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28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #7

4/29/2014

Travel day. We moved from Durango to Monument Valley. We stayed at a campground called Gouldings. It was a regular town with lots of history about a couple of gringos who settled there and took interest in the Navajo…I admit, I have not spent much time on the history. Without belaboring a political or cultural subject, I believe that the culture of native/tribal people of the US has suffered dramatically – particularly their relationship to the earth, to nature.

On Culture Clash...

Many of the places that I visit feel very spiritual to me and yet they have become terribly over-touristed. There’s a clash of values that I experience that would require me to dive into this subject and I cannot muster the passion to do so in this moment. I will simply say that it saddens me that I cannot go into a slot canyon and meditate under a light tube or walk aimlessly in Mystery Valley and feel the majesty and spirit of the earth. I am fiercely angry that we care so little about the earth that we have to be monitored and counted when we go to magical places lest we destroy it by littering, vandalism, taking souvenirs, and carving our names on gorgeous natural rock arches…as if our legacy somehow has greater efficacy when we say “I was here”. I am forced to go like a herded cow in a truck or pushed through the slot canyon being hurried to get “the shot”. That is not who I am when I take photos. My best shots are when I feel the life of the thing I am shooting. I might as well buy the postcard…I’m newly learning this about myself and on this experience. I am at odds personally and with the state of humanity right now. And that is what’s best too…that I care enough and am self aware enough to take a look at it; to consider my contribution to it and what I can possibly do to turn it around. I do count…and so do you. Everything we think and do every day has impact that is unimaginable. What if we became aware of how individually powerful we truly are and we started acting courageously and lovingly on behalf of all creation? Just sayin’…

Day #7: What’s Best? ~ I am grateful for the earth and my relationship with her. A little “hidden arch” just outside the campground. A tourist willing to snap a picture of Dolce and I!

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28 Days of What's Best? ~ Day #6

4/23/2014

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Dolce blissed out..

The girl and the dog both love the river! The day started with a swim on the Animas for Dolce in preparation for me getting to do a long road bike ride…albeit longer than planned.

Perhaps one of my greatest joys is watching Dolce be free. She is a constant reminder of living in the moment from the heart. Each day we spend in the RV I plan for time that enables her to feel bliss. Often, we share that bliss such as on hikes, river excursions or long off-leash runs. Then there are things that she cannot share with me (my intended ride) and it is these times when I make sure she does an activity that fills her heart. It’s pretty easy, she’s a golden retriever and relentlessly happy so it’s not as if this is “work” (god-forbid) to me.

Day #6: What’s Best? ~ Dolce plays in the river! My road ride turned cyclocross, river errors and ice cream!

With an exhausted pup, I was free to explore the hills around Durango. I had checked out some of the local loops and picked one that with the ride from the RV would take me about 40 miles with a fair bit of elevation gain. The ride was gorgeous but not without surprise! After mile 10 and my first climb of any significance, thunderclouds started to build in the distance. There had been a headwind most of the first ten miles so I knew those clouds were headed for me! It didn’t look terribly menacing so I pushed on thinking worst case that if it started I would only be in it for an hour or so. Continuing on the loop as planned, I encountered my first of a long stretch of gravel roads. Hmmm, this was not indicated on the loop map. I logically (so I thought) assumed it wouldn’t be too many miles so I stuck it out. My sticking it out turned into more than 15 miles of the ride on gravel/dirt road (mind you, I was on a carbon frame road bike…not an MTB, a comfort bike, or a cyclocross bike). The storm clouds drizzled on me several times yet for short spans. This ride was turning into far more than I had bargained. I kept asking myself if I should turn around? Never liking to miss out on good things, I pressed on as the write-up for the ride was awesome. Let’s just say I finished the ride, was not soaked or freezing and put in 50 miles in the saddle. If you ride, you know that 50 miles in the saddle means ice cream after dinner…and I did just that, cappuccino chip…one of my favorites.

Returning with ample sunshine, I knew that wave was still calling me. You bet, I quickly changed from cycling attire to kayaking attire and off we went. The river was simultaneously not without surprise today. After the fact, I would say I did something foolish, risky. Something that I don’t normally do…that’s how bad I wanted to surf the wave! The construction crew on the river’s edge was busy and shooing people out of the construction area (which offers the direct access to the wave). That required that I carry my kayak well upstream and run two rapids. I made several mistakes: 1. It was cold and rolling would not be pleasant…I ignored that. 2. I went into the middle of the river and caught an eddie behind a rock…I was totally committed to run the rapid. 3. I ran it and flipped. My roll is great, no worries, I was back upright AND freezing! 4. I ran the next rapid sight unseen…it was a mild class III. 5. I was so cold I could only handle a few surfs fearing that if I flipped again my dexterity would be compromised. Live and learn…I still surfed the wave! I ended my day with another 109° soak and ice cream, enthusiastically awaiting what tomorrow would bring.

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28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #5

4/22/2014

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Not today's wave. This is me on Pipeline in Idaho.

If you read Day #4, then it comes as no surprise that surfing the incredible play wave was best! My day stacked up nicely in terms of best experiences…Dolce and I shared a hike in what felt like undiscovered mountains. We were the only people out there and I realized that it caused my senses to heighten. Each time Dolce stopped and looked intensely into the distance I wondered if there was a bear or mountain lion, I too stopped and listened to the silence. In that pause, I heard the still small noises of the mountains. It startled me a bit to notice how often I am alone in nature and how it generally does not scare me. I affirmed (because I admit that I was a little nervous) my faith that no creature intends harm to any other creature. I noticed how fear impacted me and diminished the joy in the experience. I questioned whether I “belonged” out there? What would I do if something or someone “attacked” me? Pausing to let that sink in, I realize how debilitating fear is (real or imagined). Fear in its primal state has purpose: running for my life when being chased (think caveman days), fighting for one’s life when it is appropriate. Other than its base uses (fight or flight), fear doesn’t really serve an intention to live joyously or for a higher purpose. It’s a bit of a shackle. It’s powerful, particularly when used as an agent to attain power over something or someone. This writing has no conclusion…I am inviting you to consider your relationship to fear. Does it empower you or prohibit you? What is your relationship with it? Is there anything you can change with respect to fear that will improve the quality of your life? I’m asking myself the same questions. Back to that hike…it was spectacular!

Day #5: What’s Best? ~ a contemplative mountain hike, a home gym away from home workout, some great surfing on a wave, and an unexpected dinner with family.

I share often about chance meetings with random people and how I am consistently impacted by the love and grace I feel with perfect strangers. Perhaps today’s “what’s best?” highlight was my meeting with Tony. Tony is the owner or co-owner of 4Corners Riversports. https://www.riversports.com/ One of the guys at the wave pointed to Tony and said something about him owning the local boater shop. After countless rides on the standing wave and being encouraged by the guys in the eddie (via hooting and hollering and dozens of “get it girl” shouts), I had to peel myself away for dinner with family. I floated down river to where my car was parked and as I was getting out of my boat Tony arrived – heading for his car in the same parking lot. Because I frequently surf this kayak in the ocean, many of the components suffer from salt erosion. The ratchet system that keeps me tight inside the boat (and thus more able to roll and drive the boat) had become stripped. I asked Tony if in fact he was owner of the shop and if he possibly had these ratchets (pointing to my corroded kayak parts) in stock. He said no, we would have to order something like that. I dropped my head in a disappointed tilt and explained to Tony about living in the RV, being on a quick trip, hoping to keep surfing but concerned about the stripped ratchets. He said: “know what, I can help you out. I will pull a set out of one of our demo boats and order new ones for the demo. Can you stop by the shop now and I will get you hooked up?” I knew that I was already pushing the dinner engagement. I said “Oh, that would be great! Thanks so much. I am already probably late for dinner…” then demurely “is there any chance I can bring it in tomorrow morning?” Tony didn’t miss a beat. He said “I’m going back to the shop now, just throw the boat into my truck and I will have it all ready for you tomorrow morning.” I was elated and profusely appreciative. We walked to his truck, talking about all things kayaks and biking. I asked Tony if he needed money from me, a name, phone number…nope! He would simply take care of it and the boat would be waiting at his shop. Needless to say, the next day it was. New ratchets, the knee pads properly glued back in and a shop full of cool kayaker people who will get all of my business when in or near Durango, CO. People are incredible - given a chance, they want to help, they want to be kind and they want to exchange love. This was a loving exchange.

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28 Days of What's Best ~ Day #4

4/21/2014

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A Durango house that screamed for attention

Awoke early (5:30AM) with a sensation of peace. The previous evening having been…well, so utterly fulfilling alongside base simplicity. I didn’t “do” anything. I recall a recent conversation with my partner and her long-time friend. Her friend is retired (in the classic sense related to working at a job every day). For many years she has generously given her energies to philanthropic projects large and small; serving on boards, planning and managing fund raising events, collaborating in countless meetings or conference calls and every detail in between. She is considering downsizing her philanthropy activities and contemplates (writer’s observation) what I consider to be a common worry: what will one do with oneself if one is not doing something that obligates oneself? She came to our place after a great day of skiing the Vail back bowls and jokingly announced that she is going to have a card printed saying:

Carin Aichele (I used my name to protect her privacy)
Nobody Doing Nothing

We all shared a hearty laugh, pontificating about the responses one might get after handing the card to the “typical” Vail local on a chairlift after 4 nirvana-inducing powder runs. Initial and superficial kidding aside, I said: “I think it should say: Somebody Doing Nothing”. I presented my self-serving theory that our understanding of ourselves as “nobody” just when we reach the prized pinnacle moment that we are allegedly striving for from average age 7-67 causes a dire conflict within us as individuals and certainly as a body of humans. Our collective belief that only when we are doing something productive* are we somebody is, in my humble opinion, killing us. *(commonly assumed definition of productive is that the activity brings us more of something…most often money/success, friends, strokes to our ego, anything material, a bigger house, more stars on our vacations, more “stuff” that we present as who we are)

If not literally taking us off the planet, it is certainly killing our connection to everything simple, organic, raw, natural and wild. It’s deepening the chasm between our soul’s longing to be and what we choose to do. Our pursuit of more doing has caused early-onset (age 7) dementia of our soul’s desires. As children if our soul’s desire was to be artistic, it was expressed with crayons and sidewalk chalk. Then one day, that’s not age appropriate anymore and we trade our box of crayons for a high-priced ticket to a gallery opening. We are fed fine French champagne and silky Swiss cheese while we observe art from an objective distance. I say to hell with that! Let’s open the studio of our soul and create! Let’s dance with abandon. Grab a brush and a canvas and paint! Pick up a camera and shoot. Play silly games with our children. Take naps. Be still…and know thyself. Let’s redefine our relationship with doing and thus our relationship with our self and satisfaction of or soul.

I propose that I am most somebody when I am doing the least. I am most present to the immediate moment, sometimes brought to my proverbial knees by a landscape that stunningly unfolds as I round a mountain corner; or by a field of wildflowers being prolifically what they are: unassuming and wild; or by Dolce as she relentlessly teaches me the joy in being curious by expressing excitement over every new smell, each slight sound, the feel of snow under her paws, a stick that she carries, or a rock that she chases. She does these same activities with delight…over and over and over. I’m curious; is it the activity creating the delight? Or the delight she brings to the activity that causes the unabashed joy? If the former, then we are governed by forces outside of ourselves and not our choice, not in our control. If the latter, then we are governed by and in control of our choices…my definition of freedom. Try this experiment: bring delight to something you do today. Go into it with intention to experience pleasure. If it’s a chore, do it impeccably and joyously. Consciously choose to feel delight while you do that thing you “have” to do. Then re-frame it and remind yourself that you chose to do it and you chose to do it with joy. You are the director of your experience; conduct your life soulfully!

Day #4: What’s Best? ~ writing all morning. A strenuous MTB ride on unfamiliar trails with spectacular views. Happening upon the just opened whitewater park on the Animas river near downtown Durango (and knowing what I will do for What’s Best? tomorrow…surf that wave!). A very hot 109° soak at the hot springs. Being inspired by a conversation with Elena, a fellow traveler from Switzerland.

What’s Best? Appreciating what is because today was not anything I wouldn’t do on a normal day at home…pause, be grateful for today!

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28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #3

4/20/2014

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I can't get enough of this peak

After a run with Dolce in the forest, we set off on the road again. Oh how I love the road…We traveled 112 which felt like a country lane and has three listed names: 1) 112, 2) E Co Rd 12 N, & 3) Twelvemile Road…go figure. Then we once again navigated snow-capped passes on CO 160 which took us to Durango. It was a sketchy drive at times: slushy snow-rain is not optimum RV travel conditions. Don't tell my mom.

I had to pull over for this...

What’s Best is that Durango was not on our planned itinerary. Just beginning to relax into the state of having nowhere I need to be and nothing I need to do, I opted to cut the day of driving short and stop in a place that I craned my neck to get a look at as I raced by about this time last year. Last year however, I was madly searching for a forest with no beings of the human race. I had just completed a 4 week high speed tour around New Mexico with a friend from Australia and all I wanted was silence. I told myself then that it merited a visit and so Day #3: what’s best: I can stop if I want to.

Day #3: What’s Best? ~ a quiet RV park 5 miles north of town, a river running through town (I hear there’s a newly remodeled whitewater play park…I brought my kayak just in case), a hot springs located immediately adjacent to the RV park, and a pound of chicken and sausages cooking on the BBQ in preparation for all the outdoor activities I am going to enjoy while in Durango, CO.

Day #3: What’s Best? ~ Many people ask me if I get lonely when I am off in the RV on my own. Of course I have a full-time companion with Dolce. What I tell them though, is that the briefest moments of love shared with a complete stranger have a grand impact that carries me through the times when I miss the sanctity of known relationships. This morning, I was leaving the Oasis RV park just outside of Great Sand Dunes, NP and on an instinctive impulse; I stopped the RV in the driveway and ran inside the office/convenience store to offer my gratitude to Jessica who had welcomed me two days prior. It was the first time I had left Boulder in the RV for any length of time since May of last year. I was unsure if I had forgotten how to do this “alone” thing. It had been a long drive from Boulder with no stops. You can imagine that Dolce was anxious to get out of the RV when we pulled in. She too gets very excited and is curious about where we are and what we will experience next. I took her out of the RV with me and upon seeing a big sign on the store’s entry door saying “no dogs allowed”; I tied her to a post. I opened the door and Jessica exclaimed in her thick Wisconsin accent “Oh, she can come in.” I untied Dolce and the lovefest between she and Jessica began. In our 30 minute exchange, Jessica clued me in on all of the things I might like to see or do and the places that I could take Dolce where she could run free. We even spoke of eagles and she shared with me a county road that had a high probability of nesting eagles that I could photograph. I learned that it didn’t matter what time of day I went to Zapata Falls because it was essentially in a cave and lighting would not matter. I learned that being an accomplished snowboarder, I probably wouldn’t enjoy sand boarding (as it is slow and you really can’t carve a turn – it’s point and shoot - straight down), I learned about Jessica’s dogs. I learned that I probably didn’t need to go into the park to get great sunset shots…might as well sit in my campsite and avoid the tourists. I learned a whole lot more about the region and about Jessica. I mentioned to her to stop at my site and say hi if she liked. When I went back in to say goodbye and thank you, she said “I was going to see if you wanted to have a drink last night if you had come in”. I told her I would have liked that and asked her why she didn’t stop by? She said “I’m shy.” We both laughed. I gave her my card, invited her to connect on facebook. We will likely never see each other again…and, I am impacted. Notwithstanding my desire at times to find a planet uninhabited by humans where only Dolce and I can go when we need a break, I love people. I love feeling connected in our humanness, in our desire to love and be loved, in our hurts and accomplishments, in our wants, and all that we do, think and feel in this often complicated human experience. My big takeaway is that we are not in this alone.

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28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #2

4/20/2014

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Day #2: “What’s Best?” ~ I started the day at my home away from home gym. I noticed that it took less time to pull the trainer out of the RV storage compartment, set-up the bike, and begin my spin routine than it would have taken to drive to the health club…and the views...hmmm, I’m on to something here and I get a new view every few days!

If a day could be classified as a perfect day, then day #2 was it. Oh sure, I could wax sad about the people and things that could have made it “better” and then I would diminish the beauty that occurred in that moment, the one that I will never have again in exactly this way. Really people, ALL we have is THIS moment. We do not have the ones that have passed nor the ones that may come. If I could harness the energy expended upon past moments or future moments…oh the power and wealth I would amass…alas, that’s so not my interest! My interest is in encouraging you to make the most out of the very moment before you. Live it fully, regret nothing, forgive graciously and smile at strangers often.

Zapata Falls

Day #2: “What’s Best?” ~ Zapata Falls! Frozen. It’s a magic thing to me, that moving water can freeze. After Zapata Falls, we attempted the 2,300’ elevation gain hike to South Zapata Lake...a high alpine lake. We got stopped out when the snow became so prevalent, we couldn’t find the trail. Against my inner FMS (Fear of Missing Something), I opted to turn back as winds on the ridge were building, thunder clouds were looming in the distance, and I was downright unprepared in trail running shoes (completely saturated), capris hiking pants, and a sweatshirt. There was no gortex in my pack. I have learned this lesson about the swift weather changes in Colorado…more than once. Oh how persistent I can be in hopes of beauty. Nonetheless, it was a “best.”

Day #2: “What’s Best?” ~ A tired and content Dolce…this is not acceptable behavior at home so she relishes…I too, lulled by the silence, napped in the warmth of the sun on that leather couch. Regaining a modicum of consciousness, I enjoyed a meal that might cause my mom’s heart to melt. She used to feed me a very small pasta I affectionately know as “pastina”. The box I am holding says: Acini Pepe 44. She would dress it with ample amounts of butter and parmesan cheese. I was very little when she began serving me this dish…perhaps only weeks old as she refused to deal with a crying baby in the middle of the night so opted to feed me “real” food at a very early age. I survived and more than that have visceral experiences of certain things that are unlikely recalled intellectually. Pastina is one of those. Graham crackers mushed-up in milk is another. To this day, I mush a piece of cake with vanilla ice cream and recreate that familiar texture. If I can round up cake and ice cream in the next 26 days, I assure you, that will be “what’s best?”

Namasté

I honor the place in you in which spirit dwells ♥ I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and peace ♥ When you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, we are one

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28 days of "What's Best?"

4/19/2014

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Inspired by the theory; presented by Robert M. Pirsig in his contemporary classic book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"; that the common social question: "What's New?" "...if pursued exclusively, results only in an endless parade of trivia and fashion, the silt of tomorrow." The silt of tomorrow referring back to old channels of consciousness "that have become silted in with the debris of thoughts grown stale and platitudes too often repeated." He proposes that the question "What's Best?" loosens the silt, moves it downstream, and deepens the channels. It is this deepening of channels that inspires me to share my 28 days of "What's Best?"

Day #1; What's Best?: The shear reality that I am able to get into my RV and wander about for 28 days. It is contained in a state of wonder, curiosity, and adventure. Rather than blazing down I-25 to reach a destination, I meandered (as best one can in a 32’ RV towing a jeep, bikes and kayak). I’d say I don’t even meander; it’s more of a lumbering…slowly up and gently down, ascending and descending Colorado mountain passes reaching upwards of 10,000 vertical feet. The grave reduction of speed on these uphill journeys offering enough diversion of focus from the road to allow me to snap photos while I drive. It is duly noted that this brings little comfort to my infrequent passenger. Dolce, on the other hand, views my narrow focus (through my 18-200mm lens) as a distraction from broad awareness of what’s going on around me and sneaks close by, face up over the front dash - for the best view - leaning her head on the massive coach steering wheel. Do not be alarmed, I am keenly aware of the utterly unsafe driving condition which I am describing yet assure you; it’s not quite that dramatic. It parallels a young mother of the ‘70’s driving her car, lit cigarette with dangling ash in one hand, reaching into the backseat to smack her unruly child with the other, screaming at the top of her lungs “if you don’t leave your sister alone and stop crying I’m going to pull this car over and really make it hurt.” This was pre seat belts, and a true story…I was the unruly kid. The fruits of my endeavor (great road photos) far outweigh the probable lung cancer of the 70’s mom or poor kids who suffered the real deal second hand smoke with the car windows all the way up. The health fanatics, anti second hand smoke, and count to 1, 2, 3 instead of hitting your kids crowd of the 90’s being the 30 somethings that resulted from the smoked out backseat beatings. Can anyone relate?

The road

The silt being thick and necessitating major excavation, I won’t limit myself to one “best.” Best is a word suggestive of competition and limitation by hierarchy. I instead invite the notion that one best can stand beside another best in equal esteem.

Day #1: “What’s Best?” ~ Dolce and I visited Great Sand Dunes National Park (GSDNP) in Colorado. I am parked in an RV park just outside the entrance, am the only camper, Dolce is completely off-leash and content chasing tennis balls, and I am blessed with mountain views in every direction, quiet with the exception of the wind blustering against the side of the RV (let the record stand that I count that as quiet) and I have time…nothing but time. I have nothing I “have” to do today. Here are my 12 “best” shots from GSDNP.

I close this evening in excited anticipation for what best tomorrow will bring.

Namasté

I honor the place in you in which spirit dwells ♥ I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and peace ♥ When you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, we are one

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28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #7

On Culture Clash...

28 Days of What's Best? ~ Day #6

Dolce blissed out..

28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #5

28 Days of What's Best ~ Day #4

28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #3

28 Days of "What's Best?" ~ Day #2

28 days of "What's Best?"

Carin G. Aichele

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