Listen Intently

It’s summer, and that means finally some opportunity to do some travel.  After working with Robin during Winterim last November, I was happy take him up on his invitation to visit him in Sweden.  So here I am.  Somewhere in Sweden, “up north,” Robin calls it.  At a little cottage in a beautiful, remote area of the country.  It is hilly and covered in pines and green forest land.  And a river runs through it.  It is a great little place, away from the hustle and bustle — but thankfully, it has good mobile coverage, and we are using Robin’s iPhone to gain access to the Internet.  There’s one thing that I guess we just can’t (won’t?) leave behind.

It is also raining.  And hasn’t stopped for long since we arrived.  Oh well, can’t control that.  After settling in, we went to a little creek and attempted to catch some fish.  I caught two, but they were too little to hang on to.  Robin had a little better luck.  More fun was that I got completely soaked, as I didn’t quite bring the right clothes to be out in the rain.  Again, not a problem.  Clothes and people dry out.

Friday morning we ventured out on a hike, the rain almost stopping for a little while.  We took some photos along the way, discovering that the snowmobile trail we wanted to follow was a bit too water-logged.  On the way back we found a different trail, and got off the road a bit.  After some lunch and a nap, the rain returned with much gusto.  So we just sat back, relaxed some more, and got to take a longer nap.  Aw, darn.

Tomorrow it is back to Sala, where we hope to do some night photography.  Both of us are happy to have an excuse to set aside other things for once and get the cameras out.  Usually it’s the other way around.

It’s nearly midnight, the Toledo train station is full of passengers ready to board the Capitol Limited eastbound towards Washington, DC.  I walk out the back of the station to rest my bag on the picnic table as is my habit.  It’s a bit chilly, but the fresh air beats sitting in the train station.  It’s an interesting thing, Amtrak travelers are generally a talkative bunch.  Randomly, another traveler proudly tells me that his bag contains a fold up bicycle, would you believe it?  And he longs for the return of the Florida Rail Pass.  I don’t ask him what he’s doing in Toledo, Ohio, instead of Florida.

I get in a few last minute texts to the guys as the train arrives.  (I hope you two had a good day.  I did miss our morning radiator time!) I am happy to be in a sleeper, as the coaches are full with many more boarding in Toledo.  The excitement of being on board takes me through to Port Clinton where I finally lay down and get some sleep.  Sleeping on the train, even in a sleeper room, is still not always super restful.  I woke up several times, but again managed to completely miss Cleveland.  Darn.

Somehow, I wake up just as we enter Pittsburgh.  Perfect timing!  I enjoy the scene of the incline railroad, hills, rivers, and bridges as we cross the river into the train station.  Every time in come into this station, I will think of the memories of a previous visit with Rollie on the way home from Philadelphia.  We did a lot of walking that night!  The sun is beginning to rise as we pull out of town, but I am quickly asleep again.

It is a pleasure to wake up in the mountains (well, these are really just big hills in the east!) when on the train.  The tracks generally follow a river and the Capitol Limited route is no exception.  The river is flowing westward and the vistas are white with a dusting of snow.  There is a calmness to it all.  An element of serenity that I do not find anywhere else.  No better way to enjoy my french toast in the dining car.

The rivers reverse direction as we pass through the tunnel underneath the Eastern Continental Divide.  After the tunnel, we follow a small stream flowing eastward with the train.  It is peaceful, relaxing, and I can picture myself living in such an environ.  The stream turns into a larger river, white water flowing around the rocks with force and recklessness.

This is the way to start a day.  We’re running about 45 minutes late, but that is not of any concern.  My friends are due in Washington, DC, much later than I, so I will enjoy my bonus minutes of train time.  We’re in Cumberland, MD, now.  Time to take a fresh air break.

We are nearing the end of the year twenty-oh-eight.  The time of year when many pause for a few moments to look back at what has been and start to prepare for what is yet to come.  I hope that the season is full of joy and laughter, family and friends, smiles and good times for each of you.

All Aboard!

It has been quite a year for me.  Just over a year ago, I found out that I would be a recipient of my school’s Dream Odyssey award, a stipend given to faculty/staff in order to help them live a dream.  It was my dream to travel around the country by train, visiting the national park made famous by the Great Northern Railroad–Glacier National Park.  In June, right after graduation ceremonies, I boarded Amtrak in Toledo and traveled for just over two weeks.  It was fantastic.  I met so many wonderful people, rode the street cars in New Orleans, sat in the Pacific Parlour car enjoying the view of the ocean railside, and spent five nights in a cabin in the woods of Glacier Park.  I got my own private guided hike in the mountains, and participated in a bear jam along the road in Alberta.  In every way, it was a dream come true.  And now I’m ready to do it all over again.

The view from our front window in Colorado

With my friends Scott, Amy & Paul, we revived our tradition of traveling to the NCAA Frozen Four–the college hockey semi and final games.  Much to our delight, our Michigan Wolverines joined us in Denver, but unfortunately lost in the semifinals.  We were traveling to the mountains, there was no way we would be staying just for a weekend.  Scott and Amy found a house in the foothills, and we enjoyed privacy, cloud & snow filled morning sunrises, and even a day of skiing in Breckenridge.  I got to spend a bonus day with Nick, Jill, Jeff & Ilze, and even got to ride the train home.  Another week to remember.

August brought about the return of the school year, but this year I was delighted to learn that I would be an advisor–a mentor and guide for our high school students.  I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my six freshmen advisees, and they have made this school year so much more fun to be a part of.  Thank you Dixon, Genna, Jared, Jonathan, Mickey, and Wesley.

October 1st now holds a special day in our family.  Ruby Grace, my brother and sister’s second daughter, joined us in this world, much to the delight of sister Mary (now 4).  Welcome!  I can’t wait to watch the years ahead with these two wonderful girls.  But I’m still not yet used to visiting the Barbie aisle in ToysR’Us.

MV Action Photo

November was a very special month for me this year.  It was time for MV Action Photography, a Winterim course that myself and Robin Norlén co-taught.  Robin was an exchange student at school a few years ago, and he and I hatched this idea to teach a month-long photography course.  We had 12 suckers students, sign up and off we went.  Lots of photo opportunities, a trip to New York City, and many, many inside jokes later, it was a month that I will never forget.  The students are wonderful photographers, and I expect to see their work on display in the future.  Especially delightful was working with Robin all month long.  I foresee a trip to Robin’s home Sweden in the coming year(s).

Outrigger Canoeing in the Ocean

But the excitement of tbe year wasn’t done yet.  A trip to Maui was on hand during the first weekend of December, for my cousin Ryan’s wedding.  What an incredible experience!  Staying on luxurious Wailea Beach, but more importantly, spending many moments with my mom and dad, Aunt Lynn, Uncle Bruce and cousins Devon and Ryan.  And several more new friends.  It was a wonderous weekend, magical and inspiring.

We never quite know what the days ahead will bring.  But I can look back and know that I am truly blessed.  A wonderful family, great friends, awesome advisees, and much fun ahead to be had.  Bring on twenty-oh-nine!

Peace! and Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

The groom, Ryan, with my mother

I’m a little slow with this blog update, sorry.  On December 6, my cousin, Ryan, got married to the lovely Ashley in a beautiful ceremony overlooking the Pacific Ocean from Maui.  It was my first visit to the islands, and the timing couldn’t have been better.  I was fresh off of teaching a photography course and didn’t want to get back into the regular schedule very much.  I enjoyed, way too much, my opportunity to work with the students in my course.

So I began the process of “hurry up and wait.”  I drove to the Detroit airport and hurried to the line to check by bag.  Then hurried from there only to wait at the security checkpoint.  Then down the hall to wait at the gate.  Hurry up and get in line to board, only to wait in the jetway for those in front of you to find their seats and load their bags.  Then the ultimate wait, sitting in a airplane seat for 6 hours getting to Seattle.  And waiting only to repeat the process in order to get to Maui.  Oh, these things do make me long for the train.

Finally, I made it to Maui.  It lives up to its promise.  Weather, beautiful.  Beaches, soft and sunny.  Ocean, clear, blue and glorious.  I could get used to this.  Daily, I walked along the ocean-front path, a 3-mile roundtrip powerwalk to get the day going.  Then would sit along the beach, read, and just relax.  Not bad.  Our rooms and the wedding were at the Four Seasons Resort in the Wailea area of the island.  We ventured to Lahaina for dinner one night, but spent much of our time not far from the resort.

Myself, Uncle Bruce, Dad and Mom

We did venture out in the resort’s outrigger canoe, a fun experience punctuated by seeing spinner dolphins, a site not often seen this close to shore.  Humpback whales were also spotted, both from beachside and from our whale-watching trip Saturday morning.

Despite the long trip home, glorious memories reside from this wonderful trip.  Mostly from getting to spend a lot of time with my extended family, time that I wouldn’t trade for another few days in paradise.

I needed one more trip on Amtrak this year to achieve “Select” status.  Wow, I’m special.  So why not take a day trip to Chicago?  Boarded the Capitol Limited in Toledo at 6:00 AM, arrived into Chicago a few hours later.  Walked around town — and walked.  More walking in one day than should be humanly possible.  But had a great time.  I was prepared for a dreary, cold, rainy and windy day — which it was, except for the dreary part.

While walking towards the Museum Campus, I passed Grant Park.  Found my own piece of history to record:

Grant Park

Close Up - "Witnessing Change"

Millennium Park was my favorite destination of the day. In the amphitheater, they were playing an artistic interpretation of sounds from a train station. It was one of those things that show I’m not sure about some kinds of art. I just didn’t get it. That said, I did do something that everyone who visits Chicago does, and that’s taking photos of the “bean” sculpture (officially, the “Cloud Gate“):

Cloud Gate

At Night

I hiked up Michigan Avenue, found the Apple Store and decided that I really do want a new MacBook. All I can do is want, for now, though. At 8:00 PM, I ventured back to Union Station and boarded the Lake Shore Limited and enjoyed an excellent conversation at the sleeping-car reception before we left town.  Make it back to Toledo a bit early, at about 3:15 AM.   A few other photos from around Chicago:

More photos are on my Flickr page.