Sunrise in the Desert – Joshua Tree, CA

I woke up to the sound of my boyfriend saying, “Oh my God!” As he sat up quickly and I labored awake I wondered what the problem was. Had some animal gotten into our packs? Was a person entering our camp site? Then I realized he was looking at the sunrise. As I sat up to join him I saw that the sun had not yet peeked over the rim of the earth but it was casting a brilliant orange glow on the clouds that hung just over the horizon. The rest of the sky was a crystal clear blue! Good Morning Joshua Tree!!!!

We had been up late the night before watching the stars. It’s one of the main reasons we came here. When you are out in the Mohave Desert there is very little light to interfere with the amazing display that is put on every night by the Milky Way and all of her compatriots. We spent several hours lying on our backs oohing and ahhhing in amazement, naming the constellations we knew and making up names for any we didn’t. We even saw a few shooting stars!

I have always wanted to hike out to camp, carrying all that I needed on my back. Truth be told, it made me a little nervous to camp in the wild but I knew with my boyfriend I’d be in good hands. Little did I know that my first trip would be to the Twin Tanks area of Joshua Tree National Park.  We each carried a sleeping bag, pad, water, a few clothes, our tent and just enough food for an overnight trip. As we headed out from our truck I started to think, “What have I gotten myself into now? It’s HOT and I have to hike? I can do that right?” Don’t I look excited?  LOL

The hiking was gentle and my guide was patient as we made our way out. Our camp site was a shallow depression on the east side of a large cluster of rocks. We quickly set up our tent and began to explore our home for the night. We climbed around the granite boulders, made our way through the sandy areas and up over some of the stones to make a circumnavigation of the area near our tent.

Home for the night!

Shallow sandy bottom.

To the southwest we notice a huge white stone capping a nearby ridge and wandered over to check it out. It turned out to be a huge seam of Milky Quartz rising up from the earth! It looked like a man-made monument from afar but it’s placement is totally natural! Several large pieces had fallen down from the pinnacle looking like huge white ice cubes that would never melt. We left our own cairn of rocks to celebrate the natural beauty of this place!

The Devils Tooth?

Amazed by what we see!

We saw very few animals over the weekend and I’m sure that’s due to the lack of any water in the area.  I was mostly worried about snakes or scorpions climbing into our tent at night but luckily that didn’t happen! We did see one brilliant blue bird and a  hawk screaming as he flew overhead looking for lunch. A few rabbits scurried away as we explored and a small grey wren hopped around our camp site looking for food .

The real stars of the landscape are the resident cactus and their cousins! There was no need to remind me to steer clear of their sharp spines and needles! But when you get the chance to look closely at these beauties you can’t help but be mesmerized by their color and shape and form! These lovelies have thorns to protect themselves from being eaten! There is so little water here that they protect their juicy flesh by growing long spikes to make themselves unpalatable!

Blood red needles remind you to NOT TOUCH!

Cholla needles glow white in the sunshine.

HUGE Porcupine like needles!

After we spent a few moments enjoying the sunrise and holding hands, we began to strike our camp site. Barry made coffee and I took a few minutes to stretch, breathe, feel the wind against my skin and listen to the silence that is this place. It was a quick trip but I left feeling grateful for my life. I am so blessed that I have the opportunity to visit these places, explore new parts of the country and enjoy the beauty that this world offers.

Life is such a gift. I hope that you can take a moment today to be grateful for your time here.  Go see the places you want to see. Put your toes in the sand or climb a hill and see the view. Drive out into the desert if that’s your thing. Beauty is all around if you’ll just take a moment to see it! – Namaste.

Utthita Hasta Padangustasana – Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose

 

 

Mt. Rubidoux – Riverside CA

My friend Sharon knows the truth about me. She knows that I will go hiking and that I have the ability to do a strenuous hike but she also knows that I don’t really LIKE hiking. I love getting to see the view from the top. I love the camaraderie of hiking with a group of friends and I also love what hiking does for my body. But for some reason it’s just not my “go to” form of exercise.

I am first and foremost a yogi. I practice yoga for about an hour each morning at home. It helps me be more flexible, it gets my blood flowing and my brain active and it also helps me be in a positive mood. After my yoga practice I like to do something else that is complementary to a healthy/happy lifestyle. Sometimes I ride my bike or paddle board. Sometimes I swim or go to a Zumba class. Today I hiked Mt. Rubidoux in Riverside, CA.

I guess it’s not really fair to call what I did today “hiking.” That word brings forth images of climbing over rocks and roots, needing to use my hands to pull myself up higher and I certainly didn’t need to do that! The trail at Mt. Rubidoux is a gentle up hill walk. The 3 mile trail is wide, flat and paved. I was there at 8am and already there was a steady stream of people. I saw folks running, moms pushing strollers, groups of ladies visiting and even a guy walking his gorgeous Iguana!!!!!! That was a first for me!

Mt. Rubidoux is just short of 1400 feet in altitude but from its peak you are awarded a 360 degree view of the surrounding neighborhoods, downtown Riverside and the mountains nearby. The terrain on the mountain is very different from what I am used to in the Pacific Northwest. Here it is very dry and brown. Big rocks poke out of the earth or stack on top of each other. Small scrubby bushes cling to every centimeter of earth in search of water.

The thing that I loved the most about my walk today was how happy everyone was! Many people said hello or morning as we passed. One of the stroller moms gave me directions about how the trail worked. I gave and received exuberant high fives from several people running down from the summit and another person even stopped to help me pick trash out of the bushes! It was definitely a peaceful community feeling.

This is what exercise and being in nature does for us humans. It gives us a chance to remember that we all have a hard time walking up hill! That we are all on this planet together. That we are trying to be healthy and fit. That this is our community, our park and we should work together to keep it clean. And that it’s a good thing to cheer each other on!

I hope you are able to find a little peace in your life today.

Pop Up Yoga in Ventura California

I’m lying on my back in Savasana. The sun is making glowing orbs on the back of my eyelids and warming my face. I can feel the bumpy ground beneath my body and the wind is tickling my toes. A mole is popping his head out of the ground. I can hear him nibbling on grass nearby. I’m surrounded by 40 happy souls and I feel peaceful, relaxed and grateful for Ventura Pop Up Yoga.

I found out about Pop Up Yoga by looking online. They host classes all over town in parks, at the marina and even at a winery! Pop Up Yoga is not connected to any particular studio. Multiple teachers share the instructor role and they offer a practice every day of the week. The coolest thing is that you pay for the class by donation! They believe that yoga should be available and accessible for everyone. So they just ask you to pay what you can afford. Isn’t that great?

(Getting our stretch on!)

We visited Ventura, California this past weekend to dog-sit for some friends. We spent the weekend wandering main street, tasting beer, walking the pier, watching kite boarders sail across the water and we even paddled in the Harbor. But by far, my favorite part of the weekend was yoga at The Cross in Grant Park overlooking the city!

 

I arrived early and found my spot on the uneven ground. Someone mentioned that they were trying to find a flat spot. And I thought, “Good luck with that. It’s uneven and bumpy. There are small smooth patches, some rough, some dry, some moist. Kind of like life! Is it ever totally smooth? We try to find balance between work, home life, vacation time, spouses, kids, commitments. This ground is a perfect metaphor. You can try to find a flat spot but it’s not likely to happen!

(The view from my spot! It was a little hazy in the morning.)

Our Instructor today is Margeaux who has just opened a new studio called Yoga Casita in Santa Paula. As she leads us through the practice I can’t help but notice how tall she is! (A model maybe?) I’m guessing she is about 5’11” and looks very athletic – I bet she surfs! I know, I’m supposed to be focusing inward but I can’t it. This is my monkey mind at work. I also notice she’s very good at holding space for quiet. That’s something that I struggle with when I teach. I always want to fill the quiet time with talk – but not Margeaux. As we hold poses for five breaths she is quiet – allowing us to focus on ourselves.

(Can you say Trikonasana?)

Most of all, what I loved about today is this: There we were – about forty of us, all different sizes, shapes, skin colors, religions and backgrounds and yet for this short moment – one hour of our day –  we were One. We moved as one, breathed as one and radiated peace and harmony out into the world from our hill top aerie. I had at least five people say hello to me and smile and say welcome! Yoga does that. It brings people together. To breathe, stretch, love each other, look inside and BE.

So here I am….having the ultimate California yoga experience. I am on a hill, overlooking beautiful Pierpont Bay and the white sandy beaches of Ventura, California. I feel welcomed. I feel happy. I feel Yoga. Welcome to California Dawn!

 

Breitenbush Hot Springs, Canada

I sat in the steaming hot water up to my shoulders my back against the smooth rock wall, watching the rain drip down from the pine tree and huckleberry branches overhead, making slow circle art that expanded across the surface of the rock lined pool. I could hear the river rushing below the hill and feel my worries start to melt away as my skin turned pink and my gaze became more and more unfocused and relaxed.

(The middle pool)

I had heard of Breitenbush before but I had never been here. I’ve been to nearby Bagby and Harrison hot springs up in Canada. I event stopped at some small hot springs in Wyoming. But Breitenbush hot springs is on a whole new level!

Breitenbush is located an hour east of Salem, Oregon just out of Detroit. The spring sits back off the main road about 10 miles. There is no cell service, no wifi and nothing better to do than eat some glorious food, sleep and relax and rejuvenate in the natural hot springs that flow out of the ground.

What blew me away was that the price of your stay at Breitenbush covers everything! 3 delicious vegetarian meals, as much soaking in the springs as you can handle, use of the wet sauna and also various wellness classes – FREE.! That’s right. Free. One price for everything.

(The cabin I shared for the night)

I attended a fantastic yoga class while I was at Breitenbush. Rob looked to be about 24 years old. (Young enough to be my son!) He had long wavy blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail, a very quiet and relaxed attitude and a gorgeous, muscled, slim body. He looked like he practiced a lot! He led us through a slow Ashtanga practice that incorporated long-held poses. It was slow and gentle but it was challenging! It was the kind of practice that made me want to work harder, be more focussed and be a better yogi!  It was exactly what I needed after 5 days of driving across the country!

(The sanctuary where we practiced yoga)

I had left Franklin, Tennessee five days before. I was averaging 9 hours per day behind the wheel. I wanted to make it across to the west coast as quickly as possible. I had driven through snow, over mountain passes and through long flat stretches where it was just me and the truckers. And driving a mini cooper amongst 18-wheelers affords a brand new kind of stress and awareness – let me tell you!

I really needed Breitenbush. I needed the yoga to stretch out my stiff hips and back. I needed the hot springs that made my muscles melt and my brain relax. I needed the healthy food after days of fast food. And I needed the connection with people. I had been alone for the whole trip and visiting with the other hippies made me feel right at home!

So if you’re ever driving through the middle of Oregon on the back roads take a little detour and check it out. I promise you’ll be glad you did. I’m already planning when I can go back again! Namaste Peeps!

Sailing to Windward in the Bahamas

My boyfriend and I just got back from a 10 day sail to the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas! I should really say that we survived a trip to the Abacos! Our boat is little. It’s an F27 Trimaran.  I’ve tried to explain to people that it may sound luxurious and romantic but it’s a lot like camping on the water and a whole lot of work! There were some lovely moments in the trip but the REAL story is that this trip kicked our butts, tested our relationship, taught us a lot about what we do and don’t enjoy and we were very glad to make it back in one piece!

My boyfriend tried to warn me. For about a month before we left he kept asking me if I was sure I wanted to sail over the gulf stream in our boat? Would I really be ok camping on our small boat for an undecided amount of time? He’d been to the Bahamas before in a small boat so he knew exactly what we were in for. I assured him I would be fine! I’m a rugged wilderness girl! I can handle it! I also had total faith in him and knew he wouldn’t put me in an unsafe situation. What I didn’t realize was exactly how wild and vast the passages would be!

We set out on that first day to cross the Gulf Stream from West Palm Beach to West End. The weather looked good except that the wind was coming from the exact same direction we were sailing! As anyone who sails knows, going directly into the wind is bumpy, wet and uncomfortable and for 50 miles we crashed into wave after wave covering our foul weather gear (YES we wore our foulies on the way to the Bahamas!)  in salt crystals! And it continued like that for the first 3 days!

(Day 3 of sailing into the wind!)

It was exhausting and frustrating! But there was good along with the bad. Eventually the wind and weather calmed down and we had a few enjoyable days of sailing. My favorite stop was at Manjack Cay. I had been longing to spend some time on the beach – after all that’s what you go to the Bahamas for right? We pulled our tri up onto the pristine white sandy beach just as a small nurse shark swam in front of our boat patrolling the shallows. We spent the afternoon walking the beach and checking out the marine life.

(Maravilla on the beach at Manjack Cay – soooo dreamy!)

( I imagined these Rays as a courting pair – her leading slowly and him waiting for his chance!)

(A sea slug(? )That didn’t like me touching him(?) and squirted purple ink!)

(Sand so deep and soft it felt like walking in deep snow – except warmer! There were no footprints but mine!)

Later that evening we were greeted by Brenda who was staying on a neighboring trimaran. She invited us to a full moon party that evening on another part of the island. It was at that moment that I realized what it feels like to be a part of the sailing community! It didn’t matter what kind of boat we had, how big our motor was, or if we were grumpy or kind. We belonged! We were sailors and we were welcome and invited! We spent a lovely evening meeting other sailors with all kinds of boats from big Catamarans to gaff-rigged Schooners. We visited by the fire and even howled at the full moon!

Luckily during our ten days out at sea we didn’t have any major difficulties. Having an engineer as a boyfriend is a very good thing because he can fix anything and doesn’t give up easily! Even if he has to almost hang off the boat to get to it!

I made sure to take some time for yoga as well. Yoga is how I stay fit and flexible and it helps me remain calm and focussed. It allows me to let go of any negative energy I’m holding and I had a lot of it on those long 6 or 8 hour sailing days! It was not easy on a small boat but I was able to practice on the outside nets a couple of mornings and even did a little practice in the cabin!

(Lots of time for meditation on a long passage!)

No one can talk about the Bahamas without mentioning how beautiful it is! There were portions of the ocean that were so bright that it looked like someone was shining a light from underneath the water! Sand so white and soft that it felt like baby powder, water so clear you can see all the way to the bottom!

The water is so blue that it doesn’t even look real!

(This is my favorite photo from the whole trip! Yes, it really is that lovely!)

(Water so clear you can see everything on the bottom! Looks like a Monet!)

As we began to sail back toward home from the Bahamas my mind was turning over and over thinking about my experiences out there. What had I learned? How did I feel about sailing – especially long passages with not much to do? How rugged was I? Did I feel like a success?

I had a lovely time. I am proud of myself for sailing upwind multiple days in a row and being a good sport. I’m a good partner to have on a boat. I can grind up the main, raise the jib, act as the Windlass over and over until we get a good grip on some sand. I can spend all day in the sun and wind and still smile at the end of the day. I can swim and snorkel and hike and walk beaches to explore each and every new place we see. I can cook and keep the boat clean. I can use a camp shower in an open cockpit. I am brave and adventurous and strong.

But, I also learned that I’m a little older than I used to be. Things are not as easy for me physically as they were a few years ago. I enjoy some comforts like refrigeration and a stove. I prefer shorter sailing days and more time for exploration on land. I learned that the ocean is a wild and dangerous place and that you have to be rugged to sail on those deep blue inky depths that swell and roll and push you around. And I also learned that I would like to have a boat with standing head room and maybe even an electric windlass! LOL.

Fair winds and Following Seas to all of my sailing sisters out there! Go get em and be safe out there!

 

The REAL Pirates of the Caribbean

It’s easy to tell the difference between the Pirates of St. Thomas and the Tourists. The tourists wander around in groups of three or four, they look a bit confused, are usually overweight and their skin is shiny and pink from exposure to sunshine. They wear new designer clothing and smell of sweat, sunscreen and bug spray. The Pirates on the other hand, roam around individually. They swagger slowly and confidently in an “island time” gait. Their skin is tanned and leathery from years in the sun, their hair is pulled back and their clothing is worn and faded. Pirates smell mostly of Rum.

(Cruzan Rum is made on the nearby island of St. Croix)

Latitude 18 is a pirate haven dive bar in Red Hook on the east end of St. Thomas. The bar stools are starting to come apart at the seams, the rain leaks in through the roof and the dock out back won’t last much longer as holes work their way through the plywood! But the Rum flows freely, there is live music every night and the locals love coming here!

(Red Hook Bay looking east toward St. John in the distance)

We were in St. Thomas to see if we had what it takes to become Pirates. We had the idea that maybe we could buy a charter boat company of our own, run it as Captain and First Mate and earn our living taking tourists out to the beautiful beaches of St. John.

We met our first Pirate at Latitude 18 – and by Pirate I mean those intrepid souls who love it here so much that they would do anything to live here – including work multiple jobs, put up with whiny cruise ship tourists, serve, clean and by hook or crook eke out a living.

Taylor is a 19-year-old red-headed elfin girl with a personality the size of Montana! She has a mega watt smile and the energy to accomplish everything she chooses to do in life! Taylor came to St. Thomas for a visit and loved it so much that she moved back and has now purchased her own boat for $1,000! She has at least two jobs. She works as first mate for a charter captain and she also helps with the Airbnb boats that we rented as our accommodation for the week.

(The boat next to ours. Great use for an old book huh?)

Jeremy is Taylor’s boss and he is a Pirate with a capital P! Jeremy had the genius idea to buy older, run down boats and turn them into rooms for rent! Of course, because the boats are older they tend to have a few problems – A halyard acting as mast rigging, a few holes in the deck, a rudder that flops back and forth with the tide and even a boat with no motor. But that’s ok because they’re not really boats anymore. They are rooms for rent and they are the cheapest to be had on the Island so they are rented all the time! Genius, I’m telling you! I wish I’d thought of it!

We were eating lunch on our first day and a man leaned in really close to my Boyfriend and said, “You must be Barry?!” (The Arrrggghhh was implied!) We both leaned back and took in the sight of grey hair sticking up at all angles from a tanned head, wearing only a pair of trunks,  a gravelly voice ( I might have imagined an eye patch) and a huge bleeding gash across his nose! Pirate to the bone! Captain Pat turned out to the be the broker we were supposed to meet the next day to look at the charter business. But at the time we had no idea how this stranger knew who we were! News travels fast between Pirates!

(Salomon Beach on St. John – I could live right here! It’s breathtaking!)

It’s easy to see why these folks work so hard to live here. It is unbelievably beautiful! The beaches are white and the water is the perfect shade of blue. The terrain is hilly and green and makes a wonderful contrast to the flat open ocean. It’s a dream really. Everyone wants to vacation in a place like this. It’s not a far stretch from wanting a vacation to figuring out how to live here to make it your home!

(The view from the beach bar on Tortola – Cane Garden Bay Beach)

(Two friends swimming along at Honeymoon Beach on St. John)

(Cane Garden Bay – I could walk this beach all day!)

We were able to visit St. Thomas, St. John and also Tortola in the British Virgin Islands during our short trip. They are all amazingly beautiful and fun. The people were welcoming and friendly but it turns out we don’t quite have what it takes to be Pirates yet. It was a close thing though…..We planned and schemed and tried to figure out what we could sell, trade or borrow to be able to make a living here. But in the end we realized that we still want to travel.

We’re not ready to settle down – Not even for THIS place. Wanderlust runs strong in us. We still have other places we want to see – beauty to be uncovered. We’re still tourists who want to go to The Bahamas next. But I predict that we will be back to the US Virgin Islands. It’s just too pretty a place to ignore.

(A sunburned tourist trying to look like a local!)

Saying Goodbye to Georgia

As I come to the end of my time in coastal Georgia and begin looking forward to the next adventure, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I’m leaving. I have never felt so welcomed and “at home” as I have here. It’s actually a little overwhelming how quickly I’ve fallen in love with this area. But when you have family nearby, friends who make you feel like you belong and all of the natural beauty that abounds nearby – you’d be crazy NOT to be sad.

We landed in Brunswick, Georgia in December of last year after a month long escapade to Gibraltar and Spain. We came to Brunswick partly because my boyfriend’s parents live here and partly because we really liked the area when we visited last Thanksgiving. We thought we’d check out the area a little more to see if living here could work for us. Unfortunately, things have not turned out as we hoped so we are on our way again soon heading in a new direction!

The thing I will miss the most is not a thing at all – it is the people. Everyone here has been so nice! When you travel as much as I do, you always wonder if you’ll “fit in,” if people will like you and mostly if you’ll be able to find work! Luckily, I found all of that here! People here are just generally friendly. People smile, wave and say hello. Folks ask if you’re new to the area and recommend places to eat and things to see. And then there is the customary “yes ma’am.” I hear in every store, gas station or check out line. Being polite is a way of life here.  I love that.

I will also miss the beaches. In Washington State a beach is usually a rocky, cold section of shoreline that is difficult to walk on and smelly. In coastal Georgia you have mile after mile of gorgeous sandy beaches where families lounge, birds look for food to steal and folks walk hand in hand watching the waves roll in.  My favorite beach is on Cumberland Island. Cumberland is a National Seashore so it is unspoiled and uninhabited. It is littered only by the occasional horseshoe crab shell or wild horse dropping. My second favorite beach is East Beach on St. Simons Island because of it’s shallow tide pools and friendly dogs that are allowed to play here. Third on my list is Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island where you can walk among the sun paled driftwood that feel like dinosaur bones that have been washed ashore.

I will miss the FOOD! Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE food. I will plan my day around where I can have lunch or even make a special trip out of my way to pick up some special delicacy that is on my mind. I love diners, dives, taverns and hole-in-the-wall eateries. In fact, since we’ve been in Georgia I’ve put on a few extra unwanted pounds. (grimace) There is so much good food here! Barbeque (This should be a category unto itself but I don’t have that much time!), hush puppies, sweet tea, boiled peanuts, peach cider, pecan rolls, key lime wafers, apple pie, she crab soup, freshly caught peel and eat shrimp…..I could go on and on……Is it almost dinner time? LOL

I will miss the Trees! They grow some serious trees here in the south. And I mean the kind of tree that makes you stand at it’s base with your jaw dropped open. Some of these trees are so majestic that you simply can not take them all in! Some of the Live Oaks here are said to be close to 400 years old! They grown huge and strong and spread their branches out in all directions as if they are stretching like we do each morning when we wake. People get married under these trees. Some are protected by barriers and signs warning people not to climb them. Which is really hard because that’s exactly what you want to do – climb up into it’s branches and just sit for awhile and maybe even read a book.

And last but not least I will miss St. Simons Island. It’s hard to explain why I will miss this Island. But I’ll give it a try. St. Simons just has a certain “feeling” about it. Every time I drive over the causeway onto the Island I can feel myself relax. I love the way the trees hang over the road waving their spanish moss jewelry at me. I love seeing the bicycle paths everywhere and people using them! I love that there is a beach access on almost every other road. I love that there is a slower pace here and that I can find everything I need from a Harris Teeter (that’s a local grocery store) to a Starbucks! I love that everyone here speaks slower and with a southern drawl – and they look you in the eye when they talk to you! It’s just a great place this island. If you’ve never been here – come on down for a visit. I think you’ll love it just as much as I do!

Moving day in only about a week away. As I pack my backpack and look forward to the next stop on my yoga gypsy journey I know that I will always have a warm spot in my heart for coastal Georgia. It’s lovely here and I hope to come back sooner rather than later. Thanks Y’all for your love and support. BIG HUGS!

 

 

Shanti Om – Portland Oregon

As I drove through the Oregon gray misty weather toward the airport, I kept repeating to myself Shanti Om, Shanti Om, Shanti Om! I’d just finished a Hatha yoga class at Shanti OM – a yoga studio in the St. James neighborhood of Northern Portland and I’m feeling the peaceful after affects of my practice.

It was hard to focus on the sights and sounds around me: beautiful bridges, slow moving trains and the Columbia River outside my window. All I could think about was the class I had just attended and how it had affected me. There is a lot that goes on during practice and it’s not all Asana. Being aware of our thoughts and how our bodies feel are important components of a yoga practice.

I flew into Portland 4 days prior weighed down by a wagon load of stress. My Grandmother had just died, the airplane tickets were expensive, I had to put my job on hold, I would be away from my guy for the duration and I was worried about family stresses. It was a lot. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through but hoped to make it to at least one yoga class over the course of the weekend.

Ashley Conger has been teaching on and off for about three years and usually teaches the prenatal classes at Shanti Om. It was fun to watch her demonstrate the poses with her baby bump proudly on display. This is Ashley’s second baby. It was during her first pregnancy that she discovered how compatible yoga is with the process of pregnancy and giving birth. After becoming certified to teach yoga she decided to also become a Doula so that she could assist other women make this life changing transition.

Ashley’s manner is very calm and comforting. As she stood in front of the Golden Ganesh painted on the studio wall and led us through the poses I wondered why I was having such a hard time relaxing. I should have been able to walk in and melt onto the floor. Yoga is usually my therapy, my meditation and my church. But I was distracted. I wanted to move faster, breathe faster, work harder and maybe even break a sweat.

When I am upset, angry, frustrated or emotional I clean or organize or walk or do something active. It keeps my mind from running in circles and worrying the problem to the bone. But my lesson today – the lesson about grief, mourning and the stress that accompanies a sad family get-together was that I needed to slow down, take time to breathe deeply, let go of the worry and remove the obstacles to Shanti OM – remove the obstacles to Peace.

I finally got there toward the end of class. I left feeling peace and grace and gratitude. Thank you Shanti Om and thank you Ashley. Grandma would have loved yoga! 🙂

Integral Yoga Gibraltar

I had been in Gibraltar for two weeks and I was yearning for a yoga class. I was trying to practice on my own but you know how THAT goes. Time flies, activities get in the way, tourist sights beckon so practice became few and far between. I looked up yoga in Gibraltar on the internet and found Integral Yoga. It looked good. My only worry was the yogis in the pictures were wearing all white flowing garments and my yoga clothes consist of tight pants in multicolors! I was going to look like a peacock in a field of snow but I was determined to go anyway.

It took some time to find the studio in the warren of narrow cobble-stoned streets that is Gibraltar. The room was long and narrow and totally packed! A few friendly yogis moved their mats apart so I could squeeze in. I counted two rows of 13 along the outer walls and a few squeezed in between the rows! Michelle, our teacher for the night has been teaching for over 20 years and WAS wearing all white but everyone else was wearing normal yoga gear so I fit right in!

Michelle’s message for the night was to practice Ahimsa with ourself. She reminded us that sometimes we strive too much and can harm our bodies. She cautioned us to be gentle, take it easy and rest when needed. Her voice filled the crowded room easily. I found I could close my eyes and imagine it was only she and I. Her beautiful spanish accent making each asana sound more magical than usual.

At Integral Yoga the teachers do not get paid to teach. The students are asked to donate what they can afford. It is suggested 5 euros per week – which is about $7.50. The money that is collected is then sent to charities that are sponsored by the Integral Yoga School.

This is very different from how we do things in America. Yoga is big business with studios being supported by the monthly fees they collect from their students not to mention all of the expensive yoga gear they sell! Yoga studios are also now producing class after class of yoga instructors who each pay around $3,000 to earn their certification. My question is where are all these teachers going to teach? Soon there will be more teachers than students!

I have been trying to make a living by solely teaching yoga and fitness classes for over 3 years and I have found it almost impossible. My body can only physically handle teaching about 10 classes per week and at a maximum pay of $25 per class (It’s usually more like $15) That is only $250 per week. Also I have had to hustle to find classes to teach. I have been teaching at a retirement home, a private gym and a parks & rec department of a city all at the same time just to try to make enough money! Most yoga teachers I know have a full time job and then only teach yoga part time.

Is it wrong for us to be cashing in on yoga in America? Should yoga be shared as they do in Gibraltar by donation? I know I’m going to have to find some other way to make a living. As much as I love teaching yoga I just can’t afford food, shelter and clothing for $250 per week. I will keep teaching because I love it. I have even fostered yoga by donation classes in several locations because I believe there should be options for people who can’t afford a $15 drop in fee. It seems to me that we are squeezing our clients for more and more cash and those who cannot afford the expense are told, “No Yoga for YOU!”

It’s something to think about isn’t it?

Check out Integral Yoga and their philosophy here: here: http://www.integralyogagib.com/

Boats in the Desert and Exploding Heads!

You should see the looks we get driving down the road! Double and triple takes are the norm. People can not figure out what we are towing behind our truck and there are also two paddle boards on top of the truck and bicycles on front! We are carrying our adventure with us and now we are definitely part of the Travel Tribe!

(The Truck, with Paddle boards and Bikes, Pulling the Boat)

We left Anacortes early in the morning and travelled south through Seattle. A final rain shower baptized us as we headed south reminding us why we made this choice to go south. We made a short stop in Oregon to visit family and then out east on HWY 22 looking for a place to stop for the night. As it was getting dark earlier than we thought, we stopped at Suttle Lake just before Sisters, Oregon.

(SERIOUSLY – the boat ramp to nowhere at Washoe Lake State Campground)

The question is, how do you use a camp ground when you are towing a 27 foot long Corsair Trimaran behind your vehicle? There aren’t any camp sites long enough for the whole shebang so do you separate the boat and truck and use two sites? Will the tree limbs be trimmed high enough for the boat to pass underneath? And who the hell brings a boat this far inland? Where are they going? Luckily, we were able to park in the boat trailer area next to the boat ramp. It was the perfect camp site!

(The sunset view looking aft over the mast that has been dropped)

The Captain was amazed that I was willing and even happy to sleep inside the boat. I didn’t really want to attempt unloading the truck to find the tent, set it up in the dark, etc. The boat has everything we need! It has water in the tank, nice cushy bedding, lights and even a head so I don’t have to wander around outside at night worrying about bears!

Speaking of the head……We removed the original toilet and installed a porta potty. It’s lighter and simpler. Did you know that if you take a container which is filled with air from Sea level up over a 6000 foot pass that container builds pressure inside? LOL……..I used the potty, added a little water to make sure the paper would descend properly and leaned over the bowl to watch. As I pulled the lever to flush EVERYTHING exploded up into my face, hair and all over the head compartment! Luckily there were only liquids. All I have to say is that I survived. I was shocked to say the least but I had soap and water and towels so I was able to wash thoroughly before bed. What a learning experience!

Our boat, Maravilla is certainly getting to see things that her sisters on the water do not. Long windy roads, dark green forests, mountain passes, wildfire ravaged land and rivers and lakes that are a fraction of their former size. This trip is different from any we’ve been on before. We are still trying to absorb what this trip means to us and our lives. It’s not just a road trip – It’s a trip to a new life. We are making big changes this time. We want things to be different. More nomadic, more enjoyable, more adventurous – More US

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(Camping in our boat in Nevada)

So join us on our journey to take Maravilla across the country. We started in Anacortes, WA on September 13, 2015 and Plan to be in Brunswick, GA by October 27^th. Check back often to see exactly where Maravilla will be meandering and in the meantime take some time to find a little adventure of your own!