Hike WITH mike

Among other things in life I am an outdoor educator. I have been teaching outdoor skills in a variety of settings for going on 6 years now. Currently I am a guide for Outpost Wilderness Adventures in Austin and will be guiding for them this summer in the beautiful Terryall Valley in Colorado. I am in collaboration with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to get myself onto, and then pay for an instructor course so I will be able to lead multi-week technical leadership courses all over the world.

At this point I have thrown myself wholeheartedly with OWA and I am helping run programs, market for the company, and figure out logistics for our trips as well as my guiding opportunities. A few months ago I worked with my boss on organizing a private outdoor tutoring program that takes kids out for a few hours once a week to work on outdoor skill like climbing, mountain biking, and kayaking.

I will be updating this more as I go along but I wanted to get some information out for those people who happen upon my blog over the next few weeks.


Peace and Love

Mike

Slow Life

I hear a lot about slow movements, slow food, slow money, intentional walking, slow life... there is a feeling in the air, a need to get more out of life, get a better feel for it, get into the meat of life, slide out of ethereal academic perception into the dirty hands, elbow deep in the guts of a deer kind of life. Over the last generation my experience has been so far removed from that of my ancestors that I feel this urge to chase it down and bite it in the neck.

When I drive across the state in Lola my '72 Baja Bug I get a good feeling. When I crawl under Lola to change the oil, fix the breaks, or pack the bearings, I get a good feeling. When I sit under a tarp in my back yard and take apart Mo-, my '79 Puch moped, I get a good feeling. When I cook breakfast for myself, I get a good feeling. When I invite 20 people to my house and cook them dinner I get a good feeling. In the middle of a trail ride on my ‘03 Gary Fisher, I get a good feeling. While cars are passing me with unlimited power and I can't go any faster, I am content and I get a good feeling. When I sit and talk with friends new and old, I get a good feeling. When I read Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Mathew B. Crawford, I get a good feeling.

I own a VW because it is paid off. I own a VW because I love it. I own a VW for the romance. I own a VW because I understand it. I own a VW because I always have. I own a VW because I can work on it. I own a VW so I don't drive too fast. I own a VW because I can customize it. I own a VW because it is pretty. I own a VW because it needs me. I own a VW because we are bonded. I own a VW because it is opportunity. I own a VW because I love the smell.

For whatever reason, owning a VW has an effect on me. It slows me down, it makes me flexible, it teaches me patience and it gives me something to look forward to. The poor souls that have to buy new cars, I pity. The poor souls that can buy speed, I pity. The poor souls that are speed limited by law, I pity. The poor souls that can never get there fast enough, I pity.

Economics is, at its base, an exchange of money for time. I could work less and have time to spend on my loves, or I could work more and have money to spend on my hobbies. I put more worth on time. As a part time worker I pay a high price in lost wages for my free time and have to remind myself of that regularly, but I find great value in that.

The other day I spoke with a guy about working on bikes. He talked about the new parts market and the constant need to buy new stuff. As he talked, I reflected on my bike and all of the things I could buy for it, all the things I want to buy for it, and then I think about all the riding I do without any of it. We have great tools at our disposal that are built to work for a long time, built to be repairable and upgradeable and I love that. I look forward to building up and maintaining my tools/toys for years and value the lessons I learn from that repair process. I am limited in my budget, but freed through my limits to go out and ride, or drive, or fix. The limits let me breathe.

Go cook some food, fix a bike, and take a slow drive. However, be careful you might fall in love with people passing you by on their way to more urgent endeavors.


Peace and Love
Mike

Motivation

My family refers to me as one of those people that has 2 speeds, fast and off. I don't know how true that statement is but it paints a nice picture of my energy use. It has been a year now since I returned from the Asian Rural Institute, it does not seem that long but then again, it never does. My return to America has effected me, I have gone through phases of apathy, frustration, learning, and elation. My ambitions have swung to all points of the compass, and at times I have lost sight of my purpose, any purpose really. I have run from things that are good, and hidden when things seemed bad. I have gotten to connect with people that I have known forever and made deep connections with people that I hope to know forever after. I have slept on couches and traveled the country. I have dreamed many dreams but have chased very few. I have been floating and I have loved it.

In my last post I talked about a roof over my head. Now the next step is a dream to chase and purpose to stand for. I think a purpose is more important than a roof and a dream supplies energy for the purpose. In college and even in Japan I was a lightning rod for ideas and purpose, an advocate for change and new thinking. I was surrounded by people who excited my curiosity about the world and ideas that gave me hope. Over the next few weeks I am looking to get involved with groups that have the same kind of energy and passion. In my aloofness I have not tapped into these sources of energy. I plan to work on that. For now, I hope you are sharing your life and eating well.

Peace and Love,

Mike

A roof over my head

I love being a vagabond, the gypsy lifestyle, floating from couch to couch, but sometimes you just need your own bed. So, to that end I have moved into a little duplex in South Austin. It is a great little place, ugly on the outside, clean on the inside, and there is just enough room for little dinner parties. I have a place to keep my things and park my car, lay down at night and cook in the morning. It is nice.

A lot has been said about the value of a home, a base for operations, a place to hang your hat, so I won't go into it here but to say that having that grounding place really helps me figure out what I am doing right now. Since my return to the US I have floated and my mind has floated with me, it has been a valuable time of growth and questions. Right now, at this moment, I have the opportunity to sit still and my mind has the opportunity to focus.

I am currently expanding my client base for private climbing lessons, trying to expand into other outdoor pursuits, working with a friend on a climbing shoe resoling company, and researching the feasibility of a brewpub in College Station. Along with those humble projects I am scheduling a Wilderness First Responder refresher course, looking into a American Mountain Guide Association course, and an American Alpine Institute avalanche course. I am also still pedicabbing on the weekends for income and entertainment.

I have gotten to see lots of friends over the summer and had even more time with family than I could have ever hoped for. My roommate and I are having dinner gatherings regularly, and looking forward to more. Little sister came into town today, and my parents were in a few weeks ago. Lola, my car, has been parked since June because of a wheel bearing but I am enjoying not paying for gas so I haven't rushed out to get her fixed. I feel guilty but my pocketbook is happy for now... besides have you seen my cycling calves lately? But seriously I love my bike.

I hope you all are sharing time with good people, eating good food, and learning about your passions.

Peace and Love

Mike

Irie

Irie: to be at total peace with your current state of being. The way you feel when you have no worries. (urbandictionary.com)


I regularly stop in at the Irie Bean Coffee Shop on South Lamar to get coffee, use the internet, and hook into the south Austin community. I found the Irie bean when I first moved down here and it has become my coffee shop and I really dig the community that has developed here. As a matter of fact I am here right now.


A lot has been going on recently and it is hard to get it all in order to convey through a few paragraphs on the web, but here is a short synopsis; I am focusing outdoor education right now teaching private lessons and camps at the gym, I went up to Colorado for a week and taught mountain biking and mountaineering, I have started working on feasibility studies and market analysis with two different friends on two different business ideas, and I am training (in fits and starts) for the Austin Triathlon in September (if anyone wants to sponsor me please shoot me an email or leave a comment.) It is all very exciting and I will flesh this out more as more becomes apparent.

A note: I love teaching, I have gotten back into outdoor ed. over the last month and I am looking to start doing outdoor tutoring in Austin. There are people all over the place that would like to learn more about paddling, hiking, camping, biking, and climbing, and I would like to help them. Over the next few weeks I will be rolling out a small outdoor tutoring service in Austin. I am excited about this and hope you are too, I will keep you posted.

Peace Love and good food,


Mike

Rain in Texas

I grew up in Abilene. If you don't know much about Abilene that is ok, but one thing you ought to know is that it can be very, very dry. For a majority (read that most) of the time I lived there we were in a "severe drought" i.e. a desert. So for us, rain storms were the greatest thing in the world.

We had big booming thunderstorms that would roll in across the plains, sending fresh, beautiful wind out in front to announce their approach. You never forget what those storms smell like. They would come in with big towering clouds, and flashes of lighting that would steal all of the air for the split second before the thunder would hit. We would sit out on the front porch with our blankets and watch the storms at night, or run around in the rain and build dams in the gutter. Dad would load us up in the truck and we would drive around town checking the levels on the creeks (as an aside it is no wonder I get so fascinated with flooded creeks and kayaking as an adult.) Rain meant change, clean air, clean streets, and fresh starts. The world always seems happy after a big storm.

Today I am sitting at my favorite coffee shop, doing some some life-study, and watching the rain fall outside. We ate dinner with the doors open and the rain coming down. Last night while I was at blues on the green I saw these huge clouds piling up with the sunset tinting them orange. We have had a lot of rain and it is great. All of the creeks have some water in them, the lakes are up and the plants are eating it up. True, unlike Abilene, the air has been heavy with moisture, and there is lots of sweating, but it has been great and the cloudy days make everyone appreciate the sunshine that much more.

I hope you are well, eating good food, and sharing time with friends.

Peace and Love,

Mike

The Hiatus

Settling down

Sometimes, you find yourself in an eddy, a place in the stream where you can stop and check your bearings and look downstream for hazards. Recently, I decided to catch an eddy and take a look around for a while. I am sitting in a coffee shop/bar in downtown Austin listening to a new age jazz/hip hop/ string trio play and thinking about life. Last week I signed a 6 month lease on a little duplex with my new friend/ roommate Chris and I am looking into some side projects to keep my income up and start paying down some student loans.

My months of couch surfing are coming to a much awaited hiatus. I could not have foreseen this a few months ago but it is where I find myself and I am happy. As an update for those who do not know I have picked up a few jobs over the last few months as a pedicabber downtown in the evenings, as desk staff at the local rock gym and an itinerant guide for a company in Central Texas and Colorado. Along with that I am looking into a few other projects that I will detail as they come closer to launch.

A note on family; I have been able to see a large majority of my extended family over the weekend and gotten to share some great meals. I live down the street and around the corner (and on the couches more recent than not) of the Young Boys whom I was privileged to grow up with in Abilene, and most of my mom’s family lives in the Austin/ San Antonio area. My little sister just got back to San Antonio from the Dominican Republic and my parents came down to visit this weekend. It has been great getting to know everyone as an adult and I am happy to share my life with them.

More on life in Austin in the near future, get some good food, say hi to your family, and raise a glass for me.

Peace and Love,

Mike