Sacapuntes!

Sacapuntes! It sounds like a great swear word, doesn´t it! It is really means pencil sharpener, but it was our favorite word to use in Nicaragua (or Nica as everyone says).





With our bandaged feet and 50 pound Rubbermaid "action packers," Meaghan and I boarded the Coastal Challenge bus after the race. Unlike the rest of the group going to San Jose, Meaghan and I headed for the Nicaraguan border armed only with our pidgeon Spanish skills. Luckily, Meaghan managed to convince the race director and race doctor to join us on our Nicaraguan journey. Neither spoke Spanish (we quickly found out), but we let them tag along nonetheless!





The border was crazy. Apparently, we arrived at the lunch hour and it was classic, long, hot and seemingly disorganized. After talking we a few gringos, we decided to do exactly what the guidebooks strongly discourage doing and decided to use one of the "expediters" trolling the area. Our race director, Timmy, took the lead and disappeared in a sea of people for what seemed forever. Eventually, he appeared with our stamped passports and we walked into Nicaragua!





We spent the next week or so with Meaghan´s cousin Bryce and his fiance Elisa at their surf camp in Playa Gigante. Karl, Anthony and Anthony`s friend Steve joined the group for a week of sun soaking, hammock swinging, and Tona and Flor de Cana drinking. The seas were flat and there was no surfing to be had, but we managed to entertain ourselves quite well in that easy going beach town.

After Meaghan and gang left, Karl and I set out to explore more of Nica. We first headed to the island of Ometepe to see the two volcanos, Conception and Madera.

We met up with a friend of Elisa´s in the port town of Moyogalpa. Moyogalpa was a busy, noisy place so we quickly moved on to the more tranquil Santa Domingo. We stayed at a great place on the lake, hiked to a waterfall one day and slogged up and down Volcan Madera the next day. It was a muddy, beastly hike, but our guide (you are required to hire one) was fantastic and entertained us the entire 8 hours.

Next, Karl and I headed to Granada. According to the locals, it is the oldest city in Central America, continuously inhabitated since 1524. We toured the area for a couple of days and then headed to Masaya where we shopped at the central market and toured the sulfer belching Volcan Masaya. You can drive right up to the active cratr, but have to park facing out "just in case."

Nicaragua is a wild and adventurous place that I hope to return to someday. The people were extremely friendly, it wasn´t overly touristy and although extremely poor, it is a very charmy spot.

Next up, Cusco and Machu Picchu!

Ciao,
Kelly

The Coastal Challenge

After clearing customs and stumbling around trying to figure out where to go next, I heard a voice say, "Looks like you're going our way." And so...I met Jen and Florencia. These two ladies from Miami adopted me for the next two days and provided me with invaluable advice about the days ahead on the route of the Coastal Challenge.

The Coastal Challenge is a 6 day running stage race through Costa Rica. The route changes every other year - one jungle route and a volcano route. This year's route was the volcano route, or "route of fire."

The first challenge of the Coastal Challenge came unexpectedly and even before the race started. Meaghan finally arrived from Alaska 4 hours before the race start. After a boxed breakfast of eggs, rice and beans from the local Denny's, we set off in the race bus at 4am. The bus driver negotiated 3 hours of winding roads to La Fortuna, home of the sacred volcano Arenal. On Day 1, we navigated over 15 miles and 5,000 feet of elevation. We ran through beautiful rainforests, ending at Rancho Margo, a self-sustaining farm and eco-lodge.

Days 2 and 3 were our longest traverses of back-to-back 22 mile runs and 4,500 to 5,000 of elevation. We were in tropical rainforests, eventually leading us to dry, dusty farm roads and high wind areas with windmill farms. Meaghan and I were so mesmorized by the windmills that we actually missed the first turn of the longest day of the race, adding an additional 2 miles to our overall distance.

Day 4 brought us to a more arid part of Costa Rica. After spending the night in a church yard, we ran along a hot, dry road for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, we entered into a beautiful canyon. At one point, the trail ended and we had to make a choice to either scale a wall or swim. It was a no-brainer for me. I jumped in immediately and starting swimming up-river. I assumed Meaghan was following me, but when I looked back she was clutching the side of the rock wall. For some reason, she was a little more hesitant to make the 10 foot plunge into the river. All ended well when, after some "coaxing," she jumped in and enjoyed the refreshing water. The day ended at an amazing waterfall.

At the end of both Days 5 and 6, we arrived at deserted beaches along the coast. Each day came with a price. The heat index was well over 100 degrees both days.

All in all, we ended up traversing 97 miles and coming in 2nd place in the Adventure division. We never would have made it through without the awesome volunteers and race staff, foot doctors for our blistered feet (Thanks Dougy) and all of our electrolyte replacements for these two cold-blooded Alaskans.

Leaving On a Jet Plane

So today is the day I start my Central and South American journey. It is 4am on the East coast and I can't sleep! I was supposed to meet Meaghan K. in Miami this morning and fly to San Jose, Costa Rica, but unfortunately, she has been weathered-out of Seattle. She is a quick and industrious sort so she managed to reschedule her flight...out of Dallas instead of Miami. That means we travel alone! Well, not the start I expected to my journey, but I have a feeling I am going to have to learn to be very flexible in the next few months...

I am planning on being in Central and South America until May 15th. First stop is San Jose, Costa Rica and then on the Coastal Challenge race! If you want to follow the race, there is a Facebook page. You can also try blog.leadaventuremedia.com/live. It is a 6 day stage race and about 80 miles or so over the mountains and through the jungles of Costa Rica. It sounded fun when I signed up! I'm feeling a bit nervous now...

Next stop is Playa Gigante, Nicaragua. Meaghan and I plan to bus it from La Cruz or Liberia, Costa Rica to Rivas, Nicaragua where her cousin will pick us up and take us to surf camp in Nicaragua! Should be a great time.

Then on to Peru, Bolivia and Argentina (with a day in Chile) with the Dragoman tour group out of the U.K. Their website is www.dragoman.com. I am taking one of their "Overland" trips. There is a fun video on the site showing "overlanding." Check it out if you are interested.

Next, I am meeting Karl in Buenos Aires and we plan to explore Argentina for a few weeks. No itinerary!

Finally, I will volunteer with Global Vision International in the Galapagos Islands for my final five weeks in South America.

I hope to learn Spanish, see amazing sights, meet new and interesting people, experience new cultures and at least begin to fulfill my humanitarian duty. I am sure that I will also learn patience, flexibility and get a dose of humility whether I want to or not...

Cheers,

Kelly

Birthday Celebration

Birthday Celebration

Patrick and Karl arranged a wonderful birthday celebration yesterday. A massage in Stuart in the morning and Asian-Fusion tapas in Fort Lauderdale for dinner...Relaxing and fun!

I'm back in the Florida sun, enjoying my birthday and getting ready to go to my first overseas stop in Costa Rica.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes yesterday.

Cheers,

Kelly

Asheville Turnaround

Asheville Turnaround!

My theme song:

"I’ve been burning up the blacktop

I’ve been wearin’ out these tires

I’ve got a rebuilt carburetor

I’ve got brand new spark plug wires

I’be been clutchin and a brakin

I’ve been up these hills and down

Her good love keeps me makin

That Asheville turnaround." - Del Mccoury Band

http://youtu.be/XUHVhYuKMJI

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I had an amazing 12 days celebrating New Year's, building, running and driving with Butch and Maria in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

We had all kinds of weather (mostly the coldish kind) and all kinds of fun. First, I rang in the New Year with Maria, Butch and Maria's extended family just outside of Atlanta, Georgia...

Then on to Asheville....After building a rack to haul 24 foot beams weighing in at around 125 pounds on a Toyota truck, the "team" (Butch, Maria and me) loaded 8 beams onto the truck, then on to sawhorses, and after much consternation and calculation and re-calculation of the Pythagorean Theory, we hoisted the beams up onto the top of the barn-to-be. Whew!

After "raising the barn," Maria, Butch, the neighbors (Caroline, Wilder, Matt and Brigit and friends) and I met up with Maria's mom Kathy, dad Tom, and the brothers, Michael and Chris, for the Tsali trail run, somewhere near Fontana Village, North Carolina. It was a rainy day but everyone in our group managed to heat up the 8km and 30 km courses. We all took home victory pottery and some door prizes as well.

And then on to Nashville...Butch and I made the 5 hour drive (with a nice lunch stop in Knoxville at the Perrys') and landed at Chris Perry's hip studio right in the middle of the action of Nashville. We felt a little "bushwacked" after hitting Broadway, but Butch managed to conduct a fabulous city tour on my last day in the city.

I just have to say...I love Asheville and Weaverville and Barnardsville...Thanks for a wonderful time Buria (and for hosting Caroline and Wilder)!

I have only a few more posts from the U.S. of A. I'll send out a post listing my Central and South American itineraries very soon.

Cheers,

Kelly

White Christmas?!

Christmas 2011 was my first snow-less Christmas. It was also the first Christmas Eve I've spent waiting in line at a 7-11 for a case of water! Just around the time everyone started washing dishes on Christmas Eve, the water in all of Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding areas dried up. A 42 inch main burst and apparently Fort Lauderdale doesn't have a back-up. Once the water came back on again, it wasn't potable for days. It was awesome prep for my upcoming four months in Central and South America!

I enjoyed the holiday season with my brother in Fort Lauderdale. We had an amazing Christmas Day dinner prepared by my brother's friend LauRen and ate poolside. It was a perfect, "bug-free" celebration!

I treated myself to a Christmas present of wetones, ziplock baggies, DEET, toilet paper, etc...as you can see. I'm getting really excited about going South!

Next up, New Year's in Atlanta with Butch and Maria. I leave today....more pictures to come.

Happy New Year's!

Kelly

It's a Wrap! - Year in Review

Surprisingly, I am 4 months in to my sabbatical and the end of 2011 is also near. I've been inspired by travel-blogger Chris Guillebeau of The Art of Non-Conformity and Alex and Sarah's Thanksgiving message, "The Top Eight Things We Find Ourselves Feeling Happy About," to write a review, looking back at 2011 and reflecting a bit. Besides, I like lists and this is a project involving a list.

Top 3 favorite things about my sabbatical (4 months in):

3) Reconnecting with friends and family

Living in Alaska is a lot like living on an island...a big island mind you, but isolated. It is also what makes my friends and the people in Alaska so special and close-knit. At the same time, it makes visiting friends and family in the lower-48 expensive and difficult. I've been able to spend quality time with each of my family members. I've been able to reconnect with some of my childhood friends, catch up on their lives and exchange stories about the good old days. However, I haven't seen nearly as many friends as I would like and hope to cram a few more visits in after I return from Central and South America.

2) Visiting familiar places with a new view

After college I spent some time road-tripping across the desert Southwest. I've been able to visit some of the same places that I remember from that trip, with new friends and with a different outlook. This time I wasn't as concerned about getting to a certain spot on a map. This time I really felt the sun and the dry, clean air...and had a blast running and biking with friends too!

1) Having time

For the first month after beginning my sabbatical, I slept 11 hours every night. Now I am down to a natural 7-8. It has been a real gift to be able to sleep and have the time and uncluttered mind to do so. I have had time to take sailing lessons, plan trips, read news articles and books, help my family with chores and projects, and just plain relax. Relaxing is not that easy for me, but I am learning to slow down and to be more deliberate and mindful. It really is liberating! I hope to hold on to a relaxed mind and body even after this sabbatical.

Things that have been less than great:

2) Lacking time

So, the greatest part about my sabbatical has been having time. Well, lacking time has simultaneously been one thing that has been less than great as well. It has been a little difficult to fit in all of the activities that I want to do and to see all of the people I'd like to see. Every place I have been to so far I would like to spend more time exploring! Sometimes it has been hard to meet the expectations of my friends and relatives. I feel the need to fit every item on my "bucket list" in one year, yet realize this is impossible.

1) Missing Alaska

I miss my Alaska buddies and my masters swim, BBB, and Dome track routines (well, mostly the folks I spend time doing those activities with). Because it is almost Christmas and I am sitting outside in shorts and a t-shirt, I find I also miss the snow!

I'm including some recent photos from Florida. Next up, Christmas in Fort Lauderdale and New Year's in Atlanta...

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Kelly