Rocky Mountain High

Just wanted to share some picture from my roadtrip with my friend Tim and his wife, Jill. Last Friday, I joined them on the drive from San Ramon to their new home in Colorado. We drove a U-Haul and a separate Car. We drove through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and eventually Colorado.



The Sky in Wyoming was stunningly beautiful. I reminded me of the sweeping shots of sky from the film "Brokeback Mountain." The Uhaul was fun to drive, but it was a slug getting up the mountains. As we drove into Colorado, the rockies seemes to jump out of the horizon. I knew I wanted to get into them as soon as possible. So a day or two later I took a hike up a mountain called south boulder peak.



The hike climbed about 4000 feet in about 3.5 miles, so it was a beast. When I got to the top, I took a nap and just took in the sights and sound of the front range.



When I hiked down, a thunderstorm drizzled overhead. I was stunned by the beauty of the wildflowers and aspens in the rain.



Tim, Jill and I went up to Estes park, in the rockies and of course had to taste the local microbrew. We then were treated to an elk viewing late in the afternoon. The next Day, Tim's brother, Dan joined us and we went to New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins. It was a great place to taste beer and take in the local college crowd. We had a great time. Here are some shots from it all:





a few of the fourteeners



Our Elk friend



in front of the "green" New Belgium brewery





the taps a pourin'

Kinetic Sculpture Grand Championship

From kinetic race

This guy reminds me that everyone has their own opinion in Arcata



In another weekend adventure, my buddy Tim, his brother Dan, and his uncle Greg changed our annual tradition to a trip to the World Championship Kinetic Sculpture Race in Arcata. Greg's friend Scott built a sculpture called "Dow Jones Wild Ride."


I guess I should explain the premise of this crazy race. The vehicle has to be human powered, it should be artistic (which ours was a not quite as extravagant as the others) and it has to work on the road, the sand dunes, the bay, the river, and mud.

From kinetic race

There are many highlights of the race including a parade at the beginning with performances, a death defying drop called: dead-mans drop, a mid race camp-out and bonfire, and a final parade down main street Ferndale. The awards arent typical of other races, the middle finisher gets an award, the first to break down gets an award, the team with the most spirit gets an award, etc., etc.



Its a lot of fun and it brings out the most interesting characters from all over Humboldt county and beyond.



Here is a slideshow of all of the shots:

Century club

Last Weekend, I became a member of the "century club!" and if you think I'm talking about the one that includes drinking 100 shots of beer, you are mistaken. I rode my bike 100 miles in the blistering heat just to say that I had done it! I've ridden long distances over time, but never that far in one day.


A teaching colleague of mine has made it a life goal of hers to complete a century ride. She decided to coerce me into doing it with her, so I thought, why not? So we both signed up.

If you heard the whole story you might have thought I made a mistake by signing up for it or that I was going into it completely blind. Not the case!

I actually knew that it would be in the 90s to 100s where we were riding (Anderson, CA) I also knew that the climbing would add to approximately 7000 feet. And I was still into it. I may have set myself up for failure, but fail I did not!

I rode my ass off (literally) and it was kind of fun. There were little old rotary club ladies showering me with strawberries, misters, and applause as I completed each stage. I had to abandon my friend Cindy about half way through because the heat and the hills were killing her.

I finished around 5 and was told that my eyes looked like they were sunken into my head (look at the picture above) and I was bordering slight dehydration, but it was nothing a little spaghetti and 7up couldn't fix. the first time I tried to stand up my muscles contracted and told me I would have to lay down on the grass a little longer.

Overall I think I did a pretty good job, and I was proud of myself. Maybe this is the start of a new riding career. Who knows? LOOK OUT LANCE!!!!

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Now playing: Beirut - The Penalty

A Legacy

I went to a funeral for a former student from Delta Charter today. I was preparing for the worst, but it was a strangely joyous occasion.

The family had us all hold hands and introduce ourselves to the people around us, and then share our stories of this student. They then asked that instead of giving flowers, we make a pact to do something positive and or kind for someone else in our lives, and to remember Michael when we do it. It seemed like a really peaceful and regenerative way of sharing this young man's spirit with our own personal lives.

What really was nice for me was to be surrounded by my old Delta community of teachers and students running up and hugging me and saying that they missed me. I met with one of my old advisees, his girlfriend, and through teary eyes, she thanked me for coming.

Its just amazing to see how a tragedy can bring people together. For me, it made me realize the power of the school community that I was in.

My dad said that teachers leave a legacy, without even knowing it. And I agree, I was amazed to see these students slowing growing up, giving speeches about their friend and doing good things for themselves.


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Now playing: Vetiver - Through the Front Door

Spring Break

After returning back to school after a week off, all at once I feel: bombarded, at peace, happy, and fatalistic. I am excited/worried about the year ending and I am happy to see (most) of my students.


The end of my week was spent at Joshua Tree National Park with my sister. Something about Joshua tree keeps drawing me back. It is a magical, mystical, place, that doesn't seem to belong to our world. My sister and I camped, rock-climbed, hiked, met some interesting folks, and spent some important bonding time. It was rejuvenating.



We ending up camping next to and making friends with some interesting people who had decided to make a life-altering change after losing both of their jobs. They sold their house and everything they had to buy a camper and some gear. They are on a extended vacation because of the economy. I thought it was a really great idea. If they had stayed home to harp on their situation, they would have never been able to experience the beauty and wisdom that comes from traveling the American Southwest.



Their website is http://www.stepoutsideyourself.com/ we spent Easter morning with them eating a scrumptious shared breakfast under the dry desert sky. I think more and more people will be taking this path as the job situation worsens. I hope that, if anything it teaches us to look within ourselves and our communities for answers, not to the mega-corporations that employ us and then tear us apart. If people learn to back away from their money and technology and understand what sustenance requires, then we will all be able to grow through a new "depression." They were wonderful people and they inspired me to continue searching.

From Starred Photos

Today at school, I realized how wonderfully blessed I am to be able to travel during these short breaks. Many of my students haven't traveled farther then Salinas or San Jose. Their vacations are not about travel, they are about family and friends and helping out with family business. Maybe they have a lot to teach me too.



I will post more pictures after I edit them all.

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Now playing: Gillian Welch - Revelator
via FoxyTunes

The photos

These pictures were supposed to accompany my last post. Oops.

Tulip Petals

I was inspired by my friend Matt's blog for this post. I havent had a complete enough thought for an entire entry so I thought I would share some tidbits of my thoughts.

Even though Meghan hates the song, "The Book of Love" I think it is one of the most absolutely beautiful love songs ever written. Its recorded by The Magnetic Fields
Its simplicity and strangeness speaks to love like nothing else I've ever heard.

I love writing. I have been using the Freedom Writer's diary as a model for writing in my Advanced English class, and its bringing out so many incredible stories from all of the students, and interestingly it is also bringing out some great stories from me. I always write with the students to model what its like to write. There are a thousand stories that we carry with us and never really reflect upon.

This student walked in today and told me I get that book we're reading. I asked him what he meant. We are reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. He said, I know what poverty is. It sucks. Ive lived in a hotel room with 6 siblings. Ive had parents who are drug addicts, but love me more than anything. I told him thanks.

I started a garden. I don't know how it will do, but is such a peaceful thing to do with my time. I love watering seedlings and picking weeds. That may change as the growing season progresses.

I remember what my Grandfathers flannel shirt used to smell like. It was a mix of cigarette smoke and mountain. I often smell it on the breeze and think he might be checking in.

I don't tell people I love them enough.

Some of my students just got in trouble for something that I cant mention here. It doesn't scare me. It makes me want to care for them more, I feel sad that that's all they have. If they had a choice I don't think they would have chosen to be involved in it.

Gangs are unfortunately, a form of family.

The pictures here are some shots I took at home and in San Francisco.