Out On The Frozen Adventure

On that day I realized that an adventure isn’t just for those who take it.
Adventure fuels imagination, and visa-versa - if one withers,
so does the other.

This Water Goes North

Dennis Weidemann

Manitenahk Books - 2008

Click Below For A Video Of The Necessary Gear:

It had been a spell since the Gulo Adventure Clan had come together; since July in fact.  Although overdue, they say that you can’t rush goodness, which is probably true, and as good a reason as anything else I can think of for why it’s taken this long to put an outing together.  Of course busy schedules, high water in the rivers, a wedding, and sport seasons held any thought of an adventure at bay. And although they also say that life itself is an adventure, there’s really only so much time that a treed critter will stay in the lofty branches of that tree before it jumps headlong into the pack of hounds who are indeed baying to the hot, fresh scent of their quarry.  It was with those dogs nipping at our heels that ten men, tied in some way, shape, or form to the Prairie Hill School District headed North into Wisconsin to seek adventure.

The destination for our adventure across the Stateline really was insignificant.  By insignificant, I don’t mean that the location didn’t matter, or that that it wasn’t important, it’s just that it really didn’t matter where we were escaping to, as long as it was outside, we could build a fire, and where we could all be together.  Besides, the destination we did go to truly is significant, as a priceless little lake well worth a visit. But we won’t tell you where it is. We’d have to kill you if we told you, to keep the secrets of our various outings sacred; some of which have become traditional, hallowed locations.

It was with these things in mind that the ten of us loaded into three vehicles and shoved off into the currents of dreams, fresh air, and the unknown.  As we drove and rode, we dined on Mandarin oranges and granola bars. Once we arrived and had divvied up our gear, trekking across the lake was only a bit dicey.  The ice was plenty thick, but in select sections, a pseudo cover existed that often gave way to several inches of freezing cold water that hovered on top of the original layer of ice.  For those with boots it was not a big deal. For those with warm season hiking or trail shoes it was.

Click Below For A Video Of Us Lake Trekking:

Along the way, and while crossing the ice, we stopped and talked to two brothers named Randy and Craig who happened to be out ice fishing.  We waited patiently while they took a picture of Randy’s son Ryan who had just caught a nice pike on a tip-up. They released it, reset the line with a minnow, and then came over to talk to us, and allow me to introduce them to my fellow Gulo members.  You might think that such a visit wouldn’t be important to the story I’m trying to tell, but on the contrary, it was at its heart. Randy and Craig’s Dad had been a foundational member of the Prairie Hill School District for many years, and had retired just before I had started teaching.  I know the importance of sweat equity for those who came before us at our school. I wasn’t going to miss out on the teachable moment, to have those linked to the past meet those teaching in the future. It is this very thing that promotes understanding, supports a legacy that already existed, and establishes the knowledge and roots of history necessary to uphold the trunk and branches of what is often called progress.

Once we left the ice and plunged into the brush, the real work began.  It was tough going! The snow was surprisingly almost up to our knees. The traipsing was made even more difficult with the tangled grasses, spring water bubbling up through soft ground, and the tight woven branches of the red osier dogwood slapping against us.  After a bit we dumped our gear at a base-camp beyond some young poplar trees, and continued hiking on into another lake. We rested at our destination, caught our breath, and took a quick group picture. Just as we stepped back up onto the bank, one of our members sank down into soft mud below the deep snow.  He was stuck and held fast. While we held him up by his arms, another member began scraping away the snow from around his leg. Finally, it loosened its grip, but not until icy water had filled his boot. This was the second or third guy who now had wet feet. I was beginning to worry that this adventure was pushing the limits of our gear and abilities.  As we turned around and headed back to our supplies and the promise of a warm fire, the looming picture of a home cooked meal encouraged us on and the group forward.

Click Below For A Video Of Us Traipsing Brush:

           Once congregated, I had the fire going in two hits of my flint and steel.  We quickly went to work while the others drank orange juice as they sat, talked, or caught their breath.  Within a short amount of time we cooked the meal in our two iron skillets. To a man we devoured the food.  All of it. Which was as much of a feat as the adventure itself. Even my dog Kora was able to enjoy a healthy scoop; a reward for the hard work she had endured of leaping and bounding with each step through the snow; in and around our legs.  Afterwards we stood around the fire and topped off our outing with a cup of hot cocoa in our monogrammed tin cups. With a word of thanks, and a request for courage and strength to do what each of us does at work, and in the realm of education, we then repacked the gear and headed out.

Click Below For A Video Of Making A Fire:

The going was easier on the packed trail as we returned.  Our spirits were also much lighter with food in our bellies and the destination of the parking lot within our sites.  We crossed the frozen lake again as the temperatures began to peak for the day, but not before another member plunged his foot through the top sheet of thin snow and ice and into the middle layer of ice water.  He was young though, and tough, so onward he walked. With warmer temperatures in the near future, it may have been one of the last days to be out on the lake. Today, however, the lake had provided us with a means to the end; it had provided us with a way to walk into a frozen adventure.

See you along The Way…

Pictured From Left To Right Are:
Myself, Andy, Scott, Joe, Chuck, Zach, Andrew, Justin K., Justin B.
And Kora With Tyler.
Andy, Chuck , And Justin K. are new "Card Carrying Members!"

In [the] modest life lies the beauty of adventure - you don’t have to

discover new territory or be famous to find it.  It is the last

pure democracy, and that is its allure.

This Water Goes North

Dennis Weidemann
Manitenahk Books - 2008

It's A Process

You wouldn’t think anything would hold me back when I have the chance to get out into the woods, but sometimes I do have to push through the walls and obstacles that want to hold me back.  Such was the case on the morning of the last day of 2019. Part of the issue was the preparation. I wouldn’t have to bring everything that I pack, but being prepared and then cooking out is what I tend to enjoy.  It's just that organizing the gear and cutting up the food takes time.

The other half of the issue was that I simply was worn out.  I was tired from the craziness at school prior to Winter Break; what with the classes, a tournament that we hosted, as well as coaching the start of the girl’s basketball season.  My wife Cindy and I put all of that in a mental box on a shelf though, as we went into parent mode to enjoy and partake in our son’s wedding. Two days after this remarkable celebration, Cindy had shoulder surgery to remove bone spurs, trim frayed cartilage, and repair a tear where her bicep attached.  I then dove into taking care of her, and helping in all of the aspects necessary to allow someone to recover from surgery. Doing so didn’t allow for much sleep for either of us. We had Christmas with family in there somewhere, before our daughter left for a ten day tour of Israel. The house suddenly seemed quiet, and the natural let down after such a “life-rush” almost led to a case of mild depression.

For the last couple of years, Cindy and I have survived by trying to be cognizant of each other’s feelings, taking deep breaths, and simply putting one foot in front of the other.  Living life like that can be taxing, and wear you out if you’re not careful. Thank goodness for the support and love from family and friends, and our personal, spiritual faith. I truly don’t know how one can move day to day through life without the assistance and hope from such pillars of strength.  Like many things in life, developing healthy ways to progress through the years and deal with the good, the bad, and the ugly is a process.

Fortunately I had a window of time to head out to the woods with our dog Kora, to mull these thoughts over.  She was noticeably excited, panting, and drooling all over the Jeep’s console. The late morning outing followed a light snowfall that we had the night before.  Together we hiked and explored. Eventually I made a fire and cooked a meal for the two of us. This is also a process; collecting the right tinder, and igniting it using my flint and steel.  The meal as well had about three separate steps to it. I had thought of stringing up my hammock afterwards, and either writing or taking a nap in it, but it was one of the only days over this Break that was really cold. Plus, I didn’t want to leave my pup down below me on her own.

I’m the kind of person that typically moves from one thing to another without much downtime in between, unless the downtime itself is part of the plan.  Cindy likes to tease me about that. A couple of weeks ago she jokingly pointed out how I jumped from one finished book to another as I read them to “relax.”  For this reason, I packed up my gear following my cookout and a mug of hot cocoa. Regardless, in lieu of life’s schedules and pressures as of late, I was able to get out for a couple of hours, and that is a step I was grateful that I had taken.  It’s a process!

See you along The Way...

Fresh Beaver Activity Along A Creek

A Hollow Tree Acted As A Perfect
Place To Hang Gear And Act As A Table

A Fire From Flint And Steel

Bittersweet Berries
A Brilliant Red Within The Stark White Contrast

A Tired Pup!

Cindy And I Topped Off The Day
With Our Friends Dale And Sue
At "Mod Pizza"
It Was Our 31st Wedding Anniversary!  : )

A Marriage In The Misty Shadows

  Somewhere through the misty shadows of the last three-plus decades of my married life, I see pictures and videos playing out through my mind.  Perhaps it’s like the days of old when my parents and grandparents would break out a slide projector, or reel to reel movie projector; the bright light on the white backdrop allowing my sisters and me to make silhouetted figures with our hands.

  The pictures in my mind are fleeting though, and it’s difficult  for me to focus on them before they change and move forward onto the next one.  Why can’t we slow them down, and allow me to see the details, and recognize where and when it was taken?  I’m not sure who’s in charge of the timing of the slides, but I’m pretty sure that I don’t like the speed of the transitions.

  Even so, I am fortunate that I can grasp onto snippets of those fleeting scenes.  Some of the pictures are of Cindy and me finishing college, preparing for a wedding, and student teaching.  We were the last ones to leave our reception, after visiting with friends and family all afternoon, and then we enjoyed a honeymoon at a cabin tucked away in Northern Michigan’s Northwoods under a deep blanket of freshly fallen snow.  Some of the pictures are from our early years of teaching and coaching when we were only slightly older than the kids themselves.  Those were special times; the students and staff were close.

  I remember excerpts of scenes when we wanted children of our own, couldn’t have children of our own, and then by some miracle were blessed with children of our own; two children to be exact.  A family for Cindy and me, with Todd and Jodi.

  At that point, the mental snapshots exponentially explode into a bazillion shards of memories.  Name a topic, and I’ve got a story full of pictures that include laughter, tears, silence, and heart-warming smiles.  They are topics of visuals such as parties, lessons learned, vacations, playgrounds, swimming, toys, and snow.  Of course you can’t forget classrooms, camping, friends, hobbies, sports, pets, meals, jobs, holidays, and graduations.

  And now as the slides and videos run rampant; strewing pictures and film across the floor of the editing room in my brain’s audio/visual department, I reach forward and hit the pause button.  The picture frozen on the screen is one from a week ago.  It’s a picture of my son’s wedding.  He’s smiling and holding onto his beautiful, and talented wife.  Pictures of friends and family with whom we shared this day spiral, swirl, and spin.  Familiar bonds meld with new acquaintances; the blending of worlds.  Somehow the sound continues to play and I hear again the speeches spoken, and the words used to describe our son and daughter-in-law.  Mentioned are character traits fueled by a spiritual commonality; love, integrity, honesty, and inclusion are a few of the qualities that each possess.  Enough is said from the mouths of the various close friends, that it is truth spoken from the heart; truth that makes a parent proud and easily forget the tough times.  Or perhaps it’s enough to reflect and feel that the tough times, in conjunction with the great ones, were all well worth it to lead up to this particular time; the wedding day and the marriage of Todd and Emeris.  It’s a clear picture in the misty shadows of my mind.

  See you along The Way...

Mother-Son Dance With Cindy & Todd

Cindy With Jodi Who Was A Bridesmaid

Emeris & Todd
Courtesy of "Fine Detailed Photography"

Courtesy of "Fine Detailed Photography"

A Proud Dad Taking It All In

Novel Stories, The Rule Of 3's, And Moving From Surviving To Thriving

I’ve been “stuck” as of late.  The term “stuck” was used by the character Leslie Burke in the novel Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.  She would use the word to describe her Mom (who was an author) when she couldn’t think of what to write next.  I guess that applies to me too. Part of being stuck has been the lack of an opportunity. Part of it has been the lack of a noteworthy adventure.  Part of it has been the lack of any spark of energy or desire to put a pen to paper. Sometimes I feel like I’m just trying to survive.

But then to survive, a person needs to move beyond what has commonly been referred to as the “Rule of 3’s.”  As fifth grade teachers we used to teach and lead kids through the novel Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.  Our efforts to bring a novel to life were personal, heartfelt, and holistic.  As we introduced students to the setting within the boreal forests of wild Canada, and the character named Brian Robeson, we went through those “Rule of 3’s.”  It was important to understanding the story to help predict if Brian had any chance of surviving alone in the North. It was also important for us to learn as readers, as it allowed us to focus on the basics for life.  Only then can we move from basic surviving to heartfelt thriving.

The “Rule of 3’s” starts with the smallest measurement of time and works its way up.  In an emerging situation you have an average of about 3 seconds to latch on to hope and avoid panicking, which can otherwise paralyze you.  A person can survive about 3 minutes without oxygen before it severely affects the brain. They will probably pass out before that, but it’s important to know prior to crawling into a snow cavern or hole in the Earth.  Within 3 hours you need shelter. This includes shade when it’s hot, and a way to stay warm when it’s cold. In addition to this is a covering of clothes. This might seem slightly bizarre, but without clothes as a simple layer of shelter, even normally comfortable temperatures can cause a person to fall into hypothermia as it’s well below our needed temperature of 98.6°F.  The next level to understand the basics of survival is 3 days without water. These measurements are an average, but without proper hydration a body, made up of approximately 70% water, is going to rob muscles of the water they need to function properly; cramping, confusion, and a swollen tongue are some of the symptoms that are sure to follow. The final rule of 3 is that a human can survive about 3 weeks without food.  Twenty-one days is the premise behind a few popular survival type TV shows. After this many days the body has been stealing so much energy and nutrients from itself that nothing is left; fatigue sets in and the body’s organs begin to shut down.

And so since I know the “Rule of 3’s,” and want to live a life that moves from surviving to thriving, I needed a kick-start; at least to begin writing.  Running, as I’ve blogged on before (Click on last month’s entry entitled “Twofer”), has provided some of the motivation that I need. The other part of it came a couple of weekends ago.  Somehow in the midst of everything else that I happened to be doing over that weekend, I came upon a Charles Martin book on one of our shelves. In the past I have liked how he writes, and the descriptiveness of both the setting and his characters.  For quite some time, however, I haven’t read a book or allowed myself to escape into someone else’s story. When I picked up his book on that day, and started reading the first chapter, I became entranced and hooked. It felt wholesome and complete. I read that book in a week’s time; reading it from cover to cover in front of our fireplace over the weekend, and before going to bed on school days.  Sometimes after finishing a good book it’s hard to jump into another story, but I did just that to keep the distraction going. After a rather lengthy sabbatical, I’ll have read two books in two weeks. Although it involved reading, it helped kick start my desire to write and tell a story.

Speaking of a story, I’m looking forward to this winter; the preparation of my gear, walks in the woods, and food cooked on an iron skillet over an open fire.  Until then I have my running. When I run I’m in the elements, sometimes with friends, and with an opportunity to push myself.

Last month I ran in Chicago for my fifteenth marathon.  My wife Cindy and I stayed at a hotel that was fairly close to the start; close enough that it was within reach of Saturday’s Expo and Packet Pick-up as well as the Team World Vision celebration dinner.  It was both humbling and motivational to be a part of TWV. I was able to make a final push the night before the race, and achieve my fundraising goal. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for your graciousness and kind words my family and friends!  The funds we raised brings fresh, clean water to children and communities in Africa by drilling wells. It’s a simple idea that keeps people from picking up diseases, getting sick, and often dying. The efforts of running and giving are well worth the sacrifice.  Speaking of World Vision and the “Rule of 3’s,” I was personally able to raise over $3,000, the Heartland Church Team that I ran for raised over $300,000, and TWV as a whole (with all of the various individuals & teams working together) raised over $3,000,000 at the Chicago Marathon.  These numbers are staggering. The people that it will help is unbelievable.

It was with these thoughts that I ran the race on that cold, Sunday morning.  We watched 45 minutes of runners begin the race before our chute was released and brought down into the starting area.  Just short of 46,000 runners would complete the Chicago Marathon on that day. I ran with my friends Louie and Zach for the first 5 miles.  We weaved back and forth finding various people that we knew (amazingly enough with well over a million spectators), and enjoyed the event itself. As Zach started moving ahead, I would hang back and talk to Louie before speeding up to keep Zach in my sights.  Soon after the 5 mile mark and Lincoln Park, Zach and I stayed together and began churning out the miles. When I saw my wife Cindy at the halfway point, I stopped and handed her my hat & mittens and took off the long sleeve shirt that I had on under my TWV jersey.  I stretched out my hamstrings, said goodbye, and continued running. I managed to catch up to Zach around the twenty mile mark. We talked and ran together for a couple of miles before he said that he was going to continue his consistent, steady pace. I decided to move forward and see if I could still try to finish around the 4 hour mark.  I didn’t, but it was a strong enough finish that I felt good about it. I finished in 18,186th place (1,329 in my 50-54 age group) with a time of 4:05:39. Towards the end my right hamstring got a little tight, and I was nervous it might cramp like it has in some past marathons, but it held together. It was fun to see Cindy & her friends a few more times before the end, and knowing I was running for a cause that would benefit others helped me to float over the finish line.  I felt as though I could have run faster, but at the same time that wasn’t my overall goal for this particular race. I wanted to enjoy the journey, my friends, and the atmosphere. I was able to do that. Goal achieved.

By the end of the day, I ended up covering about 35 miles between my walk to the start early that morning, the marathon itself, the walk to the TWV tent, the trek back to the hotel, and then the hike to a restaurant and back after I got cleaned up.

One of the more memorable moments of the day was when a lady stepped out in front of me during the race and yelled, “You are Relentless!”  Indeed I was. I liked that descriptive gift that she gave, and it powered me forward into the masses.

Survival happens within the realm of meeting one’s basic needs; survival through the “Rule of 3’s.”  Knowing that we’re all part of a story, and then by looking forward with anticipation to opportunities where I can add to my story, I move from surviving to thriving.  Perhaps I’m “unstuck” from those roadblocks that have recently kept me from writing and experiencing the spirit of adventure. The obstacles that hamstring us in life and try to steal our hope, joy, or motivation don't necessarily go away, but with a relentless spirit I can run, thrive, and forge ahead into new chapters of my own life’s story.

See you along The Way...

__________________

PICTURES FROM THE MARATHON WEEKEND:

McCormick Place Convention Center

Running For TWV

The Team World Vision Celebration Dinner The Night Before

My Walk To The Starting Line Over The Chicago River

With Friends Zach And Louie - Very Early In The Morning!

At The Team World Vision Tent For A Pre-Race Rally

The TWV Tent - A Welcome Sight After The Marathon

 

Cindy And I
It Takes A Whole Team, And We Did It : )

With Zach After His First Marathon

With Long Time Friend Louie

Cindy And I With Dana And Louie In The TWV Tent
Our "Support Crew"

With Friend Terry Barnett

No Matter Where I Go
I Can Find A Link To My Heritage
And The State Of Michigan

The Old Dearborn Train Station
With A Restaurant Where We Could Eat!

Cindy And I Found Bar Louie on Polk Street
To Eat, Relax, And Debrief From The Day

A Perfect Post-Race Meal To End The Day