Preperations...

So, I'm getting ready for upcoming trips. Which I am so excited for. Portland for a wedding and Andrew's birthday as well as meeting up with friend's & family I haven't seen in ages.
Then a month and a half more of work before I take off again for the Playa and the dust. I'm excited also to meet my fellow campers when I go down to Portland in July.
I have to find my passport. Because the weekend after burning man is the Klondike Road Relay and I have misplaced my passport. A couple more places to look and then I'll have to head out to the post office I think. Not so thrilled about that one...

So far in my preparations for Burning Man I have made 2 sets of furry leg warmers, obtained a bustle as well as a super cute mini hat, and I have made a furry collar too with beads. I am waiting on my EL Wire to arrive as well as my new boots, a vest, and a super cute dress.


Still on my list of things to make... another Furry collar and 2 sets of wrist cuffs. Haha, maybe when I'm all done I'll have a new skill and will be able to sell these crazy little items all the time.

I would still really like to get a belly dancing hip scarf. We'll just have to wait and see I guess. I've been spending lots of money trying to get everything I need/want.

horoscopes can be fairly intertaining...

"...You know this is the real deal, so why are you avoiding it?"

...how brutally honest... hah!

Answer?... I'm not sure. It is highly probable that I am just afraid of getting hurt again. In fact, I'm sure that's why I'm terrified to make the first move these days. But again, I'm going to live life, love it and try to share my adventure with as many people as possible. Pass the hug along and smile as you go, because in this life, you only have one chance to make an impression.

But thank you to all my wonderful friends. I love you all dearly. You make life oh so worth it and I wouldn't change anything for that. Alright... maybe a few things... you know, for your benefit.

Live life as though no one is watching and as if it were to be your last. Live, love and laugh. Enjoy.

Preparing for the Burn

This year I will be doing something I've been wanting to do for quite some time now (Even though many people might find it to be a shock). I am going to go to Burning Man this year with a friend. It is true, this form of camping will be completely different from what I'm used to and yes, I will be out of my element. In fact, this little fish is going to be going to a dried up lake bed for a week. Kind of crazy, me, someone who has to have water all around her all the time will be going somewhere where such a thing is more valuable then gold. Alright, maybe not. But still. It will be a life changing experience.

My friends Tom and Bret will be attending this year and I am stoked and excited more then you might know.
I got myself a camel pack for the event and I was thinking about packing along my snowboarding goggles for the dust storms. The only thing left to do is make sure I have a camp. My friend Bret told me I was more than welcome to join his Portland camp. Which I think I might just do. I'm just very excited. I want more than anything to enjoy myself, meet new people, experience the art and of course have fun.

My parents, my dad in particular is a tad worried about the whole ordeal because he knows it as nothing more than a place where crazy people go to party far to hard. And well, where ever one might go there is bound to be that around, there is no stopping it. However, if anyone knows me, they know that I am the type of person who doesn't need that and who really, just as I stated above, just wants to really experience something completely new from what I have already. I need a culture shock. I have lived my whole life in a little fish bowl of a town, just as happy as I can be. But in the back of my head, and in my heart I earn for more.
I earn to jump out and swim into the unknown. I'm hoping to meet a ton of new friends. I'll keep you posted as time gets closer to the heading out into the dust.

I found this blog to be very accurate for when it comes to heat... and me, coming form somewhere that I really don't have to worry about the heat, found it rather reassuring to know I wasn't forgetting too much or leaving anything out.

I'm so pumped for this I really think I'm starting to drive my friend's crazy... It seems to be one of the only things I can talk about. But then again... can you blame me? First year going, I know that I have a LOT to do, make and prepare for.

More info later on how my planning is coming along...

Dan Moller Camping Trip- 5.22.2010

Well, I was able to coordinate a camping trip with some friends and their families up to Dan Moller. I have been told that I am booking the cabins from now on as I apparently have an in with Mother Nature (went up on a day that was supposed to be raining but instead was nothing but blue sky and heat waves and then returning the next day on a very warm overcast day).

We took with us 4 dogs and 4 kids all ranging in ages between 3 and 15. Let me tell you, with a huge pack on your back, post holing through snow and carrying a toddler on your shoulders the last mile and a half or so up to the cabin is SO exhausting. It was such a relief when we finally arrived. That is until we saw the mess that was left for us to deal with. There was trash everywhere, broken glass all over the deck, beer bottles all over the underside of the cabin, random sleeping bags, mats, clothes and lots and lots of food both inside and outside the cabin in the cabinets. Most, moldy. The Broom was even burned. So all I had to sweep with was a hand broom ment to use with the stove and cleaning underneath it. We made the best of it and 2+ hours later we had a nice to relax and a safe place for the kids to play.

with the kids playing some of us passed out. I, seeing as how I can't really nap that easily took the opportunity for some meditation. This proved to be quite relaxing and revitalizing.
Now, you might now have guessed it but even with two men joining us on this camping trip I was the only one who was able to keep the fire lit. And around 8p I had it hot enough in the stove that we were able to boil water for filtering as well as cooking and get the skillet hot for turkey burgers. We didn't have enough wood for an outdoor fire and were more concerned with keeping the cabin warm enough that we just stuck with the stove.

With Dusk at 11pm Dawn came soon enough to wake me up at 4am. I woke up with Aspen on my back fast asleep and a my friends laughing at really how much of a priss my dog is. But I didn't mind, I was fairly sore from the hike up that it felt wonderful to have that little extra pressure there.

I was quite impressed with myself by morning when people were getting slightly agitated from lack of coffee I had the fire going and the water boiling that I was dubbed the fire lady. Coffee, turkey bacon, hash browns, eggs and muffins were all on the menu that day. And to our surprise, we were quite resourceful seeing as how the only clean thing left behind in the cabin was a small piece of tin foil.
*How I forgot some is beyond me, but I did.

We were able to cook two bisects at a time inside the stove making little breakfast sandwiches and burritos for everyone. After breakfast we realized we all went

We packed up pretty quick though and headed down the mountain. Some of us on blown up pool floaty mats down the hill. Which was 1) fairly productive and 2) VERY entertaining to watch.
Just as we were about a quarter of the way through the 4-6 foot snow. One of my friends realized they had misplaced and left some of there stuff back up at the cabin. So I took her three year old on my shoulders and hiked it down the mountain.
*let me tell you something. If you ever think that hiking/back packing is great exercise, try doing with with a huge pack plus a toddler on your shoulders while post holing down the mountain.

Over all, if you take away how poor the cabin was and how crappy the snow was, it was a pretty decent camping trip. But I will say that one day really is too short for camping.

Also, a week later, the cabin was closed down so Trail Mix Co. could go in and rebuild it. I told them they had there work cut out for them.


***pictures to be posted soon- stop back by later.***

Sunny Days...

The last several weeks Spring Time sure feels like Summer and I couldn't be more pleased by the idea.
It's getting to the point where all I want to do is go on adventures. Camp, hike, kayak, play play play.
Here are a few pictures of having some fun in the sun...

John Muir

I decided that I would see about booking a cabin for the first time and it just so happened to be Earth Day weekend. I got together with some of my best friends and we headed up the trail. Making it to the cabin just shortly after the sun set behind the mountains with a fire already started for us from some friends that went up earlier that day. It was the perfect day. The sky was super blue and without a cloud in the sky. Considering that they were calling for rain all weekend earlier. It was such a blessing to have such wonderful weather all weekend.

That evening, we had a wonderful time of cards, drinking, story telling and just talking for hours and hours. Time flew by, and before I knew it the sun was coming up. I can't tell you when the last time I stayed up all night. But I'm positive this was the most fun I've ever had staying up until dawn.

The sun came up through the windows and Aspen slept on my feet. She is definitely a cabin camping dog as apposed to a tent camping dog. I'm going to have to try and change that this summer however, as it is difficult and can become costly to book cabins.

The group booked it down the hill in search of fallen trees to use for fire wood and fresh water as we used up a lot while mixing drinks the night before. Once back some people thought it a good idea to take a quick cat nap. As for me, naps are usually out of the question so I read a little bit and then took it outside for a short little yoga session on the porch.

To be able to have such beautiful weather and an amazing view it put in perspective that we are extremely lucky to have a place such as this to enjoy nature all around us. I was at such peace up there, and with such excellent company to share it with. If only we could live in a moment forever. But alas, it is not possible and after another night of talking until dawn I began to wish the weekend would never end.

Back to civilization, back to what most would call the real world, back to work. All we can do know is hope that the next adventure will be just as grand.

A not to sunny weekend

So my attempt to get out and enjoy the sun over this last weekend was kind of a flop as there really wasn't much sun. But I did take Aspen for a run at Twin Lakes Friday. We ran almost the whole park before turning back. But because she had gone for a long walk with my mother that morning I figured I wouldn't push her too far. She'll be just fine for hiking up to the cabin this weekend.
I did manage to get out to Eagle Beach and take a few shots of the birds hanging around.

Geese and Mallards on the marsh at Eagle Beach.

Aspen out watching the geese at Eagle Beach with Eagle Glacier in the background.

Friday after work I took some friends out for a night on the town sense my other plans had fallen through due to life's difficult times. My friend's I took out never go to the bars. So it was only fitting we got them smashed and made them sing Karaoke.