Rise of the Catalyst; the Fall of the Concord

This excerpt from my journal is from the two most interesting days of my life:

Waking to the morning heat at our campsite below Kite Lake could not have been more relaxing; M&M pancakes, topped with a delicious blueberry syrup, and fresh coffee to start the day. We reorganized the van and set off on to our next destination, Aspen, CO. With a full tank of gas we surveyed the options as the mammoth mountains stood directly between us and our destination, three hours around to the south, two hours north, or a mountain dirt road pass; usually pushing motorists to log the hours and safely navigate around the range. We consulted with the local general store, Al*Mart, employees who directed us away from Mosquito Pass but offered an alternative route, a “maintained county road”, Weston Pass. Looking for epic views and adventure, it was an easy decision. We charged the dirt pass dodging crater size potholes, the washboard grate vibrating the Concord, flying through turbulence. Up…Up…Up we went gaining elevation, loosing oxygen. We pushed hard towards the crest, the grade was steep and the top was near.

Four hundred yards from the top of the pass, The Concord hissed, white steam poured from beneath the hood; the ultimate distress signal. Chris and I jumped out of the car as he threw it into park, quickly popped the hood and stared blankly, thousands of thoughts flying through our minds like a supersonic star field time travel. Once we had gathered our composure we created a plan. We would feed the thirst of the blown radiator until we crested the top, pop the transmission in neutral, and use the force of gravity to descend to civilization, some ten long miles away.

The first push with a newly filled radiator and a cool engine crushed our delicate optimism, making it only a few hundred feet before The Concord spewed the last of the water we had on board. Our next five stops only helped to reduce our fragile minds to dust and anguish. We crested the hill and the hard part was over; so we thought. The downside of the pass proved to be less ‘maintained’ for antique airplanes (The, 330,000 mi old, Concord) and more suited for an off road monster truck. Giant boulders exploded with laughed at us as we attempted to dodge the biggest behemoths and take as little damage to the underbody as possible, while dependent on gravity to push us each inch closer to a mechanic. We traveled downhill, each corner providing the opportunity for a smooth road or any sign of civilization…that never came. What did come, were more decisions; a grand canyon sized pothole putting us on two wheels or a boulder the size of a tortoise accompanied by many friends. We sat quietly on pins and needles traversing the sketchy scenery. An occasional “nice line” or “good miss” would come from Chris in the passenger seat, when he took the time to stop holding his breath. The tension boiled like a hot teakettle. Occasionally, we would abruptly stop, throwing our 4x4, off-road, van into park, cooling the engine and releasing the pressure from within the cockpit, as it balanced delicately on the brink of a piercing whistle. After hours of stress-rich survival driving we met US-24 placing us seven miles downhill from Leadville, CO (the highest city in the U.S). One last hill to crest putting us within reach of a local mechanic. The engine in 2^nd gear struggled as we crept toward the city, successfully getting ourselves to Ron the Mechanic. He delivered the fatal news…cracked radiator, $540, with the possibility of cracked head gaskets. The Concord’s death ticket had been signed. Opting to stay with the Concord for its final heartbeats left our bank accounts in tact but ourselves stranded. We solemnly wheeled our wounded solider behind the Leadville Opera House, where we could park for the night and reorganize our thoughts. Attending the local bar’s Friday night Dollar beer special was the immediate conclusion, in need of some liquid confidence. I pulled clothes from my duffel attempting to appear ‘clean’. Straightened my pants, threaded my belt through the loops, and pushed my pockets open to find an unexpected piece of paper in the front pocket of my khaki pants; it read:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Victor Frankl

We had maintained our composure, but now our attitudes toward the situation became lifted; we went to the bar. The Minnesota bartender served us dollar beers until our eyes became dizzy. We sat at the bar surrounded by local men, all relieved that Friday had made its way around once again. A 3^rd generation descendant of an early Leadville miner glanced down the bar piercing my returning gaze, Chris quickly started conversation. He taught us about the land, how the continental divide held no mineral potential, but the mountains to the East were home to Silver, Zinc, and Molybdenum, but the EPA held the key to those riches. We exchanged stories and talked about possible radiator fixes but the possible head gasket problem loomed over this solution. Ordering another round of drinks had us conversing with Rebecca about her past mistakes, bankruptcies, and her daughters who were only a few years younger. We told her our story and she presented a possibility; an old station wagon sat unstarted for years, consuming precious yard space at her house on Alder Ave. We made sure to exchange cell numbers, like we had just found our lucky lady, reminding her to call us at the agreed time, 11:00am the next morning, as we waddled behind the Opera House to the awaiting Concord.

We sat in the wounded Concord, butterflies flittering deep inside our stomachs as we waited to see the fruits of our drunken agreement. At 10:57am the phone rang and Rebecca’s name came across the caller ID. We met at her house and helped her clean years of junk from the old cavity only to find the battery lacked the juice to turn the archaic engine. Our anxiety wouldn’t be coaxed until the charger delivered enough volts to jump-start the cranky engine. We awaited a phone call to discuss the successful start and finish the deal, but the battery had seen its final day years ago. We decided we would try to drive our van, as it held loosely to the strings of life, across town to transfer our battery, starting the engine. The Concord pushed down the road emptying the radiator after only several hundred feet of work.

Rebecca came to the rescue to transport the battery and us. The old station wagon housed a side-mount battery, which differed from the battery within the Concord. We bought a, non-returnable, battery on a whim, hoping it would be the Catalyst to an awaiting engine. Rebecca sat in the driver’s seat, cranked the key giving it a hint of the gas pedal. The ol’ wagon shook the collected dust from the engine and purred to life! We shouted with joy, a slight wave of relief softened our faces; we connected fives, up high. A drive around the block proved her worthy of completing our journey with a new respected style. We returned to our broken down van on the roadside, and nursed her back to Colorado Mountain College where fajitas were for dinner and relief was for dessert. Sleep came easy that night.

*This is a poem I wrote about this same incidence once the dust settled:

The Plight of the Concord

06/26/2010

We pressed forward, the boulders shook

Our van violently, up, down, left to right

As they sat stably supported by the earth, not moving an inch

Providing more anxiety than a Senior riding the bench

The pot holes, ravines, and rocks got larger

But we could not stall, car in neutral, gravity pushed us farther

Each corner our drug, we phened on the hope

Like a drug addict in need of coke

The road continued on like an uncut rope

Finally the pavement began, but the uphill started

Unexpected and grotesque, like a dog had farted

In our faces the, tension was present

Hazard lights signaling, radiator fluid trailing

Like cars behind a hearse, death was happening.

-peoples names have been changed for privacy purposes

Journal Entry [5.11.2010]

I could hardly sleep, anticipating my journey North. I tend to hesitate claiming to be a true 'Michigander', having hardly explored my own state. Traverse City was always a city that sounded appealing. The thoughts raced through my mind as I searched for sleep. A 30min snooze wasn't enough to make up for my lost sleep, but when I couldn't find my wallet I felt as though it was all a dream. After my expired debit card failed at the ATM, I was lucky to remember the archaic form of money, checks, were stored in my study desk. Tip Saved!

I spent the morning driving North where spring has yet to take full effect. The forests thickened as I navigated to Traverse City. I was fortunate enough to catch up with Morgan Truelove in a small window before he embarked on his own journey westward (Colorado river guiding). We played disc golf, gathered supplies for his trip, chicken potpies with his parents, and set the slackline on the beach of Lake Michigan on the Leelanau peninsula.

I awoke to Morgan tapping on my van windows, a blank map in my mind. While Morgan packed his final necessities I searched the map deciding my direction. The predicted rain posed no threats or limitations in my mind. Saying farewell to Traverse City, I headed North on the 'stickered' famous M-22. Leelanau State Park was my destination. When I arrived I contemplated paying the entrance fee at the self-service welcome center. Once the park employee arrived I knew I had no choice, it wouldn't fit my budget. I decided the drive was good enough; on to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore! Heading South I anxiously awaited the first signs indicating my arrival, but they seemed misplaced, there was no park infrastructure so I continued to drive. As I weaved along the fresh water coast a side road caught my attention. I was looking for a nice lunch spot and came upon the Lane Rd. dead end, landed the Concord (van) and surveyed the scene. The dead end sat on the top of a forested dune, the beach below. I grabbed my Crazy Creek chair and my Subway and headed to the beach for lunch. Once I arrived at the water edge I forced myself to eat, hardly able to sit still, with motherly words running through my head, "You have to finish your lunch so you will have the energy to play." While swallowing my final bite I packed my gear and stowed it on the beach; time to explore!

The rain drops lightly misted the rocks awash, exposing my first petoskey stones. My eyes were glued to the beach searching for exciting rocks. I managed to pause and look around coincidentally spotting a Cairn. I placed a black stone on top to signify my presence and symbolically removing all negative energy. A trail appeared just beyond the Cairn, I followed the path randomly choosing this fork and that. I stopped for a breath, to take in the surroundings, I spotted a cemetery. I approached with the excitement of a 13year old on his first date, unsure what to expect. A moment of silence then I entered examining the headstones that dated back to the late 1800's, the Ericssons laid peacefully below the sandy soils and a mighty canopy.

The trail continued on, opening to a huge grass pasture, an old crop field I presume. An old, but well built barn lay on its edge. I managed to squeeze inside, reminiscent of my adolescent years climbing the rafters in our old Victorian barn on E Dr S. I didn't stay long, more beach to explore.

I found my way to the top of a dune, a lonely bench sat for passerby's to soak in the panoramic landscape. When I reached the beach once more I was sure to keep my eyes on alert, fully present. My senses keen, I spotted an old green ranger cabin. Sliding a rock to the side, I let myself in. It was filled with crayon drawn images from 2000 and 2004. Old candles also lined the inside, some advertised "Anti-Jinxing Candle". I didn't stay long, with a feeling I didn't belong, snapped a photo and left.

Once I returned to the Concord (van) I scouted a nice hammock location on the side of the dune, the waves impacting the sand a hundred feet below. The aqua blue water disappeared into the horizon, meeting the deep blue sky, disguising the transition. A long read on Ed Viesturs 'No Shortcuts to the Top' allowed my body to rest. Only half of the beach had been explored by my footsteps, the other half awaiting my quick sneakers. The cool day didn't hold back my sweat as I ran towards the North point, and the clear cool water didn't hold back my smelly energized body. I ran across the beach into the blue with nothing on but water! Clean from head to toe, flesh to soul, it was time to feed my hunger. Wild Rice with a hint of Lake Michigan's finest sediment, sand. It was satisfying tasteful and warm. My hammock cradled me tightly as I enjoyed a beer for desert, watching the clouds absorbs what would have been the sunset. I sit in Grandpa's van 'the Concord', bed is made, zipper pulled tight. A night next to the Lake, excited for what awaits.

photos at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2392945&id=22411288&l=3c11632f5d

SPRING BREAK!

This past week I took a journey to Mount Pleasant, MI, for my week of spring break. It was an eventful week. I was able to get my Wilderness First Responder certification and I also got a Job!

All About Visiting Earth (AAVE) gave me the good news, employing me for the summer 2010. I will be leading highschool adventure trips throughout the western US for the summer.

The possibilities are beyond exciting with graduation on the horizon. More adventure synopsis's to come....

Onwards from AKQA on Vimeo.

October 21- 25 happened to be the peak of the Fall Colors in Great Smokey Mountain National Park. Chris, twelve friends, and I were lucky enough to absorb the experiecne below the canopy as we set out on a 3 night 4 day 21 miles backpacking trip.

We all raced from class to Battle Creek, MI where we rendezvoused at my home. We hit the road with excitement and energy, Great Smoky Mountain National Park or bust. 14 deep, we drove through the night. 7 people per van allowed little time for sleep. As we approached Pigeon Forge, TN the horizon began to illuminate. By the time we were climbing the twisted Smoky Mountain roads, the sun was peaking her face over the Appalachian Forest horizon. With a reclaimed energy we convinced ourselves to start our 4 mile day upon arrival. We trekked up, up, and continued to climb elevation, not until our food deprivation matched our sleep deprivationdid we arrive at camp; exhausted.

We woke to an Autumn rain that was pleasing to to the ear, and our feet soaked up the weather. It rained throughout the day but we battled the elements. Without a complaint we did everything in the rain; hiked, cooked, set up tents, ate lunch, dinner, went to bed.

The third day provided a great mix of terrain that led us into a stand of old growth forest. Trees towered above us, some as much as 10ft diameter. We arrived at camp, a small group occupied the designated site, so we cross a stream onto the stream bank and found just enough room to construct our tent city. Once we were established, we realized that the site was closed due to bear activity. However, the sign looked faded, and we would make sure to take ALL necessary precautions.


Day four, we climbed again, this time to victory; to the concord (van). For some it was their first trip, the most miles ever hiked in one day or in one outing, others enjoyed the company and new friendships, others reconnected, but we all enjoyed the simplicity of our party of 14, living in the backcountry.

Fall Colors Tour 2009!

This past weekend, some friends and I were lucky to be part of the 2nd Pine River Extravaganza. Tanner, Carsten, Chris, Trent, Matt and I made the trip into the Huron-Manistee National Forest to a hunting cabin secured by Tanner. We all opted to sleep under the stars instead of using the security of the trailer.

I was happy to be able to sleep in my hammock and took full advantage of the area and found two trees that would suffice. However when I was awaken, fear running thorough my blood, by the yelling of some Michigan wildlife I was wishing I had someone near to confirm the bloody kurdaling scream coming from 20ft. At first my panic placed me in Colorado, with campers sleeping all around me, once I realized that I was in Michigan and there is nothing to worry about, I was able to fall asleep. The next morning we concluded it must have been a rabbit being slowly killed or making love, yelling like a school child or Nevadan prostitute. (one or the other)

The Pine river is the fastest running river in Michigan, and it gave us a wild ride. The river meanders seemingly unaltered by human activities which provided some technical terrain for us to navigate. We all made the complete trip on water without a single canoe tipping over. Big improvement from last year. This trip was wonderful and we really lucked out with the weather, blue bird skies throughout the weekend. It was a great end to summer. Yesterday being the autumnal equinox, it's time to welcome the cooler nights, foggy mornings, changing leaves, and apple cider.

All moved in, Grand Rapids, MI. Year five of college has begun at Grand Valley State University. One more year until I hold the bachelor in hand. Classes have begun and the great Michigan fall is near.

My latest adventure was for a college credit. Large boat sailing, in fact. The most fun credit I have taken at Grand Valley State University by far. 8 students met on a sail boat in Great Lakes marina, located on Muskegon Lake. The first evening we took the boat out and learned the skill by doing the task, Myudic (the name of the boat). We had light winds but nothing extreme. That night Capt. Rick took us to a funky pizza place, but had delicious beer and pizza.

Day two we were able to go out on the Big Lake, Lake Michigan. I was amped to take the boat out and sail in some great wind. Unfortunately there was no wind forecasted, and indeed none came. However we made the most of our adventure to the depths of Lake Michigan, and jumped off the boat (pic above). The water was clearer than imaginable. I was able to see the sail boats keel underwater from 20ft away. I took the opportunity to try to swim as deep as I could, and was surprised when Capt. told me he could see me the whole way.



Marina, include your email in a comment, so I can contact you!!

Today is the final day of my work agreement with Camp Chief Ouray. Yesterday the final group of campers went home to get ready to start school, and today we cleaned.

This past week was spent in camp, having our group of international campers get involved within camp to help them develop better leadership skills. I was thoroughly impressed with the group, as they rose to every occasion, always exploding my expectations. On Monday night, we were lying on the ground in a circle looking at the beautiful night sky. I repeatedly tried to get the campers attention so that I could show them the milky way, which looks like a large cloud stretching across the sky. Just as they all finally were paying attention and looking towards the horizon, I said "Now if you look up right there you will see..." the rest of the sentence was going to be, ... a cloudy area which is the milky way. But instead, as I finished saying "...you will see...", a HUGE meteor (big enough that I could see a dark circle with fire coming off behind it with a bright orange trail following behind, painting the sky) darted across the sky, exactly where I was drawing their attention. The campers freaked out and were very impressed, but I assured them that "I just know these kinds of things". It was possibly the best counselor moment I have ever had.

It was a fun week, but the summer is now over. All of my gear, along with Chris' fills my mom's Camry, waiting to return to Michigan. I am excited to return to finish my final year of school, and move into my new place. It has been a wonderful summer, one that I always had in my sights, but it surpassed all of my expectations.

This week has loomed ahead of me all summer, I had no clue what to expect, what the program would look like, who the campers were, how many campers would be coming to camp, or even where we would be taking them backpacking.

On Sunday, all 10 campers arrived at camp, from Denver by bus. Three Italians, two Belgians, two Spaniards, one Austrian, one German, and one American. 10 campers that all came to CCO through a program, Rotary International, to learn about the American culture, practice their English, pick up on American slang/and style (I must add), and learn leadership skills.

This past week we took the group of campers on a backpacking trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked flattop mountain, starting at roughly 8,500 ft, climbing to roughly 12,300ft, and then descending back to roughly 8,300ft. I was not sure what to expect out of the European group. They were new to the environment, especially the altitude. We started our first day and had an impressive pace. The mocho guys (which three of the five tower over me, giants, making me feel like I should go back to the McDonalds playplace) asked "this is our hardest day?" with doubt in their delivery. The second day was easier putting us at about 11,200ft (treeline). This night we went to bed early so that we could awake at 3:45am to attempt to catch the sun rise on top of the 12,300ft. ridge. We lay under our tarps and as if someone was shinning flashlights into our eyes, lightning followed by thunder rolled in on top of us. Lucky it didn't bring much rain, but the intensity of the lightning and sound of the thunder is amplified when you are only hundreds of feet from the cloud.
The next morning we awoke extra early, to a full moon still in the sky. We cooked breakfast (oatmeal which was a new concept to the Europeans, and many ate it with bitter looks on their faces), packed, and set off on trail. Once we broke the treeline, the light from the moon was enough light to guide us on the trail. Each step brought the sun closer to the horizon until finally it illuminated the majestic surroundings. All the campers trekked across the ridge with ease putting us to our next camp site at an early 10:10am; enough time for a nap....before lunch.


This is a special group that I have been lucky enough to counsel. They are full of energy and life, they are all willing to learn a lot about America and themselves. I have also learned that I am the only dumb one in the group, knowing a measly one language. Most of all I am excited about this group of foreign teenagers, as I anxiously await my parents return from Kazachstan, hopefully with two new sisters by their side.


This week is the final week of summer, the 14th my work agreement ends, and my summer job will be finished. I look forward to an exciting culminating week ahead, as I look to put a final exclamation point on my favorite summer yet!

Session 7, it was time to go back to my roots, my first job in Colorado, enter the world of a cabin counselor. I was assigned to be with 12year old boys, in the Cherokee cabin. The theme of the week was space invaders, and all of the camp games and spirit were influenced by the theme. The first day of the cabin was a little rough since three of the boys played lacrosse together so they were excellent at showing each other they were good friends, but in a very physical manner. Once we established the "keep your hands to your self" rule, the week smoothed out. The week was cold, each day feeling like spring. We just couldn't keep the thunderstorms and rain away, most days. The week went very well and my co-counselor Greg and I got along well, both very chill counselors with very few rules, letting the kids do what they please, until it got out of control. We were pleased to receive a small care package from a parent on the final day, filled with vitamin water, soda, candy, and trail mix. A good cap to the week.

This weekend Chris and I took a mountain bike trip just across the road of camp property, but we were surprised to stumble upon the famous trails of winter park and the surrounding area. We were climbing tight rocky switchbacks and dodging low branches, as we climbed to the top of the mountain. We spent a lot of time riding up the trails, powering over boulders, and steep climbs. The descent was much more enjoyable, flying through the forest on a small 8in wide bike path is quite exhilarating. As we zipped past a pile of logs we herd a quick rustle and pleasantly spotted a HUGE porcupine.

This week, I start a two week program, with a group of Rotary International students. We have 10 campers, 5 girls and 5 guys, each representing one of five countries; Belgium, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Spain. (oh and one American camper and two American counselors) They are great kids that are ready to have a lot of fun. I am very excited to take them into the backcountry and show them the American wilderness. Some of the best in the heart of the Rockies.

Two weeks of camp sessions left.

Surf .n Turf (Dakine 2009)
. Arches NP, Utah
. Canyonlands NP, Utah
. Capitol Reef NP, Utah
. Calf Creek Falls, Utah
. Bryce Canyon NP, Utah
. Zion NP, Utah

. Camp Surf, San Diego, CA

. Grand Canyon NP, Arizona



Surf n Turf was a two week trip, the trip I was most looking forward too, and one of the best trips offered by Camp Chief Ouray. Our campers arrived, 12 strong, six girls and six guys. We realized the great dynamics after our first long ride, 6 hours in a 14 passenger airport shuttle/van, went surprisingly smooth.

Our first stop, Arches National Park, located on the south eastern side of Utah. The temperature soared into the 90's, as we drove through the park in awe of the red rock arches, spires, and rocks that were mysteriously balancing on small pieces of sandstone. Most of the National Park can be viewed from the car which was nice since we only had a couple hours to enjoy the park before sunset.

The following morning we didn't waste any time and were immediately back on the road heading to our next destination, Capitol Reef National Park. As we made our way down the road, a sign reading "Canyonlands National Park 33miles" was enough to spark a spontaneous trip to Canyonlands, where we were all amazed at the mile deep canyons and huge crater holes. After a quick trip through Canyonlands we hit the road westward, toward Capitol Reef National Park. Capitol Reef is a hidden gem. There is no entry fee which indicates its low usage. Once we set up our campsite we treked up a trail into the bottom of a canyon that had several slot canyons branching from its core. The rocks were smoothed from the years of erosion on the brittle sandstone, perfect for climbing. We all managed to find little crack and crevasses that fit our skill level and personal preference. It was like we were in a giant jungle gym for adults only.


After a few days in the desert climate of southern Utah, we were all relieved that our next stop's main purpose was to swim off all of our accumulated grime, grease, and mostly body odor. Calf Creek Falls, is located in public BLM land, a three mile hike to the 150ft. waterfall was all but worth the hike in the hellish heat. The water was cool and refreshing. A beautiful creek ran from the pool the waterfall emptied into, with a nice sandy bottom, the guys and I decided to see if we could catch some fish. We found many spots on the stream that were abundant with decent sized fish. We used all tactics in our creativity sacks, from approaching at all angles to ambushing the hot spots. As I stood downstream a camper entered from upstream scaring a nice sized fish my way, with a random dive of my left (non dominant) hand into the cloudiness below, I touched the fish! To my surprise, I shrieked, the kids laughed!

Following our swimming hole adventure we decided to make the trip to Bryce Canyon National Park, a top spot in America to view the night sky. We made it in time to set up camp and head to the telescopes. Huge extremely expensive pieces of what looked like miniature cannons that shoot midgets at carnivals, littered a dark parking lot. With an overcast sky we were unable to see too much but got to see some impressive star clusters and Saturn. The following morning a couple of us managed to wake before the sun and watch it rise above the infamous Hoodoo cathedral.

Zion National Park was next on the list. Our campsite resembled a beautiful beach, minus the water, very sandy. Zion is one of what I believe to be the most dynamic and beautiful National Parks. The first day we hiked to a small pool of water fed by water coming from a huge wall of rock. The pool was in a beautiful place that had huge thousand foot cliffs shading it on three sides. After jumping in the chilly water and rinsing off the grime I decided I had my fill of swimming and decided to scramble to the wall of rock, barefooted. I climbed to the wall with no real problems. Once I had a chance to look down and see the pool of water I saw another camper attempting the same route. I decided it would be best if he didn't come to where I was so I was moving to a less technical area, easier to get to. Since the slope was steep and my feet were bare I was using my hand,along a small ridge, to support me. As I scrambled I blindly placed my right hand on the edge, as I was eyeing my next foot placement, just before my hand touched the ground, I heard a violently shaking rattling noise. I immediately pulled my hand back and looked to where I was placing my hand, just in time to see the tail end of a scared rattlesnake, slithering away with its rattle high in the air shaking vigorously. My heart started pounding out of my chest as I yelled to the group before, most likely in a high pitched shriek, I almost just touched a RATTLESNAKE!!
We had our minds set on a popular day hike, Angel's Landing. 2miles and 1500ft. elevation gain. The final half mile of the hike is a scramble straight up rocks so sketchy that they decided to attach cables to the rock face to aid as handrails. Many of the campers were very weary about this hike, but once we hit the trail no one looked back. All of the campers including the one terrified of heights and the terribly weak hiker, all made it to the summit, and we all enjoyed the view.

Completing the Angel's landing hike at noon placed our next drive in the heat of the day. With everyone exhausted and hot, we decided ice cream to be the perfect treat of accomplishment. We continued on our route which we decided to drive half of the eight hours to San Diego, to split up the drive, placing us just south of Death Valley in Mojave National Preserve: a desert! The kids spotted a huge rock formation in the distance and the guys shot off the dominate the structure while the girls wanted to run to the top of a nearby hilltop. I joined the girls on their jog and decided it would be best to accompany the guys on a rather technical scramble to the top of the rock structure. I decided to take an indirect route to the structure. I was attempting to run up a extremely steep hillside when I became to tired to continue running, slowing down I was able to hear the beautiful call of two red tail hawks. I stopped and listened, as I continued to climb, the hawks circled above me, roughly 20 feet. Not sure if they were hoping me to be their next meal, or just showing off their intricately beautiful under feathers, I was indifferent and happy to be in their presence. After flying with the hawks I continued to meet up with guys who ended up being in a little over their heads, so I helped them find an easier less technical assent to their climb. Once we were off the giant boulders we started our jog back to the campsite to meet up for dinner before the sun fell below the horizon. As I was pacing out, I was just about to land my left foot step, when I instinctively looked down, and had to bolt out of the way, barely missing, rattlesnake numero dos of my trip! Now, I am terrified of snakes, but I have been working on it, so I stopped and starred at the beautiful snake as the campers attempted to get a picture of it before i retreated back into its dungeon.


Finally arriving at Camp Surf, we were able to set up camp directly on the beach of the Pacific Ocean. Each of us exhausted we were happy to not have to cook our own meal or do our own dishes. We all slept well that night to the sound of waves crashing 50ft. from the tents. The following days were filled with lots of ocean activity. We started with surfing, which is a crazy shoulder workout and will tire even the strongest swimmer. Day one was rough but we were able to catch some small waves and get the surfing basics under our feet, not an easy task. We were also able to enjoy boogie boarding which is less physically demanding but still extremely tiring. Days two and three were the best for surfing. We all got progressively better as the days went by but also our muscles were aching from the beating the ocean gives with ease. I was very proud to be able to ride some very decent waves, the biggest at about 5-8 feet, which was exhilarating. Muscularly speaking the time at camp surf was a perfect length, but it was too short of a time once I discovered a new love. (surfing that is)

Camp Chief Ouray and San Diego, CA, are approximately 20 hours of driving in distance, s we decided to add a couple hours in the grand scheme of things, but beak up the driving by stopping at the Grand Canyon. It was my co-counselor's, Allison (a fellow Michigander)'s birthday the following morning when we mistakenly woke at 3:45am, forgetting about the time change, to view the sunrise. We waited it out and enjoyed our Cinnamon roll breakfast, until the sky started turning purple, orange, and red. We found a good overlook and stood in awe as the depths of the Grand Canyon were unveiled before our eyes, as the sun rose to its daily duty.

This trip was great! The kids spectacular! My co-counselor couldn't have been better! A great highlight to my summer job! A lot learned and taught, the campers left our Surf.n Turf family to return to their parents and go back to the daily grind, with a gem of knowledge, understanding, and maturity in their back pocket.


Book Recommendation: Born to Run

Unfortunately while I was gone I lost a former Sunburn teammate, and friend of mine: Kalgin Koch.
You will be missed!
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/adn/obituary.aspx?n=kalgin-koch&pid=130147043

...and I love every minute of it

Week two on the Colorado, with 7 campers and my co counselor Alyssa, was more pleasant than the first. There was a better ratio of guys to girls and the girls weren't as deathly afraid of the bugs as the first group. Having an odd number of campers gave me a chance to float the river in a single duckie. The duckie closely resembled a kayak but it was inflatable. It allowed me to ride the rapid with a whole new level of excitement. Since I was the only paddler in my duckie I took the best lines I could find, wherever the biggest waves were crashing is where I headed. I remembered surfing when I rafted in the past and decided to give it a shot in my duckie. This is a process when you paddle up stream to a spot where the water is rushing over a submerged rock, the water is traveling fast enough over the rock it creates a small eddy just below the rock, this is where I would place my kayak and the current would keep me in place. In some cases the water would rush over the sides of my duckie filling it with water as I battled the forces to stay in the sweet spot. The weather for the trip could not have been better and provided ample opportunities to work on my tanning especially in the upper thigh region. I left the trip with great tan lines and another successful trip under my belt.

While I was gone, on July 7, I became what is known as; an Uncle. Now I think that the term 'uncle' makes an individual seem old and wise, the qualifications will come, but nontheless I am proud to be an Uncle and welcome Cash Aaron into the Wolverton clan. Oh if he only knew what he was getting into...

Tomorrow marks the halfway point of the summer. It is now that I can confidently say that I have slept on the ground many more times than in a bed, more outside than under a roof, used a 1ft. by 8in. pillow more than a big fluffy one, used my meijer travel tooth brush more than my usual brush, worn the same two pairs of shorts and jeans for multiple months, taken minimal showers, but have gotten to experience more than I could have asked for. Tomorrow also marks the day that I take off on my climax trip of the summer, Surf.n Turf. We will be road tripping through southern Utah for 4 days and then staying for 5 days at Camp Surf where we will battle the ocean and attempt to ride the gnar (surf). We have a great group, and I have a fantastic co-counselor (also a Michigander). There is nothing but an open road ahead....

cowabunga dude

The epic Colorado river was my means of travel this past week, 8 campers Kathleen, a rafting guide, and I rode the rapids created by the unusually high 4200 cfs. The first day we all crammed into a typical raft, camping our first night at a river town. Rancho del Rio, is a small village mostly composed of tents and pop-up mobile trailers. It has two rafting companies stationed at the site, a small convience store, and a BBQ "restauraunt". The village being stationed on the Colorado with a nice eddy along its shore provided a great place to chill in some inner tubes and ride a small current.

The rest of our trip we used duckies which are similar to a two person sea kayak but they are inflatable. These provided more freedom on the river and added some excitment to the float trip. While in the duckies we faced class 2 rapids which were managable but exilirating in the duckies. Our group of campers consisted of two males and six ladies. Six ladies all roughly 14 years old, which with the age comes a great ability to shreek whenever startled or scared. The bugs did their job and made sure to keep the ladies shreeking to a maximum.

Luckily the Colorado days are starting to resemble summer days, reaching mid to high 70's, which is nice when rafting on a 40ish degree fresh snowmelt river. Not only has the warm weather arrived but with the weather, the wildflowers have begun to spring up everywhere, providing an impressive landscape.

Independence day provided a great time to let loose and celebrate the founding of our nation. We camped in the mountains that create the Winter Park valley and were able to see the towns fireworks through a clearning in the trees. It was a great show accompanied by some great USA tunes and camp songs which are always bound to be sung at full volume during any time of celebration with camp counselors.

This week I am gearing up to go rafting once again, same river, but a new co-counselor and campers. Should be another great week in the sun and on the water.


Just finished book numero dos: The Last Season
Very incredible book; highly recomended if you would like to read about the Sierra Nevadas and Backcountry wilderness.

14, 239 ft. Longs Peak was the back drop of my first backpacking trip of the summer. 7 campers, Ally Smola and I started off day one with over 2,000ft elevation gain in 2miles. Our first test of skill was morning numero uno; time to cook pancakes. With the whisperlite (backpacking stove) lit and pancake batter mixed we realized that we were without butter or oil. Our NON non-stick pan was glareing at us as if to say "Show me yo' skills". We stepped our game up, threw a glump of peanut butter (which we justified has some 'even if a lil' bit of oil in its contents) onto the skillet but notcied it needed some help, so we added a spalsh of water to help get the oily mixture just right. We dumped a reasonable portion of batter into the slurry, and 'snap, crackle, pop' we were attempting the pancake breakfast. Simce the stove has one setting, extremly hot, we used our best judgement to try to slow cook the cakes. The heat turned the liquid batter into a quazi solid/ quazi liquid doughy ball of nasty-ness. The campers sat around critisizing our every move, although they didn't talk as much once they realized that we must now eat the rubbery pancake batter. LNT (leave no trace) is an important part of backpacking so we had to try to eat what we could to reduce our waste as much as possible. Endless amounts of chocolate chips, peanut butter, and syrup only complicated the matter. The only success that morning was that we managed to eat all of the rubbery batter even though we looked like 6 year olds that were forced to eat meatloaf mixed with their most hated medicine.

The rest of the trip went very smooth. We hiked to the keyhole, which sits about 2/3 of the way to the summit of Longs Peak at roughly 13,000ft. This provided us with one of the most beautiful views of Rocky Mountain Park that I have yet witnessed. The following day we switched campsites and stopped at Chasm Lake on the way. The lake was completely frozen over sitting at the bottom of the diamond face of Longs peak. The diamond face is a shear cliff face that rises about 3,000 vertical feet from chasm lake to the summit of Longs peak. While we were at the lake I am happy to say that Ally was fortunate enough to pull off a very rare ***** (5 star) BIF. We were lucky to have beautiful weather for the majority of the trip although it rained at our last campsite where we had to dig trenchs on the sides of our tarps to prevent our sleepbags from being flooded. As a group, our biggest challenge was fighting off the swarms of mosquitos and resisting to itch our polka dotted bodies. The trip was a huge success and a great way to start off the summer! The campers did not complain about hiking, they actually were stoked to do all of the day hikes and even wanted to do more than we had time for. Besides the pancakes the food worked out well, and we were full for every meal. 19 total miles hiked in the East side of Rocky Mountain National Park, one cool co-counselor, and 7 campers who were rockstar singers and impressive at solving riddles= two happy counselors.

Next adventure will be a whitewater float down the Colorado River.


Can't wait for Independence Day!
...and Cash (not $)

The day has finally arrived, with so anticipation; my campers arrive today. Our agenda includes a 4day backpacking trip into rocky mountain national park. I am so excited to be able to get into the backcountry and start the summer for reals. Our trip will take us to the base of Longs Peak, one of many 14,000ft summits in Colorado. There is still lots of snow in the area so we wont be able to summit the peak but we have some good hiking planned.

As a member of the trail department crew this past week I had my hands full from unloading 689 bails of hay, bleaching cabins, bathhouses, and the cafeteria, luggage transportation, building TeePee's, and even helping clean up a substainatil flood resulting from our dishwashing machine malfunctions. Nonetheless I was busy.

This weekend Chris, Tyler Hoos, and myself summited Byers Peak (12,804ft). We arrived at the trailhead on an overcasted Staurday morning and were not surprised to see nothing but snow. With no trail in sight we decided the best way to the summit was to make it straight up-hill to the ridge and follow the ridge line to Byers Peak. Starting at 10,300ft we hiked on 40 degree snow covered slopes until we broke treeline. Once above treeline the snow was more sparse and we were able to hike on solid ground. Overall the trip to the summit took us roughly 3 hours. Once we summited the peak we could see multiple rain stroms in the surrounding area, and they were headed our way. As we reached treeline again on our decent the rain began to fall. Once we found our footprints again, the fun began. Since we were hiking up 40 degree slopes on the way up, we got to take the same 40 degree slopes on the way down! Glacading is a term that describes using your rain gear or feet to essentially slide down the snowfields/glaciers. We glacaded from treeline to the trail head, completing the descent in roughly 40 minutes.

Happy Father's Day

Today is, the... Summer Solstice!
15 hours of sunlight

Here in Colorado we are still experiencing spring, early flowers are blooming, trees haven't had their leaves for long, and there is still snow patches above 9,000ft. Whitewater rafting during this time is good because the water level is high which helps the river run faster, create bigger rapids, and provide extra splash. The splash however is similar to someone throwing freshly melted ice down your back with no warning. Despite the frigid water, on our staff rafting trip we still managed to get a nice sized crew to jump off 'jump rock' which stands 25ft above the Colorado river. It being the first cliff that I jumped off, it holds a special place in my heart. One cliff jump under my belt for the summer and hopefully many more to come. We made it through staff training with great spirits and lots of energy. We were finally able to get some time off this past weekend, short but, oh so SWEET. I was able to test my balance on a slack line for the first time this weekend and really enjoyed the challenge, unfortunately lightning storms in the mountains, at 8750ft, is nothing to be messing with. A huge storm came through for about 45mins shooting lightning to the ground about every minute or so; the best lightning storm I have seen in way too long.

Today camp really started. Kids are the key component to make the wheels spin, and they are spinning. This week, I am without campers, my job is to stay at camp and help drive people who have trips to their trail heads, help pack for next weeks trips that are going out, and to do random work projects around camp. Since I don't have as much responsibility this week, I joined the cast of Rock Out week (Theme of session 1 here at camp) as yours truely, Lil' Wayne (pictured above). I was lucky enough to pull together a convincing get up, and help start camp off on the right foot.


Newest hobby: slackline;ing

:Summer Trip Schedule:
6.14 - 6.19
CCO [Granby, CO]
6.21 - 6.26
Backpacking Rocky Mountain National Park [Granby, CO]
6.28 - 7.03
White Water Rafting [Colorado River, CO]
7.5 - 7.10
White Water Rafting [Colorado River, CO]
7.12 - 7.24
Surf n' Turf [Utah, Arizona, California]
7.26 - 7.31
CCO [Granby, CO]
8.02 - 8.14
Rafting, Backpacking, Mountain Biking, Horses [Granby, CO]

I woke up this morning in a frost covered sleeping bag, luckily my liner, layers and sleeping bag kept me warm and asleep thru the night. It was difficult to fall asleep last night because there was a full moon, natures nightlight, kept the ground lit and created wonderful shadows you could even see some colors with the moonlight alone. Come roughly 8000ft closer to the moon and remove light pollution and it is amazing how well it reflects the sun. Staff campout is always a great time, cooking dinner on coleman stoves and then always some frisbee and ridiculous games. I am still awaiting on my trip assignments for the summer but I am excited by the possibilities. Lately at camp we have been learning general stuff about how to care for campers and how to solve conflicts. I was also able to take a Wilderness First Aid course so that I am now certified to administer first aid in the backcountry. They taught us lots of interesting things like how to fix dislocations, spinal injury care, hypothermia, abrasions, shock, setting bones and even how to make good slings and "casts" in the backcountry using gear you would find in a backpack. The weather here has improved we are now lucky to have nice warm sunny mornings, although the windy or rainy afternoons come like clockwork from the west around noon each day. Life here is good but the sunests, cloud formations and night sky are superior.

My mind was racing creating unrealistic expectations while trying to absorb my situation as the twelve of the trip staff (including our boss) traveled to New Mexico. Chris, two co-workers and myself were leaders of the day the first day on trail. We followed what we thought to be the correct trail, soon we realized we were on a different trail. Soon that trail faded and we were left with map skills and a river. Luckily we stumbled upon our campsite after bushwhacking for miles and a couple hours. The second day we day hiked to Lake Katherine, roughly 12,000ft. We were surprised to see a frozen lake, soon the snow storm began. On the third day we started to hike to what would be the second campsite but since the New Mexican, Pecos wilderness, has experienced severe droughts in the past and pine beetle problems the campsite was too dangerous due to potential widow makers (dead trees about to topple). We decided to hike on and explore the caves on our way out. One more night in New Mexico and then we headed to Colorado's Sand Dune National Park (pic above). The trip was a success! New friendships were made, spirits lifted, and once my feet were on the mountain slopes in the back-country my mind was free. After some group backpacking I have a lot more confidence leading youngsters into the wilderness and I am looking forward to my trip assignments for the summer.

Current Read: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Life is Good when you are getting paid to do what you LOVE!