A Video A Day... Success

"I just find it hard to talk about success, because I don't want to be like 'Yay, we won' and then people think everything's good."

On December 4, 2011, Miranda Gibson climbed 60 meters into a eucalyptus tree sit and began a protest on logging which lasted 449 days.  Only when a forest fire (most certainly lit to force her out) drove her out of the tree sit, did her feet touch back down to Earth. Through rain, heat, and snow, Miranda fought for the forests she held most dear.  Combined with a grassroots effort, StillWild StillThreatened and over two decades of environmental conservation action, did the government finally dedicate the forests World Heritage site.  Although this designation is a step forward, the government is weak to the economical gains of the land and the fight continues to retain protection over these amazing forest.

Grassroots efforts like these exist all over the world they are constantly struggling against cooperate endeavors to harvest natural resources that are unsustainable.  Decades go by before even rudimentary protection gets enacted.  In the meantime, millions of acres of forests, hundreds of miles of rivers, and numerous endangered species are driven away, destroyed, or become extinct.

In the documentary Still Falling, Miranda expresses her disdain for talking about 'successes.'  She emphasizes "not celebrating success to the point where you forgot that you have to keep fighting."  Every battle won, does not mean that the war is over. In a world wrought with environmental catastrophes, every step needs to be cherished and each success needs to fuel the fire of passion, not diminish it.  There's always something to fight for and whether it's giving money or time, writing letters, making phone calls, or standing on a picket line, we all must contribute to our failing world.  And if we don't, there might not be a world worth living in anymore.


Still Falling from Burning Hearts Media on Vimeo.

A Video A Day... Finding Your Landmark

YouTube is a plethora of information.  Some... leaves much to be desired.  But others are, for lack of a better word... addicting.  The latter is true for the YouTube channel Landmark Adventures.

The channel's host, Brooklynn, is a backpacker and avid adventurer.  She travels into the wilderness areas of California, solo, challenging herself to complete longer and more exciting terrain.  She's hiked the Tahoe Yosemite Trail and the John Muir Trail.  She hand crafts bush knives and does trail work.  She's pretty much what every amateur adventurer strives to be.

She's quick-witted, funny, and engaging.  Her videos are clever and make you long for spending lots of time in the natural world.  She is currently working on completing her videos from her John Muir Trail.  Each segment leaves you eager for more and she has a way with bringing you onto the trail with her.  Her most recent video "Lord of the Bags" shows Brooklynn take on the daring task of returning a lost bag to a desperate hiker.  As a lover of Tolkien, this amusing epic left me rolling in fits of laughter.  She hit it right on the nose.

Brooklynn has a gift.  And at only 35, she's setting out in life confident and excited about her prospects for expanding her portfolio of experiences.  Watch her videos and support her passions.  Because, after all, we are all seeking out that which we love and giving back is how we show our dedication to personal triumphs.  Bonus: you're in for one sweet ride!

Weekend Warrior: Ice Caves and Wilderness Waters

The sky is blue and cloudless overhead and there's a faint smell of pine lofting through the air.  The wind is whistling through the grass and a couple of squirrels are playing in the shrubs nearby.  The rock glistens in the sunshine and the megaliths of stone towering above you create a deep feeling of acceptance and home.  You look down at the ground you're walking on. It's soft and bouncy and your feet seem to sail down the trail.  The quiet crunch of leaves beneath your boots is a symphony of tranquility to your ears.  The rushing of a creek is getting louder as you approach its glacial waters.  The descent into the valley was a struggle for your knees and you know the return trip will test your quads and lungs.  But in the moment you stop by the water's edge and stare at the cascades flowing rapidly over the rocks into the deep pool twenty feet below, you know it was worth every discomfort in the world.  To be standing on the precipice of nature's magnificent display of power and precision is nothing but breathtaking.

My weekend in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the foothills of mighty Mount Adams was incredible.  In that moment, standing by that forested creek, I was content.  I have rarely felt at home in any other environment more than I do when I'm deep in the woods, experience Nature's beauty all to myself.

I was visiting the small town of Trout Lake for the Friends of Mount Adams annual conference.  This years theme stemmed from the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964.  The great minds on this subject flocked to this mountain town to discuss past and future actions of the Act and the ethical decisions that are made within wilderness borders.  I met many wonderful people and learned a variety of new things.  But as I made my way four hours from home into the foothill of the largest volcano in the Washington Cascades, I realized something that my mind had only mentioned once or twice before.

I have a unquenchable obsession with the natural areas of the world.  I struggle to find words to describe the pull they have on my heart.  Leaving them leaves me feeling empty and sad.  The forest is my community.  I feel at home deep in the forests, high on the mountains.  And it's extremely difficult and physically painful to leave it.  Hopefully, someday I won't have to.

Although leaving was hard and the time spent there was far too short, I had a magical experience.  I visited the ice caves and hiked to a beautiful creek.  I was the only person in the county campground (maybe because it was opening day).  I shared a cup of coffee with the mist shrouded mountain in the early morning light.  I ate homemade huckleberry ice cream and slacklined at camp.  I built a wonderful fire and listened to episodes of the Dirtbag Diaries.  It was perfect in so many ways and I cannot wait to have another adventure soon.  Enjoy the pictures and the video!

Chicken Curry Quinoa

Buck Creek

Details of Ice

Mount Adams

Entrance to the Ice Caves

Goodbye Adams - until next time

Life Lesson: Alone

I was recently asked if I like being alone.  In context, I'd been doing a lot of activities lately solely by myself.  I slackline in the park after work, I go on day hikes, and I occasionally do an overnight in the wilderness or a far off campground.  The main reason I do this activities alone, is because I have no one else to do them with.  My husband is in school as are my friends.  My other friends either live in Pennsylvania, Seattle, or are currently thru hiking the PCT.  The companion resources are thin.  The question was asked by someone who knows all of these facts (my father).

But the answer to his question was "sometimes."  I sometimes like to be alone. I love the camaraderie of having a partner to hike with, to climb with, to camp with.  I love laughing at the end of the day, as we recount all the shenanigans we got into and the mistakes we made, the vistas we attained and the memories that were had.  There are somethings that I'm probably too scared to do by myself, but with a friend, I wouldn't be nearly as afraid (or at least wouldn't chicken out too easily).

But sometimes I love being alone.  I never have to worry about anyone's agenda but my own.  I never have to worry about someone's ability level exceeding my own.  I don't have to worry about saying or doing anything stupid.  And I can enjoy everything at my own leisure.  I can stay on a soft patch of pine needles for an hour just listening to a creek gurgle by.  I don't have to rush back to the trail-head for any reason.  I don't have to answer the questions of why I want to shoot a walk-by scene from three different angles and focuses.  But most of all, I can be quiet and contemplate my thoughts without the consideration of anything but me.  It's my selfish time.  The time 100% devoted to me.

If you've never had the opportunity to get into the backcountry or just your backyard trail to sit in the cool breeze among the chirping treetops and think about your life, you truly are missing out.  Those are the moments when I get to figure out my priorities and organize my goals in life.  Those are the moments I figure out who I really am and what makes me happy.  Whether its the summit of your local peak or the soft bouncy pine trail through a lush forest, these places are special to us in more ways than we can imagine.  You just have to get out there and figure out what they are.