Thursday, July 24, 2008
San Luis Obispo, Sinsheimer Park, 20080724th1526
now driving downtown to eat and get fuel.
Jeremiah 29:11, 20080724th1342
After about two or three hours of sleep last night, I woke at around 6:30 and went outside to greet the morning. Although my sleep was short, I felt well rested and strong. I'd spent some time last night uploading photos and having a much needed conversation with someone I'd not been in touch with for a while. I felt really good about all that was accomplished last night.
Last evening, we had dinner with some local small house enthusiasts -- Tyson and Amanda. Tyson plans to live with Amanda in a small house on his Father's land. I've been living in my small house on my Father's land for five years, and enjoy being in an extended family setting while still having independence. Tyson and Amanda have recently started a really nice blog about their small house experience and journey:
http://greenaerie.blogspot.com
Amanda is a very skilled writer and photographer with a sweet and genuine personality. Tyson is one of these guys you quickly admire and respect for his enginuity, resourcefulness, enthusiasm, positive attitude, and hard work. So they were a fun couple to get to know.
This morning, I had an opportunity to visit with Tyson's Father, Kevin, who was a lot like Tyson, but like the bigger and stronger tree of the orchard. Some people grow frail with age. Kevin, like a tree, just seems to be stronger. I noticed a Zondervan NIV Study Bible on the table. I commented that it was one of my favorite versions of the Bible. After a little more conversation I learned that Kevin is the pastor of the local church, yet his lifetime vocation has been construction and building, or what I might refer to as inventing and designing -- creating.
Some of my favorite pastors have been those with building and construction experience. They are usually very practical and down to earth people, and approach the scriptures holistically. Their parables and metaphores often come from their practical experience with building. So, they approach the building up of individuals, families, and communities in an organized way. A pastor friend of mine would literally include diagrams of constructing a building in his sermons. Each aspect of the building represented a spiritual aspect of life.
Anyway, I digress. Kevin didn't try to rope me into a conversation about the Bible or salvation. He was enthusiastically telling me about a mountain he has been wrestling with --a real mountain.
In the main house, I noticed a simple vertical banner on a supporting beam with the words of Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" For some reason that scripture really spoke to me this morning. It was like a confirmation that I needed. I didn't share this with Kevin, but kept it to myself.
Kevin has been grappling and wrestling with the mountain north of their home. He eradicated the wild poison oak, briars, and thistles, and made a "road" up the mountain with switchbacks.
Seeing what he had done to transform the mountain and make it habitable was really something. His wrestling with a mountain reminds me of Jacob's wrestling with the angel of God (see Genesis 32:22-31). I'd previously heard about a faith that can move mountains. Now I've seen it.
The mountain pass was so steep that I felt like I might slide down. This photo is from the top of the mountain, but it doesn't really convey how high up we were.
(To be continued...)
Salinas, 20080724th1303
San Louis Obispo.
Leaving Santa Cruz, 20080724th1145
house. We're on the road now heading south on Highway 101 and should
arrive in San Luis Obispo in a few hours.
Morning Report, 20080724th0734
I've enjoyed living in the Vardo Gypsy Wagon and foraging for food over the past six days. I've also had to forage for Internet access. It's been easier to find fresh apples and plums on the ground than to find a good Internet connection. Sometimes I'll think I've found a connection, and then it drops, or it prohibits proper sending of email. It's like picking up an apple from the ground to discover it's rotten.
Last night, I had a relatively good connection last night. We were able to access the Internet in a remote area by connecting to a Linksys wireless router that was connected to a satellite dish service -- I presume it was something like the Hughes Satellite Dish Internet service.
Posting Photos, 20080723we2323
so I hope to be able to post photos from today.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
South on Highway 101 to Aromas, 20080723we2126
some gracious small house enthusiasts have offered their land as a
location for us to stay at tonight.
Amber Indian Restaurant, 20080723wr1924
this evening. Amber Indian Restaurant is at:
2290 El Camino Real, #9
Mountain View, CA 94040
Tel 650-968-7511
Fax 650-968-1820
www.amber-india.com
Going to dinner, 20080723we1912
dinner with some local small house enthusiasts.
Golden Gate Bridge, 20080723we1554
Copperfields Books, 20080723we1412
California.
Leaving Sebastopol, 20080723we1355
headquarters in Mountain View, California around 4:30 PM for the open
house scheduled from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Then we'll continue going
south toward Santa Cruz. We'll probably stop somewhere along the way
and then continue on to Santa Cruz in the morning for the 9:00 AM open
house there.
Running Complete, 20080723we0938
then try to find a laundromat in Sebastopol where I can wash my
clothes. We're leaving today around noon, and I want to make sure I'm
ready for the next 5 days as we journey to the Mexican border and then
return to Sebastopol.
Going Running, 20080723we0826
standard trimmer and it seems to work fine. Doing it myself saves
hundreds of dollars on haircuts.
I'm now ready for my morning run, but as I start my run, I see the
apple trees. Of all the plant life here, I'm most impressed with the
apple trees. It's an amazing accomplishment for the plants around here
to survive, blossom, and thrive in the midst of what seems like arid
soil. Yet, the apple tree impresses me because it produces fruit --
even when planted in dry soil. It survives, and has enough left over
to give away. So, this is the thought I'll begin my morning run with.
I, also, in dry and difficult conditions, want to survive, blossom,
and thrive, but even more than that, I want to produce fruit when
times are hard. I want to have something of myself to give to others.
My prayer and hope is to have strength beyond what I need. To have joy
and hope overflowing to give to others. Even when it seems like life
is hard. Even if I'm going through a hard time. This is the teaching,
the admonition, I receive from the apple tree today.
Morning Light, 20080723we0633
hour since I went to bed late last night. I've been going on longer
runs than usual, and I know my body needs to get plenty of sleep to
heal between runs.
Normally my runs are 36 minutes, but over the past five days I've been
going for 54 minute runs. Also, when I'm home, I usually carry my
heavy backpack in my bicycle trailer, and I carry fewer things. Being
on the road, I have more electronics gear, so the bag is heavier. So,
my body is really feeling the soreness of these additional demands.
I have a theory that every time a person engages in heavy exercise,
there are micro injuries. In weight lifting, it's the recovery from
these micro injuries that produces more muscle. Most micro injuries
can be healed in 24 hours, assuming a good night sleep. However, some
will need 48 hours. This is why weight lifters alternate the muscle
group worked on from one day to the next.
The amount of healing that takes place depends on the amount of sleep,
rest, and other factors. Some people go running everyday. For many
people, the body can recover in 24 hours from a short less intense
run. Howerver, if there are cumulative micro injuries, these may
result in a larger injury. For example, if a muscle is fatigued and
not provining the support or balance needed, more weight and strain
will be shifted to other muscles or ligaments. This could result in a
more serious injury.
As the body becomes conditioned and stronger, more muscles and stamina
infrastructure are created. The same workout seems easier because more
of the body is efficiently engaged in the task. This produces less
strain on any single area of the body, resulting in fewer micro
injuries and faster healing times. However, one should always be
mindful of the potential for cumulative micro injuries from repetitive
stress.
I find that trail running feels better than running on cement. The
surface is typically softer, and the slight variations in the trail
ensure a random and distributive stress on the entire body which
presumably would result in less identical repeated stressors - as
would be the case in walking or running on cement or stair climbing.
The stairs on Great Wall of China are of unequal height. Presumably if
they were the same height, fatigue would set in much faster since
doing even an easy task, repeatedly, can become hard if it is the same
task over and over without variation.
I'm going to start my morning routine of stretching (Yoga/Pilates),
breathing exercises, meditation, and then running.
Evening Report, 20080722tu2249
Vardo Gypsy Wagon for the night. I've enjoyed staying in the Vardo
these past five nights. It's very comfortable.
It's too dark now to take a photo with the iPhone, so I picked this
picture from the Peace Site collection of pictures:
http://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item774
Tomorrow around noon we plan to get on the road again and continue our
trip down to the Mexican border.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Returning to the Vardo Gypsy Wagon, 20080722tu1651
at McKinley Center in Sebastopol, California.
National Peace Site, Ragle Ranch Regional Park, Sebastopol, California, Photos, 20080722tu1604
Photos of the National Peace Site at Ragle Ranch Regional Park in Sebastopol, California are now available. The photo collection includes a map and photos have detailed descriptions. A slideshow is below. A permanent page has been created on the Resources for Life website for this National Peace Site.
Quiche and Raspberry Fizz, 20080722tu1307
The broccoli quiche has generous portions of broccoli and a flaky crust. A side salad has edible flowers, spinach, and other fresh greens with a light oil dressing and sprinkles of sunflower seeds. The raspberry fizz has fresh raspberries in a non-bitter soda water with fresh mint leaves.
Smart Car, 20080722tu1249
Finished taking photos, 20080722tu1234
National Peace Site - Taking Photos, 20080722tu1104
Middle Eastern Plate at Infusions Teahouse, 20080722tu0957
The Middle Eastern Plate at Infusions Teahouse has wheat pita, dolmas, olives, and a seasoned spread. [1034] It's been a busy morning so far. I've made some updates to the Border to Border Tour page, and responded to a computer support phone call.
Infusions Teahouse, 20080722tu0845
Run Complete, 2080722tu0759
National Peace Site, Ragle Ranch Regional Park, Sebastopol, California, 20080722tu0733
Photos. Photos from what I call a 54 Minute Peace Run are now available. A slideshow is below. Click here for more information about the 54 Minute Peace Run.
National Peace Site, 20080722tu0703
Living on the mist that falls from heaven, 20080722tu0645
Going Running, 20080722tu0633
the plants and flowers green despite not having a typical rainfall. This is apparently how the ground can be dry and dusty yet the plants are thriving.
Morning Report, 20080722tu0502
It's too dark here to take a picture, so I selected this picture from the Ashland, Oregon collection of pictures. I'm going to do my morning stretching (Yoga), breathing exercises, and meditation. Then I hope to go running.
Going to sleep, favorite picture, 20080721mo2254
earlier today that was taken near the ocean west of Bodega Bay. I'm
going to sleep late so I probably won't be awake until about 7 am.
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