Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Getting Bent, Yoga Guru, and Black River Bass
We ended up spending the rest of our Baja time in the ex-patriot populated city of “Los Barriles”. Down an off the beaten-path road, my parents pop-up camper took a beating. One of the axles bent putting a wheel askew. They wanted to hunker down in Los Barriles while figuring out what to do. It ended up being a great spot to spend a week. We stayed in the camping section of an R.V. park. Space to put up our hammocks and the beautiful nearby beach made it very enjoyable. The most important thing was being able to spend time with my folks who I hadn't seen in a year, and who knows when I'll them see again. From Los Barriles we were able to do a couple of day trips. One to snorkel amongst dazzling schools of fish at Los Fariles. Another trip to circle the tip of the Baja and play in big waves on the pacific side. The owner of a recently opened fish taco stand in El Pescadero directed us to a beach where there was a resort, but also surfable waves. In exchange for the information, I showed him how to spell his sign “Fish Tacos” instead of “Fihs Tacos”. Very friendly guy and delicious tacos at the best price yet.
It was sad to leave my folks after having a great time together. With them we enjoyed beautiful beaches, caguamas (litre bottles of beer), good food, great conversation, snorkelling, and many hours of playing Big Boggle. We also finished off the last gallon of mead from a batch I had started almost a year ago. We had some unique experiences I'll never forget; like the time I got aggressive with two police officers who had pulled my folks over. They tried to give them a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt (even know they were wearing one). After awhile they let us go figuring we were more of a pain than they had bargained for. Asking for their badge numbers, the address of their office, and to speak with their cheif seemed to help.
Our last night we couch surfed (www.couchsurfing.org) in La Paz to catch the ferry the next day. This was our first time couch surfing in Mexico, but was with a guy from California, and England originally. Our host, Brian, was great. He was very generous and helpful. He pilots plains and helicopters and dose consulting. He had a condominium at a marina where some big sailboats are berthed. After a nice walk and some shopping, we retruned to his condo to make dinner together. Ilsa and I made a veggie dahl while he made pasta. We opened two bottles of wine and were joined by some of his friends. A woman, Jennifer, who just sailed in on a 48' sailboat. She was single handing it up and down the coast with her 10 year old son, Eric. After our main courses we were joined by to Mexican pilots, Sam and Samuel. One of them happens to also run a yoga ashram in La Paz. So, there we were, at dinner with three pilots, a bad ass sailor mom with a captain's license, and a yoga guru. One night was definitely too short for the interesting conversation shared. After breakfast and a tour of the sailboat we headed to catch the ferry.
Today is our second day on Mainland Mexico. The ferry ride was surprising, beautiful, and running on Mexican time. The ferry was much fancier that I had expected. On board there was an arcade, two bars, a restaurant, and several flat screen televisions showing movies. The sea was calm, but small swells rocked the boat enough to give Aña slight sea-sickness. It's a good thing Aña and Ilsa wanted to open our Christmas gifts aboard the ferry. A gift I had picked out was dried ginger which we made into tea and seemed to help with the nausea. Mainland was just coming into sight when another incredible sunset unfurled. We were off the ferry about two hours later than anticipated, and it was getting late. We stopped in the town of Los Mochis for dinner a perused a crowed Christmas market. Continuing to our destination the road condition deteriorated and I became to tired to continue driving. We pulled off onto a side road to camp near small shacks with pigs and chickens. The initial grunts of the massive pigs startled the girls who set up camp while I was passed out in the truck cab. I gave them the machete to hang onto in case the pigs attacked.
Now, we're inland at a smaller scenic town called El Fuerte for an old Spanish fort that has been replicated into a museum. I'm disappointed with the limited Lonely Planet description of this town. It is one of the more beautiful Mexican towns of its size I've seen. There is ubiquitous colonial architecture in various states of repair and disrepair. Even the dilapidated buildings hold a special charm. The town square is magnificent. Lush plants and palm trees lead past fountains to a Victorian wooden gazebo in the center. Ample benches provide rest in the cool shade and make-out spots for youngsters in the evening. Locals are very friendly, though not too talkative. The Lobina (a huge black river bass) from the bordering river is a local delicacy. This morning on a walk we watched an old man row an impromptu boat across the river to drop someone off. He wanted to take us across, so we had a little boat ride. On our walk to a fun suspension bridge we had to pass through an army of cows and patches of hungry no-see-ums. A wonderful morning walk, minus the no-see-ums.
We're staying in a hotel/hostel, “El Guerrero” (“The Soldier”). We were worried about staying here at first because most hotels are surprisingly expensive. Most wanted $50 U.S.d. or more per night for the three of us. Luckily we found three economical hotels and opted for the one that included breakfast. So for about $17/night we have a nice room with a bathroom and shower. Breakfast consisted of wonderful tacos with scrambled eggs, refried beans, and a homemade salsa. A great deal! $5.60/night/person including a yummy breakfast. The owner is an older guy who inherited the hotel from his grandfather through his mom. He shared some incredible local honey with us. Jokingly he said the honey is so good because the bees used pollen from marijuana plants. I know cannabis is usually wind or human pollinated, but the thought of stoned bees flying around was amusing. The owner even showed me how to prepare a Lobina I purchased for lunch.
Today we will prepare for our Copper Canyon trip! We'll hopefully be catching the 2nd class train tomorrow towards a canyon rim. There we'll be in a more winter climate at about 8000' in elevation. After a couple days of exploring the city of Creel and remembering what winter is like we'll descend into the canyon. It should be warmer in the canyon where orange trees and more tropical plants are grown. In the canyon we're hoping to get out hiking and do some more rustic camping. One hike between two cities deep in canyon country is about 20 miles.
* Travelling Note: So far our average spending has been $11/day per person since entering Mexico. This includes food, water, shelter, entertainment and transportation. This low number was helped out by my folks gifting us five nights of camping in Los Barriles. My mom had also brought us some money from a previously imported hammock that was sold in my hometown! Costs should decrease as we head south.
It was sad to leave my folks after having a great time together. With them we enjoyed beautiful beaches, caguamas (litre bottles of beer), good food, great conversation, snorkelling, and many hours of playing Big Boggle. We also finished off the last gallon of mead from a batch I had started almost a year ago. We had some unique experiences I'll never forget; like the time I got aggressive with two police officers who had pulled my folks over. They tried to give them a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt (even know they were wearing one). After awhile they let us go figuring we were more of a pain than they had bargained for. Asking for their badge numbers, the address of their office, and to speak with their cheif seemed to help.
Our last night we couch surfed (www.couchsurfing.org) in La Paz to catch the ferry the next day. This was our first time couch surfing in Mexico, but was with a guy from California, and England originally. Our host, Brian, was great. He was very generous and helpful. He pilots plains and helicopters and dose consulting. He had a condominium at a marina where some big sailboats are berthed. After a nice walk and some shopping, we retruned to his condo to make dinner together. Ilsa and I made a veggie dahl while he made pasta. We opened two bottles of wine and were joined by some of his friends. A woman, Jennifer, who just sailed in on a 48' sailboat. She was single handing it up and down the coast with her 10 year old son, Eric. After our main courses we were joined by to Mexican pilots, Sam and Samuel. One of them happens to also run a yoga ashram in La Paz. So, there we were, at dinner with three pilots, a bad ass sailor mom with a captain's license, and a yoga guru. One night was definitely too short for the interesting conversation shared. After breakfast and a tour of the sailboat we headed to catch the ferry.
Today is our second day on Mainland Mexico. The ferry ride was surprising, beautiful, and running on Mexican time. The ferry was much fancier that I had expected. On board there was an arcade, two bars, a restaurant, and several flat screen televisions showing movies. The sea was calm, but small swells rocked the boat enough to give Aña slight sea-sickness. It's a good thing Aña and Ilsa wanted to open our Christmas gifts aboard the ferry. A gift I had picked out was dried ginger which we made into tea and seemed to help with the nausea. Mainland was just coming into sight when another incredible sunset unfurled. We were off the ferry about two hours later than anticipated, and it was getting late. We stopped in the town of Los Mochis for dinner a perused a crowed Christmas market. Continuing to our destination the road condition deteriorated and I became to tired to continue driving. We pulled off onto a side road to camp near small shacks with pigs and chickens. The initial grunts of the massive pigs startled the girls who set up camp while I was passed out in the truck cab. I gave them the machete to hang onto in case the pigs attacked.
Now, we're inland at a smaller scenic town called El Fuerte for an old Spanish fort that has been replicated into a museum. I'm disappointed with the limited Lonely Planet description of this town. It is one of the more beautiful Mexican towns of its size I've seen. There is ubiquitous colonial architecture in various states of repair and disrepair. Even the dilapidated buildings hold a special charm. The town square is magnificent. Lush plants and palm trees lead past fountains to a Victorian wooden gazebo in the center. Ample benches provide rest in the cool shade and make-out spots for youngsters in the evening. Locals are very friendly, though not too talkative. The Lobina (a huge black river bass) from the bordering river is a local delicacy. This morning on a walk we watched an old man row an impromptu boat across the river to drop someone off. He wanted to take us across, so we had a little boat ride. On our walk to a fun suspension bridge we had to pass through an army of cows and patches of hungry no-see-ums. A wonderful morning walk, minus the no-see-ums.
We're staying in a hotel/hostel, “El Guerrero” (“The Soldier”). We were worried about staying here at first because most hotels are surprisingly expensive. Most wanted $50 U.S.d. or more per night for the three of us. Luckily we found three economical hotels and opted for the one that included breakfast. So for about $17/night we have a nice room with a bathroom and shower. Breakfast consisted of wonderful tacos with scrambled eggs, refried beans, and a homemade salsa. A great deal! $5.60/night/person including a yummy breakfast. The owner is an older guy who inherited the hotel from his grandfather through his mom. He shared some incredible local honey with us. Jokingly he said the honey is so good because the bees used pollen from marijuana plants. I know cannabis is usually wind or human pollinated, but the thought of stoned bees flying around was amusing. The owner even showed me how to prepare a Lobina I purchased for lunch.
Today we will prepare for our Copper Canyon trip! We'll hopefully be catching the 2nd class train tomorrow towards a canyon rim. There we'll be in a more winter climate at about 8000' in elevation. After a couple days of exploring the city of Creel and remembering what winter is like we'll descend into the canyon. It should be warmer in the canyon where orange trees and more tropical plants are grown. In the canyon we're hoping to get out hiking and do some more rustic camping. One hike between two cities deep in canyon country is about 20 miles.
* Travelling Note: So far our average spending has been $11/day per person since entering Mexico. This includes food, water, shelter, entertainment and transportation. This low number was helped out by my folks gifting us five nights of camping in Los Barriles. My mom had also brought us some money from a previously imported hammock that was sold in my hometown! Costs should decrease as we head south.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Baja Sur with my Folks!
Almost two weeks have passed by in blissful beach going. After leaving Ensenada, Aña, Ilsa, and I headed south to meet up with my folks. On our way, we pulled off the highway in the middle of the desert to camp. Even though we were near the highway the site and sunset were beautiful. There was a plenitude of prickly cacti diversity. The sunset lit the sky ablaze with hues of neon orange and smooth spreads of purple. The sunset was only a prelude for the nearly full orange moon rising in the opposite direction. With the nearly full moon came strange dreams and howling coyotes.
We found my folks south of the town of Mulegé in their pop-up camper on the beach of Santispac. A small beautiful beach formerly owned by an ejido, but now under private ownership. Like most of the beaches and “gringo camping” it was speckled with RV's. RV's seem to be the preferred way to camp in the Baja for migrating snow birds. It was, however, a great spot to relax after some long hauls in the truck from Santa Cruz.
Camping on the beaches of Baja is beautiful but not always accommodating for the shoe-string budget. Prices seem to range from $5-8 per person per night. Average hotel rooms go for $20-$80/night depending on where you're at. Food is more expensive than mainland, but generally still cheaper than in the U.S. Most food is imported from mainland Mexico and the U.S.
My folks are travelling more economically than many Baja goers, but still brought some toys. Their “rig” seems hilarious at times and laborious to frequently relocate. They're towing a modified pop-up trailer with a four-wheeler on the front and an inflatable kayak on top. In the back of the truck, of course, is a motorcycle for cruising the roads in style. Leave one camp site we ended up spending a morning getting the truck and trailer un-stuck from the engulfing sand trap of the beach. I was very happy to have four-wheel drive and hooked up to their trailer with our truck. After an hour of tricky maneuvering and digging, we were back on the road.
We decided to try and camp at a place on the map labeled “Puerto Chale”. We didn't know much about it, other than it was by the Pacific and en-route to our next destination. It ended up being a small isolated fishing village. We were quite the spectacle; driving through the small village with two trucks, one with a camper, motorcycle, and four-wheeler. We found a space to camp on the outskirts and enjoyed another beautiful view of the sunset. We talked to some locals and convinced them that we weren't too loco. My parents surprised me by ending up exploring the town on their own. With their limited Spanish they ended up getting invited to a bonfire, drinking beer from a small tienda, and finding the one English speaker in the village.
Stopping outside of La Paz, we made preperations for taking the vehicle to mainland Mexico. We had to temporarily import the vehicle and buy ferry tickets for ourselves and the truck. For the importation and the ferry transportation the total came to around $400. A little pricey, but it beats driving back up the Baja and around. Plus, we'll be de-boarding near the town to catch a train ride. We're planning on taking the only train in Mexico north from Topolobampo to the Copper Canyon. It's accredited with being one of the most scenic train rides in the world!
Until then, we'll continue our beach lounging. We're currently on a beach at La Ventana. It's a beautiful bay with strong winds in the afternoon. It's a destination for migrating kite-surfers and wind-surfers. In the afternoon around one hundred kite-surfers can be seen on the bay. It is a surreal scene with the droves of parafoiled colors hovering over the bay waters. Our next destination is Cabo Pulmo where we'll be able to snorkel on the only pacific reef in North America.
We found my folks south of the town of Mulegé in their pop-up camper on the beach of Santispac. A small beautiful beach formerly owned by an ejido, but now under private ownership. Like most of the beaches and “gringo camping” it was speckled with RV's. RV's seem to be the preferred way to camp in the Baja for migrating snow birds. It was, however, a great spot to relax after some long hauls in the truck from Santa Cruz.
Camping on the beaches of Baja is beautiful but not always accommodating for the shoe-string budget. Prices seem to range from $5-8 per person per night. Average hotel rooms go for $20-$80/night depending on where you're at. Food is more expensive than mainland, but generally still cheaper than in the U.S. Most food is imported from mainland Mexico and the U.S.
My folks are travelling more economically than many Baja goers, but still brought some toys. Their “rig” seems hilarious at times and laborious to frequently relocate. They're towing a modified pop-up trailer with a four-wheeler on the front and an inflatable kayak on top. In the back of the truck, of course, is a motorcycle for cruising the roads in style. Leave one camp site we ended up spending a morning getting the truck and trailer un-stuck from the engulfing sand trap of the beach. I was very happy to have four-wheel drive and hooked up to their trailer with our truck. After an hour of tricky maneuvering and digging, we were back on the road.
We decided to try and camp at a place on the map labeled “Puerto Chale”. We didn't know much about it, other than it was by the Pacific and en-route to our next destination. It ended up being a small isolated fishing village. We were quite the spectacle; driving through the small village with two trucks, one with a camper, motorcycle, and four-wheeler. We found a space to camp on the outskirts and enjoyed another beautiful view of the sunset. We talked to some locals and convinced them that we weren't too loco. My parents surprised me by ending up exploring the town on their own. With their limited Spanish they ended up getting invited to a bonfire, drinking beer from a small tienda, and finding the one English speaker in the village.
Stopping outside of La Paz, we made preperations for taking the vehicle to mainland Mexico. We had to temporarily import the vehicle and buy ferry tickets for ourselves and the truck. For the importation and the ferry transportation the total came to around $400. A little pricey, but it beats driving back up the Baja and around. Plus, we'll be de-boarding near the town to catch a train ride. We're planning on taking the only train in Mexico north from Topolobampo to the Copper Canyon. It's accredited with being one of the most scenic train rides in the world!
Until then, we'll continue our beach lounging. We're currently on a beach at La Ventana. It's a beautiful bay with strong winds in the afternoon. It's a destination for migrating kite-surfers and wind-surfers. In the afternoon around one hundred kite-surfers can be seen on the bay. It is a surreal scene with the droves of parafoiled colors hovering over the bay waters. Our next destination is Cabo Pulmo where we'll be able to snorkel on the only pacific reef in North America.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Arrival in The Baja!
Today, Dec. 3rd, I awake in Ensenada, Baja Norte, Mexico. Three summers have passed since I've been south of the border and it feels good to be back. It feels good partly because amongst the downgraded economy, confusion, and hustle and bustle a generally more tranquil lifestyle is already apparent. It also feels good because after two nights of camping and two long days of driving I've slept in a very decent hotel room. My traveling companions seem equally content as they're still fast asleep.
The border crossing was extremely easy, but a little confusing. If we we're just planning on travelling down the Baja we could have just be waved through; without stopping or talking to anyone. However, since we plan on ferrying our truck over to the mainland, extra paper work was needed. Luckily we stopped to ask about tourist cards and a cute old man pointed us to a parking lot around the corner. Otherwise we would have been truly lost. Spanish speaking definitely a necessity. We oped to avoid crossing into a large city and instead crossed in Tecate, a small town 20 miles east of Tijuana.
One of the first recommendations I read about driving on the Baja is to not drive after dark. Oops! The first and last third of Highway from Tecate to Ensenanda is great. It appears to be brand new and was pot hole free! The middle third, however, is under construction. This meant we we're waved through various construction zones while zig-zagging across the future road to rutty temporary side roads. It really wasn't too bad, but slowed us down. We didn't reach Ensenada until dark. It was very confusing at night trying to find the area where we planned to look for a room. Luckily, a friendly older woman cleared things up when stopping to ask for directions.
The keeper of the small hotel we decided to stay at directed us to an area to get some good dinner. I asked for some more traditional food outside of the tourist zone. There is a ritzy street here for cruise ship hoards with more expensive and international foods. We ended up finding “Tacos Maru” an excellent fonda; cheaper eatery. We ordered some amazing pazole, tacos, enchiladas, and we each had a drink. The whole meal with drinks came to about $15. Still a little expensive, but the food was amazing.
This morning I will cook breakfast for my excellent travelling companions. Our $35 dollar a night room comes complete with a kitchen, filtered water, and one of the hottest showers I've ever seen in Mexico. An expense and luxury that our budgets and travelling style will not allow to be common place.
The border crossing was extremely easy, but a little confusing. If we we're just planning on travelling down the Baja we could have just be waved through; without stopping or talking to anyone. However, since we plan on ferrying our truck over to the mainland, extra paper work was needed. Luckily we stopped to ask about tourist cards and a cute old man pointed us to a parking lot around the corner. Otherwise we would have been truly lost. Spanish speaking definitely a necessity. We oped to avoid crossing into a large city and instead crossed in Tecate, a small town 20 miles east of Tijuana.
One of the first recommendations I read about driving on the Baja is to not drive after dark. Oops! The first and last third of Highway from Tecate to Ensenanda is great. It appears to be brand new and was pot hole free! The middle third, however, is under construction. This meant we we're waved through various construction zones while zig-zagging across the future road to rutty temporary side roads. It really wasn't too bad, but slowed us down. We didn't reach Ensenada until dark. It was very confusing at night trying to find the area where we planned to look for a room. Luckily, a friendly older woman cleared things up when stopping to ask for directions.
The keeper of the small hotel we decided to stay at directed us to an area to get some good dinner. I asked for some more traditional food outside of the tourist zone. There is a ritzy street here for cruise ship hoards with more expensive and international foods. We ended up finding “Tacos Maru” an excellent fonda; cheaper eatery. We ordered some amazing pazole, tacos, enchiladas, and we each had a drink. The whole meal with drinks came to about $15. Still a little expensive, but the food was amazing.
This morning I will cook breakfast for my excellent travelling companions. Our $35 dollar a night room comes complete with a kitchen, filtered water, and one of the hottest showers I've ever seen in Mexico. An expense and luxury that our budgets and travelling style will not allow to be common place.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Vipassana Meditation
On the 4th of November Aña and I started a Vipassana meditation course in North Fork, CA. I didn't know quite what I was getting myself into, but it was Aña's second attendance. She didn't reveal too much about the course, and probably for the better. If I would have known more of the details about the experience prior to attending it, I might not have gone through with it. Having completed it, however, I am very grateful for the experience.
The setting was remote, beautiful and serene. The center was bordering the Sierra National Forest not too far from Yosemite National Park. There was an array of scraggly oak species and smooth red Manzanita trees with small supple jade leafs. Herds of does and a buck frequently trotted and grazed through the grounds. Squirrels were busy burying acorns for the winter while several wood peckers were eating their hearts out on wood grubs. The sunrises and sunsets set the sky ablaze and skewed the many shades of green dancing on the ground.
It was easy to notice the subtleties of nature while spending ten days focusing and quieting the mind. I suppose the vow of noble silence helped in this process. Each day, almost 11 hours were dedicated to meditation. I spent most of these 11 hours perched on a buckwheat pillow on a 2”x2” pad in a seated half-lotus posture. The first three days were spent quieting the mind focusing on respiration. It quickly became obvious how chaotic the mind really is and how easily distracted it is. After three days, however, I had made some progress. On the forth day we started actually practicing the techniques of Vipassana. Supposedly this technique is the purest form of the teaching of Gotama the buddha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha). Techniques that are not a rite, ritual, or affiliated with any religious practice. They are universal techniques for purifying the mind, mastering the mind, and developing compassion and wisdom. During these 10 days I experienced intense physical pain, and explored the depths of my unconscious. Without intending to, I feel I got to know myself better in those ten days than I have over the last ten years.
I highly recommend attending a Vipassana course. I can't think of anyone I know who wouldn't benefit from it if they apply themselves. There are courses offered all over the world. They are free, food and housing provided. Find a center near you and learn more at www.dhamma.org. I would be more than happy to answer any questions. This could be the best gift you've ever given yourself.
The setting was remote, beautiful and serene. The center was bordering the Sierra National Forest not too far from Yosemite National Park. There was an array of scraggly oak species and smooth red Manzanita trees with small supple jade leafs. Herds of does and a buck frequently trotted and grazed through the grounds. Squirrels were busy burying acorns for the winter while several wood peckers were eating their hearts out on wood grubs. The sunrises and sunsets set the sky ablaze and skewed the many shades of green dancing on the ground.
It was easy to notice the subtleties of nature while spending ten days focusing and quieting the mind. I suppose the vow of noble silence helped in this process. Each day, almost 11 hours were dedicated to meditation. I spent most of these 11 hours perched on a buckwheat pillow on a 2”x2” pad in a seated half-lotus posture. The first three days were spent quieting the mind focusing on respiration. It quickly became obvious how chaotic the mind really is and how easily distracted it is. After three days, however, I had made some progress. On the forth day we started actually practicing the techniques of Vipassana. Supposedly this technique is the purest form of the teaching of Gotama the buddha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha). Techniques that are not a rite, ritual, or affiliated with any religious practice. They are universal techniques for purifying the mind, mastering the mind, and developing compassion and wisdom. During these 10 days I experienced intense physical pain, and explored the depths of my unconscious. Without intending to, I feel I got to know myself better in those ten days than I have over the last ten years.
I highly recommend attending a Vipassana course. I can't think of anyone I know who wouldn't benefit from it if they apply themselves. There are courses offered all over the world. They are free, food and housing provided. Find a center near you and learn more at www.dhamma.org. I would be more than happy to answer any questions. This could be the best gift you've ever given yourself.
In The Bay Area
Tonight I find myself in Berkeley, CA. I'm in the company of friends Steven and Casey who are living and working here. Aña and I have known these wonderful people since living in Madison, WI. Steven is currently working towards his Ph.D. in environmental studies. Casey is helping to spearhead a non-profit organization to provide food and schooling for children of Haiti (http://whatiffoundation.org/). Haiti, if you don't know, is in rough shape economically and politically. Since being the first/only country with a successful slave-led revolution, outside forces have detrimentally manipulated its political system. The U.S. is mainly at fault playing sides throughout its history. More recently the U.S. has supported malicious dictator families like the Duvalier family, and military and parliamentary coups against democratically elected leaders. Currently Haiti is occupied by a UN “stabilization unit” that keeps the country under martial law and 80% of its people living in poverty. The “stabilization unit” has been charged with numerous human rights abuses.
We spent two days exploring the urban concrete jungle of San Francisco. A very strange environment to encounter after spending 10 days purifying the mind at a Vipassana meditation course. We used the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to get into the city from Berkeley not wanting to drive. Winding through the city we explored the Latino district, and the Japan Center before ending up at Golden Gate Park. The huge park contains museums, exhibits, fly fishing pools, a buffalo pen, and other interesting attractions. We went the California Academy of Science Museum for the Night Life event. This was the cheapest time to experience the museum and see a special planetarium event. The museum is also turned into a night club for singles and couples. Strangely out of place were several impromptu bars and three DJ's providing a unique ambiance. There is an amazing aquarium collection and the planetarium program is truly incredible. The one day a month program was “Update of the Universe”. An astronomer on the line from NY narrated the show and controlled the planetarium via laptop. We travelled through a three-dimensionally accurate portrayal of the current view of the universe and what we know about it. We went beyond the recorded galaxies, to quasars from billions of years ago, to the back ground radiation of universal conception. We only stayed one night in S.F. with a couple who we were couch surfing with because they were sketching us out. They were arguing and stressed out from the financial stress of home-ownership gone bad in economically tough times.
One bizarre random coincidence was running into two people we worked with in the kitchen at Breitenbush. Sean Gamble and Casandra who were driving through the city in a converted ambulance crossed our path at a random intersection. We had a quick thri
The second day in San Francisco we explored down-town and China Town. China Town is great! We found some goodies in some herb shops. We were enticed into one mysterious herb shop with their display of Ling Chi (Ganoderma lucida) mushrooms. A rare conch mushroom used to make a health drink; “The Drink of Immortality”. Luckily we still have a supply from the redwoods and were only observing. Then we found a place to taste over a dozen types of amazing green and white teas traditionally prepared (950 Grant St. if you're in the area). After a less then impressive lunch at a vegetarian restaurant there in China Town, we headed back to Berkeley. After getting off the BART in Berkeley it felt like we were going back to the country.
We sought refuge at a housing co-op we had been staying at with our friends Patrick, Pepper, and their wonderful house mates. We made some great food together before a party began to pick up momentum. When the party was growing beyond our desire we fled to stay with Steven, Casey, and their funny dog, Silly. Truly wonderful people with a wonderfully playful puppy! They would be strong contenders in the contest for the nicest people around. We drank a gallon of my mead together, some wine, and played Big Boggle until our brains were well scrambled.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Rob and Aña Update; heading south
Aña and I are now three weeks into a travelling venture that will most likely last years. Our current rough plan is to drive a newly acquired Toyota 4x4 pickup to Panama. This will happen over the course several months to a year. We hope to explore volunteering, organic farming, and community building opportunities along the way. In Panama we will be able to sell the truck, provided it hasn't been stolen, and decide which direction to go next.
Our travelling got of to a great start in Northern California. Aña and I met up with our precious Portland friends Justin and Amber to do some camping. Justin grew up in the Kalamath River area and knew of a great spot to camp up Clear Creek. We ended up hiking 7 miles into a spot called “The Bear Pin”. We were truly in gorgeous isolated wilderness. Justin an I spent a day boulder hopping, rock climbing, and rapid dodging to find the best fishing holes. Two nights in a row we feasted on immaculate rainbow trout. It was a beautifully luxurious camping venture complete with fresh espresso (courtesy of little Octavio), whiskey, and some interesting herb infused coconut oil. We refreshed after camping staying with Justin's generous parents and enjoyed his mom's fantastic cooking.
Now, our travels have kind of taken us in a circle, or a knot, back to the Kalamath Knot! We left Arcata after trying the trimming thing for a couple of days. We were kind of sketched out by that scene and didn't feel like doing that tedious work for so many hours a day for weeks. Instead, we went back to the Redwoods in Northern Cali. We spent a few nights camping in the Tall Trees Grove of the Redwoods National Park. We we're back country camping on the gravel bars of Redwoods Creek. There we slept next to some of the tallest trees in the world. With a nice fire the first night we roasted some chicken apple sausages over the fire, and again for breakfast. It is interesting to occasionally eat meat again. We didn't see much wildlife, but an elk knocked down our suspended food bag in the middle of the night and then stormed off in a fright. There were some fish, but all too tiny to eat.
Then we went to Crescent City and camped by the ocean at Nickleback Creek (a free National Park site on the coastal trail). It was so nice to sleep to the waves crashing on beach below. Exploring Tolowa Dunes State Park we turned up some delecious Angle Wing (Oyster) and Shrimp Cap mushrooms. From there we went into Jedediah Smith State Park and hiked to the massive “Boy Scout Tree”. While driving in Aña spotted a nice bunch of Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms. I had to climb about ten feet up in between a couple of trees to get them, but what a reward! After a night of clandestine camping and some more beautiful hiking, we decided to head to a couch surfing host in Orleans.
We are very glad that we decided to come back to the Kalamath. Our host Nathan has been an amazing guy to meet and stay with. It seems to be a good indicator when you're meeting someone to scope out their bookshelf. As in this case every book on his shelf is one I'm familiar with our would want to read. Naturalist, sustainable living, some down to earth spiritualist literature, and the Foxfire series have made for some interesting perusing. Our first night we made a meal together with some Yellow Chanterelles he had just found. Then we went to a community game night at a nearby subsistence organic farm, Sandy Bar. The day after we spent the afternoon chopping wood, gathering walnuts, and harvesting the chestnuts from the world's largest American Chestnut tree.
The next day we had the fortune of helping out with a salmon survey on the north fork of the Salmon River with Nathan. He has been working for the Salmon River Restoration Coalition. We donned some fancy lightweight waders and river shoes with felt on the soles and walked/waded three miles of the fork. We only saw one salmon and 7 redds (salmon nests). It's amazing any salmon had made it up this far after early gorge mining and the damming of the Kalamath river. The scars from hydraulicizing the mountain sides in searches for gold are still very visible in the from of rubble piles and abandoned equipment. From a bridge where the north and south forks of the Salmon River meet we spied down on about 30 large salmon. We were told that in the past the river would have been flooded with Salmon; so many that they would have been spawning on top of each other. We learned that the Salmon are functionally extinct and efforts are focused on just keeping any alive for future genetic material. The dams are supposed to come out of the Kalamath in 2020, but who knows. Maybe Edward Abbey can help us out.
We will spend a few more days on the Kalamath exploring the immense local beauty and enjoying the company our new friend. I will be contemplating the meaning of my find of a Bald Eagle's white tail feather. The white feathers are connected with Grandmother Medicine, tremendous wisdom, healing, and creation. We might also explore some of the other remnant mountain mining communities or the secluded commune of Bear Claw. Then we will camp through the national forest on our way to a Vipasana session in central Cali. Ten days of silent meditation at the session will be a very interesting and hopefully insightful experience.
Our planned itinerary for the U.S. ends in the Bay Area. There we hope to visit some great friends in Berkeley and Santa Cruz. We also hope to be meeting up with our Breitenbush friend, Ilsa, there to start the next lag of our travel; down to the Baja!
Well, if you survived reading all this you think you might want more maybe I'll get a blog going. I don't really like sending out mass email, because of its impersonal nature. However, I also don't like being behind a computer for long lengths of time to personally email everyone I care about. It's not you, it's the computer.
Hope everyone is well and happy! Much love,
Rob
P.S. Start thinking about meeting up with us in Central America and having your own personal interpreters and travel guides!
Our travelling got of to a great start in Northern California. Aña and I met up with our precious Portland friends Justin and Amber to do some camping. Justin grew up in the Kalamath River area and knew of a great spot to camp up Clear Creek. We ended up hiking 7 miles into a spot called “The Bear Pin”. We were truly in gorgeous isolated wilderness. Justin an I spent a day boulder hopping, rock climbing, and rapid dodging to find the best fishing holes. Two nights in a row we feasted on immaculate rainbow trout. It was a beautifully luxurious camping venture complete with fresh espresso (courtesy of little Octavio), whiskey, and some interesting herb infused coconut oil. We refreshed after camping staying with Justin's generous parents and enjoyed his mom's fantastic cooking.
Now, our travels have kind of taken us in a circle, or a knot, back to the Kalamath Knot! We left Arcata after trying the trimming thing for a couple of days. We were kind of sketched out by that scene and didn't feel like doing that tedious work for so many hours a day for weeks. Instead, we went back to the Redwoods in Northern Cali. We spent a few nights camping in the Tall Trees Grove of the Redwoods National Park. We we're back country camping on the gravel bars of Redwoods Creek. There we slept next to some of the tallest trees in the world. With a nice fire the first night we roasted some chicken apple sausages over the fire, and again for breakfast. It is interesting to occasionally eat meat again. We didn't see much wildlife, but an elk knocked down our suspended food bag in the middle of the night and then stormed off in a fright. There were some fish, but all too tiny to eat.
Then we went to Crescent City and camped by the ocean at Nickleback Creek (a free National Park site on the coastal trail). It was so nice to sleep to the waves crashing on beach below. Exploring Tolowa Dunes State Park we turned up some delecious Angle Wing (Oyster) and Shrimp Cap mushrooms. From there we went into Jedediah Smith State Park and hiked to the massive “Boy Scout Tree”. While driving in Aña spotted a nice bunch of Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms. I had to climb about ten feet up in between a couple of trees to get them, but what a reward! After a night of clandestine camping and some more beautiful hiking, we decided to head to a couch surfing host in Orleans.
We are very glad that we decided to come back to the Kalamath. Our host Nathan has been an amazing guy to meet and stay with. It seems to be a good indicator when you're meeting someone to scope out their bookshelf. As in this case every book on his shelf is one I'm familiar with our would want to read. Naturalist, sustainable living, some down to earth spiritualist literature, and the Foxfire series have made for some interesting perusing. Our first night we made a meal together with some Yellow Chanterelles he had just found. Then we went to a community game night at a nearby subsistence organic farm, Sandy Bar. The day after we spent the afternoon chopping wood, gathering walnuts, and harvesting the chestnuts from the world's largest American Chestnut tree.
The next day we had the fortune of helping out with a salmon survey on the north fork of the Salmon River with Nathan. He has been working for the Salmon River Restoration Coalition. We donned some fancy lightweight waders and river shoes with felt on the soles and walked/waded three miles of the fork. We only saw one salmon and 7 redds (salmon nests). It's amazing any salmon had made it up this far after early gorge mining and the damming of the Kalamath river. The scars from hydraulicizing the mountain sides in searches for gold are still very visible in the from of rubble piles and abandoned equipment. From a bridge where the north and south forks of the Salmon River meet we spied down on about 30 large salmon. We were told that in the past the river would have been flooded with Salmon; so many that they would have been spawning on top of each other. We learned that the Salmon are functionally extinct and efforts are focused on just keeping any alive for future genetic material. The dams are supposed to come out of the Kalamath in 2020, but who knows. Maybe Edward Abbey can help us out.
We will spend a few more days on the Kalamath exploring the immense local beauty and enjoying the company our new friend. I will be contemplating the meaning of my find of a Bald Eagle's white tail feather. The white feathers are connected with Grandmother Medicine, tremendous wisdom, healing, and creation. We might also explore some of the other remnant mountain mining communities or the secluded commune of Bear Claw. Then we will camp through the national forest on our way to a Vipasana session in central Cali. Ten days of silent meditation at the session will be a very interesting and hopefully insightful experience.
Our planned itinerary for the U.S. ends in the Bay Area. There we hope to visit some great friends in Berkeley and Santa Cruz. We also hope to be meeting up with our Breitenbush friend, Ilsa, there to start the next lag of our travel; down to the Baja!
Well, if you survived reading all this you think you might want more maybe I'll get a blog going. I don't really like sending out mass email, because of its impersonal nature. However, I also don't like being behind a computer for long lengths of time to personally email everyone I care about. It's not you, it's the computer.
Hope everyone is well and happy! Much love,
Rob
P.S. Start thinking about meeting up with us in Central America and having your own personal interpreters and travel guides!
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