Happy Thanksgiving! And an Update.

To my friends, some of whom I have not seen in years, some of whom I have recently had the pleasure of visiting: As I relocate every six months or so, I miss the friends I have been incredibly lucky to meet along the way... I met you in New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Washington and Abroad. Even Montana, Florida, California and more. As I think about our good times together, I wonder, would you be willing to share with me an update about your life? If you are curious, here's some news about mine...

Spring started with a leap westward, to Leavenworth, Washington, to a job for a whitewater rafting company. The new job title, Director of River Yoga Retreats, sounded amazing, but in reality, was not all that glamorous. Never the less, I met some fun river guides and explored Leavenworth. Whitewater, climbing and skiing surround the little, Bavarian-style town. I even reunited with my long-time river guide friend, Jamie Weaver, who has been guiding on the Wenatchee and other nearby rivers for several seasons. She will soon begin studying to be an environmental engineer, a career that suits her nature-hippy core. And she's a mechanic! Having someone like her tend our natural resources would be a relief to my mind.

Fate had a funny way of turning me back to Colorado. After only a few weeks in Washington, I was offered a dream job, one that I had been pursuing for over a year... River Ranger. With tent and kayaks packed, my rickety old truck, Bessy Mae, carried me along another migration, this time to the Western Slope of Colorado. As I drove through Washington, I visited my friend Philippe, a Climbing Ranger at Mount Rainier National Park. We skied in June, one peak across from the massive, white Mount Rainier. As luck brought me through Utah, I also got to visit more river guides. Clark and Kelly Gallo are long-time kayakers and snowboarders who relocated near the Wasatch Mountain Range in pursuit of ultimate powder. They are an amazing couple who get to work and play together... Congrats to the new home-owners. I hope to build a loving relationship that works as well as theirs, someday.

My summer went by quickly as I settled into the role of River Ranger for the Bureau of Land Management. Almost every workday was spent on the Gunnsison River. The best parts of the job were driving big, new, government trucks on remote, dirt roads and frequent kayaking. I worked with a crew of five other rangers, the most gentlemanly river-folk... A cowboy, a sandy-haired ski bum, a red-bearded sage, a noble officer, and a big-smiled, tropical traveler. They took great care of me as I learned my new job.

We patrolled in pairs. Our most frequent patrol was a two-day trip which began with an epic, off-road shuttle drive, then a hike. We carried our kayaks and gear on our backs, down a mile-long trail into the Gunnison Gorge. The gorge is a delicate, wild place: desert cactus and pinion junipers up-high, lush riparian grasses and willows down-low along the river. About halfway down the 14 mile stretch of river, we spent our nights camped in a teepee on the sandy beach. Shooting stars were frequent and dazzling. With the coming of autumn, the numbers of fisherman began to dwindle and the timid desert big horn sheep came down from their rocky cliffs to drink from the river as we floated by.


As the seasons change, so do my jobs. I have been thoroughly enjoying the fall interim between river job and ski job. This fall was full of exciting firsts. I participated in my first elk hunt, really more of an assistant than a hunter, watching and hiking up above 12,000 ft. on Hayden Mountain. No elk was bagged, but I wore camouflage and saw many bugling bulls and mewing cows. Then, I was invited to the rock climbing Mecca, Indian Creek for the first time. The dessert colors were unlike any I had ever seen: pale golden greens, red rocks under a double rainbow. As a novice rock climber, I had some important firsts with my climbing guru, Neil Backstrom: my first multi-pitch climb in the Black Canyon and my first lead sport climb. I have not yet ascertained Neil's secret recipe for his healthy, morning greens-shake, but I am working on re-creating the elixer.

Now, I am in Northwest New Jersey, visiting my family and friends here and anticipating Thanksgiving. I caught the fall leaves in full color-- bright reds and yellows with a punch of orange and mature brown, even a hint of deep purple in the reds-- just before cold rains and wind swept them away. In search of the rural Jersey, "the Boonies," I knew as a kid, I went to pick apples in an orchard with my parents. Most apples were on the ground, giving us a sweet, slightly vinegar smell that reveals everything about the location. We have been snacking on fresh cider and maple sugar candy.

Ski season is just around the corner, so I have been spending almost every day in the gym getting ready for my return to high elevation. While visiting two of my tribal families, the karate dojo with whom I trained for nearly fifteen years, and the river guides at Whitewater Challengers, I realized how similar the two groups are. They really ARE tribal families; they work hard together and play hard together, often at the same time. They inspire me to keep up the shenanighans... I plan on living and working in Telluride this winter and hiking up Palmyra Peak every day that the ropes are open. Once I am settled in, I hope many of you, my friends, will come to visit. See you on the slopes!