Monthly Archives: July 2012

Clips of Faith

Posted on July 28, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Before I left town, I had the opportunity to go to New Belgium’s Clips of Faith short film festival.  Of course it was fun to try the final few New Belgium beers that I had never tried and hang out with my soccer teammates (Jay was out in the field for work).  I was also pleasantly surprised by the film selections.

The final film left me misty eyed.  This was based on a couple’s 5 month road trip  to South America.  The similarities between their adventures and our adventures on the road transported back to the highlights of an epic road trip.

As I watch the couple climb over sand dunes I laughed thinking about how Jay would tease me about my obsession with sand dunes.  I hate sand and refuse to hang out at the beach, but I couldn’t get enough of land locked sand dunes.

Besides the fun flashbacks, I was also touched by the final narration of the film.

The narrator asks:

Is it possible to be happy with this life?

and

Did you enjoy your story?

These questions get to the heart of what we are still trying to ask ourselves.

I hope you enjoy the clip!

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Posted in Beer Bikes & Bacon

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Stepping Up My Bike Commuting

Posted on July 26, 2012 by | 1 Comment

As most of you have probably heard by now, I am working for American Conservation Experience. This means I am often working in the field for days at a time. For most people this would mean needing a car to haul gear.  Not for me, not with my Fargo bicycle.

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Yes I also carried the orange pack in the foreground.

Sure, being a one car household has some to do with riding more, but there is more to it. Living in Flagstaff forces you to up your game.

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It looks awkward but this bike is built to haul and handled surprisingly well.

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Here in Flagstaff people haul multiple children simultaneously by bike.  Sighting someone riding to work with 60 pounds of gear in the rain is common place. I certainly appreciate being constantly reminded that I should up my game. It feels good to ride strong even when it is uphill, in the rain, with a rig that may be north of 80 pounds.

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23rd Week in Review: Storms Rolling In

Posted on July 18, 2012 by | Leave a comment

This week meant rain, thunder, and lightning for much of Arizona.  It felt like the chaos of the weather was spilling over into our lives too.  We headed to Phoenix on Friday evening for the Arizona AmeriCorps Governor’s Conference.  There were lots of logistical challenges to getting there, but ultimately we did and it was fun to meet AmeriCorps members from around the state.  It was also nice to catch up on some wedding planning with Jay’s parents.  We ordered a suit for Jay and got ready to order invitations.

Jay helps a fellow AmeriCorps member in a skit at the Governor’s Conference

Over the weekend, Jay started having pain in his mouth.  Not a good sign when you have had dental problems in the past.  The pain got worse Sunday night and first thing Monday morning Jay got in to see his old dentist here.  Bad news – it was time for a root canal.  After suffering through a full day of intense pain, he got in to see the endodontist on Tuesday morning.  We’re happy that Jay is no longer in pain and back to his old self.  Boy do we miss dental insurance.

Volunteering:  Sharon started working on the website for her class reunion and prepared for her new officer role with Toastmasters.

Beer of the Week: Jay really liked the John John Dead Guy Ale from Rogue

Something New:  Jay got a new suit for the wedding!

Highlight of Being in One Place: Having a regular doctor or dentist who you know and trust.

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New Flagstaff Loop Trail

Posted on July 12, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Jay and I are incredibly excited about the Flagstaff Loop Trail, a 42 mile circle of mostly singletrack surrounding Flagstaff.  Construction on the Loop Trail began in 2008 and Flagstaff Biking Organization hopes to fully connect the loop through trail construction this year.  We helped on one of the missing links this spring and really hope that the remaining missing links will be finished by the end of the year.

In the meantime, we are now able to make a small loop near our apartment on Lake Mary Road by connecting to a new Loop Trail segment behind the Pine Canyon gated community.  That segment heads across a mesa and then drops down towards Skunk Canyon.  At the moment most of the trail is unsigned so it is helpful to either study the Loop Trail map (see link above) or go with someone who knows the area.  The Loop Trail is designed to be between beginner and intermediate so it is the perfect practice area for me.

The first video shows where the new trail turns off of the Arizona Trail.  If you stayed straight it would head towards Fisher Point.

This video shows a representative sample of the trail.  Note the extremely dry conditions.  The trail should improve when we’ve had some more rain.

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22nd Week in Review: Settling In

Posted on July 11, 2012 by | Leave a comment

We’ve been living in limbo for the last five months.  Not much has changed about our situation – we are both still only employed through September – but something felt different this week.  We switched our car insurance, registration, etc. to Arizona and submitted change of address forms to the post office.  We are still living out of boxes, still too temporary to bring our cat home, and still unsure of where we will be after our wedding in October.  That said, we would like to stay in Flagstaff for awhile if it works out, and taking these small steps was one way to acknowledge that.

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Our friend Kate being inducted as a new officer in the Toastmasters Club

Another small step I took was to accept an officer role with our Toastmasters Club.  I have a back up in case I have to leave in October, but for now I am making a commitment and putting those roots out a little further.

Volunteering:  Sharon gave a tour at Riordan Mansion and trained new readers at Sun Sounds.  She has also joined the planning committee for her 10 year high school reunion and got inducted as an officer in the Toast of Flag Toastmasters club.

Beer of the Week: Jay’s favorite beer lately has been the Deschutes Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale

Something New:  Jay showed me the new segment of Loop Trail near our house.  We also finally made it to the farmer’s market on Sunday.  And my soccer team won our first game!

Highlight of Being in One Place:  Taking a leadership role in a community organization like Toastmasters.

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Recommended Reading: A Practical Wedding

Posted on July 10, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Having now been engaged for over a year, I have spent a lot of time reading about weddings and marriage.  My go-to source for thoughtful commentary on weddings is the blog, A Practical Wedding.  Recently, they had two posts which really resonated with me.

First, Kandise writes about tackling wedding planning as just another project to be planned.  She and her husband are both project managers, so arranging logistics, negotiating with vendors, and managing a budget are everyday challenges for them.  I love her perspective that, if she messes up on a project at work, “My boss gets dragged before Congress—and nobody likes that”.  In comparison, most wedding project challenges are easily fixable.  That said, weddings are about family.  Specifically, about forming a new family and negotiating how this baby family will define itself both as part of and separate from the two families that created it.  And planning anything with family is complicated and sometimes frustrating.  Kandise’s observations about how wedding planning is both easier and less romantic than she anticipated really resonated with me.

Second, A Practical Wedding has wedding undergraduate interns who write about the planning process.  Zen is one of these interns and her writing is amazing.  Recently, she wrote a fabulous piece called “Going Public” in which she articulated how getting engaged moves your relationship into the public realm.  She observes that engagement has a parallel with moving out of your parents house as a young adult.  Growing up you are sheltered by your parents, they provide a screen between you and the the outside world.  Similarly, when you are dating someone you can keep the relationship private and sheltered in a way.  Once you announce your engagement you are opening up your relationship to the wider community, inviting others to be part of your commitment.  With legal marriage comes public recognition and legal benefits,  and with that also comes a publicly recognized and scrutinized relationship.
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Ode to Arizona

Posted on July 9, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Today Jay and I became residents of Arizona again, submitting change of address forms and changing everything on our car.  It looks like this temporary living situation is going to at least be a longer temporary situation, so we are embracing our old/new home.  Jay is an Arizona native, with a family history in Arizona tracing back at least seven generations.

To honor the decision to stay in Arizona I’ve decided to share some of my favorite photos from the Grand Canyon State, my second home.

Spider Rock, Canyon De Chelly

Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly

Sharon and Jay at Fence Point, overlooking Grand Canyon

Sharon and Jay at Fence Point, overlooking Grand Canyon

Marble Canyon from Bucks Farm Point

Marble Canyon from Bucks Farm Point

Hummingbird in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve

cactus close up

Cactus close up

Granite Dells, Prescott

Granite Dells, Prescott

Cochise Stronghold

San Pedro River

Bisbee, Arizona

sandhill cranes in flight

Sandhill Cranes, Photo taken at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area

Sunset over the Santa Rita mountains

San Franscisco Peaks

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21st Week in Review: Summertime and the Living’s Easy

Posted on July 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Looking patriotic and representing AmeriCorps

Not much to report from the week that was.  I picked up Jay on Wednesday and we enjoyed spending the weekend together, sleeping in, mountain biking, having brunch with his parents, watching roller derby, and hiking.  It’s a beautiful Flagstaff summer and we are feeling lucky to be here for it.

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Jay on his return from his first field work trip with ACE

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Watching our local Roller Derby team, HARD, play their first home town bout

Volunteering:  Sharon read the AZ Daily Sun live on the radio at Sun Sounds on Tuesday evening.

Beer of the Week: Mother Road’s Painted Racer ESB

Something New:  We attended the very first ever Roller Derby Bout in Flagstaff.  A first for Flag and a first for us!

Highlight of Being in One Place: Being part of the community — I definitely felt connected as I walked in the Fourth of July parade downtown.

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Photo Review: Flagstaff’s Fourth of July Parade

Posted on July 4, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Fourth of July is a big deal in Flagstaff, tracing all the way back to 1876.  It was in that year that a group of travelers camped in this area on the fourth of July and decided to celebrate the country’s centennial by cutting down a pine tree, stripping it of its branches and bark and raising it as a post to hoist an American flag.  They left the pine pole standing when they moved on and it became the landmark that ended up giving Flagstaff its name.  We celebrate every year with a huge parade downtown.  This parade is serious small town fun.  Everyone is either in it or watching it and it goes on for hours.  This morning I represented AmeriCorps in the parade and then got to take a bunch of pictures.  Here are my favorites:

Looking patriotic and representing AmeriCorps

These ladies were with Sambateque

We jumped in behind the Peace Corps group

For some reason the APS (utility) employees dressed up as clowns

the Alpine Pedaler, a human powered bar, was dry this morning

There were several floats representing different military groups

I had no idea there were so many cheerleaders in Flagstaff

I was very impressed with the gymnasts

Katie cheers on the NAU marching band, we decided they were the laziest marching band we had seen

Shannon oozed patriotic cheer as she promoted Pickin’ in the Pines

This little train was one of the coolest vehicles in my opinion

The Hopi Dancers walked with the Museum of Northern Arizona

Don’t hit any bumps or you’ll lose the tuba section!

Elisabeth’s darling daughter

These kids were remarkably good, playing classic rock!

Representing Coconino County Search and Rescue volunteers

This was my favorite of a long line of classic cars

This vehicle was towing a demolished demolition derby vehicle

One of our AmeriCorps members, Patrick, promoting recycling

Who knew there was an antique tractor club?

 

Thank goodness for the rain today.  Unfortunately after 65 days straight without even a drop of rain we are under severe fire restrictions and will not be seeing any fireworks tonight.  That doesn’t stop Flagstaff from having a festive Fourth though!  Happy Independence Day!

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Canada Day!

Posted on July 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Wow, I can’t believe it has been a full year since we celebrated Canada Day in Waterton Lakes National Park.  Canada Day was a special, fabulous day last year, one that makes me nostalgic for the open road.

Here are a few things to remember it by…

Ridiculous picture of me:

Our Sharing a Story post about preparing for the zombie apocalypse with our fellow campers on Canada Day.

The Photo Review post with lots of pretty pictures from Waterton Lakes National Park.  This was one of my favorite photo review posts to date.

Happy Canada Day!

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