Mayan Peace Labyrinth

It all began when I was aimlessly wandering the halls of my school trying to find a printer that would actually ink my documents, when I ran into one of the most mystical men on this Earth. He had an almighty aura that inadvertently commanded respect and attention. His traditional dress defined his artistry. His name was Ahcto, and he was a Mayan Shaman. He had visited the Taos Pueblo earlier that day and they informed Ahcto that he should visit our school. I was captivated by his presence and could feel his importance without a spoken word. Later that evening, I was told he would be building a Mayan labyrinth and holding a peace gathering. When we first entered the room, everyone was frantically filling bags with the soil from the Earth in order to fill the labyrinth with brilliant luminaries. One by one, everyone who attended the gathering assembled the labyrinth with Ahcto's guidance. We, the people, created the space for peace. When the ceremony began, Ahcto explained the meaning behind the labyrinth and called out for groups of people to perform within the seven different circles of the labyrinth. While those in the circles sang, played drums and flutes, meditated, performed dance and yoga, and others just illustrated their happiness; the rest of us walked through the labyrinth dancing and singing to the music created by those within the circles. As the moments went on, the music grew louder and more passionate. We began to feel united with everyone else in the room. We were all there for no other reason than just to be happy and to be peaceful. The luminaries were most definitely a symbol of the purity in the room.

Cornhole Tournament

Remember that cornhole tournament I told you about? You know, the same tournament that I carried my team to the semi-finals, while Drew's team drowned in the abandonment and disillusionment of his middle-aged partner? Here are some photos taken by one of the contenders that capture the event in all of its glory.

Shawna and I. Strategizing.

Swish. No Biggidy.

Nothing like embracing with your "enemy". You know what they say, keep your teammates close, but your competitors even closer.

 

Ned, focused for the win.

Shawna and Ned reign supreme. They shall forever remember the day they were victorious at cornhole. It is no small feat. Believe you me.

Enchanted Forest

Lancelot has come all of the way from Camelot to throw a large stick and win the championship for the sake of his village people.

And he has brought along his trusty companion, Justinian.

And then there is Theodocious. The "special" one.

Justinian could not refrain from also competing in the village wide hurdle jumping contest.

She prevailed.

Hook' em Homeless

In lieu of some minor details, which I will explain further on in this post Drew and I had one of the best weekends. The fact that I had a four day weekend might have played into this a bit, but the Natives needed to celebrate their traditional doings and I, selfishly, benefited from their feast days. And, to my further benefit was able to attend the Pueblo Feast Days and see the rich culture that a large majority of my students have grown within. There were traditional dances, great indigenous foods, and beautiful pottery on display, and of course that I bought. Every family leaves their door open and spends days preparing a feast for you to enjoy at your own will. They were so welcoming.
Then Drew, myself, and some of my fellow teachers celebrated the Horns game by attending a corn hole tournament. My partner was rumored to be awesome and I ended up carrying our team to the semi-finals, who would have thought? Drew, the much more versed corn-holer, was paired up with Amy, the middle-aged, non-competitive, but fun, woman. Needless to say, they were booted out pretty quickly. We made a lot of new friends and grew closer to my fellow teachers and their prospective love partners. It was a blast. After a few too many swigs of beverage, we headed to hear my student play some music at a local sports bar. It was a great weekend, which was much needed, considering the next few days of obscurity were a lot to handle.
Today ends our four day binge of homelessness. Despite the negative connotations, the disorganization, and the lack of having any sort of safe haven, we survived and thrived through a great weekend. That was until last night when I needed, we needed, to be tip top dressed and refreshed for school and work and ended up in our car, because the propane detector in the trailer was going off due to a low battery. Whew. I am at school now and feeling the pain of automobile bumming. The great thing about it is, the first sip of scotch and the first hints of sunset will erase all recollections of pain and misery. We move to our new trailer park today and we look forward to 360 views of the mountains. We also just look forward to having a home, again. Who knew nomadic life would have such challenges?

Denver, Colorado

Well, Drew has been in Denver for two weeks, you know, just hustling. Needless to say, I've missed him greatly, especially after my backpacking trip. So, I decided to take a road trip to the good old state of Colorado so I could be with him. And, as I will later realize...enjoy some amazing cuisine. I should also be more specific. By cuisine, I do in fact mean food and drink. We went to an unbelievable sushi restaurant on Pearl St. in Eaglewood, CO that took our taste buds on such an extraordinary ride. We then found ourselves in downtown Denver, where we enjoyed an unthinkable reggae-jazz band that delivered a completely new rhythm to my memory. It was that night that we met Steve. One of Denver's top food critics. He was such an interesting and kind foodie. He told us of all of Denver's top restaurants for, well, people like us. We, in exchange, made some serious recommendations for our top Taos favorites and Steve now plans to come visit so we can show him the ropes of the real Southwest. I am just kidding. Steve, if you read this, no offense. And, moving on, if you find yourself in the Denver area the top spots for us as well as the top recommendations from Steve were: Sushi Den, Jax Fish House, Breakfast on Broadway, Marco's Coal Fired Pizza, Fruition, and the waitresses at Chinook are worth the drink. Drew, come home.

Tres Piedras, NM

I am now the 9th grade math and 12th grade physics teacher at Vista Grande Charter. Wait a minute. Me? Educating the youth? Yes, yes I am aware of the irony. Nonetheless, it has been an amazing adventure so far and I do not expect it to change direction anytime soon. However, working for a living has resurfaced the excitement for the weekend. So, in the spirit of friday Drew and I have started a tradition. At 2:35 on the dot, when my school lets out, we head on down to Tres Piedras for climbing, drink, and an unbelievable picnic. Tres Piedras is a nice little climbing spot used most frequently by the crazy, traditional people who decide it is better to place their own gear in small cracks and "chaussy" rock than to use more reliable metal bolts. But, Tres Piedras does offer a nice boulder full of challenging problems. And in the spirit of labor day, cheers Tres Piedras! 

Why hello Bela, how is that pho treating you?

Dead Cholla Wall

Fulfilled with our many climbing adventures in El Rito, NM we decided to venture to Pilar to see what the Rio Grande Gorge had in store for us. Little did we realize that our yearning hearts were in for a treacherous, border-line, shady situation. But, we are forever indebted to fate for always showing us "the sunny side of life." Oh, what would we do without your magical ways? The narrow, cliff side belaying spots were far from desired, but the wall itself was unlike anything we have ever had the chance to shred. Dead Cholla Wall is technical and the holds are few and far between. But, there is more grip to this baby than sandpaper. We were in awe of the true beauty this wall had to offer. Besides the 360 views of the Rio Grande River and surrounding Sandia Mountain Range, each climb was like a sweet dance. Each move required complete harmony between your limbs, the rhythm of Bob Marley, and a meditative focus. Be prepared to Kit Carson your way up a freakishly steep and narrow dirt road, but more importantly be ready for the artistry on the other side.

El Rito Crag

 

We set out to the great land of El Rito, New Mexico in hopes of experiencing some good old fashioned New Mexico crag. But, El Rito is unlike any rock we have ever had the privilege of climbing. The rock is an unusual combination of granite and cobblestone, if that makes any since at all or is even physically possible. Nonetheless, it is by far our most treasured site to crush some serious rock feature. At least that we have visited thus far in our short, but fulfilled lives. Unfortunately for our thrill seeking hearts we were able to get one glorious climb in and then the torrential downpour began. In the pouring rain we gathered our gear and hiked down, only to find an illustrious cave that was calling to us. And even more, who knew we would meet a cute couple from Cimarron, also escaping torrent and enjoying a good beer. Call it what you will, but I say it was fate. The mudslide ride back down the mountain was more fun than any water park could offer, take that Schlitterbahn. At the end of the day the worst we could say was that we were able to watch it rain like cats and dogs in one of the most breathtaking mountains on Earth. Poor, poor pitiful us. We will catch you on the flipside El Rito, only next time we will conquer.

Bottoms up.

Experiencing the Land of Enchantment

My soul partner and I have recently embarked on a life journey. Our spiritual quest for the essence of life and natural beauty has brought us and our golden retriever to Taos, New Mexico. Taos is a place where one cannot escape from nature, where culture permeates the everyday, and the people all have a common understanding of the importance of spirituality, life, and imagination.  We have come here, not on a whim, but more following a deeper calling. A destiny that is constantly surfaced every time we step out the front door of our trailer. We have found homage in Valle Escondido. Valle Escondido is a mystical valley, where the evergreens and aspen fill your vision, bear musk mixes with the unforgettable mountain air, and chipmunks are the closest thing to a rodent. So far, life in the "valle" is far from ordinary and more like its rhyming counterpart, extraordinary. Three, maybe two and half steps outside of the Mallard trailer bring us into the Carson National Forest where ecstasy and realism exist together in real time and space. I guess that is why they call this place the land of enchantment. For now, I want to introduce the place that we have grown so fond of,  the earth that embodies all that is real here in the valley, and the place that we have learned to call home. 

Live and let love, follow your passions, listen to your soul, and most importantly, be free.