Category: The drain trap.

All that’s slipped through the cracks.

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More Perspectives…

Looking back.

Sometimes perspective is so hard to find. We can try and pry ourselves away, to get a better view and see something new, but the world has a way of hiding clarity. This makes it precious really, and when it’s found we can so easily feel the understanding pulsing through our bodies.

I want to understand it all, nothing in particular really. I want to change my perspective of the world around me so it all clicks, so I can see it more clearly. Sometimes so much seems so unknown, so hectic, chaotic, and lost. What is the purpose? Other times you think you know exactly where you are, only to become aware you’ve been decieved, or decieving youself…

So instead I just go. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time and see where it takes me. I follow what feels good or right and try to do my best, to be my best…

And I look back often, to see where I have come. To see where I have been. Because sometime’s I’ve gone nowhere, or I’ve been stuck, and looking back can so easily break you free, give you that precious perspective for your place, your purpose, your person.  Continue reading “More Perspectives…”

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Horizons

It’s kind of like a sickness, I think. An addiction maybe. I get to the top of a ridge so I can see over the other side. But as soon as I make it, I’m pulled to the next ridge, the next horizon. 

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I just kept going, how far I would make it. It’s kind of like the feeling you get standing at the edge of a cliff, like maybe I can fly. It’s a little scary, but exhilarating. Something is pulling you, telling you to take the next step. 

I wonder if I just keep going, to the next ridge, the next mountain, maybe I’d never stop? Like time would cease and my body would merge with the infinite. It’s like that, kind of scary, kind of exhilarating, the unknown, the possibilities, pulling you into their embrace. But like jumping off the cliff, somehow self preservation is always whispering in your ear, a reminder, and I know I’d just end up dead. Spent and exhausted, exposed and cold somewhere in the wilderness completely unprepared for how deep I’d gotten myself. I wouldn’t make it back for work, darkness would descend and the feeling of magic and boundless possibility would be replaced with one of foolish dread. Stupid and scared.   

I know this, but somehow I still don’t completely believe it. So I look away, or back at where I’ve come, or where I’m going. Anywhere but into the unknown, because it’s pulling me to0 hard.

Someday I’ll just keep walking, over every ridge and every horizon I can see. I’ll never stop and walk into a whole new world. Someday, but not today. 

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Human, Power.

Humans are not machines, we are not dull, boring, or thoughtless. We are just the opposite, full of questions, creativity, and insight. And most importantly, humans are fallible; we make mistakes, we fail, we hit walls, and are forced to overcome challenges, both physical and emotional.

Human power, and its place in travel and adventure is analogous to the human condition, which is our need to learn, explore, and discover. We seek to understand our limits, and we grow when we must overcome them.

Continue reading “Human, Power.”

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Be there.

On Wednesday July 29th I’m hosing a slideshow and community forum for the Freewheel space in Leavenworth.  The event will be held at the Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute’s Barn Beach Reserve.  If you’re in the area and want to be a part of this project I hope you can come by.  It’s shaping up a great night that will help us create dialogue for the location of the stand, and generate fundraising to make sure we build something really nice for the town.

 

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Freewheel

Well the time has come and I could not be more excited to share with you all my most recent project: Freewheel – A Public Bicycle Station for Leavenworth Washington.  This project is made possible through a generous grant from Alta Community Enrichment, a small but thriving non-profit in Little Cottonwood Canyon that works to supports the arts, cultural events, and education both in and out of LCC.  Later this month, I’ll be teaming up with Wenatchee River Institute to host a special event aimed at fundraising and generating community dialogue for the location and installation of this space.

I’m sharing this proposal here to give the community of Leavenworth a chance to preview the plans and ideas involved in this space, but also because it comes straight from the heart of Nature of Motion’s mission – To advocate and encourage the use of the bicycle for travel, adventure, and personal transportation.  I’m so excited to be implementing this idea and taking direct action to create the infrastructure needed to help our society transition to a less energy-dependent future.  While they might seem small, it’s things like bike lanes, racks, and repair stands that can lay the groundwork and encourage people to consider the bicycle as a safe and convenient alternative to fossil-fuel transportation.  The world is changing fast, and it’s about time we catch up.

Continue reading “Freewheel”

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Top Ten Bicycle Touring Tips

It’s that time of the year again: the days are long and the nights are plenty warm. Unless you’re in Colorado all the snow has melted and it’s time to get out on a bicycle tour. I’m not much into telling people how to have fun, but I’ve recently had a few friends and readers reach out in regards to any advice I might have for getting out on your first long-distance tour.

Trying to speak in absolutes and give sound advice can be hard, everyone is different and we’re all coming to the table with different levels of fitness and varying expectations. Despite that, I’ve managed to comb through my experiences and come up with some basic ground rules to share with anyone getting ready to hit the road – my top ten bicycle touring tips. This advice applies to anyone regardless of age, gender, experience as well as solo or group rides. Bicycle touring has given me some of the greatest experiences of my life, it’s changed the way I see the world both literally and figuratively, and it’s my belief that if we all had the opportunity to share this experience, the world would be a better place. As sappy as that sounds and as seriously as I can take bicycling, all it takes is a few pedal strokes to remember why you had this idea in the first place – because riding your bike is so damn fun.

Continue reading “Top Ten Bicycle Touring Tips”

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Relapse

What’s the difference between addiction and habit? Both can be damaging to yourself and those around you. Both can be hard to break; even if you think you can stop whenever you want, sometimes knowing when is the hardest part. With addiction, part of recovery is surrounding yourself with a community that supports your new direction, but what do you do when addicts are everywhere? Where do you go and how do you cope when the habit you’re trying to break is embedded into every aspect of society, every part of community, movement and mobility?

It’s been years we’ve spent without an automobile, but there isn’t some sort of oasis we can retreat to. Automobiles are ubiquitous, they’re everywhere, and when they don’t provoke apathy, they insight anger and frustration. But perhaps the most insidious part of their omnipresence is the temptation. No matter how hard you’ve worked to change your habits, no matter how long since you’ve broke the addiction, the temptation is always there, just as far away as the turn of a key.

Continue reading “Relapse”