appalachian trail tales

Home Sweet Home

2012-01-03T17:33:00.001-08:00

Cleveland.
My home sweet home.
The beautiful land of Cleveland, Ohio where the winters are too long, the sky is nearly always cloudy, the streets are full of potholes and empty parking lots. Why humans continue to make this town their habitat, I don't know. Perhaps it is the resilience and endurance these wretched winters render. Or perhaps it is the comradery created from cars continuously getting stuck in icy ditches or the Browns losing yet another season. Whatever it is, it continues to bring people back to the snow belt. And it will always be bringing me back to where my heart is. So with that, a song :) Happy New Year and blessings wherever you are in your own home :)

Your home is where you're happy
It's not where you're not free
Your home is where you can be what you are
'Cause you were just born to be

Now they'll show you their castles
And diamonds for all to see
But, they'll never show you their peace of mind
'Cause they don't know how to be free

So burn all your bridges
Leave your whole life behind
You can do what you want to do
'Cause you're strong in your mind

And, anywhere you might wander
You can make that your home
Just as long as you've got love in your heart
You'll never be alone

The Art of Living

2011-10-24T23:33:00.000-07:00

Biting into a crisp apple,
the morning air is cool and fresh.
I wait for the sun to greet me,
I watch for clouds painted in the sky.

The sun rises and warms my cheeks,
I greet it with a smile.
I look for a simple glance,
simple and warm passing by.

The day's stresses begin,
forgetting, waiting, wishing.
The sun and clouds slowly disappear,
the glances are forgotten.

A bird sings an afternoon song,
I pause and breathe and listen.
The sun and clouds reappear,
and too the people's faces.

I smile to another day.
Learning, seeking, understanding,
the art within me, the art in my living,
The Art of Life.

Some pictures of living....
Fall in Arizona??? Yes, at 8,000 feet one can find some interesting color interaction :)

Photography from Tucson's beloved Mt. Lemmon:

¡¡¡¡¡Happy Fall!!!!!

Arizona's Wildflowers

2011-09-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

To my pleasant surprise, southern Arizona is full of a diverse range of plant, wildflower, tree, bird and animal species due to the "Sky Islands" here. "Sky Islands" are various mountain ranges in southern Arizona that are isolated by lowlands of a dramatically different environment, in Arizona's case, the desert! As a result, these mountain ranges vary substantially one to the next, with a complex dynamic of specie diversity. For me, this means a LARGE variety of wildflowers to photograph. YES!!!! And because of the current monsoon season, the wildflowers are in full bloom. This all has been an extremely refreshing surprise as my prior stereotype of desert life included absolutely no wildflowers and very little green :) Enjoy!

Welcome to Tucson, Arizona!

2011-07-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Oleander Flower:San Xavier del Boc Mission:

(oldest European building in Arizona, established 1692, built 1797.)
San Xavier del Boc Facade: (1o miles from downtown Tucson)

Some tips I've gathered these first five days, as I learn on what it means to be a Tucsonan :)

1. Don't feed oleander leaves to your local zoo's giraffe, the leaves are highly poisonous. http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_53299694-b313-11e0-a82f-001cc4c002e0.html

2. Maintain at least 3 trays of ice in your freezer at any given time.

3. ALWAYS carry a water bottle.

4. Air Conditioning is not a luxury, it's a necessity.

6. If at all possible, stay indoors between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. or else be prepared for 100+ degree heat.

7. Always carry an umbrella or rain jacket as monsoon rains may arrive unexpectedly between 2 and 7 p.m. (ish) during the monsoon season.

8. For chocolate lovers, always refrigerate your most favorite chocolate.

9. Have fun ;)

CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP: day five

2011-07-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

New Mexican Wildflower:Hatch, Chile Capital of the World:
Rockhound State Park, NM:
Crossing the Railroad:
View from Above:

New Mexico today, Tucson, Arizona tomorrow! Exhausted from the heat and ready for bed!

CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP: day four/part one

2011-07-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

Rt 66 in New Mexico:Playing in Blue Hole, Santa Rosa:
Tram to Sandia Peak:
View of Sandia Mountain National Forest:
Going up 4,000 feet!

New Mexico has been beautiful, interesting, diverse, freeing and best of all, FULL OF SPANISH!!!! Many of the streets, neighborhoods, mountains, shops, restaurants, churches, towns, etc all have Spanish names!!! It's the reason why I'm moving to the Southwest :) I feel like I'm in the best of both worlds, rich Hispanic culture with the excellent and innovative infrastructure of the United States. Tomorrow, more of New Mexico :)

CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP: day three/part one

2011-07-17T19:13:00.001-07:00

Cherokee Indian Painting:
Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial Site:
Oklahoma City Bombing Wall of Support:
Historic Rt. 66, Oklahoma
Shamrock, Texas salad

From Joplin, Missouri to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial Site. It's been a very grounding two days. The resilient recovery work that is going on in Joplin is quite inspirational. You can learn more about it at their website: joplinrecoveryfund.org

I was 11 years old when the Alfred Murrah Federal Building was bombed in Oklahoma City. 168 people were killed, 168 buildings were damaged and 16 were completely destroyed. I remember watching the news with my grandma that day on April 19, 1995. We watched on t.v. as the story unfolded, the gutted buildings, the smoke, the suspected culprits and the faces of the casualties. I didn't quite understand what was going but I recall running to their basement, overwhelmed with tears and emotions. The Memorial Site is full of respect, beauty and hope. Trees were planted to honor the recovery crews, a garden and several sculptures were constructed, two walls were erected, a support wall was made and a museum was created. It was so incredibly healing to simply remember. I now understand the importance of memorials and simply remembering.

And so tonight, I remember Joplin and Oklahoma in Texas and in the HEAT!!!! Today we felt a high of 106!!! Yikes! Yes, we've made it to the Lone Star State and it is hot!!! It's amazing how much the landscape has changed so! Oklahoma was quite lush but as we moved further south, the land became increasingly barren and HOTTER. Bunches of trees are scattered here and there, small dry bushes are dotted on the brown ground and the air is dryer. We are most definitely approaching the southwest desert :)

Next on the map, New Mexico!

Joplin, Missouri - July 16, 2011

2011-07-17T05:41:00.000-07:00

Elementary School:
The five homes we visited:
Peering into someone's living room:
Several blocks of homes completely obliterated:
One of the homes we peered through:

Donate to the Joplin Recovery Fund: http://www.cfozarks.org/category/joplin-tornado/joplin-recovery-fund/

CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP: day two/part one

2011-07-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

We started in Marshall, Illinois this morning, taking historic route 40 across Illinois and into St. Louis, Missouri. In St. Louie, after crossing the Muddy Mississippi (3rd largest river in the world), we visited Concordia Seminary where my mom's dad went to school for four years. From St. Louis, we traveled through the Ozark Mountains and down into Joplin, Missouri, right at the Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri tri-state corner. As you may recall, Joplin was hit with a deadly tornado two months ago. We drove through some of the neighborhoods where the tornado hit and walked down one block, peering into five tornado torn homes. It was heartbreaking and numbing to see such utter destruction. It felt, smelled and looked like a neighborhood graveyard. So much work is still needed, debris pick up, building repair, relocation of displaced families. It was encouraging to see so many volunteers with recovery and rescue centers yet still so tragic to see so many homes destroyed. Today was a long day, physically and emotionally. I will post pictures tomorrow but until then, I sleep in Miami, Oklahoma, the land of the Native American Nation :)

Prayers for Joplin.

CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP: day one/part two

2011-07-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

The Travelers:July 15-Day One

We've driven from Cleveland to Columbus to Indianapolis to Marshall, IL. Feeling tired but very inspired by all the different sights, cultures and landscapes along the road. We're already starting to hear the southern accent ;) Two states down, five more to go.

CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP: day one/part one

2011-07-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

Arizona Flag!!! :)

Today is the big day! I'm heading off to Arizona! My car is packed to the brim, I got the maps all planned out and I'm THRILLED to start this new venture!!!!! Today we'll go straight south through Ohio, stopping in Columbus to visit my brother and then on to Indianapolis to visit a friend. We'll end up somewhere in Illinois before the day's over :) And tomorrow, St Louie, Missouri and Oklahoma!!! Here I goooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rest

2011-07-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

Photo #1: Summer Day Lily

The day lilies are popping up in every direction!!! Ditches, back yards, hills, front yards, fields, side yards!!! They are quite magnificent with their bright colors and large bloom. With less than nine days until my big move across country, life has been BUSY BUSY BUSY. Packing, organizing, throwing out, getting rid of, sorting, packaging, consolidating, minimalizing, etc. With all the busy bustling, I've found great comfort in resting in the beauty of the day lily as well as all the other lovely summer flowers that are emerging :) And so, I rest....and then back to packing!!!

My very first art show will be this Friday. Stay tuned for images from the show!

Is this heaven?

2011-06-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

Photo 1: Peeking PoppyPhoto #2: Poppy OvaryPhoto #3: Petalling Poppy
Photo #4: American Falls

Photo #5: Horseshoe Falls

The last leg of our road trip ended in Niagara Falls. We rode the Maid of the Mist boat which took us past the American Falls and right up to the Horseshoe Falls, a few dozen feet away from the thousands of gallons of pounding water. The experience is quite impressive to say the least. Before boarding, you're given a poncho so not to get completely drenched by the fall's water spraying you. The poncho helps but it's almost inevitable that the boat ride will leave you wet :) So as I was getting soaked and feeling the pounding power of water falling, I thought, "if there is a heaven, it must be something like this." :) The mind boggling enormity of the waterfalls left me in constant awe and wonder as I attempted to capture and grasp it all with my mind and senses. Our ability to experience wonder and awe connects us to a supernatural world that we cannot see, touch, nor completely fathom. So perhaps a supernatural heaven is something like being in a constant state of awe and wonder, being forever surrounded by beauty and splendor. Sounds just lovely.

After the boat ride, we decided to dry off at Niagara Park's FREE Botanical Gardens. These well manicured gardens are pretty much like eating a slice of heaven. They excite all the five senses with the diverse array of flora and fauna. While we were there, we saw lots of petunias, rhododendrons, azaleas and poppies blooming and with buds on the way. There are so many various stages within spring, summer and fall that feature different blooming plants and wildflowers. The earth is constantly recreating itself during these seasons. What slice of heaven will grow and blossom next?

From Brooklyn to Jamaica Bay

2011-05-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

Photo 1: Duck CrossingPhoto 2: NYC Skyline in Distance
Photo 3: The Birder

Photo 4: Marsh Rose BloomPhoto 5: Marsh Rose Blossom

Last weekend I travelled to NYC and Brooklyn to visit some old friends from the Appalachian Trial. We decided to see Brooklyn on bike. Starting at Carroll Gardens, we traversed through the city's streets, all the way to the beaches and bays of south Brooklyn, about 13 miles or so. The change was dramatic; from Brooklyn's "New Manhattan" neighborhoods to its subsidized housing and dilapidated streets, gentrification is definitely still present in NYC. After riding through Brooklyn, we arrived at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where we found several miles of trail that take you through wetlands, marshes, and ponds. The bay is a mecca for birds, especially migrating birds. Due to the tidal waves, the bay not only has freshwater wetlands and ponds but brackish ones as well (mixture of salt and fresh water). As a result, throughout the year, this wildlife refuge hosts 330 different species of birds. Ospreys, thrushes, warblers, herons, wrens, terns, gulls, ibises, oystercatchers, and lots of different kinds ducks....just to name a few :) To go from big city Brooklyn to a wildlife refuge in 13 miles was quite unique and most definitely fun :)

Dandelion Season

2011-05-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Photo #1: Dandelion Baby
Photo #2: dandelion seeds waiting to be whisked away
Photo #3: Dandelion Swirlies
Photo #4: Dandelion Field

It is Dandelion Season indeed! And lucky for me, Spring Flower Season :) The spring flowers are bursting with color and fullness!!! After all the rain (that we're still getting) and the strong sun, we are having an incredibly bright and vibrant spring for flowers and tree blossoms. Some of the tree blossoms, the cherry ones to be exact, are so full with color and blossoms that they remind me of bulging heart arteries, going every which way, pumping out life and energy. My Mom and Nana always talk about taking Sunday afternoon drives with their parents back in the day. And I've been thinking how lovely those Sunday afternoon drives must have been for them if what they were driving through was anything like what we have before our eyes this Spring Flower Season! Just lovely!

And this season gives us so many surprises! Which buds will bloom today? Will the lettuce seeds sprout? Will the leaves change to a deeper shade of green? Are the lilies still blooming? How many cherry blossoms fell on my car this time....and how many birds left a deposit on my windshield?...lol

I've been itching to get out with my camera and capture it all! These next few weeks will give me a good opportunity for that! Tomorrow I'm heading out for a 2011 Spring East Coast Road Trip. We'll drive through the Allegheny Mountains to NYC and then head south to Washington D.C. to visit friends and explore the D.C. metro area. On our way back, we'll stop in Niagara Falls before heading back to Cleveland. Stay posted for pictures and stories :)

Sunday afternoon drive anyone?

Spring in Cleveland = Lovely

2011-04-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

Photo #1: Spring in Upward Motion Photo #2: Blooming Outward
Photo #3: Magnolia and Spring Sky

Photo #4: Bursting Forth

May 1

It is officially spring here in northern Ohio! These past two weeks have been absolutely lovely. Its been rainy and a bit chilly but vibrant colors are exploding in every direction and the air smells of rich growth. Cleveland has been in hibernation for awhile now; its sky, dark and gloomy; its trees, bare and naked; its plants, dormant; its animals (including humans), hidden from the cold. Now, all sorts of new plants and bushes are springing up with life. It seems as everyone in Northern Ohio is moving out and about: hiking, running, biking, blading, playing, all beaming with smiles and joy and laughter. It's almost like having a psychedelic experience, as everything around and within you seems so unreal. One week everything is so bleak and dreary and the next, it is full of life, color, youthfulness, growth and vitality. The grey sky and the barren trees melt into the pinks of the magnolia, the yellows of the daffodil, the reds of the tulip, the purples of the hyacinth, the greens of the buds. It all sounds like a nice surrealist painting :)

Last week I decided on the University of Arizona in Tucson, where I will be spending the next 2-6 years of my life studying Hispanic Culture and getting my graduate degrees in Spanish. I will be an Arizonan desert woman in less than three months and so I'm spending my time here in Ohio walking and enjoying the lush greens and bountiful trees that are very much absent in the Arizonan desert. And I'm finding that spring walks here are just lovely; the sweet smells, the weight of the moist air on your skin, the blossoming flowers, the budding-shriveled up leaves, the chipmunks waking up from hibernation, and best of all - not having to wear a million layers to go outside! So go for a walk, I garantee you will find it to be just lovely!

Yes, spring is definitely here in Ohio :) I cannot begin to express my joy and gratitude!!!!! :)

Pancake Town, USA

2011-04-15T19:06:00.001-07:00

Photo 1: Burton's Water Tower Converted Into Stack of Pancakes via Maple Sugar Sculpture = AWESOME

Photo #2: Blueberry Butterfly Pancake Bringing in Spring

Coming back to Ohio after being in Mexico for six weeks has been tough. It's still cold and dreary, the cities and suburbs of Ohio are definitely not made for pedestrian strolling and community building, the economy's in a rut, education programs are being cut left and right, and the majority of Americans are overweight, misinformed and for the most part, socially depressed. Humph. America has a lot of work to do! Coming back to Ohio also means coming back to Burton. So, I must say some comments about my hometown. The lovely Burton, Ohio: Pancake Home of America. During every Maple syrup season, Burton hosts pancake breakfasts for about 8 or 10 Sundays during the months of February, March and April. You'll find yummy pancakes not only at the fire department but at the high school, the Legion Hall and the Century Village as well. All four serve delicious blueberry and buttermilk pancakes, juice, coffee, potatoes, eggs and of course, REAL maple syrup :) If your mouth is drooling, don't delay! The last pancake breakfast is this Sunday at the Legion Hall! Check it out! :)

And you know what Maple syrup season means for Ohio? SPRING IS ON ITS WAY!!!!! Northern Ohio needs SUN!!!!! :)

I ♥ Mexico

2011-04-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

Photo #1: Mexico es VIDA-Mexico is life Photo #2: Mexico es SOL-Mexico is SUN

Photo#3: VIVA MEXICO-LIVE MEXICO!!

My precious and dear neighbor, my Mexico. To say that I ♥ Mexico is an understatement. I fell in love with Mexico during the six weeks I spent there. My suggestion to readers: don't listen to what the news tells you about Mexico. Let me rephrase that, listen to the news but with an incredibly critical ear and listen to many different sources. Yes, Mexico has a drug cartel problem, but I would say that it is just as much our problem as it is Mexico's. And that's a whole new blog entry that perhaps one day I will explore. Mexico is so much more than the drug cartels, so so so so much more. First of all, Mexico is enormous. It has 115 million people, 26 different indigenous languages, 31 states, 760,000 square miles-probably 1/3 of the U.S. With all of this grandness, Mexico hosts several different ecologies and landscapes. From deserts to jungles, mountains to islands, beaches and more. The people are just as diverse, with hundreds of Mayan and Native American communities, different types of economies and industries, different lifestyles, music and art. The cities are all full of life and the streets tell of this. You walk through any city, just about anytime during the day and you will find yourself surrounded by families taking a stroll, dogs looking for scraps, musicians strumming a classical guitar, shoe shiners eyein' their next gig, vendors selling fresh fruit drinks or tamales or stuffed chiles. OH!!!! The CHILES. Wow! Did you know Mexico has over 3,000 chiles? Yes, 3,000! That means there's probably about 3,000 different recipes for all 3,000 chiles! YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!That deserves a whole separate post!

So, until next time. I'm gonna go find me some yummy poblano chiles to cook up :)

From Mexico to.....

2011-03-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

This: Shaker Heights, Ohio. I'm back in Ohio. Reverse culture shock is a phenomena created by anthropologists and sociologists to describe the sensation that travellers feel when returning back to their home country after living abroad for some time. The sensation that I'm feeling is more like climate shock. :) I am most definitely happy to be back home with my family and friends but I'm missing Mexico's sun right now. Cleveland, don't you know it's spring time? Hopefully this is the last of Ohio's winter snow....

Mayan Culture

2011-03-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Photo #1: Incense Stand Photo #2: Tulum, post-classical Mayan City

Photo #3: Incense Stand

Being in southern Mexico, it is inevitable to see remnants of the Mayan civilization. During its height, or what they call its classical period from 200 AD to 900 AD, the Mayan empire occupied a large portion of Central America, from southern Mexico, including the Yucatan Peninsula and the state of Chiapas, to El Salvador. It covered about 650 miles, spanning from what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. During its height, the Mayan had several large cities with populations exceeding 10,000 people. I visited two of those cities, Palenque, in the state of Chiapas, and Tulum, about an hour south of Cancun. I couldn't help but notice that the Mayan culture was a very war-like culture but more so, an incredibly spiritual culture.

Above are two pictures of incense stands, reaching about 3 feet in height. The Mayan used these stands in their temples to give offerings of incense and oils to the gods for various occasions. They carved images of their gods and ancestors, decorating them with certain natural images such as birds, snakes and tigers that embody the specific god or ancestor featured on the stand. These beautiful works of art and sculpture were essentially spiritual offerings to honor God and family. They reminded me a lot of my boyfriend's artwork. David, using ink pen and at times water color, draws Mayan-type masks, interweaving animal and floral designs to accentuate the character of the mask. If you want to compare these Mayan art pieces to his artwork, check out his blog: www.visualgravity.blogspot.com

Playa

2011-03-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Photo #1: Large Tree
Photo #2: Overlooking the Ruins
Photo #3: The Palace

Photo #4: Palenque Architecture

Photo #5: Temple

Greetings from Playa del Carmen, Mexico! I am currently in the Yucatan Peninsula, about an hour south of Cancun. I am here with my family for my cousin's wedding this weekend. We will be here for about a week, exploring the ruins, islands and beaches in one of the most beautiful parts of Mexico.

I left San Cristobal about a week ago and from there I headed to Palenque, home of some of the most famous and intact Mayan ruins in southern Mexico. They are situated in the middle of the jungle with tropical flowers, enormous trees, iguanas, lizards, monkeys, thousands of different birds and hot hot hot sun. Above are some pictures of the jungle and the ruins within it. Stay tuned for more!

Las Calles de San Cristobal

2011-03-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

The streets of San Cristobal

Photo #1: Happy Faces

Photo #2: Street Art
Photo #3: Mexican Mode of Transportation
Photo #4: Life!
Photo #5: Entrance of Art Workshop

Las Nubes

2011-03-08T17:55:00.000-08:00

Photo #1: Las Nubes, The Clouds

Photo #2: Orchids like Weeds
Photo #3: Wild Flowers Casting its Shadows on the Lakes of Montebello
Photo #4: Perched Blackbird

¨Las Nubes¨ is translated into English as ¨the clouds.¨ This past weekend I, along with one of my Spanish teachers, his girlfriend and 6 of their friends, went to see Las Nubes. Las Nubes are located in the southern part of Chiapas, close to the Mexican-Guatemalan border. They are preceded by a series of pristine lakes known as the ¨lakes of color¨ or the ¨Lakes of Montebello.¨ When the sun casts its light on the waters, various hues of green and blue are revealed. They say the plants and organisms that live at the bottom of the lakes create the vibrant blue and green hues. It is simply breathtaking. Lucky for us, we had a perfect sunny day to enjoy the lakes :)

From the lakes, we went further south towards Guatemala, descending in elevation, towards Las Nubes. The plants and trees became lusher, the air felt heavier, and the temperature dropped dramatically. Vibrant colors lined the highways. I find out later that these vibrant colors were orchids. In the jungle, orchids are common wildflowers that grow like weeds everywhere! It was indeed a pleasure to the senses and so awe-inspiring to see such delicate flowers thriving everywhere I turned!

Driving into Las Nubes, I immediately understood how it got its name as I saw clouds of mist emerging from the jungle forest. Las Nubes are a series of waterfalls that flow through the Lancondean River for about a mile. They have a similar color hue as the Lakes of Montebello. The varying blue and green color hues, the mist, the white rushing waters, the surrounding jungle, the sounds of exotic bird calls and orchids lining the jungle forest bed were absolutely breathtaking. All of this coupled with great company and talking Spanish 24/7, left me feeling incredibly grateful and in awe of this grand world :)

San Juan Chamula

2011-02-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

With the day off from classes, I decided to do a little exploration. I took a ¨combi¨or mini bus about 7 miles north of San Cristóbal to a small village called San Juan Chamula. Chamula is inhabited by the Tzotzil Mayan who speak both Spanish and Tzotzil. The women wear beautifully colorful and decorative blouses made of silk with a heavy black wrap around wool skirt. The men wear a large white or black wool poncho, a simple collard shirt, pants and a cowboy hat.

Sunday is market day so the streets were filled with different smells, sounds and sights. Women cooking chicken, tamales and chili. Tarps laid out on the main roads and intersections, covered in fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, fish, and meats. Children selling little bracelets and nick knacks to tourists. It was a real trip for the eyes :)

The most fascinating aspect of the village was the church. The church is a tall simple structure with wooden beams and plastered walls. When I entered through the main doors, a strong wave of incense invaded my senses. The church was dark with no pews, alters or chairs. No fancy gold adornments or chandeliers. There was some dried corn husks hanging up on the walls, lots of beautiful flower bouquets, thousands of candles, families praying, and children playing. Towards the front and center of the church were three rows of various images and figurines of famous saints. Augustine, Rose of Lima, John the Baptist, James to name a few and of course, Jesus and Mary. The figurines all carried mirrors around their neck. I`m not quite sure what the symbolism is but I like to think it is to remind us of the holiness and sainthood within all of us.

Some persons came into the church carrying candles, lighting them and watching them until their flames blew out, waiting and watching in prayer and chanting. Others walked around in groups, a man carrying a symbolic religious wooden chest, a woman carrying an incense holder and others chanting and praying. Some go alone. One woman in particular, along with her candles and incense, brought in a chicken. My first impression was, ¨oh, she must be taking that chicken to the market,¨ but after seeing other families and individuals with chickens I concluded that it might be part of some ritual ceremony. And seconds after I completed that thought, she took the chicken´s neck, stretched it along her legs, and snapped it to its death. A very literal and grounding way to give thanks for the bountiful protein and nutrients that chickens give us :) I was beside myself!

Below are some pictures from the village, enjoy! Until next time, ¡adiós!

Photo #1: Church of Chamula
Photo #2: Church Garden
Photo #3: Facade in detail
Photo #4: Community Altar

Hola from Mexico!

2011-02-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.

One of the most beautiful cities in southern Mexico, surrounded by mountains and small Mayan indigenous communities. The city is full of rich and bright colors; in the flowers, food, clothing and art. The bright and crisp sunny days bring out the colors and make the city a sensational visual delight. For these reasons, the city is popular amongst European and American travelers, creating an eclectic and artistic community both of foreigners and natives. It is a far fetch from the Appalachian Trail but it is most definitely an adventurer's getaway. The jungle is a few hours south with ancient Mayan ruins full of religious temples and buildings. And I am definitely looking forward to discovering the flora and fauna of the jungle, capturing it with my camera and writing about them :)

I´ve been in Mexico for one week now. I´m staying with a lovely Mexican couple, their 15 year old daughter, and Bona, their adorable Golden Retriever. They have a beautiful home and have been extremely hospitable and great company. I will be here for another 6 weeks taking Spanish and salsa classes, improving my Spanish skills and learning about the Mexican culture and history. The last stint of my journey will be in the Cancun area where my cousin and her fiance decided to have their destination wedding.

Stay tuned for more commentary and possibly poetry on this grand country :)

For your visual delight:

Photo #1: Mexico, home of hot sauce.

Photo #2: View from my bedroom
Photo #3: Siesta in San Cristobal
Photo #4: San Cristobal Architecture

Shout out to los estudiantes!

2010-11-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

Friends enjoying Forest City's changing leaves :)

Hola!!!!

I wanted to write this entry specifically for my students, especially those from Beachwood. I hope the fall season is treating you well, that all is going good for you at school and home. I´m busy teaching preterite and imperfect again but this time at Solon High School. But not too busy to think about doing an open mic night some time soon at the Phoenix :) Spanish Literature graduate school applications are on the top of my priority list right now. University of Arizona, Arizona State, University of New Mexico, University of Texas at Austin and Cleveland State are starting to get some of my application materials. The schools have a southwest theme because I want to be in an area where 40% of the population speaks Spanish and where the Latino culture has heavily influenced the area. So, I´m thinking of doing an open mic in February, after my teaching job at Solon High School and before I head out to Mexico for a refresher course in Spanish fluency. Hope to see some of you out there!

Until next time, enjoy the changing of the seasons!

Buena Suerte!

Hiker Hibernation

2010-10-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Fall greetings from Cleveland Ohio!

I've gone into hiker hibernation and unfortuantely in a very literal way. Two weeks ago while audaciously rollerblading on Geauga County's beautiful Maple Highlands Trail, I sprained my right ankle and banged up my knee. Fortunately, the doctor told me today that I can kiss my crutches goodbye and say hello to walking again, but it will be another two weeks before I can rollerblade and hike again. Nonetheless, the experience has taught me patience, humility, and appreciation for kindness. I would still be helplessly laying on that bike path in Geauga County with my sprained ankle if it weren't for kindness :)

My backpack and hiking gear are packed away and my Spanish books are out! I'm transititioning from mountain woman to Spanish teacher :) I'm falling in love with this profession (almost) everyday. When student's are open to learning and using imagination, the classroom can be a very transformative and powerful experience for the good. It is so awesome to be a part of this process. :)

While I'm writing lesson plans and grading papers, I'm still making big plans for next summer. In May 2011, I'm planning to hit the Trail in Massachusettes, right where I left off this past July. I have about 650 miles left before I reach Mt Katahdin, the final summit of my Appalchian Trail Hike. I've done about 1500 miles which is hard to believe. I must say though after hiking so many miles, I can justify calling myself an experienced outdoors woman, a real mountain woman :) lol. Anywhoo, May to August 2011 I will be living my mountain woman dreams and hopefully finishing the 2,125 mile Appalachian Trail :)

So, I keep on dreaming.....

(Of pumpking pie)

Humanity's Kindness

2010-07-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Kent, Connecticut!

I've made it up to New England with 720 miles left till Mt Katahdin, Maine. It's been 1, 400 miles since I left Mt Springer, Georgia one year and three months ago! Getting closer and closer to my final destination :) I'm almost done with this section, only 5 more days to go on the Trail and then I'm heading back home to Ohio for family vacation, moving into an apartment and starting the school year teaching Spanish. I'm already planning my next hike for next spring and summer. Two months and 700 miles from Massachusetts to Maine :)

The thing I love most about backpacking the Appalachian Trail is the people. I am constantly moved with a deep hope and trust in the beauty of humanity. On a daily basis, I meet complete strangers who encourage me, believe in me and offer their hospitality to me without even knowing who I am or where I am from. They give abundantly without expecting anything in return. It is so incredibly refreshing and so desperately needed in a society that is bombarded with division and fear. When nightmares are being repeated on the daily news and neighbors don't even know each other. The kindness and hospitality is what pushes me when the Trail gets tough; when all my gear is soaked, when I'm exhausted, smelly and sore. This kindness is what keeps me going on the Trail and it is my hope and prayer to bring this kindness back with me to life back "off Trail." This trip has been so refreshing and rejuvenating for my spirit. I am utterly thankful for the beautiful people hiking out here and to the woods who lures us in to seek fellowship with nature :)

I encourage you to go out for a walk in the woods and see what you will find :)

Have fun!

Gaucha

New York, New York!

2010-07-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Highland Falls, NY. The home of West Point Academy. I've been hiking in NY for about four days now. The trail runs very close to NYC, about 30 miles to be exact and at a hand full of summits, one can see the NYC skyline from the Trail. It's a strange feeling to be in the wilderness and at the same time seeing this enormous city's skyline. Being close to West Point and Fort Montgomery where some of the Revolutionary War battles took place, I wanted to take the time to honor and thank all men and women who have served our country. The discipline, dedication and loyalty of these people truly impresses me and I hope to take this with me as I continue north on Trail.
God bless you all!

Some Photos from Jersey

2010-07-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

New Jersey: the land of bears and blueberries

2010-07-11T04:50:00.000-07:00

This is day number six for me on the A.T. since I started last Tuesday at Delaware Water Gap, right at the border of New Jersey and PA. By chance, I started on one of the hottest days in New Jersey history, with temperatures reaching to 100 and the heat index at 115. Luckily there are some beautiful ponds and lakes along the trail to stop and cool off at. I've made it through most of New Jersey and the feared rocks-thankfully! I should make it to New York by sometime this week for a trail reunion with some hiker friends whom I hiked with last year that live in the area. Good times ahead.

Here in Jersey, hunting bear is prohibited and you can tell on the Trail. I encountered five bear in five days while on the Trail and it appears as though they are very much accustomed to humans. The other day as I was taking a break and stretching my legs, I looked up to find a mama bear and her two cubs walking towards me. I quickly grabbed my hiking poles and started clanking them together with the hopes of scaring them off. The two cubs ran away while the mother simply stood and stared at me, panting heavily. I continued to clank my poles and hollering out loudly, hoping to scare her off somehow. She gingerly started walking into the woods but still staying close to the Trail, looking back at me nonchalantly. When I lost sight of her, I started again on the Trail but soon enough saw her again about 50 yards in the Trail from me, this time just sitting there staring at me! I crouched down and slowly moved back nervously, clanking my poles together and hollering out whatever sounds I could muster out of me. I had never encountered bear before quite like this and I was afraid that the mama bear was acting in protection of her cubs and was ready to do whatever needed to protect them! Yikes! After about five minutes (it felt like 5 hours!) of clanking and hollering, the mama bear and her cubs eventually walked off and I walked on, more like ran on, nervously northbound continuing to clank my poles and hope to be bear free for the rest of the day!

I guess what happened that day is typical here in Jersey. The mama bear could have been protecting her cubs but she was most likely just tired and accustomed to seeing humans that she didn't feel the need to run off. With that said, I've been keeping an eye out for fresh wild blueberries and friendly bears here on the Trail :)

Until next time,

Gaucha

Summer Trails

2010-07-03T10:53:00.001-07:00

Greetings on this 4th of July weekend! I am writing this post from my parent's house in Gates Mills, Ohio and glad to be doing so to spend the holiday with friends and family. The summer has been an exciting one thus far and there is much more to come!

After my graduate education course ended and my Spanish substitute job at Cardinal High School finished, I began packing my bags for another hike in the woods. On May 17th, I picked up where I left off on the Appalachian Trail in Duncannon, PA just north of Harrisburg, PA's capital. This time around I decided to take along the Chapman family's most beloved baby, our family pooch, Sweetie. We hiked for about two weeks through central-northern PA and encountered many rocks, ticks, rocks, friendly hikers, rocks, beautiful wildflowers, and more rocks. PA is one of the most challenging sections on the Appalachian Trail and I was glad to do it in one two week section with a wonderful pooch companion to encourage me with her wagging tail and always excited eyes :) The rocks were incredibly challenging on our feet, ankles, knees and legs but we pushed on and had a wonderful time amidst the difficulties. My sister, Becky, joined me for about 4 days towards the end of the hike where we met up with an old hiker friend, Segue, in Delaware Water Gap at the border of PA and NJ. I got off Trail and came back to Ohio for various family events: my sister's and cousin's high school graduations, a friend's wedding, my cousin's graduation party and a trip to Colombia to visit my boyfriend's family. And now I'm getting ready for another hike, to pick up where I left off at Delaware Water Gap and hike north for about a month. I'm hoping to reunite with a lot of old hiker friends whom I met last year on the Trail, to get closer to Maine and to enjoy summer in the woods :)

A trail commentary:

Why do I hike?

Body, soul, mind earth are what come to mind.

I hike for my body.

To challenge it, to use it to its potential, to work it and shape it.

I hike for my mind.

To discipline it. To focus it on one is hopeful, positive, encouraging and good.

To empty it of needless worries and unrealistic expectations.

To free it from the stresses of day to day living,

in a society surrounded by greed and materialism.

I hike for my heart and my soul.

To experience the beauty and wonder of life.

To feel the freedom of mother nature's constant evolution,

without control and without manipulation.

To heal from innocence lost, to heal from bitterness and hatred.

And finally, I hike for the earth.

To honor her, to thank her, to appreciate her

To be one with everything she is and everything I am.

Happy Trails to all!

25 years and thankful

2009-11-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

Pictures from Birthday Party and Halloween in Columbus.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Lots of updates to fill you in on:

On November 8, I turned 25 and celebrated with a wonderful party of family and friends :) I'm so thankful I've made it this far and am glad to be 25!

I've just been admitted to the College of Education at the University of Akron to obtain my Masters in Education, License to teach Spanish K-12 and certificate to teach English as a second language. I will start this January taking one class. Then next fall, I will start full time and be re-locating to Akron as a Zip :)

Five more months and I'll be getting back on the Appalachian Trail to continue where I left off! After I complete a long term substitute teaching assignment for a high school Spanish teacher going on maternity leave, I'm grabbing my pack and hittin' the trail for the summer!

And......My hair is growing....in all directions! :)

Juggling all the responsibilities of life and trying to maintain serenity, happiness and peace is quite a task! Sometimes I find myself whining and crying and making excuses about this grand task. In one of those bouts, I wrote this:

No more assumptions,
no more generalizations:
the world is this way
people are that way.
A safe and familiar
black and white world.
Making sense
fear in our hearts
and ignorance in our minds.

We have endless potential,
gifts to be given and received.
A mind that opens possibilities,
a new reality constantly unfolding,
a heart capable of experiencing
all that life is.

No more mundane living.
No more this is how its always been.
No more I can't, it's too hard, I'm too tired.
No more excuses.

Life is rich.
This is your life.
Take it,
and LIVE!

cambios, cambios-changes, changes

2009-09-15T13:16:00.001-07:00

As many of you may already know, I've made the decision to get off the trail for the year and stay here in Ohio. I got off Trail at the end of July with the intention to surprise my family and pay them a visit for a few days. After spending time with family and friends and my feet and knees screaming in agony from walking the 1200 miles, I decided to get off. Home was calling me and so was my urge to pursue a career in teaching and to start working. So, here I am in my home county, Geauga County. It is good to be living in the countryside again and so close to family! I have two pileated woodpeckers living in my backyard-it is inspiring to go to bed and wake up to such beauty!

I've also started substitute teaching in Geauga County and have taught Kintergarden, Music, Fourth Grade and Special Education already-I love it! It is most definitely a challenge as most of the job is behavior management, but I am finding my niche as I am loving teaching life-long values such as respecting others, thinking positive and trying our best. It is also empowering to be an encouragement to such young and developing souls who are discovering who they are and what this life is! So, I've made the decision to begin taking the steps towards applying for graduate school to get my masters of Education and License to teach Spanish K-12. I'm applying to several schools in the Cleveland area but John Carroll is my top pick! I hope to start Fall of 2010! The Trail is still on my heart and on my mind as many of my Trail friends are now making their way up to Maine. The Berkshires of Massachusetts and the Whites of Vermont and New Hampshire are enticing me-and of course, summiting Mount Katahdin. And because of this, I'm planning to get back on the Trail next summer for three months or so to finish what I can :) Ya veremos....

Here is a poem I wrote, inspired by one of my students:

Giggles, giggles in my tummy!

They tickle so much,

wow-Are they funny!

They travel from my tummy

to the tip of my tongue,

And when I taste them,

Yummy, yum, yum!

I open my mouth and out they come-

Right back into my tummy,
They never can leave home

Giggles, giggles in my tummy,

They keep on coming
and coming and coming!

A few pictures from a walk in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and sisters on Marblehead beach with the sun setting on Lake Erie.

Happy August!

2009-08-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

August is here!
Taking a break from the Trail at home with friends and family. Tomorrow my family and I are headed to Port Clinton and the islands to enjoy five days together. And tonight, my siblings, my cousin and some friends and I are heading to country line dance and celebrate Ruth´s 18th birthday and our beautiful American country heritage :)

Been thinking a lot about family. I looked up "family" in the dictionary...this definition was my favorite:
"A group of individuals derived from a common stock." lol.
"Connection by blood, marriage, adoption."
I´m realizing that this connection is DAMN strong. That no matter what you do, where you go, how you feel, what you say, the connection will always be there: living in our blood and always itching to return home. Itching to connect. Itching to belong to it´s own "stock."

Thankfully I´ve been doing a lot of "connecting" here at home and now to Lake Erie, and a prayer of gratitude and joy for this day:

God, I thank you for this most beautiful day!
For the blue in the sky and the sun trying to say:
"Hope and peace and love abound on this very day!"
In all that we do and all that we say,
In the trees swaying to and fro and the birds in the bay,
In the smile on my face and the sun´s majestic rays!
What a spectacular day it is, I must say!

Note from Photo:
Is it a plant? nope. A flower? Kinda, but not quite. An exotic tree? Definitely not. An enormous butterfly from the Amazonian Rainforest? You´re almost getting there. An AWESOMELY beautiful, delicate and graceful Appalachian Trail Luna Moth? EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (WOW!!!!!)

Sisters

2009-07-24T08:54:00.001-07:00

Becky, Aunt Carol and I in Gettysburg, PA

Spent a wonderful week hiking with my sister through West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. At the end of the week, my Aunt Carol and Uncle Dennis picked us up from the Trail and we spent the next two days touring Gettysburg and enjoying family. I am so grateful for the support of my family through this journey, I´m not sure I could make it without their encouragement :)

A simple meditation poem I wrote a few weeks ago on Trail...

Wait.
Stop and slow down.
You aren´t there yet,
not quite yet.
Here, now.
This is where you are,
where you truely are.

Tomorrow´s worries
and yesterday´s failures
are neverending,
passing and changing
each moment, each day.
Today´s to-do lists can wait,
so can the shoulds and shouldnt´s,
and the wish I could or would.

Stop and listen.
Your heart opening,
being shaped and molded
by the precious gift of life,
moving through you,
each moment
each day.

Love and Blessings,
Guacha

Half-way thru!

2009-07-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

Bugs having fun on a milkweed flower :)
Reunited with my Trail Sister in Shenandoah National Park

Self Portrait

Mama Chapman with her two daughters and a magnolia tree in D.C.

"With the smell of the woods, and the wind in the trees, they will forget the rush and strain of all the other long weeks of the year, and for a short time at least, the days will be good for their hearts and their souls." FDR and Shenandoah National Park dedication, July 3, 1936

"To a large degree we are trending as a nation toward becoming very homogenous, with retail chains, television and such. But the National Trails take you into the tremendous natural diversity of the country where Americans still have their own way of talking and acting, and where there continues to be a real diversity of people." Interview with Bart Smith, 10/08, professional photograher who has hiked 16,000 miles through all national parks and scenic trails.

Greetings from Harpers Ferry, WV!!!!

I've made it half-way through the Appalachian Trail! And my sister Rebecca is here to celebrate with me and walk the next sixty miles into Maryland and Pennsylvania! Good times ahead!

The above quotes summarize well my experience thusfar on the Trail :) and speak truthfully of nature's affect on humans as well. But I think what has most impressed me on the Trail is the support and encouragement I have found from the communities and individuals along the Trail. The random acts of kindness, the trail magic, the generosity, the grace, and the sense of comradery. It has reaffirmed my faith in humanity...and this is a beautiful thing my friend!

Happy July to all!

Peace and Love,

Guacha

Mama Guacha

2009-06-25T04:30:00.000-07:00

Butterfly and Bee sharing some food

David and I showing off our "fro" hiking hair

Mushrooms giving each other a massage :)

Sitting on top of McAfee Knob

Virginia Summer Greetings!

Mama Chapman or "Mama Guacha" is here with me in Waynesboro, VA at the Grace Lutheran Hiker Hostel. We are about to head up north to D.C. to drop David off with a good college friend and then off to Baltimore to visit family. I'll be off the Trail for the next four days spending time with family in Baltimore and my sister in D.C. and I'll be back here in Waynesboro to start "aqua blazing" with some hiking friends. Nine of us will be travelling via canoe up the Shenandoah River from Waynesboro to Harpers Ferry, WV-about 160 miles. My feet are looking forward to the break! And I'm looking forward to changing my mode of transportation for a bit :)

Much Love to All!

Guacha

Trail Magic

2009-06-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

Hello from Daleville, VA.

Here on the Trail we have a beautiful thing called "Trail Magic." Trail Magic is a random act of kindness which can be a free ride from a trailhead to town, a free meal at a restaurant, cold drinks and fresh food brought to the trail, a place to stay for the night, a smile to brighten a rainy day, etc. I have witnessed so much of this Trail Magic and am convinced that such kindness and goodness is the essence of this life. I can't explain how or why. Perhaps this is the core of our existence and we find this when we are in the woods-in nature, where we all originate. And when we share this kindness and goodness, it brings about such happiness. So true and deep that it spreads and spreads and spreads, creating a most magical Appalachian Trail and a most magical life! Such good energy comes from these woods and I'm beginning to see that it is because all of nature is entirely free to be what it is-perfect and necessary in this existence. Our minds, our consciousness, although it has the capacity to free us, often times limits and traps us in a constrained reality that is far from free. So when we come to the woods, with an open heart to kindness and goodness, with a hope and faith in grace, our consciousness feels the freeness of the trees and birds and bugs and leaves and it allows itself to be-to accept its shortcomings and be present in the very core of our beings-love.
I am most definitely enjoying how this magical Trail is shaping me :)

Some photos of these past two weeks with David and Virginia. Beautiful flower, morning sunshine on the Trail, a graceful butterfly, David and I finding a cow's skull on the Trail and my heart is in Ohio :)

Enjoy and happy summer!

Guacha

A quick hello

2009-06-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Pearisburg, VA-625 miles into the Trail. Wanted to give a brief update. My friend David from the Cleveland Food Co-op has joined me as a hiking companion and we've had great fun together. Still working on a Trail name for him.... And in a few weeks as I get closer to Maryland, my mom will be coming to pick me up to spend some time with family in Baltimore and my sister, Becky in D.C. Please keep Bill Masley in your thoughts and prayers as his 25th birthday approaches on June 10th. May his beautiful spirit live on....
Love,
Guacha

Everyday is a different day

2009-05-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

Everyday is a different day.
Sorrow comes,
joy arises.
New challenges to face
and reasons to be thankful.
Lessons to learn
and relearn.
Finding unity in everything
and within.

Everyday is a different day,
different from yesterday
and the day before.
Standing out in the universe,
in the infinite realm of time.
Waiting to be discovered and embraced,
to be realized and appreciated
only to recreate itself anew.

Everyday is a different day
Everyday is a good day.

Yes, on the Trail, everyday is a different day! Different trials: wet tent and socks and clothes and boots, a large growing hole in the bottom of my boot, poison ivy creeping its home on my body, blisters, aches and pains, discouragement. Thankfully the joys outnumber the trials! The days are getting longer and warmer, we are almost in June, the hummingbirds are buzzing around, I'm in Virginia and made it 1/4 of the way, I'm having one of the best experiences of my life and, my good friend, David whom I met volunteering at the Cleveland Food Co-op, has come to visit and hike the trail with me for a bit! Everyday is a different day and everyday is a good day!

To date, I've raised $676.75 for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. I'm currently above my goal of raising $1 for every mile I walk, so thank you to friends and family who contributed! If you haven't yet and would like to donate, please call the ATC at 304-535-6331 x120 or send a check to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy,PO Box 807 Harpers Ferry, WV 25425-0807. Please indicate that is in honor or tribute to Rachel Chapman.

Summer love to ya'll,

Guacha

Welcome to Hiker Life!

2009-05-18T07:19:00.001-07:00

Hello hello from sunny Charlotte, NC!

I am taking some time off from the Trail eating REAL non-trail food, sleeping in a bed, relaxing, learning how to ride a motorcycle, and just being. And the best part of this break is being with good friends :) Tim, Ayden, Heather, Rosie and Angela!

It has been six weeks and almost 450 miles on the Trail and I'm slowly feeling at home with this hiker life and culture. As a result, I've come up with a mini ethnographic report of this hiker culture, check it out....

You know you are a hiker when:

Day hikers and section hikers in freshly laundered clothes and recently showered, smell as clean as a spring meadow full of lavender flowers after a rainfall.

After consuming a large salad, a glass of orange juice, two glasses of Dr. Pepper, two vegetarian fajitas, a pouched egg, a banana, a mango, half a bag of goldfish and a pint of strawberry ice cream-you think about buying another pint of ice cream. But this time, chocolate!

Most conversations with fellow hikers revolve around functioning or non-functioning bodily functions, breakfast foods, gear, town foods, terrain, junk foods, weather, lunch foods, miles, snack foods, wildlife and plant life, dinner foods, the next town stop, dessert foods, blisters, high calorie foods, trail names, cheap foods, the latest trail magic, dream foods, God and philosophy and art and poetry and FOOD!!!!!!

You get out of your warm sleeping bag and tent in the middle of a cold and wet night to take down your bear bag (a hiker's bag full of all food including scented toiletries suspended by a tree 12 feet above ground) to enjoy a delicious midnight snack :)

Watching dirt drip down the sink after the first, second and third time of washing hiker hands becomes a blissful, refreshing and fulfilling experience that creates indescribable happiness and peace :) (It happens about once a week!)

Eating with silverware, plates, cups, bowls, serving spoons, and napkins on a TABLE and sitting in a CHAIR becomes the most civilized act of the human species.

After sleeping, eating, walking, talking, sitting, and experiencing all the known bodily functions in 13 days of straight rain; cloudy and rainy days become beautiful opportunities for the forest to grow, buds to mature, flowers to bloom and to appreciate dry clothes! Optimism is the only way to go on this trail!

Finding a garbage bin along the trail makes your day :)

There is no need for a french tip manicure or pedicure as the Appalachian Trail provides its own services of firm and callused foot and hand care and dirt tipped nails.

Eating 3 lbs of sweets becomes a weekly ritual.

You begin talking to not only animals and birds in a baby voice but to plants, flowers, moss, lichen, trees, fungus, insects, lizards, salamanders, grasshoppers, crickets, parasites, rocks, centipedes, millipedes, snails, dragonflies, moths, butterflies, stars, and bright puffy white clouds on a sunny day.

You miss being called by your real name-especially by family: mom, dad, reubie, ruthie, becky :) I miss y'all.

(The last two specifically apply to Guacha. And yes, she's added y'all to her vocabulary.)

I've uploaded all my pictures on a flickr account. Here is my website:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/racheljuliachapman/

I think I've become the trail wildflower photographer :) They are beautiful! I've given a little preview here on this posting.

Peace and love to all who stumble upon these Trail Tales,

Guacha

As I was walking........

2009-05-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

As I was walking,
a black capped chickadee
flew beside me.
She sat perched right there,
an arm's reach from my ear
singing to whoever was listening.

I sang back,
asking her what song
she was singing,
and to who.

She tilted her head,
flew close to me
and gave a couple
chick a dee dee dees.
And then a couple
chick a dee dee dee dees.

I smiled, tilted my head
and sang a thank you,
and then a goodbye.
I still couldn't tell
if she was singing to me
or to who?

-Dedicated to all bird lovers

I'm almost 300 miles into the Trail, taking a day off here in the lovely town of Hot Springs, NC. I just celebrated my month long anniversary on the Trail yesterday! I can't believe it's already been a month! For the last 20 miles, I've been enjoying the company of an old college roommate and friend, Tim and his lovely dog, Ayden. They came up to visit me from Charlotte, NC to do a section hike with me. We had a great time together (in the rain) and saw some beautiful orchids called Lady Slippers. We ended it with some good microbrew beer from Asheville NC and good grub!
I'm two weeks away from "Trail Days," a weekend long festival of the Appalachian Trail held in Damascus, VA where lots of hikers get together to have some fun :) Damascus will mark 1/4 point on the Trail! Afterwards, I'm taking a few days off in Charlotte to spend some time with my friends Tim and Ayden and my adopted sister Rosie (or in Grandpa's words, Tall Girl), and of course, to RELAX!!!!! My body is definitely getting into "hiker shape" as I'm increasing the miles to about 15 a day but it will be good to relax and rest and eat fresh food!
I hope you are all well and enjoying the May flowers as they come up!
Much love,
Guacha

Happy belated Earth Day!

2009-04-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Spring greetings from Fontana Dam, NC. I am at the southern most tip of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and 163 miles into the Trail. The Smoky Mountains are said to be some of the hardest mountains on the entire trail with mountains going over 6,600 feet! And it is also said to be the most diverse forest in North America! I'm excited but a bit nervous, wish me luck!

I've attached some pictures from my trip so far. Flowers in Georgia spring, my "trail family:" from left to right: "Bee-Man" or Brian from Texas, myself, "Bonnie" or S-n-P and her husband Mark, or "Hack" both from Brooklyn, NY. We have been hiking together since the beginning and having a blast :) The last picture is of me on the very first day of my trip with my pack weighing in at (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkk) 45 pounds! I've happily dropped it down to 39 and am still working on getting it lower but will not give up my ukuelele! For those of you who are wondering why I am calling my friends these strange names, here on the Appalachian Trail we have trail names. Trail names are either chosen or given to hikers to describe their trail identity. I chose Guacha long ago when I started studying the lifestyle of the "guacho" in one of my Spanish classes. A "guacho" is a South American cowboy that drinks yerba mate (a delicious and healthy tea), plays guitar and sings, wears a cool hat, and travels around the South American continent by horse. I am the North American female version of this with a ukuelele on the Appalachian Trail :)

I've been thinking about how nature can be so healing, how in many ways this trip is a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage to cleanse my system of all the distractions and baggage that keeps me from living life fully, reminding me what's really important in life: friends, family and the community around us, including the birds and the bees and the butterflies and trees :) And I've been thinking about dreams and how dreams are really visions to live life with greater abundance and depth. That push us to create goals and adventures to be sought after. And I've been thinking (and pinching myself) about how I am following my dreams on this trail, that I am living my dream to be a more alive human being, living life to the fullest. And I am :) And I thank God that I am! And I pray that you are too. Go out for a walk, you might find some of those dreams somewhere out here in our beautiful mother nature.....

Until next time,

Guacha

100 miles in and I'm lovin it!!!!

2009-04-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

"Guacha" greetings from Franklin, NC. It's been almost two weeks and 108 miles since I've started the Trail and I've experienced almost all the elements that life has to offer: snow, rain, sleet, hail, wind, cold, frost, mist, heat, tornado warnings, sunshine, clear blue skies and more. It has been quite a challenge getting used to this new lifestyle of extreme exposure to the elements. I've definitely questioned my reasons for taking on this lifestyle for the next six months and I've never wanted a dry bed so badly; BUT, I've experienced such wonder and beauty and reward in the past two weeks that I believe I can face just about anything that comes to me from here until Maine :)

I've been noticing where my thoughts take me as I've walked these 108 miles. Most of the time my mind goes to worrying about my next water source, whether or not it will start raining, if I will be warm enough at night, when my foot will stop hurting, if I have enough food to make it to the next town or mail drop, if I will make it to the next shelter and the next town and to Maine for that matter. I think the majority of our lives our minds are preoccupied with the basic matters of survival; finding an adequate mate to mate with, getting an adequate job to sustain ourselves, building a place to call home, meeting people to call family, finding a lifestyle to bring meaning and happiness to our lives. But then there are moments that move us to tears, that bring us to such awe and wonder. These moments bring our minds to contemplate and rest in the magic of life, in God, in love, in the purest sense of goodness. They heal us from the sometimes hectic and stressful soundtrack of nagging that our "survival thoughts" can put us through. They remind us that our lives aren't strictly restricted to such thoughts and that we can, and most definitely deserve to contemplate and experience the wonder of life. Thankfully, by the grace of grace, I have been able to experience the wonder that these Appalachian Mountains emulate and have had wonderful moments where my mind turns to the larger realm of existence and being. Like when I climb up to the top of a mountain after much huffing and puffing and sometimes cursing to see the countryside spread out for miles and miles before me, or when I see a blanket of stars laid out across the night sky, or when a northern mocking bird stays perched beside the trail singing, "you can do it, you can do it" as I climb the latter (yes, it was a bloody latter of rocks) of Albert Mountain, or when I see a hawk soaring below me (yes, below me) because I am so high up on a moutain side. These moments allow me to see that our minds generally can only fathom a small glimpse of the wondrous reality that life is. But these special moments bring our minds to the vastness of the universe, the boundless and limitless space that holds the utold mysteries and beauties of life. We are here in this life to hold this space close to our hearts, to be near it with our minds and bodies in prayer and thanksgiving. To remember it as we go through our daily lives and think our mundane "survival thoughts." To let it shape us and mold us. To remember that we are part of this vast and wondrous space, that we come from this boundless reality, and that we have a unique opportunity to contribute our lifestyles and beings to it. And because of how magnificant this reality is, I, as a human, a woman, a member of this life cycle, must take great care and treat this reality called life with all the respect and honor it deseres. And so, I walk. And with every step, I will try to honor the beautiful reality that unfolds before me :)

Hopefully next post I will update some pictures. My wonderful mommy is sending my camera cord in my next mail drop! Thanks mom and thanks to ya'll who are praying and loving me on this adventure of mine. I couldn't do it without your love and support :)

Take good care everyone and happy trails!!!!!

I walk

2009-03-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

In beauty may I walk
All day long may I walk
Through the returning seasons may I walk
In beauty will I possess again.
Beautifully birds,
Beautifully joyful birds.
On a trail marked with pollen may I walk
With wildflowers about my feet may I walk
With dew about my feet may I walk
With beauty before me may I walk
With beauty behind me may I walk
With beauty behind me may I walk
With beauty all around me may I walk
In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty
Lively may I walk.
In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty
Living again may I walk.
It is finished in beauty.
-Navajo Beauty Way