Mountains beyond Mountains

I'm in Arizona now... the air is thick and dry, and the sun has been baking the last few times I've gone out for a jog.  The mood is relaxed as I catch up on blogs and matters in Zambia. Liz is busy getting ready for a big move, and Keisha is in Kitwe with Stan, working hard and making an incredible difference as life's daily challenges (mountains) present themselves.

The week prior to this was very special for me.  I spent it in Colorado, one of Keisha's, Liz's, and my favorite places to be. And hopefully I will have the chance to bring Stan here someday...


I met Seamus back in October.  I had posted my motorcycle online to sell it off (something I never thought I would be do, but to support the Walk of Lions).  Seamus is an avid rider, and understands that the kind of bike I had is special, and opens doors to exploration beyond what is typically possible.  He and I chatted, and I told him about Stan... about Zambia... about my decision to race for them.  And it didn't take much talking to this man to see that he himself has a heart to connect people and see their dreams come true.  So I gave him the bike... and he built me a website.  And to my surprise and honor, he invited me to his small, private wedding in Colorado... last weekend.

Seamus doesn't stop. He has been helping people achieve incredible things for a long time.  He has a gift of seeing inside you and knowing what you need to succeed.  And he isn't afraid to ride a horse through a blizzard.  I was unfortunately unable to join Seamus for his southwest bike ride from Cali to Breckenridge, so I flew into Denver and met him for his and his wife Lisa's special day.

This is the smallest wedding I have been to, and I had the pleasure of meeting the most intimate family and friends surrounding this man's life.  His two best men, Brian and Doyle, incredible musicians from the Nashville circuit, brought onto me some incredible light and perspectives on life.

The outdoor ceremony was beautiful and flowed gently and lovingly.  The setting was perfect and the small audience glowed almost as much as the bride and groom.  I smiled as I looked up, internalizing this solemn welcome back to a place I love so much.

Thus, I came into last week refreshed for the mountains that are yet to come. After a leisurely day walking around in downtown Breck, I wished Seamus a safe motorcycle journey back to California and drove south to the Springs.

And here again in Colorado, I experienced my second great honor on this trip... commissioning my little brother into the Air Force.

My brothers are the most amazing men I know.  Darren was in the top 1 percent of his graduating class in Colorado.  He was hand-picked to work on critical NASA research to design the vehicles which will be taking astronauts back into space.  He's heading to Texas to continue his studies in this field, after which he will go to military pilot training and (without a doubt from me) have a chance to become an astronaut himself.  Dave is two years out of college, where he was the number one graduate in his major.  He just got back from Austria (where he weight trained with Arnold Schwarzenegger's old comrades), and he's going to study at Notre Dame to expand the field of Systematic Theology, working among the great thinkers and philosophers of our generation.  I have lots of heroes and mentors in my life, but these two are the biggest rocks in my Zen garden.

As for the guy on the right, there is work to be done.  I've had some of the most incredible opportunities on this planet, and I owe so much to those who have believed in me and opened those doors.  But I guess I'll always feel that my place is to influence others and give THEM what they need to aspire and succeed.  I've never been great at anything... but I'm foolish enough to start walking in any direction I am drawn to, and I will always find a way to see folks through their dreams.

Colorado... mountains, crisp air, and heights.  The last leg of my trip involved taking Darren on a walk to the top of Pike's Peak

This way...

When Liz, Keisha, Seamus, Darren, and I used to be skydivers (what a coincidence), we'd just say "more altitude please" on the way up to the jump... but on the mountain, you earn it... two hours into the hike Darren and I quickly made it halfway through our 14-mile journey, which put us at Barr Camp.  "Halfway" is a deceptive statement... the ranger at Barr told us the way ahead was just not a great idea this time of year



What ensued through the second half was 7 hours of losing the trail, navigating various levels of snow pack, frozen layers, and hidden rocks as we slogged, snow-shoed, and post-holed our way up the only visible portion of the mountain face. It took us two hours to reach timber line, which presented us with a gaping view of the awesome remaining five hours, subtly masked by thinning air and hard sun.

Four hours

Three hours

Two hours

Taking one last look at the valley before doffing the gloves to climb the famous 16 Golden Stairs for one more hour to the top

There is a road that lets tourists drive straight to the top of the mountain, where they can enjoy an observation deck, restaurant, and souvenir store.  We loved the look on people's faces as we threw our arms over the last lip and presented our sun-baked, oxygen-deprived, lethargic torsos to the top of the world.

This is the way all great journeys should end... on top of your personal mountain.  I have three weeks to go to get ready for the longest walk in my life... literally.  Figuratively, the walk is going to be longer still.  Africa is a beast of a place, and nurturing seeds is always a challenge.  Things don't always go the way you planned, and you must adjust your gait to tread the miles as the direction you must follow becomes apparent.  But faith and love go a long way, and as long as we remember the people we are walking for, the mountains become something you can climb one step at a time.

Home Again

Two weeks ago, our great friend Keisha got on a plane and went back to her home.  To Zambia.



Keisha is a missionary down to the deepest fiber, and she channels the love of Christ everywhere she goes and to everyone whom she touches.  Even when occasionally back in the states, her endless support of friends and family keeps her constantly traveling and nurturing others along every step of the roads she walks.  When I met her two years ago, in Zambia, I had no idea what a wonderful bond would form as my own relationship with Stan and CAM was to grow over the ensuing months. In fact, most of my time in Kitwe/Garneton was spent with the Walkers and their work with the Boy's Ranch.  Keisha at the time was overlapping with Heart of the Bride and I had minimal interaction with her.  However, she and Liz immediately went together like peas and carrots.  To witness such a bond between two incredible people is a gift to the soul.

The first time I saw Keisha again was over a year later.  I was riding cross-country to a funeral on the east coast, and had a chance to rest up for a few days in Ohio, where these two gals were celebrating the 4th of July.  By then they were more like two peas in a pod... and thanks to Liz I got to know Keisha a whole lot more.



Keisha attacks the burdens the Lord lays before her by strapping them on and RUNNING with them.  No matter what location, which ministry, or whom is affected, her heart pours out to the needy with endless resolve.

And what a delight that a path opened up for her to return to Zambia recently, and that she felt compelled to partner with CAM to help Stan with his wonderful ministry!



Keisha and Stan are working hard to improve the way CAM organizes and accounts its outreach.  She keeps those of us in the states grounded with her frank updates, while lifting us with wonderful stories of great fortune and miracles in Zambia.  Stan is able to focus on shaping the vision of CAM as his family and Keisha help with day-to-day goings of the projects.  As this relationship continues to take shape, Keisha is getting to challenge her abilities and grow more as a humanitarian while enjoying life at "home."  She has also been able to reconnect with her African mom, Agness, and begin sharing life with her again.



Keisha's time while walking her path in Africa is always open-ended and optimistic.  She brings a tuned viewpoint to our relationship with Stan and Christian Aid Ministries, and her experience and the fire she carries brings relief and confidence when big decisions need to be made.  We pray we can continue to give Stan the resources, encouragement, and wisdom to keep following his dream through successive milestones.

It's amazing what a good attitude and calm flexibility will afford a willing team.  We are warmed by the amazing paths that continue to open up for ourselves and others interested in our passions.  Family members, friends, and even total strangers have asked about opportunities to help CAM.  I hope to make real these a reality through the Walk of Lions, regular ministry support, and follow-on projects.  Thanks for your encouragement, and look forward to making this family grow!

Need a ride?

On Friday morning I cleaned off a plate of delectable eggs and salsa verde, gave Yeags a double helping of chow, and drove a few miles to Singer's place.  I shut off and got out as he pulled out of his garage... threw my bag in his backseat and got in... my car faded in the rear-view mirror as we took off on the 20 mile drive to work



Sunrises never get old in the desert


After a long day in my window-less office, I called it quits and balmed up my feet, changed into my hiking kit, and took off for the desert.  Since I had decided to park my car a little ways away, I had some walking to do...





The little wizards kept me company for what would turn out to be a decently long evening.  I set off towards the setting sun and by nightfall, I had made it off the main reservation and began a 10-mile stretch of dry lakebed towards Rosamond.


When you're walking alone for 6 hours at night, you definitely start seeing things.  Getting pulled over by security was definitely not a hallucination, however.  There are a lot of drifters out here, so I had to flash some ID, etc, etc.  After my repeated "uh-huh" responses to all his coyote warnings, the nice fella wished me luck, got back in his car, switched off the flashers, and drove off.


On another segment of who-knows-where (my headlamp provided about 10 feet of canvas on this moonless night), my friend Kirk from work found my bobbing light and stopped his car to hand me a sandwich, water, and a goody bag!  He probably still thinks I'm nuts (who wouldn't), but what a great friend.  Rav and Eddie kept me company on the phone while Dave, Bruce and the Cooleys entertained my bored rants on the 3G.


It was an absolutely beautiful night... perfect temperature, light breeze, and not an unnatural sound entering my ears.  The Gobi walk will be a radical departure from these niceties... blazing sun, no food deliveries, no contact with the outside world... just eyes on the horizon and one deliberate footstep at a time.


My only mistake was walking in hiking boots.  Because of the darkness I had to stick to the asphalt, as any flat hard pack trail was hundreds of yards from the road.  I should have worn sneakers, and I definitely plan on doing that on any future long commutes to and from work!

I rounded the last of the 20 miles and got back in my car... with stiff legs on the pedals I slinked back to my house, fed my happy dog... and rolled into some nice dreams... which weren't quite as exciting as the things my imagination was conjuring during the previous 6 hours... =)

that'll do pig

Today was neat

I participated in another marathon

And I finished right before they tore down the finish line, haha

We drove out to Cinci early as a thunderstorm spooled up over the race course, making us drenched and not warm right before they fired the pistol

Luckily for me (and not Chris, Christin, or Kristin), I was wearing my lucky bean flop and long sleeves, making me impervious to the wet lashing from above.  Unluckily for me, I was also carrying the weight of full desert dress and a race ruck... making my journey through the course long and causing painful disagreements between the asphalt and my hiking boots.

Beautifully however, thousands of people did realize what the Walk of Lions is all about, as I was constantly reminded from bystanders that I was the fastest (and only) guy with a pack slogging through the race.  I even got a few folks to check out the website during the long day.

After some brief high fives and exhausted congrats were exchanged at the finish, the four of us drove off into the sunset.... and by sunset I mean Red Robin... a place where much scarfing took place and rejoicing echoed.

Training for a big race in the middle of the desert is fun.  Training by hitting a marathon with your friends is priceless.  Thanks to you three for making it worthwhile!

Get to do the same thing in San Diego next month.  Godspeed