Month: July 2022

Walking and hiking are my favorite activities. Since the pandemic began over 2 ½ years ago as well as for other reasons, I am gratified with slow movement when walking or hiking. After over 40 years a runner, leisurely movement is practical and satisfying for me.

Walking is a realization that I am becoming my mother. My mom was a walker and prided herself in the 3+ miles a day she did most days through her mid-80s. I remember the walks we took along Iowa roads. Sometimes I would run first and then meet her to walk home. Other times we just walked and talked.

A friend has been an avid marathon runner for years. I asked her recently how her training was going. Surprisingly, she replied, “I have been doing a lot more walking than running these days.” I figured she was referring to the stress that running puts on one’s aging body. “No,” she replied, “I notice the world and nature around me more when I walk than when I run.”

I still run sometimes, but walking is primary. The idea of relaxed activity is a cultural shift toward slowing down life’s pace. I now have the time and ability to take life more slowly, and walking is a form of exercise and an opportunity for mindful meditation.

At an eco-village in Peru years ago, I participated in a group walking meditation on a spiral path. I learned that walking meditation, or mindful walking, is a practice of giving full attention to movement and the feelings it produces. It allowed me to focus on the present moment without judgment.

Ralph Waldo Emerson noted, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” Slow movement, walking, walking meditation, and hiking give me an opportunity to appreciate my surroundings. This focus was evident as I walked/hiked highlights of the Tour du Mont-Blanc last week. Movement was a challenge with the elevation gains and declines.

I concentrated, however, on keeping my breathing regular with each step. I kept myself grounded to the earth as a noticed my feet striding in a rhythmic pace. I enjoyed the deliberation of each step and was mindful of the beauty of the landscape around me. I appreciated the gentle breezes and the sunshine on my shoulders. My body and mind worked together.

I enjoy the variety that walking offers. Sometimes I do not want to experience slowness. Regardless, I try to be mindful of the day and focus my awareness of whatever my pace and destination. I am developing my own form of walking with or without meditation that enables me to be alone with myself and/or enjoy the company of others.

Good things in life may not be sustainable. National parks are one of America’s best ideas. Yet, some parks are being “loved to death” and cannot endure in a system that previously worked. Park staff instituted a pilot timed entry system three years ago to address overcrowding in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). This change has not been without controversies.

Immediate gratification is not always possible as I learned as a child. Patience and planning sometimes are necessary. This timed entry system is in effect for four months of the year and impacts both tourists and residents because it requires preparation. It does not prevent anyone from coming to the park. It regulates the hours and places where people can go.

As much as I dislike the situation, RMNP cannot withstand the volume of summer visitation that has burgeoned. People enjoying this beautiful place is a good thing. On the other hand, this love affair is creating overcrowding, diminished visitor experiences, and headaches for park staff.

The purpose of the park service is to preserve public land unimpaired for the enjoyment of current and future generations. If visitation remains unregulated, the park may become impaired to the extent it will not be available in its present form for present or future callers.

Little change has occurred in RMNP’s available trails, facilities, law enforcement, and staff resources even though visitation has increased over 50% in the past eight years. The number of people has resulted in overuse and despoiled resources. COVID pushed the park administration to assess options to address problems, and RMNP staff are experimenting with procedures evaluated yearly. Such approaches will not go away unless visitation declines dramatically. 

This timed entry situation has not pleased people, and especially local people who expect unlimited access. However, RMNP is a national park and locals are paying no more than visitors living in Texas or Iowa. 

I do not want my opportunities restricted. Nevertheless, I do not want the park or any public lands to lose qualities that make them special—well maintained trails, available amenities such as restrooms, natural landscapes of peace and respite, abundant wildlife, helpful staff, and law enforcement. Compromises are necessary.

RMNP and the Estes Valley are different than I anticipated when I moved here. I am, however, grateful for this beautiful land and I support the sacrifices that I will need to make to ensure that this park remains a place of beauty and inspiration for myself as well as for current and future visitors.

I had a life-changing experience when I was 24 years old. I spent 6 months in the country of Turkey and my life has never been the same. Other experiences have influenced life choices, but this opportunity in 1974 opened my eyes to worlds different than my own.

I participated in IFYE—originally called the International Farm Youth Exchange, then the International 4-H Youth Exchange, and now just IFYE. The program began in the 1940s as a way for rural young people to participate in international exchange programs and cross-cultural education while promoting global awareness. The purpose is to promote peaceful understanding to affirm the value of all cultural perspectives.

I grew up on an Iowa farm. Although I had travelled a little in the US, I had limited association with other cultures. I was curious as a young adult and was aware of my cultural unawareness. University students now have opportunities for study abroad, but in the 1960’s, these programs were not the norm.

Two of us were assigned to Turkey. We took a crash course in the Turkish language for two weeks upon arriving. Hardly anyone spoke English with little written English. Ankara was a modernizing city but the rural areas where we spent our time promoted traditional lifestyles.

I lived with 20 different families during my 6 months ranging from sleeping accommodations that were in a single-room home connected to animal sheds, all the way to a mansion on the Aegean Sea where I had a personal servant during my stay.

Barak Obama stated “…we’re joined together by our pursuit of a life that’s productive and purposeful, and when that happens mistrust begins to fade and our smaller differences no longer overshadow the things that we share.” In my international experience, I learned about Turkish people and to appreciate my country more fully. The differences as well as the similarities among people became obvious.

I learned to speak with my hands along with my Tarzan style Turkish vocabulary. I recognized that the fancy camera that I purchased for $250 was equivalent to the average income of a Turkish farm family for a year. I concluded that happiness in life had little to do with material possessions.

I saw that Turkish people had the same range of emotions as I did. They loved their families and would do anything for them. They found joy in simple things. Islam gave them comfort and these teachings had similarities to my Christian beliefs. They wanted to learn about other cultures. Most of all, Turkish people wanted to be friends.

I am about to leave on a hiking trip to western Europe. The cultural experience is different from immersing myself in a developing country, but I look forward to appreciating the landscape, the local people, and the music and cuisine of an area that expands my thinking about my American roots.

Nothing is as dangerous as a mother protecting her babies. Babies in the park are now mostly adolescents, and they still need protection. The most threatening animals anywhere, including among humans, can be mothers with children. Although fathers also are the protectors of some species, mothers have a special role.

I have not been a biological mother so cannot speak directly to what protecting one’s offspring means. However, I am a cat mom, I love babies, and I feel great love for my adopted wild children.

In the animal world, two parents may raise young ones. In the past week, I was accosted by a hissing goose parent as well as swallows protecting their nest.

In other cases, however, such as among elk and moose populations, mothers are the primary caregivers. People sometimes worry about encountering bears and mountain lions in Rocky Mountain National Park, but they are of little consequence compared to mother elk or moose protecting their babies.

I had an experience with a mother elk last spring that could have been a disaster. The area around Lake Estes is often a prime area for cow elk to give birth. I was aware of this possibility when I went for a walk one evening. As I proceeded on the concrete path, I kept looking around cautiously to if any elk were there. Suddenly I heard the clip clop of hooves behind me and turned to come face to face with a large mama elk. She stopped as I gently whispered to her, “I meant you no harm and I am going to climb over this fence just as quickly as I can. Just be patient with me.” She hesitantly took a couple steps toward me but waited as I clumsily got away. She slowly went back toward the trees as I retreated behind the fence. I did not see a baby, but I know it was hiding nearby.

The “mama bear” meme image is popular these days. The urban dictionary defines a mama bear as a mom who can be cuddly and lovable but also has a ferocious side when it’s necessary to protect her cubs. A mama bear can be biological mom or the head of a group. I respect that notion that applies to humans as well as wild and domestic animals.

The babies born this spring continue to be safeguarded, but most moms (and other parents) are giving them their freedom, even though they are not yet independent. All moms should be proud of their efforts.