Friends

Connections

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

As I loaded onto a plane the size that Ron White would describe as a pack of chewing gum, we left Oregon, our nose set for east.  I said goodbye to the mountains and was looking forward to greeting Lake Michigan and it’s cool breeze that it always has to offer. Touching down in Grand Rapids I was excited to go ‘home’, every asked me if that’s where I was going, home. This is a foreign term for me, was Michigan home? Was South West Michigan home?

My dad, since I was a kid, has always called me his Child of the Planet, I was eager to travel, always hungry to see and do and learn more. So I never learned to be at home anywhere. Where are you from? Is a question that gets blank stares from both my brother and me. This isn’t a bad thing, I wouldn’t change my nomadic childhood for anything. Not only my childhood, I’ve continued that lifestyle into my adulthood.

My trip’s purpose was to be a bridesmaid for my friend in her wedding, it just happened to be a month before I’m leaving for SE Asia, perfect timing to catch up with everyone back in Michigan. I left Oregon excited to see Michigan, I was in Michigan for a week and didn’t dream of Oregon once, didn’t think about the mountains, the trees or the crazy hippies that dance around the courtyard at the Co-op. I was completely in Michigan.

Discovering my lack of connection to Oregon was disturbing. I always figured I would love the west coast and never want to leave. Realizing that I don’t think I could move back to Michigan was also disturbing. I’m realizing as I grow up that I don’t know where I belong, I’m like that kid that eats lunch in the bathroom—no where else to go. I guess Thailand is my bathroom? (okay, bad analogy…but you get it, right?)

I’ve never felt at home, so I just keep moving in search for that connection with some place. I’ve got the wanderlust, we know that, but is it such a bad thing? I’m moving on from Oregon, maybe I’ll return, maybe I’ll leave it behind forever.

I’ve moved on Michigan for the time being, I love the lake, I love the people, but the land is flat and love high elevation. For now I guess I’m just super excited about this adventure afoot. Oh yeah, I also bought my plane ticket yesterday, so this is REALLY happening!!!!!

 

Let's get real, this is why I actually came to Michigan

Let’s get real, this is why I actually came to Michigan

Choose Your Trail

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

Me: I planned out our 11-mile loop,

up up up then descend.

Him: I haven’t ran in weeks, I

may not be up for that.

Me: You’ll be fine. We’ll go

slow! And we’ll figure

out what we wanna do

when the time comes.

 

We were planning on a long trail run on Thursday morning. I woke up tired, for some reason it was hard to get out of bed and just push the brew button on my coffee pot. But I had a friend to meet at 8am to run…11 hard miles. He met me at his door and we started walking, the weather perfectly chilled with Fall on it’s way. I told my friend my difficulties this morning and he said he was feeling the same.

My friend reminded me of our text conversation last night; we can do whatever we want. “oh yeah” I thought. Just because we planned on doing 11 miles didn’t mean we absolutely had to. That’s the beauty of running, you choose the distance, pace and location—all you really need are shoes.

We decided to walk up through the park and up the road called 2060. We hike up for a good 90 minutes, talking, sharing, trying to solve each other’s problems, or just be there to listen which is what we both actually needed.

 

Him: I have a plan. Let’s run down.

         Then around the park for a

few miles. Yeah?

Me: YEAH!

 

The run down was quick and easy. We turned off onto the trails of Lithia Park, I chose the direction, then my friend cut ahead and took the lead, twisting around, changing direction quickly and keeping me on my toes and eventually leading us back down town. It was a game of cat and mouse, the leader followed and then they switched places. It was fun.

A lot of times I forget how much we’re actually in control. Just because something doesn’t go as planned doesn’t mean you can’t take the reins and still make it a great run, day, experience. You’re, more often then not, in control of the direction of you future. Sometimes just making the decision to go for the run, change jobs or (in my case) move across the world, is exactly what you need to remember to make something happen—today!

 

Check out the new tab up there in the right corner…!

 

 

Watch Out For Dinosaurs!

/ Sloan / 2 Comments

As I gear up to move my life to Thailand I’m trying to fit in all the things that I never used to do into the next few weeks. I more or less have a ‘bucket list’ in Oregon, ‘things’ I must go do and see. Last week a friend and I went to the Jedadiah State Park (this is actually in N. California, but close enough). The trees were massive, the air was cool and the trails were perfect, conversation about love, life, adventuring, our futures flowed…

We decided to run Little Bald Trail, a 5-mile up and down trail that starts in the Redwoods and as you climb 1,800 feet the terrain changes drastically—trees thin out, the trail is more exposed and it gets HOT. Throughout the run we were either chasing or being chased by two women on horses. At one point we stopped and chatted, learned that we all have some sort of connection through a location, a mutual friend, a love for horses…it was a moment that made us stop and think about these woman and their lives, how one day it would be cool to ride up the trail instead of run.

The run ended, 10 sweaty miles later I was stoked from the run. I don’t know if it was a runner’s high, the big trees, hope for lunch or what, but I felt amazing being where I was, doing what I was doing. We drove to the coast, drank a beer and had lunch starring at the ocean and smelling the salt in the breeze. The cement post in front of us said “Live Free” that was our motto for the rest of the trip. I was learning to let loose and go with the flow a bit easier.

Hiking through the redwoods forces you to feel small. These trees are enormous, at any moment we were ready to see a dinosaur pop out and chase us down the path. This forest is only minutes from the coast, minutes from the Smith River and a couple hours from where I live. I love it. The world is so incredible; I want to see it all.

We plopped our tents down by the river and jumped in the pristine water, sat on rocks that seemed like they were made for out butts, we drank another beer and starred at the clouds passing by. Reflecting on the day, talking about the future, relating on the fact that we’re lost and confused. Remembering the horse-back riders, thinking that they are probably sharing with their husbands about ‘those crazy runners’ they saw on the trail, the small connections we make are the most important. This was the kind of bliss I needed; a night out of town, a friend to talk about life with, and a river to clean the salt off my body, I need this more often.

 

It’s funny how when I decide to change my life drastically I start truly enjoying what I have. I begin to really take advantage of my surroundings and love it. I think I just need to enjoy my surroundings, look forward to the future and see what happens with this upcoming adventure. I need to learn to stop worrying. Any tips?