Category: Community

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Trail Magic

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June 25, 2016
Most hikers mean “Food” when they talk about Trail Magic, the term for happy surprises on the trail.

My favorite Trail Magic is trail maintenance, and extraordinary care like the Duncannon  Appalachian Trail Club folks – and day hikers who happened to be hiking up to Hawk Rock – who were removing graffiti from the rocks. They had teamed up to carry 70 gallons of water one mile up with a 750 ft elevation gain. It was impressive! Volunteers, families, random day hikers, the handful of organizers gathered a crew and spent half the day coating  the paint with a gelatinous acid product, waiting for an hour, then scrubbing with wire brushes. read more

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Back to the Mountains

June 24, 2016
(Reading in email? Click “read in browser to see pictures!)
Noon. After a night in the Super8 Motel, we walked back to the trail, 1/4 mile away to the pedestrian overpass on US Rt 11, a 1,185-mile long highway from Canada to New Orleans. The AT crosses it down in Daleville, VA as well.

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2 p.m. we took a break at Scott Farm Work Center, where John and I reminisced about our Ridgerunner Training held here in 2010. The path headed north was lined with daylilies!

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3 p.m. the tunnel under PA 944, a good example of a successful partnership project for constructing the AT. PA 944 is a major commuter route, so the engineers did meticulous planning to shut down the road for only a minimal number of hours to build the tunnel. read more

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Read the Guidebook!

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June 13, 2016
I didn’t notice that the guidebook does say that the “lodge, kitchen, office are open from 5-9 p.m.” in the hostel where we had sent our maildrop box. Hmm. It’s noon, and we got on the trail at 6 a.m. to get here for a rest. There is food in that box to eat for rejuvenation – not available til 5?? Not a happy thought. Hmm.

What a perfect interface between Inner and Outer Journeys!! Click on “Read in browser” to see how this disappointment unfolds into a blessing even better than I had imagined!
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Frustrated to Confident

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June 1, 2016
Today was a transition day from feeling frustrated with the technical challenge of setting up an RSS feed of my blog to my subscribers and Facebook page to feeling confident that it can actually work!  Thanks for reading!
The second accomplishment of the day was to pack our backpacks! I’m happy to say that my pack, with a liter of water and 4 days of food weighs  in at 20 -22 lbs.

Now, before you gape with too much amazement, I will remind you that one of the favorite qualities of my heartsinging walk is that I have a hiking partner who shares gear with me! That means that I don’t have to carry everything I use!! read more

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Refreshed

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May 30, 2016
Today, I visited a favorite spot on the Appalachian Trail -Spy Rock, Virginia. It sports a 360 degree view atop a 40′ boulder scramble. I’ve had many a visit here in the past six summers when I worked in this section as a ridgerunner. This time I came as a day-hiker with no mission to educate anyone.

I couldn’t pass up the chance to remove a few firerings to preserve the untrammeled appearance of the place, but that was it.

Beauty, space, and freedom to move – that’s what the place evokes! Let the colors flow the same! All is well! read more

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Forestland

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May 29, 2016
The green here in Montebello, Virginia, is vast and encompassing! Nonsenses immersion feels truly immersed, if that’s even a word.
Forest life is so incredibly lush and vibrant, water enabling uncountable broad leaves, ferns, mushrooms, and flowers to fill the landscape with a dense curtain of green. 

Vibrance abounds!

In joy,
Regina

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Mississippi River Delta

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May 23, 2016
This Nonsenses Immersion emerged over the miles between Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and beyond New Orleans.

Another city goes by without stopping to visit a friend. This time its Carla, an Appalachian Trail friend and coaching colleague. A hello text message suffices for this time. My life certainly has provided me with lots of friends! 

Color flows onto the paper between looks at the luminous NOLA. I reflect on Hurricane Katrina, the fury here 10+ years ago. I think about Maria Maria and her Katrina story that she shifted during a Forgiveness Walk in Atlanta in 2011. My work is valuable! It even touches this place with healing and forgiveness.
Forgiving Hurricane Katrina read more

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Lush Green

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May 22, 2016
Nonsenses Immersion coincides today with driving in the wetlands of southwest Louisiana! So much green! The green is dotted and accented with yellow, orange, and red. Blue and purple hover as heavy, gray moisture in the sky above.

I notice that in my search for each color in the landscape that the wholeness of Life becomes evident. If all the colors of wholeness can be found in each landscape, then why not in each of my own moments?

I allow it.
I accept it.
I embrace it.

Where do you find wholeness? Please share your answer here. read more

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Adjust

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May 21, 2016
I realized that my colored pencils are watercolor pencils! Well, not the yellow, actually. That made the blending uneven.

This reminds me of adjusting preferences in life. When something is important, I figure out how to do it within various circumstances. That may require adjusting details, methods, tools, timing. The essence or value of the habit remains, or even expands, as it is incorporated in a new setting.

As I think of examples, I’m coming up with a long list!
☆ Getting whole grains in various living situations
☆ Staying in touch with significant people while hiking
☆ Walking in Nature in various homes
☆ Cooking, washing, etc. on trail and also in different houses and living situations read more

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Landscape

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May 20, 2016
We have one day in Big Bend National Park. Color adorns the mountains and the badlands. What if I paint the Nonsenses colors suggested by the landscape?

The emotional landscape also provides space for dancing as well. I’m uneasy with John’s style of exploring in constant motion. I prefer making fewer stops for a longer, reflective experience. I realize  that I’m playing out an old story of being alone, being separate, needing to ignore my own needs to accommodate his. read more