September 13, 2009

Off to the Grand!

Today is the day!  Gordy and I leave in a few hours for Flagstaff, where we will meet up with the rest of the party tomorrow. 

This will be my last post until after the Grand Canyon.  Next time I write, Lava Falls will have been conquered by yours truly. 

Adios!

September 12, 2009

Colorado

Back again,

I flew into Colorado on the last day of August, and it was slightly disappointing.   First off, the Denver airport is actually on the great plains.  Secondly, the fires of California has sent smoke and haze into Denver, overshadowing the supposed view of the mountains.  Thirdly, the gallant and romantic reunion between Gordy and I was thwarted when my plane arrived early (first in my lifetime), leaving me to wander around the airport until I got cell phone service and took the right shuttle to the parking area.  Less then perfect, but hey, at least I am back up in elevation!

Gordon and I spent a few days in Denver with good friends, who also happen to be professionally trained chefs.  For those of you who care or might ever be in Denver, you simply must have lunch at Fuel.  They have zucchini whoopi pies: end of explanation.

Two days later, my first professional baseball game experience done (at which the beer was more expensive then the tickets), Gordy and I returned to the Arkansas River Valley.  Since then we have packed, unpacked, memorized the aisles of Salida's Walmart, hiked mountains, ate crepes and slept in the Van.   Glorious.

For those of you again sitting in desks, wondering why your school email account won't let your sign in, pondering the reasons why professors who don't know how to use Blackboard still insist on uploading the class syllabus on it,  my thoughts are not with you.  They are on the Grand Canyon trip I am about to start on in less then two days.   I will pour some extra Baileys in my coffee in honor of your plodding routines, and when the freezing Colorado River slaps me in the face I will send some happiness your way.

Talk with you all soon.

P.S. I have received my Pentax Optio W80 and it is AMAZING.  Expect photo uploads as soon as I figure out how to work it.

Ontario

Hey all,

The last few weeks have been travel full-  my mom and I spent a week north of the Border hiking at Sleeping Giant Provinical Park before I flew out to Colorado.   Up North, the rain of late summer found us, and drove the two of us into the town of Kekebeka Falls outside of our campground.   During the meal, I discovered the perfect phrase to summarize the feel of North Shore towns.  The exchange follows:
mom: "I'll have the pancakes"
athena: "and I'll have the breakfast scramble."
waitress: "okay, dear.  Brown or White?"
athena: "...what?"
waitress: "Toast. brown or white?"
athena: "....that is amazing"
waitress: "huh?"
athena: "brown, please."
waitress. "okay"

The next time you find yourself debating brown or white toast, look around carefully.  You may be in Ontario.

August 14, 2009

The average American walks 5,210 steps in her day: 1,901,650 a year. How many of my less then two millions steps this year retraced the same path that I created last year? The next few months I have set aside to make footprints in areas never touched by my toes. It is time to take my small dotted line around the map of the world, far outside it’s comfort zone, and gain some blisters along the way.