Okay, okay, okay........

So,


Tomorrow, I go back in to the field for 5 days, working the second episode of Ransom of the Everglades 5 day GEP (Group Education Program) contract. I only have one measely picture to show you from session I depicting our innovative sleeping systems known as "boarding up" where we place planks of wood coated with Nautical grade sealant perpendicular to our canoes which becomes our floating home for the night. Yes - our "home" where we cook food, set up tents, use the bathroom, and store 5 days worth of supplies underneath. Pretty crazy; and by crazy I mean Amazingly awesome. This boarding system allows us to sleep, permit free, within the boundaries of Everglades National Park. The boards are normally stored underneath all of our equipment in the hull of the canoes.... so giving students opportunitites to set them up self-reliantly without aid from their instructors is a great team-building initiatve!

Check it...




And a few from my new satff training!


Jeff & Lindsay @ Gullivan Key


Josh Brown, Kelly, and Merle... Panther Key!

Swamp Thang...

I will edit more later.......


But basically... I am in the Florida Everglades...with some amazing people. In an amazing community. Doing amazing thngs. Please feel free to visit.

I just returned from a 5 day training expedtion.
It was awesome.

More on that later.
I leave for my first florida course in two days.


More later,


Kev

(s)Out(h)ward Bound...

Greetings all,

May this New Year bring you many good tidings, times, and tides- as the patterns and rhythms of life ebb and flow...

Today I leave for, ultimately, my winter destination of Everglades City, Florida. It is time that I experience flocking south for the winter... Usually more of a snow-lover, and one who loves working hard in white-capped peaks, I will exchange all of this for white-capped waves of the Florida coastal waters... Specifically the western coastal waters of Mexico's Gulf.

We OB instructors will be facilitating canoe and sea kayak courses in the Everglades. This will be my first time in the course area and I am really excited. However, my excitement has an all-balancing "other side". Last night I rang in this new year with the Chamberlains... Mr., Mrs., Maggi, Molly, and Sam & Gretchen! I miss them and my own family soooo much already and I technically haven't even driven away. You see, one of my best friends in the whole world (Sam) just returned from Iraq, and we were able to have some great quality time together- but tomorrow he and his wife, my other good friend- Gretchen will return to Alaska tomorrow. Maggi will return to North Carolina, Molly will go back to school... and the tide changes.

Sometimes the saddest part of saying "hello" again is knowing that, soon, one must also say "goodbye."

But... let's have a smile -- :)

And, smile once more, because no doubt- seeing loved ones and the closest of friends is priceless. Sure it's a melancholy affair of missing them and saying goodbye- but we all have our next great adventure waiting for us right around the corner! This is going to be a good year. These are the good times...

My ramblings of being happy about "hellos" and sad about "goodbyes" are part of the patterns and rhythms of goodtimes. They start, they stop, they linger, they go to quick...
Life is good. I digress...

I am super-stoked to be in such an ecologically amazing place as the everglades-and, although I have mentioned missing the mountains, the next time I write, I will be doing so from Southern Florida.

Happy New Year. Venture forth. Relentless adventures abound. For me? ... down south.
For you? ... Please, let me know.

Turn the corner, embrace the unknown, enjoy this year.


Adventure on,


Kev


http://www.nwf.org/everglades/images/mapEverglades.jpg


http://www.solcomhouse.com/everglvisear1.jpg


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKy9DUOaiU-xTRkT04PM2hbeCwuyw9OPmXW0v-b3BlAZE3G-2YMX_wuYQ5bOa4etGg8RkJ_sAyH-4MocYg4jTx3xKb6gMkENxLfzGYfos6TPqYabiXDHRDPsPQKRLAHKZuOHjRexY274C/s1600-h/looking+south.jpg

One more time....with feeling! (A repeat from a few weeks ago, but worth noting...)

Lately I have been extremely interested in Greg Mortenson's programs: Pennies for Peace and the Central Asia Institute.

The Central Asia Institute (http://www.ikat.org/) has a mission statement of:
"To promote and provide community-based education and literacy programs,
especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia."

The CAI seems to be interested in something which I am completely passionate about: Mountain cultures. More specifically, I am so interested in how topography effects the development of culture, especially in mountainous regions. Mortenson also started another organization called Pennies for Peace.

Below is an excerpt from Pennies for Peace (http://www.penniesforpeace.org/home.html):

...to Pennies for Peace, a program of Central Asia Institute (CAI).

Pennies for Peace educates American children about the world beyond their experience and shows them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time.

Our best hope for a peaceful and prosperous world lies in the education of all the world’s children. Through cross-cultural understanding and a solution-oriented approach, Pennies for Peace encourages American children, ultimately our future leaders, to be active participants in the creation of global peace.

To participate in the Pennies for Peace program, please start by completing the registration form and returning it to Pennies for Peace. Feel free to contact us anytime for more information.

What is the Power of a Penny?

The penny, 1% of a dollar, is symbolic of the '1% of Gross Domestic Product' goal set by the United Nations. The goal was for wealthy countries to give foreign aid to impoverished nations each year.

Pennies for Peace teaches children the rewards of sharing and working together to bring hope and educational opportunities to children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A penny in the United States is virtually worthless, but in Pakistan and Afghanistan a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy.

Please join us in Pennies for Peace!

These two programs seem to be contributing towards/highlighting positive change in Asia. Funny thing, I was cleaning out my cabin at NCOBS for the season a few weeks ago and I kept finding all of these spare pennies. I thought to myself: "I should look in to starting a NPO called 'Pennies for Peace,' I wonder if that name is taken?" So I hopped online, and within minutes I had discovered that the name was already taken. A few seconds after that, I thought "Right on, someone beat me to the punch- and what an amazing 'punch' this really is, how can I contribute?"

So, I am still thinking about all of this. I hope that our future generations of American (United States, Canadian, Mexican, Central and South American) children will all have positive/healthy opportunities to learn more about the importance of these eastern cultures and about their own cultures, and how these different groups may interact to be allies for one another, instead of adversaries. Just a thought...

At any rate, I just ordered 3 Cups of Tea, written by Mortenson. It is supposedly a chronicle of how these programs came about and sheds light on the man who is Greg Mortenson. If anyone else has read this book already, please feel free to leave a comment or two about your impressions of the book, the organizations- anything that can help you and me learn about how we, as one of the most privileged countries in the world can be a serious and genuine ally for everyone.

____________________________________________________________________

I am also really interested in this book simply for its references to K2 - the second highest (and often considered the deadliest) peak on our planet earth.

Information about K2& the Karakoram Mountains:

k2climb.net

Wikipedia Karakoram information

Karakoram essays, photos and resources

A link to Google Images search of Karakoram


It's my big brother's birthday today! WooHoo! Happy Birthday Aaron! He turns 31 today...
I am so blessed and happy to be in Seattle to help him celebrate!
Likewise, as my west coast visit for 2007 draws to an end, I am excited to see my friends and family back on the east coast. I look forward to some quality catch up time with folks, climbing, and preparing for a season with NCOBS in the Florida Everglades...

Big Hugs,


Kevin

A Nor'easter, eh?

Special Thanks to Adam Pellillo for this beautiful photo of the Cheat River, taken from Snake Hill.

Wow -- ice storms, heavy winds, snow, sleet, slick roads, "buy your milk and eggs,"... What is to come of this "wintry mix"? I hope that you and yours will take measures to protect yourselves throughout the country, wherever you are- be it Vermont, new Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, The rest of New England, the mid-Atlantic... I mean EVERYWHERE!

Very chilly weather comes down, as spirits go up...for some faiths and creeds the winter festivities have already begun! I wish and pray for you the happiest togetherness, times for reflection, peace, and celebration!

I will be staying put in Virginia to be with family for Christmas. I am so excited to have many a great book to dive into this winter... I am currently reading:

http://www.elschools.org/publications/KurtHahnSchools.gif

http://www.ccra.net/covers/cover.cfm?isbn=0872203263



http://www.sharpendbooks.com/images/covers/wway.jpg


After these, I will attempt to tackle:

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/e/e8/180px-Way_of_the_Peaceful.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0684836319/ref=dp_otherviews_0/002-3768890-5141655?ie=UTF8&s=books&img=0



http://www.ccsf.edu/Library/exhibits/three_cupscover.jpg

All the while, I hope to be practicing:


http://www.etsu.edu/math/gardner/1710/sullivan7a.jpg

AND...


http://www.get-hiking.com/images/mountaineering.jpg

Anyway, these are my reading/academic goals right now, other than studying to re-take the GRE, and eventually apply to grad schools down the road...

UNH?
Mankato?
I dunno..... the options are endless.....

To all of you who are with loved ones during these winter holidays- be safe, be merry, celebrate. Breath is life.

So be it,


Kshon


p.s. What is new with you? Let a guy know...