Archive for August, 2011
One unofficial job of a ridgerunner is playing messenger. It is a sometimes stressful (wait… who was I supposed to tell that to again?), sometimes rewarding task.
Recall a recent encounter of the adorable variety:
One morning I pass an elderly gentleman who thru-hiked way back when and is now… Read the rest
When the Lau family caught wind of my ciguateric state, they quickly reported the news to ‘Mami’, their Tahitian grandmother who was rich with knowledge of traditional Tahitian medicine or ‘raaou’.
Twice the first day, and once for the following three days, ‘Mami’ prepared the local remedy for me to… Read the rest
“Nothing but intense love for what you want will enable you to surmount the obstacles in your path…” –Joe Vitale… Read the rest
My few weeks in California went by faster than ever… The memorial was fantastic and I left Santa Barbara feeling even more inspired than ever by the man who had
It’s more than halfway through the season and I’ve begun to notice a pattern: the amount of red-headed male thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail… is disproportionately high.
I find freckles cute and sunburns endearing, thus in everyday life I have found myself wondering, “Where are all the red-headed boys?” They’re… Read the rest
… I decided I’d hang out with the kids from then on. Although they still looked at me googly-eyed from time to time, they usually just wanted candy. As school was out for ‘winter break’, we held geography and eco-talks aboard Swell, rewarding good answers with “bonbon Californie” (Californian candy)… Read the rest
The wind was 15-20 knots hard on the nose as I beat my way 10 miles across the atoll. Sure enough, at a few miles out, I spotted masts sticking up through the coconut trees!?!
“It’s true! There really is a haul-out yard out here in the middle of nowhere!?!”… Read the rest
Ridges and summits are beautiful spots for snacks or naps, but going into town is sometimes the best break one can take as a ridgerunner (never underestimate the powers of air-conditioning and ice cream). It is also a necessary expedition, as we are out for long periods of time and… Read the rest
I evaded the second lunch with Jacques the following day when a customs boat circled outside the quay around midday…
They launched their tender, and a group of uniformed men came speeding toward the quay. The captain scrambled out of the dinghy, then stormed over to Swell.
“What are you… Read the rest
When the door to the propeller plane closed, I was alone again… but not for long. I sat under the shaded airport waiting area for less than a minute before an old man teetered over to greet me. I was used to being approached by the locals here; it was… Read the rest
R.I.P., boots.
Sweet watch tan?
Trunk chaos.
Poor nutrition.
So many paperbacks.
Thru-hiker’s digitz.
And laundromat parties.
… Read the rest
