Roots

I'm always thankful for this day to reflect. This Thanksgiving, while surrounded by family, I am reminded of the importance of roots.

Grandpa Bierschwale's Family

A year ago on this day I was in my all time low. I was in remote Alaska, it was dark, cold, and I felt isolated and alone. Despite my best attempts, it wasn't my home. And after months agonizing, I decided to move on at the end of the summer. I set forth from Alaska this September thinking the answer was travel. Hit the road again, explore, wander. Heading to Europe for an epic journey through Spain and onward. 

Sometimes you have to be honest with yourself. And often honesty hurts. Travel can be lonely.  It isn't always what it's cracked up to be. Constantly saying hello then goodbye to new friends, hanging your hat a different place each few days, continually being pushed beyond your comfort zone. Things you learn to both love and hate. 

Throughout my walk in Spain, the question of "Why are you walking?" was always there. Every day I would ask myself that question and then one day part way through the journey I felt my gut telling me to stop. I had received all I was going to from this journey. With much confusion and a little bit of sadness, I left early. 

The month since leaving, what I have come to discover is that at this point I need to find a place to call my home. After so many years of wandering,  I need to take some time to be rooted. 

Thus I'm going to give it a try. Or maybe I should say give it another try in a place not as cold, dark, and isolated. A place I love getting lost: Montana (although Hawaii was in a close second). I feel a connection and a sense of place here. This weekend I move into a temporary place to work and live in Bozeman. Not sure what will come, but I'm going to give it a go.

I still love to explore and travel. I will always continue frolicking here and there...

Change in Plans

Back in the ole states again. My travels took a change in plans. I'll try to write more about that soon. But in the meantime, here's a great article that expresses what I can't....

"So perhaps that’s what my wanderings have taught me — the ability to cope with a less-than-perfect reality. It’s a valuable tool, considering life will always be less than perfect."

http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/traveling-teaches-you-to-suffer-well/

On the Seventh Day She Rested

Hard to believe I've been walking just a week! In many ways it feels much longer. 

I've walked around 100 miles and today I decided to take it a little easy and end my day early at lunch. It's a scorcher anyway, so I'm glad to avoid it.

It's going very good although the road has its ups and downs (literally and figuratively). The first couple days your body is in pain. Your legs, feet, back, hips. You focus on every step. Trying to find patches of grass to walk on instead of jagged rocks. 

Then there is the race. All sorts of people are walking the camino and some are about going far and getting there fast. I find myself constantly slowing myself down. This is about the journey, not the distance or the speed. 

And sometimes you get lost. The other day I was following what I though were signs I was going the right direction, but it ended up being the bike path that brought me to the main road. D'oh! 

So many lessons learned along the camino. Time to think. But there is always a little inspiration along the way for weary travelers.

Here are a few highlights from the past week. Morning stroll next to a spring:

Walking with the bulls in pleasant Pamplona:

Passing the place where the wind and the stars meet:

Walking around the church ancient stones barefoot. A place linked to the Knights Templar. 

Eating off the vine! Grapes. Almonds, figs, berries, walnuts: YUM. 

Walking through beautiful villages.

And farms and fields: 

It's been an interesting journey this far. Only 400 miles left to go.....

Meditation of the week:

Get lost. Something reoccurring I've noticed the last week is how easily it is for me to lose things or leave them behind. Sometimes it's on purpose, other times it's accidental. Most of the time I go on knowing I can either do without it or buy a new one. Other times I bite the bullet and go back. Either way it's amazing what you can make so without! What could you stand to lose?