buried treasure

healing

we kept joking that the island was going to heal me. well, I still came back with drop foot, but the island certainly did heal my soul.

aloha!

it's hard to wake up early, I know. especially when you have to sit in an airport. as tom petty puts it, the waiting is the hardest part.

but when you get to see big planes back dropped by beautiful mountains sunrises?

it kind of makes it all worth it. plus how can you be too terribly sad when hawaii is your destination? aloha, my friends!

{am planning a little reliving of the vacay -- I know many have been patiently awaiting photos}

the backpacking bust

it's never a good sign as you're driving down the road to look out your window and see smoke coming from a mountain in the distance.

especially as you realize that the course you're driving is going to lead you straight to that smoke eventually.

and that's when you know that your backpacking trip is in serious jeopardy because the trail head might be on fire.


so as it turns out part of the bridger-teton wilderness was on fire this past week. perfect timing for our wind rivers trip. this is beginning to be the trip that never was. twice. last year's trip was canceled due to scotty, who forgot that med school started that week. this year's trip was canceled due to wildfire.

we're planning for mid-july '09. let's see what happens next year.

so instead of backpacking it was car camping. we tried to salvage the trip by going to grand teton national park. the tetons are amazing. but not quite the same trip when you're camping in a national park. {especially since you're not planning on spending money} at least you have bear lockers to put your food in and you don't have to worry about hanging bear bags.

{click to enlarge}

speaking of bears, we saw one. we saw one about ten feet away from the trail we were hiking on. I don't know if anyone else out there has ever snuck up on a bear, but it's pretty freaky. and quite dangerous. luckily he didn't notice us, or I might not have a face right now.

speaking of not having a face, on the other side of the lake we told everyone we hiked past to make lots of noise once they got near the bridge, that we had seen a bear. everyone was excited. nobody was worried in the least. hello, a bear. where is your healthy sense of fear? this thing could eat your face off. maybe they didn't realize it was that close to the trail. I guess I would be excited about seeing a bear from a distance. a safe distance. like at the zoo or something.


so as it turns out there's not much hiking at grand teton national park unless it's around lakes. {or unless you go backpacking, of course} and as it also turns out peter doesn't really like hiking around lakes--he needs elevation. but my friend really wanted to hike around lakes. total conflict of interests.

so to save the relationship {trust me, things could have turned ugly very quickly} we headed home early. it was probably a good thing because my friend said she was beginning to feel like she was on our family vacation. and nobody wants to tag along on someone else's family vacation.

we survived

yes it's true, we survived. what trip to lava hot springs is complete without a float down the portneuf? {well, probably a trip with the olympic-pool-diving-platforms-giant-water-slides and/or the hot pools. or even the diy triathlon, the lava monster.} now this section of the river, the one that flows through town, is quite deceiving. I have seen many people come out bleeding and in need of urgent medical attention. this is why I like to affectionately refer to it as the river of death. so you will be glad to know that we all made it out alive. even my 85 year old grandpa. though we did see some tubers do some pretty stupid things and in turn get pretty beat up. this section of the portneuf is not to be taken lightly.

{click to enlarge}

god's country

there are forces that shape land: wind, water, pressure, time. they always seem to play out most beautifully in the desert. it is like reading the history of the earth on open pages. a story of rise and fall. a story that we are so caught up in the middle of we don't even realize it's going on around us. every day. we are, in terms of geoligical time, just a speck on the line. I find comfort in that. I find comfort in knowing that whatever we may do, the earth will reclaim herself as her own. eventually. someday. that is the beauty of ecological succession. the ability of the earth to heal. to regrow. to fight. the evidence is in every weed, every blade of grass pushing itself up through the cracks in the sidewalk.

things you might learn on a mini vacation to bryce canyon for your sister's half marathon:

01. patience is a virtue
don't try and pass the line of cars waiting to be let through on the half marathon course.
especially not the police car and ambulance. and the people in the line will shout either
obscenities or scripture to you as you try and get back into the line.

02. the navajo loop + wall street
this is amazing landscape which is worth the short hike (but relatively steep hike) down into the canyon.
you will never in your life be more engulfed in your surroundings.

03. red canyon
perfect for a rain soaked evening and a brilliant sunset. the colors of the canyon walls soak up the evening light. walking among the formations you are reminded of the circles: this is bryce canyon in it's earlier stages. and one day, when bryce canyon has fallen to the forces that once created it, this canyon will take its place for those who come after.

04. panguitch
not just a sleepy town on the way to bryce canyon, panguitch utah could someday be called home.
how we yearn for some small town living.

05. orange + green + blue
god is most definitely an artist. he has put together the most beautiful palate of colors
right here in canyon country. they are deep + rich + vibrant and I am in love.

roadtrip eats

while traveling pete and I try our best to avoid eating out. not only is it a healthier option, it's also easier on the wallet. with a little planning, it's pretty easy + tasty.

cut up raw vegg is a great snack and compliment to any on-the-go meal. we had: carrot sticks, snow peas, green bell pepper. . . you could add anything you and your roadtrip buddies like.

and don't forget the fresh fruit: bananas, strawberries, apples

my dad needs his protein in the morning (though we ended up taking full advantage of the hotel breakfasts) so packing things like baby bell cheeses, hard boiled eggs, and yogurt (with granola mix-ins, of course!) are a pretty easy fix.

and don't leave home with out that peanut butter. PB+J sandwhiches, PB apple slices, PB toast (especially good marathon morning), PB bananas. it's a win win win.

and if you're feeling your inner domestic goddess, try this fantastic lunch-time snack: homemade wheat crackers + chedder cheese slices + turkey-roni. it equals a DIY lunchable that any grownup would love! (at least I love them)

for dinners it's best to have some sort of camping stove. we love our jetboil around here. it's quick and easy to cook up some rice, pasta, cheesy broccoli, beans. . . you name it. we were eating like kings on the cheap. (and if you don't have the luxury of the hotel breakfast, you can poor boiling water directly into the instant oatmeal package. just a little tip)

we only ate out twice, and those were race necessities: grazie's italian restaurant for the carbo-loading extravaganza and burger time for the post race refueling (nothing beats burgers + fries after a marathon)

oh, and btw, it also helps if you have a big cooler + a small car-fridge. if you do not have a car-fridge, the cooler will work just as well. you just won't feel as cool when you're pulling out your mini dr peppers.

to play along with us from the comfort of your couch

please check out the detailed account of the trip so far at:

{interstate 50}

post script:  even though I am blogging live from north dakota even as we speak, I am still not convinced of its existence.  I can't rule out government conspiracy just quite yet. . .   

only the open road

big occasions and races which have
been eagerly anticipated almost to the point of dread,
are where great deeds can be accomplished

--jack lovelock, 1936 olympic 1500m gold medalist

march 15th | sunday cliffs | snowbird

this is my ski bum husband. isn't he hot?

the post vaca ski

have you ever had one of those days where you just got back from a fantastic vacation and you really didn't want to go to work? -- and let's be honest, your boss never really knows when you are or are not going to be there anyway -- and it had just snowed a bunch too, so the thought of doing anything somewhat productive seemed a bit silly as well?

yeah. well today I had one of those days. and so did peter. so for anyone who might have a reason to care, our flight got delayed, canceled, rerouted. we could not make it in to work today. sorry.

btw, conditions were pretty good today. not as much powder as might be expected after last night's storm, but there was still plenty of pow-pow for me! my quads kill and my tele turns are getting better. it was a fantastic ski day. now if I could only ditch the rest of my responsibilities tonight. . .

survivor man

this trip was definitely worth waking up at 4 am for.  even if we didn't really need to.  (thank you, american airlines, for rerouting our flight and not telling us.)  I always love staying at hotel stie.  and I always love playing with her three cute, abnormally well-behaved + smart + fun, energetic children.  

we have had the good fortune of eating at the ever exciting emperor's palace chinese buffet.  an experience I will never forget.  we have hiked through the missourian woods.  explored caves + a little touch football.  watched more movies and eaten more treats than I want to think about. toured richie neighborhoods and ditched pieces of church.  I have played house.  swung on a giant rope swing.  been in a synchronized scooter gang.  ran a long run on a level 2 incline.  oh, and don't forget the crazy game of hot foot + freeze dance.  I am going to miss this.

unfortunately tomorrow we have to leave the life of the sixty degree weather for the life of the cold, january blizzards.  at least I don't have to wake up at 4 am.  (thank you, josh, for rescheduling our flight!)

is it a bird? is it a plane? is it a. . . human flying squirrel?!

check THIS lil' video out. possibly the closest thing to actually flying a human will ever come.

SAC strikes again!

there must be something in the air. nate, my coworker, got suckered into a SAC purchase today. and so did I. I swear, do not check the daily deals on Steap and Cheap unless you're ready for a sick addiction. but these skis (the K2 T Nine Phat Luv Alpine Ski to be exact.) were just my size and calling my sweet powder name. may the snow gods be good to us this season. (also, sac gods, if you want to put up some super sweet, super cheap tele boots in my size I would be forever grateful. and broke.)

costa rica love

pura vida

add one hour, subtract three, add two more and magically end up right where you started and you'll find yourself in costa rica without even having to change your watch. after many hours of travel and one fabulous five hour layover in fort lauderdale {thank you, ty, for the tour of your favorite local beach. thank you, sara, for the fabulous waffles + fresh fruit toppings. the rest was sorely needed.} we finally found ourselves in san jose. it was then, the next day, that our journey to the jungle began.

la fortuna, costa rica

this fabulous little place is home to a volcano. an active volcano. volcan arenal. we had the pleasure of touring this little beauty under the cover of darkness, where the real excitement can be seen. with a drive around to the other side of the mountain at dusk, and a hike through the jungle in the dark {and yes, the jungle comes alive at night} we came upon a clearing perfect for the event.

we sat and watched in the darkness for hours while victor, our tour guide, told us about local history and ecology. when the mountain threw out her unwanted rocks, we watched as they tumbled down, all aglow. you could actually hear them as they tumbled. it was a once in a lifetime experience.

supposedly the locals didn't even know this was a volcano until 1968 when it exploded after hundreds of years of dormancy. a whole village of eighty people were killed. I guess some of the hunters had had their suspiscions of this perfectly cylinder mountain because the river coming down from it was flowing with warm water and there was either smoke coming out of it sometimes or ground tremers, I can't remember. either way, it is truly an amazing sight to see today. it is in the top ten of the world's most active volcanoes.


our tour also included a dip in some local hot pools. not developed hot pools like at some of the resorts, but the real deal--the river dammed up in spots to create little pools of water. though it looked a little sketchy at first, this local hot spot was more fun than I could have ever imagined. there was even a slide! (okay, so you're lying on your back or stomach, sliding along the concrete this part was man-made, obviously, because it is the base to some sort of overpass thing while being pushed by the current of the river.) and in the lower pool there was a cave under the waterfall! fun + adventurous, just the way I like things.


another highlight: the zip-line tour of the jungle's canopy, with the bonus of a horse ride in and out. I never knew that peter was so into horses. he's a regular cowboy. maybe someone really will be getting a pony for his birthday one of these years!




we were climbing high up into the trees, sometimes hundreds of feet off the ground, and zipping through the jungle. there were nine lines of varying lengths that you would clip in and out of. you had to use your hand as a break. as you climbed up the steps and the ladders to the next zip-line platform, it was as if they were alive too. anything left still in the jungle for too long is overtaken with growth. it is one massive green, growing entity.


another local favorite: el salto, meaning the jump. and what a jump it was! have your choice of the rope swing or leaping from large overhanging rocks into the brilliantly blue water below. (this fun little spot is very reminiscent of havasupai. if you've ever been to that tropical paradise in the desert, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about) this was scotty's favorite part about costa rica on his last trip, and it certainly lived up to the hype. who doesn't love playing in a river in the middle of the jungle?

tamarindo, costa rica

we followed my dream to the pacific ocean. surfing in the warm, tropical waters with the beautiful jungle backdrop was more than I could have ever hoped for.

we spent two days playing in these waters. surfing, swimming, boogie boarding. fun + sun in the sand and sea.

a hard day at the beach, peter and his surfing injury.

costa rica really is the rich coast. it is an amazing place full of life. the pure life, pura vida.

the people are surprisingly friendly. the food delicious as long as you avoid fresh fruits and veggies that are uncooked or unpeeled. oh, and only bottled water. the country is teeming with animal life, especially in the jungle. we saw an iguana, a poisonous snake in the attack position, frogs, big spiders, termites, beetles, various plants {some that even glowed!}, leaf cutter ants, a gecko, this animal that we don't know the english equivelent for, and we heard howler monkeys. even though it was the rainy season it never stopped us from doing what we wanted.

after a long journey--nearly eight hours by bus from tamarindo to the san jose area, a 2.5 hour flight from san jose to fort lauderdale, a two hour layover, a nearly five hour flight from fort lauderdale to las vegas, a two hour drive from las vegas to st george {thank you maria and dirk for letting us crash at your house at 1:30 in the AM}, and finally a five hour drive home to salt lake city, utah--we are back into the regular routine. pura vida.

* * *
hearts tournament results
peter 118 | anna 86 | athena 92 |scotty 116

sneak preview

after twenty-four hours of travel {by bus, plane, and automobile} we are home. the laundry is done and things are put away {well, somewhat}. it is good to be back. there is so much to say about the trip. three things to look forward to:

01. exciting adventures in the jungle
02. riding the wild surf
03. the people + culture (we seemingly got caught in the middle of a family dispute, which subsequently caused a physical fight. the police even came.)

tomorrow I'm sure I will post beautiful words + pictures about the whole adventure (and what an adventure it was!) but right now I'm too tired. you bloggy's said way too much over the past week. it's hard to catch up. so I'm going to stop trying and just put the lil' mac down. it was nice being untethered for a while.

post script:
right now pete and I are watching a completely rad band on austin city limits: explosions in the sky. check 'em out.

on holiday

life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
--helen keller

trip preperations

one trip to the thrift store
plus
two old bed sheets
plus
some good times with my sewing machine
equals
protection

let me present to you,
the hostel cozies.

uno yearo de love

as if three hundred and sixty-five days of wedded bliss aren't enough on their own, pete had to thrown in positively the best anniversary present ever. a secret trip to costa rica! yep, you heard that right. COSTA RICA!!! how long has this girl been dying to surf in god's fertile country? oh, at least a few years now. it had been my dream to live there on a self-sustaining farm. work the land in the mornings and surf in the afternoons. I never made it. {much to my mother's relief, I am sure} until now.

it had all been an elaborate rouse from the start. how about going to the grand canyon with scotty and his girlfriend? sure, I said. okay, we'll be gone from october 6th through the 13th. okay.

it didn't help that his friends kept slipping up. did you hear that scotty and athena are going to costa rica together?! what?!!

and I did overhear jim tell pete, she has no idea does she. . .

the major tip-off, though, was when pete walked into the room and announced that we had to go over to scotty's house right then because he owed him some money for a utility bill from a year ago. when I asked if I could write the check out {hey, a girl just likes to write sometimes. this is not an unusual occurrence.} he almost started laughing and gave me this look. after a few seconds of asking, I made myself slightly unavailable. if he wanted to write the check for the "utility bill," I would let him. inside, my heart was screaming. was I going to costa rica???

the night of our anniversary we went out to dinner at this little mediterranean place on main street before doing a session in the salt lake temple. while sitting outside, waiting for our food to come, we exchanged presents.

I gave him a new wedding band {funny story about his old ring, he broke it. he was so intrigued by trying to break stuff with it. and he did, mind you. he broke his watch. chipped and dented countless other things. but this supposedly tungsten ring would not hold up to the force of pete repeatedly throwing it on the ground to see how high it could bounce. the whole thing broke into fifty pieces. yeah, we're thinking it wasn't so much the strongest metal in the world, but some cheap fake. I guess that's what you get when you buy a ring for twenty bucks off ebay.} and a cute little notebook made from two pictures of us {the front cover is a photo of us in paris from our honeymoon, the back cover is a hammock shot from the engagement photo shoot.} the notebook pages are blank on the front side, and have all our old emails from the beginning of our love. priceless gems. the spine cover is an old airline ticket from our honeymoon.

he gave me a little white envelope with my name on it. inside was a card he had made. this was it, the moment of truth. this confirmed my suspiscions, hopes, and dreams! we weren't going to the grand canyon, we were going on the trip of a lifetime! surfing in costa rica for a week!

now I'm really glad he told me then. his first plan was to tell me when we got to the airport--in las vegas! I would have been none the wiser since we'd be driving that way to the grand canyon anyway. hey, do you mind if we make a stop at the airport? hope you packed a swimsuit!

which reminds me, I need to go find a cute, new swimsuit!

anyone {with kids} in for a road trip?

lovely playground scene via emily {love your life}.

ooh, this park speaks to my soul. I hear if you pick up five bits of trash, ten nails, or one "mr dangerous" (that's a piece of wood with a nail in it) you can trade it in for paint or tools to use! the kids get to paint whatever they want and saw and/or hammer pieces of wood together! I'm sure creativity is just exploding at this place!

why oh why don't they have something this fabulous in salt lake city, utah? I mean, sure, liberty is a pretty rad park, what with the seven canyons fountain and all {it's an itty-bitty salt lake city!} but come on, painting and woodworking?! too cool for school.

so the next time I'm in berkley {and the next time I have kids of playground age} I am certainly making a stop over at the marina for some adventure playground fun!