San Juan Adventure

On the 4th of July weekend me and two buddies of mine here in Tucson made a very important synthesis of realizations: the facade of Independence day and fireworks do not appeal to us, we are tired of being in the desert and we get Monday off which means a long weekend. And so was born the brilliant idea to not only get out of Tucson, but out of society to a spectacular place called the San Juan National Forest in Southwest Colorado- yes, that's correct Colorado. When we decided to leave the desert we really meant it, I wanted to see the Rockies instead of cactus. The trip consisted of 5 days, Thursday through Monday and we tallied around 45 miles by foot and over 1,000 on tire. To say the least, we were busy, but all worth the time spent away and in true wilderness, every sore muscle a reminder that good things don't come easy and to move oneself by the purest form- feet, is truly freeing.

I will of course post pictures, since they show in one snap what would take me 10 pages to describe. Words truly could not do this wondrous place justice, nor do even the pictures. One has to hear the sounds of the singing birds, the distant roar of a river rushing, the sweet smell of wildflowers and rich pine, to feel the cool breeze rustle your hair- if I close my eyes I can still go back there in my mind but the image fades as separating time grows. As you will look or have looked already, the area brought so many different landscapes and settings. We hiked through deep, tall pine forests with nothing but the soft thud of our boots on the dirt, we cut through edges of rock near feet from a hundred foot drop to the roaring water below, we walked in wide open meadows with the tranquil sound of aspens whispering in the wind, we climbed up into high valleys, mountains on both sides- ancient gate keepers to the wilderness beyond, we bouldered up steep spines with packs digging ever deeper into our shoulders, we hiked over snow, we forded many streams and rivers, we even explored an old mine. It seemed around every bend, every switchback, every crest there was something new for my eyes to gaze upon in awe inspiring beauty. We all were sincerely giddy with excitement, reveling in the full reality of where we were. A deep joy one experiences when you truly decide to be- to live in nothing but the now, the present. No longer do our lives consist of being fully present but preparing for next day, week, month year. To release oneself from the worries of future, of tomorrow liberates you to fully be. And I believe that is what we all felt, that liberating joy in which we danced all weekend.

In order to keep myself from babbling for evermore, numbing your mind and ears I will instead re-write a little excerpt from my journal that I wrote on our second day after we had arrived at Hazel Lake to give a snap view into what my mind was writing while in the wilderness house of worship-

This place is magical, every fiber of my being delights from the sense of this wilderness. To be out in primitive land, to have a lake all to ourselves, to go sleep with Giants watching over me. It fills my mind with a euphoric state of belonging and true connectedness to the Earth. To be put in our place, small beings on the very surface of the world- representing just a sliver of its inhabitants. I feel inclined to leave the dirty, bustling society behind me, find refuge in the arms of Mother Nature. Why as a people are we so quick to believe we own this place called Earth- our home? That we have the authority to make the right decisions for something we don't fully understand? Would it not be better to live by Earth's rules instead of man's? To be in peaceful harmony instead of violent contrast? As Daniel Quinn says in Ishmael, when you ask yourself: who is the one who told us this is the "correct" way to live? The lifestyle we live, its framework, our current story- who is the author? What is your answer? Stare at that question hard and long, think deeply about the real answer, not the surface answer, not the first thing that comes to mind but fully immerse yourself in the question...

The trip to Colorado was truly spectacular and a refueling of mind, body and spirit. It will be right up there with the Grand Canyon and Borderlinks as the highlight of my time here spent in Tucson. I would like to thank the people who made it possible and allowed me to go. I wish I could say I will write in my blog more but the way time is going now, but I'd say I'll have a sort of ending write up before I leave here and head home. I can't wait to be home and look forward to heading back to Goshen, but for now my time in Tucson continues and will enjoy the few weeks I have left. Much love,

Daniel


"An unplanned plan is the best plan one can plan."

San Juan Photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53256261@N04/5948776302/in/set-72157627096570047/

Photos taken by Luke Rembold- short ginger hair. He is a YAV and is from Baker, OR so we're blood brothers. Excellent amateur photographer if I do say so myself.

Don't Make Me Leave This Place

The birds singing
the breeze blowing-
Don't make me leave this place.

Everything is so green
no words can explain what i've seen-
Don't make me leave this place.

The trail slithers
oh how i'm in a dither-
Don't make me leave this place.

Mountains rise on every side
Earth's rules i must now abide-
Don't make me leave this place.

Each gurgling creek
kind of makes me have to take a leak-
Don't make me leave this place.

All the beauty make my eyes go hazy
though i know in my soul i'm far from crazy-
Don't make me leave this place.

My mind wanders back to society and it makes me bleed
Nature and companionship are all i need-
Don't make me leave this place.

Each vibrant wildflower scent the air so sweet
conquering every steep ridge is no small feat-
Don't make me leave this place.

With every repeated step my body grows sore
yet, with every repeated step my body craves more-
Don't make me leave this place.

My time to leave is coming near
to be in a car headed home- this i fear-
Don't make me leave this place, For this is my home.