Road Trip Home Part Duex

After cruising over the Beartooth highway, we made it all the way to Bozeman for the night, where Jen had strategically booked us a sweet little B&B just outside town for my Birthday! Way to go, babe! The place was really a house, where a woman had two rooms she let out and made people feel right at home. A cat, a couple of dogs, some horses, and some miniature donkies! The views down the valley to Bozeman were superb, and we just wanted to sit on her porch and watch the sunset forever... We checked out Bozeman and really dug it. Little college town in the middle of nowhere but surrounded by the big boy mountains. Fun year round for those outdoor types. The had a sweet new library that was really well built and attractive in a LEED certified kind of way ; )

When we left Bozeman we made our way up the east side of the rockies, north towards Glacier Park. The rolling hills with their watercolor foregrounds and little red barns sillouhetted against the massive rocky mountains made the day's drive oh so glorious and relaxing. The mass of the range here was quite impressive, and we couldn't stop shooting photos... We arrived at the park and got a nice spot to camp for the night, in time for ANOTHER amazing sunset (How do we forget that this happens every single day?)

The park itself was a trip. One main road through the center called "Going to the Sun Road" because these crazy dudes thought it would be cool to build a road up and over the massive glacier carved valleys and sheer cliff faces of the range. Why not? It'll be a great place for a park someday! they must have thought. Well, it worked! One small road means traffic, but its a place that is so breathtaking, you don't mind at all. Once we found another place to camp for the night, we were free to roam around the rest of the day. Its always stressful to me because it is crowded, and you can't wait till dark to find camping, so we drive out of our way to be staged for the next day. After the tent's up, I can relax and enjoy my time, but before that, I'm a little uptight. Ask Jen.

We picked a dayhike near the pass so as to get up and see some really sick views. We climbed a trail up a stream and into a thin forest, headed for one such view. Not many people on it, as they all were down the road a mile at the visitor's center trailhead. Nice! Up, Up, UP, a couple thousand feet gain, over about 4.5 miles, and despite the huffing and puffing, it only got better and bigger and more breathtaking. To imagine that ice once covered all of it, and then receeded, taking whole sides of mountain with them, leaving unbelievable bowls and faces and exposed rock that drops thousands of feet to maybe a little moraine or lake... What can I say: nature just does it for us. So, we made it to the pass, where the other side was even more amazing (yes its possible) and we sat and stared for a while, played in some late season snow, and teased the marmots with our rocks-not-food game. Well played, sir!

I had hoped that Glacier would be a high point on our trip, as I had always heard the myth of its beauty, and wanted to see her. It was short and sweet, and did not disappoint. I could come back here and hike these trails for weeks, and will someday. Too many twist and turns to never return. So, as a highpoint, and literally the crest of the country, we started our long and ardurous decent from the mountain, out of the park, easing down the western slope and cruising back down to the flat dry lands of the west. Idaho was a quick peek of the panhandle, Spokane was a great little downtown for a snack and some internet, and then we ended up in some weird city in SE Washington where all the hotels were built in the 70's and they all cost $100. Why? Because: where else are you going to stay in the high desert next to a river and the golf course? We felt jipped, but what can you do? We longed for our tent in the forest already...

Next stop was Eugene, OR, where I'm really considering going to grad school. Got accepted, defferred, now i just have to make up my damn mind. So we give it another shot. Jen again finds us a really REALLY nice B&B to top off our trip. We splurged, and end up getting a brand new, first day open, we the first ever guests in a riverside 8000 ft2 home, complete with elevator, jacuzzi tub with light therapy (?) and a gourmet teaching kitchen. Whoa! Score! We blow the budget and stay two night instead of one, and floating the McKenzie river the next day in their kayaks... So nice! Eugene treated us well, with some old friends to visit with, an amazing Saturday Market of hippies and their wares, cute neighborhood we could see ourselves living in, and (unfortunately) an empty Architecture building but a good vibe nonetheless. Made us think: This is doable. We could live here, and the setting was all the more resonant given that we had just got the whole Berkshire groove on for 6 months. The big question remains: What will Jen do for work?? Otherwise, we are looking to Eugene as a place we will be moving to sometime next year. Wait for it.... wait for it....

So, nothing remained on our trip but to come on home, back the Bay Area, back to our old life and seemingly past life of highway traffic and congestion and people people friends and strangers... We've slipped right back in even though we're still couch surfing. We know it, and I've already gotten used to the traffic again. Bridge tolls, now that's another matter! Still catching up with people and visits and dinners, and watching everyone gear up for the Playa. Got a couple leads on jobs and back teaching a class at City College SF. I have to say, there's plenty to do, and tons that calls out. Trails to hike, and mouths to feed. All with a view to our future, maybe in another place, maybe forever, maybe not.

on the road, part 1

(note-you can double click on photos to see them larger) soooo, we left the berkshires saturday 7/11 to make our way cross country. pointed west and teary-eyed. hard to say goodbye, that's for sure, because inside i did not know if i was doing the right thing. and i still don't know. part of me is still there. it was an amazing six months with family. time with my parents, letting them know me as an adult was priceless and being there for them felt right, i was honored, humbled and grateful for all of it. and now, i am back to my "home", amongst friends and the familiar. it is comforting to be where everybody knows your name and know your way around. isn't that home? and because there is always the other side of every feeling i have, (how fun) i also wonder if moving back was moving back? i think subconsciously, i began to detach from this place. because now the question is, do i still live here? in my heart and soul? it is my nature to question. i really got to see that there are many ways to live, many environments and lifestyles to choose...while SF has been where i hung my hat for 16 years and i've loved every minute, 6 months somewhere new really opened my eyes. where is home? i began to see other possibilities...it is often hard to go back once you've walked through a doorway.

ok, so back to our trip! but first i must start off with a story. it is a true story, no one could make this up--i promise. back in the day, when my father was a bowler, he was on a league with some friends. as a special honor, he had a HUGE trophy made in his beloved father's name, for the winner of the tournament. somehow though, the trophy meant so much to him, he ended up keeping it (curious if this meant the winner ended up empty handed?!) and has kept it in his possession for the past 30 some odd years. until now. until casey and i are about to leave MA and the car is packed to the gills, and my dad turns to me and says, i really want you to have this. this most cherished trophy that is about 4 feet tall (ok, i only slightly embellish here, but it helps the story). really dad, i can't, it means so much to you, how could i possibly take this 4 feet tall trophy with me across the entire country?? (let alone, where would we put it should we arrive in SF with a 4 foot trophy???) but, i could see in his eyes, he was serious, and i could not refuse him. i find it impossible to refuse him anything and honestly, it really did mean something to him for me to take it. so, with some rope and a sense of humor, we strapped the sucker to the roof and headed on our way.

i have to say, that riding in a car with a large 1970's gold bowling trophy attached to your roof attracts quite some attention. tollbooth takers, gas station attendants and tourists marveled at the sight. not every day you see this. what's it for, they'd ask? casey always replied with something witty, like "Oh, I just won the East Coast Junior Championships!", or "I could let it go for a good price!" And we offered the award to those we felt worthy, but surprisingly, no one accepted!!

ok, so now i'll talk about the trip, really! first we visited our manatee friend, big tom in rochester. and boy, are we glad we did. tom is a brilliant fabric artist and every room in his house is an adventure in textures and patterns! not to mention the throne room-check that out!! gorgeous, tom. you are so talented and such a beautiful soul.

then we hit chicago, where we heard styx play in millenium park, so random and fun! we hit madison, wi, not a bad little college town at all. really good nepalese food! after seeing days and days of cornfields and finding just the right campsites along the way, we arrived in south dakota, so we could check out badlands, which is like a smaller grand canyon, or canyonlands. very pretty!

but that was only an appetizer, because when we reached the tetons after driving through picturesque wyoming, i knew we reached the mother lode. at first you think the tetons are only just these huge snowy mountains spread out in front of your eyes, but the national park is so much more. lakes and wildflowers and elk and valleys that go on and on. we hiked and boated and watched incredible sunsets. spending time here was unforgettable. i hope to return someday.

i hunted for moose, but they were oh so elusive!

after the tetons and more incredible landscapes wooshing by the car windows, greens, yellows and blues (all i wanted was to paint what i saw), we arrived at yellowstone.

i had heard earlier that yellowstone is like LA with mountains, so wasn't sure what to think of going there peak season, but we had really good timing and great luck getting in and through the parks main attractions, avoiding some rainy weather along the way. my favorite was the geothermal pools in unbelievable hues-oranges, yellows, greens, turquoises.

i definitely reached my color quota that day!! spectacular steaming pools of watercolors. there is nothing more vibrant that what mother nature provides. then we waited for old faithful, and while it was about 20 minutes off schedule (old un-faithful), the crowds still delighted in watching it gush into the air. but the best was yet to come.

we were advised by many, to take the northeast exit out of the park and take beartooth highway. it leaves wyoming, dips into montana and then back out again. along the way, you climb to 11,000 feet! lakes, rolling hills lead into majestic snowy ranges - total wilderness except for this wild, curvy, zig-zaggy, switch-back road.

there were cyclists, bikers, cars, motorhomes and tour buses, somehow making their way up and over this amazing stretch of road. the most beautiful i've seen anywhere in the world. i highly recommend it! this remote area, would otherwise only be attainable by backpacking, and the views were to die for.

this is the end of part 1. stay tuned for part 2, when we fall in love with montana and then make our final descent back to the bay! feels wonderful to be welcomed home by friends and eat at our favorite restaurants and walk our well worn trails....it is old, it is new...it is a nice time of seeing with new eyes. and to all those who i wished i could have seen back east, or spent more time with, i hope to be back again soon, as my heart now lies on both coasts. love to all, jen

homeward bound

well, in just a matter of days, we load up the car and hit the road. i can't believe it. our time here went so fast it's crazy. in many ways i am ready to depart. in so many ways, i am not ready. this place has infused a love of country living that is palpable. a life amongst more trees than people, an easy pace and friendly locals, of lakes, farmhouses, small cape-style homes and family. all the houses have stars on them, how could i NOT love living here?! everything is so vivid, i've actually sat and marveled for hours at the fluffiness of the clouds, and also had lightening strike closer and louder than i've ever experienced! i am not sure how we'll feel about the bay area once we arrive, it is a place so familiar and dear to us, and yet i know we will arrive changed by this experience.

it will be hard for me to tear myself away from my family. i really love being here with them and being a part of their lives. we seem to have merged in a beautiful way that i've always longed for. i am so thankful that i had this time to create these lasting memories.

and so, with six months of incredible experiences imbedded in our hearts, we will venture out across america to return to SF...stopping in badlands, yellowstone, glacier national park, washington and back down to the bay. i am looking forward to these 2 weeks on the road. vacation. freedom. playing. nola is staying at my brother's place in texas while we relocate, so this time, we don't have to worry about her while on the road. thank you marty & theirrie!!

i hope my parents are able to manage ok. is it foolish to think end of life can be entirely what you make it? it looks hard and full of challenges that i can't even really imagine. i can't stress enough: sense of humor and hobbies and healthy living!!! i hope that if i immerse my life with things i love to do and surround myself with people i care for and take good care of my body and mind, growing old might possibly be full of purpose. we'll see how that goes!! part of me wants to believe that if you treasure every moment and value every experience, it is all part of your path, necessary steps along the way, no matter what age. maybe aging does not have to just represent loss. rather a deepening of oneself, as we marinate in our wisdom and our journey and our bodies. so much to say on this topic, as we are all aging a bit every day...this is our truth.

our eta is around 7/26 to be back in the bay, and we just found out that our old corte madera cottage is available again...so maybe it's a sign! :)

thank you for coming along for the ride and will post again with stories from our cross country trip. if there are any must-see's along the northern route - send them our way!! love to all xoxo jen

Storm King

Just catchin up by posting some photos from our trip to Storm King, an outdoor art & sculpture park in the Catskills. My main goal was to see the famous Andy Goldsworthy stone wall, which did not disappoint, but Maya Lin, who designed the Vietnam Memorial, installed a Wavefield, which was also pretty darn cool. There is nothing better than when nature and art intersect, (as if we could separate them). It was a gorgeous park with lots to see...I loved it!

adam's high school graduation party

here's some pics from my nephew adams big day...and i got to make the centerpieces-giant fortune cookies-so fun! it was all good until lior demolished casey at arm wrestling!!

Creations From the East

Hello there from Casey.  While its been a while since I've written on here, there's good reason why.  I have actually been busy with some things here, keeping life moving, making art and craft and money.  I've been working part time in an architect's office (www.danabixby.com), learning the ropes of running a small architecture business (which is a WHOLE lot of paperwork), organizing and updating her material library, and helping with the design of a small Montessori school near us. I realize just how invaluable my building experience is when it comes to this world, and while I still want to someday run my own studio, I'm starting to question the viability of a formal education, apart from the personal and professional connections I could make. The proof is in the doing, so that's exactly what I'm doing: Doing!  I've also become somewhat knowledgeable about staining and dyeing concrete floors, with a little test project of a 35 ft2 hearth.  Fun!

When I'm not in the office, I've been lucky enough to have a carpentry patron in the form of our friend Eilene Shine down in Hoboken.  I've gotten to know the place pretty well, spending a week at a time down there helping her with her rental apartment.  What started off as a few odd jobs turned into replacing a back deck, which then turned into remodeling the kitchen (new cabinets and some electrical work).  Hopefully she'll be renting that sucker out soon!  I've also gotten to see my friends from Oklahoma that have settled in NYC, which is always a treat to hang with people that you used to see at grade school recess...

On my own, to quell the urge to create, I returned to a short story that I started after Jen and I got back from Asia.  It's about a guy from Oklahoma that winds up running away from the Tsunami, and dealing with his estrangement from family and self.  I worked it up to about 20 pages and entered it into some competitions.  It could be just the beginning of a longer book, but for now its shelved.  If you're interested I'll send it to you.

I also just this week completed an entry for a Bay Area design competition called Rising Tides, dealing with solutions for rising sea level over the next 100 years.  My entry is a relocation plan for our old town of Corte Madera, which is mostly built on a tidal marshland.  The buildings look like topographic ships made of modified oil platforms and shipping containers, donated by a busted (as in legally, some day) Chevron.  The main thrust has to do with environmental justice and training underserved populations to build it.  Come on big money!

I've also been reading tons of magazines and books, including Rolling Stone, Dwell, Architecture Review, Metropolis, Outside and the occasional Healthy Eating that Jen gets.  Books include The Backyard Homestead and Deep Economy, and an old anthology of Modern Poetry.  Not to mention blogs galore and all the crazy links that get posted on my Facebook page (thanks David!) and cool lectures from Ted.com.  Oh, and Netflicks of course.  Recently Jen and I made centerpieces for her nephew's high school graduation party.  Cool paper fortune cookies with clever sayings on them (jen's idea) and some colorful chinese take-out boxes with actual fortune cookies in them.  I got a whole case (way too many) for $15. These kids need all the fortune they can get!

I'm starting to get excited about our roadtrip across the country, taking the northern route that neither of us has been on before.  It startles me how I could have missed out on so much of America and still seen so much.  This place is just too big!  Can't wait for the Rockies to explode out of the plains.  Then I'll know we're back in the west, where, with any luck, we'll feel we "belong".  Then on down to the Bay, where friends await, and we'll see once again if this is home, or if we've been totally spoiled by the beauty and peace of a country life, and we'll have to reassess where and when to call it our own.  But, I guess if I want to get into Berkeley (again, wondering if school is really the key to success) and get that sense of community and purpose back by building a house and a garden and connecting to those we love and will love, then we just gotta make it work.  Wanna help?  See you there!

a few short videos

here are some snippets from our life here...