with it's dysfunction in a hippie-esque (totally a word) statement of sorts. Last week, it finally gave out on me. For GOOD.

While I am happy to finally have a reason to bite the bullet and make a fun techie purchase, the timing of my digital demise is terrible!

I JUST MOVED TO COLORADO!! In the last four days, I have been reunited with a very excited and snuggly dog, driven through Rocky Mountain National Park, over Trail Ridge Road (which, by the way, if you've never done it, DO IT!) to Estes Park. Yesterday in Estes, we saw our first snow. Actually, it was a storm that started with fog, moved into lightning with hail and THEN became snow showers. In addition, the elk are in their fall rut and the bulls are bugling, which I have been fortunate enough to watch from the wrap-around porch of my three bedroom cabin that overlooks Estes! There are winter fire rings. There are Adirondack chairs. There are blue birds that have indescribably bold plumage. There's been great humor in watching my dog very seriously and audibly trying to take on a road-blocking elk from the comfort of the car. There are no words to describe the things I've seen in these few days in the mountains. At least, no words that I can find.

And here I am, with no camera to capture any of it.

I think I've blogged about cameras before. The beauty in NOT having one, in being able to focus attention on being PRESENT in the moment, not trying to capture it. Just enjoy it. And here I am. I seem to be whining about the absence of the pocket-sized digital box. But I'm not. I swear. In fact, this week has caused me to reflect on something entirely different.

A world without pictures.

Today, I am thinking about those who used their words to paint pictures. The writers who in one media or another, be it book, letter or song, have been able to articulate the beauty of a mountain winter. The wonder, the awe, the hardship that some have (many HAD) the ability to convey using only a pen and paper. So, tonight, nestled with my dog in front of a crackling stone fireplace, I am considering you. You the poet, the lyricist. You the novelist and great scribe.

You, who came before the camera and You, the lost.

CH-CH-CH-CHanges

I was recently reminded of this blog's existence (thanks, Matt) and about the therapeutic aspects of writing in any form. So, it is with that in mind, that I return, attempting to be as vulnerable as ever. Yep, even in a public forum.

It has been almost exactly four months since my last post. At that time, I found myself reveling in the beauty of Colorado and struggling to find balance with technology, relationship and nature. So much has changed in these past four months...and so much has stayed the same. The internal struggles of becoming a better person, following dreams and ambitions and the battle for maintaining a sense of self in a culture of chaos live on in my daily life. I imagine they always will. However, the day to day circumstances in which I contemplate these things have just changed dramatically.

My last blog entry was written in the place I will be calling home in a few short days. I was offered a position in Granby, Colorado, which I snatched up immediately. In true form, I actually accepted the job without having even heard what the salary would be. Talk about a leap of faith! (In actuality, I am just not traditionally a very detail-oriented person...even with the occasional BIG detail) This is by far one of, if not the greatest risk I've taken in my life. I have one friend in the small town I'll be residing in. She is incredible and life-giving, but I'm having to trust that a support system will fall into place quickly, before I become either a shut-in or one of those crazy mountain people ...you know the ones.

While I am beyond excited about my new adventure, I am more or less a giant spaghetti bowl of emotions. It is hard to think about leaving the life I have built for myself here in Omaha. I have made wonderful friends, been able to deepen my long-standing relationships and be a presence in both my immediate and extended family. While thinking about this can be overwhelming, I know it is an internal struggle I must have in order to become the better person I was created to be, to make a difference elsewhere. For as often as I claim to be an "adventurer," it is an important reminder that really, all serious daring starts from within.

So, with that...LOOK OUT GRANBY!

Letting Go Of Technology...Really??

 I write to you tonight from the great state of Colorado. I'm in Granby (about 80 miles NW of Denver) getting my Wilderness First Responder Certification. This is day one. There are 30 people in my class, all but 2 under 30. 15 of us are currently crowded into the one room at a large and beautiful, secluded camp. You may be asking yourself why.

"They must be getting to know one another". "They must be playing cards or hearing about backcountry horror stories". I wish that were true. Let it be known that the 15 of us are "plugged in." We sit here, almost in the silence of a college library, each of us with our eyes glued to a screen and our fingers tip-tapping on keyboards. While I really have no room to talk as I am one of them, I am saddened by this. Is it really necessary for all of us to spend these fleeting moments we are allowed to leave behind our jobs, responsibilities, home problems etc to come to the mountains...and check FACEBOOK?! Is this how my generation will be remembered? The generation that couldn't let go of technology, even for vacation? 

I am hopeful that this will change as the days go by. This is, after all, day one and most of us, spending 8-5 in class every day, didn't consider that we'd have our evenings free. I know that I would have packed more gear (bike, climbing gear, even snowshoes to take into the National Park) had I known that I'd have so many hours to devote to the wilderness. 

My task for this next week and a half is not to encourage all of these people to unplug. Rather to spend the rest of my time on my computer tonight researching local adventures. I will then attempt to invite some of these like-minded outdoorsy individuals to leave the Macs and PCs and go TAKE A HIKE!

JibberJabber

Seems there's so much to catch up on! First, I guess I should mention that my plan toward impeccable fitness was thwarted by a box at work. I stubbed my pinkie toe badly enough to self-diagnose it as sprained. It doubled in size and changed to it's opposite color on the color wheel. I tried to give it a day off from walking only to stub it AGAIN on Thursday! So, needless to say, this liger made it a paltry 12.4 miles. Guess I'll try again next week (and stop wearing sandals to work).

Otherwise, the big news of my life is that my brother is back! Last night a hefty crowd gathered at a local bar to celebrate his return. What was especially great that my best friend and her husband came out to celebrate him and support me as well. Man, they're awesome. Is there a way to formally adopt other adults? A co-worker of mine and his wife came out too, which was greatly entertaining. Ben and his fiancee, Alissa, Andy (the other adopted sibling) and I stayed up until 4:30 in the morning catching up, having drinks, practicing yoga etc. You know, the usual shenanigans. I have no idea the last time I was up that late. It was fantastic.

Wish there was more to offer up. It has been a pretty full week/weekend and I know this coming week will be the same as I try to balance work, friends/family and preparing for a ten day Colorado trip that I leave for on Sunday. I've been almost embarrassed by my lack of deep thinking lately. That's not like me. I guess my mind just needed a breather.

Eye of the Liger

This week's challenge: log as many miles on my legs as possible in the next 7 days.

There's only two rules in this challenge

1. All miles need to be logged by hiking, biking, running, walking or participating in any other activity that doesn't require a motor.

2. Beat the number of miles logged the last time I did this challenge. I believe it was 36.

I'll check in with you at the end of the week and let you know how it went.

Does that make you crazzzzzay?

Friends bring out different sides of you. We all have our "normal" friendships. Those who we meet for coffee and talk about the ongoing events of life. Maybe we catch movies or drinks or just do nothing at all. I love these friends. They are my rock. 

Then....

there are the friends who are an adventure waiting to happen. People whose energy and enthusiasm for life is contagious. These people can convince you to jump into a lake in the middle of winter. Not one type is better than the other as we need all different types of people in our lives. We all need to be reminded of both our stability and our insanity.

I have this friend, Katie, who bursts with life. She is creative, funny, intelligent and CRAZY! I don't get to enjoy her company often anymore as she lives in Kansas City, but when we get together I am reminded of what it means to truly be a free spirit. 

This weekend she drove north and I south, along with a few other friends for a girls overnight. It didn't take but an hour for her to rope us into her infectious world of random entertainment as the four of us walked to her car for a late night round of hula hooping. Yep, adult-sized, multi-colored hula hoops. Katie is a FANTASTIC hooper and can perform some pretty awesome tricks. The rest of us looked like an awkward junior high dance team swiveling our hips in big circles. Be assured, there was plenty of wine and laughter involved which made us a bit nervous as we were approached in the parking lot by a police car. 

  The car stopped and two officers stepped out from the vehicle. Sure that we were getting busted for loitering or noise, we stopped our hooping and greeted the officers. Imagine our surprise when, instead of being reprimanded, we were greeted with an outstretched hand and a "Hi. I'm officer so-and-so. Mind if we give it a try?" For ten minutes, we hooped and laughed and joked with two police officers in a hotel parking lot! They wore their guns and all (needless to say they were less that stellar hoopers). We got honorary badge stickers prior to their departure but, alas, no photos. 

Another hysterical adventure courtesy of Katie! I love you, girl!