I owe this post to another Jesuit (Chuck Frederico), who inspired me with a rather wonderful homily tonight.
Today is the feast of St. Stanislaus Kostka. He had quite a little adventure--Stan ran away from home at 17-years old to join the Jesuits. Stan's brother greatly disliked the piety exuding from young Stanislaus. He tried to prevent it at all costs and severely dealt with his younger brother. Stanislaus, gripped by fervor, fled from school in Vienna to join the Jesuits. He knew, however, he could not join the Novitiate in Vienna because of the political consequences (his father was Polish senator and well-connected). Rather, Stan went all the way to Rome to join the Jesuit (somewhere about 700 miles, not to mention the whole mountain range thing). He felt totally confident of the adventure, though, because of the deep relationship he had with God.
As a Jesuit, this is part of my mission--to have a great sense of where I'm coming from and be willing to go out. I work to develop a deep, beautiful relationship with God so I can go on all sorts of adventures. Rooted in Christ, on mission for the Church. That's my deal.
"That's all good and well, Ken, but what does that practically mean?"
"I'm glad you asked Aristotelian conversation style buddy."
I think practically it means two things--deepening my relationship with God and with those around me. After all, people are where we find Christ in the world. The folks I know are pretty good at helping me experience the love of God. Let's chat the people side first, because I think the concreteness helps.
Whenever I go on an adventure, I know the people that I take with. Not usually in a literal way. But the memory of all of you travels pretty neatly inside me. I carry all the stories we share, the relationships we formed and the love we give. I can truly say I have deep, wonderful relationships with my family and a good few friends. I take you some pretty fun and crazy places, like mountainsides in Peru. I also take you to places that scare the heck of out me, like NYC.
In Ignatian prayer, we ask for graces, certain things/ideas/feelings we need in our lives. I prayed a lot about the ability to feel at home in NYC, because it still scared the heck out of me even two months after moving here. It's starting to get much better. When praying, it's good to store up graces, to reflect back on them and think about what exactly God has offered in our lives. Being home at NYC is a huge one for me. I also look back to the graces of taking vows, of my family and friends surrounding me there; to my month in Peru and getting to participate in the lives of others; to my 8-day retreat and just feeling so good about being a Jesuit. I keep these things always in my heart, especially when I go on adventures. As I set out, I make sure I've packed everything I'll need for the journey, especially memories and thoughts of my family, friends, and God.
I think Frank Turner says it nicely in this song:
Intimacy is extremely important for our sense of home. How can we go on adventure if we don't have some place to return? We need a place to return both in our worldly and spiritual adventures. The more we recollect them, the deeper it is and the more home and wonderful it is.
NEXT TIME: An Urban Adventure. Seriously.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Atlas vs. GPS
As a Jesuit, I try to see the glory of God in all things. I will attempt to do that in this post. However, I do have a bias--I had an awful experience with a GPS. I, in part, blame it on my sister, but I still like her pretty decently. Maybe I'll forgive the GPS at some point as it may also be New York's fault. But here we go:
The summer of freshman year of college, I went to Washington, DC to visit my sister Betsy. It was a wonderful time. From there, we drove up the East Coast to Fairfield, CT, where I had a meeting of the Jesuit Colleges/University on social justice. She drove up to visit another friend a bit north of there. Afterward, I needed to drove back west to Kansas and Betsy needed to get back to DC. We decided the easiest thing to do would be to drop her off at the train station in NYC and for me to head out from there on I-80. She bought her ticket from the station in Chinatown, the very lower end of Manhattan. She jumped out of the car with my credit card because the cops were pretty prickly about "No standing." I got lost from there, with the GPS telling me, "Turn Left on 7th, now." It doesn't help when you're at the intersection of 7th St. and 7th Ave... I ended up taking the Lincoln Tunnel, the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and many other confusing roads in my desperate attempt to get out of NYC. I did (until I got sent back here).
So, now that we have that bias out in the open, let's have a good discussion of their virtues and faults. We'll do cons first, so you leave with a feeling of their goods, since Jesuit discernment says you should always discern between two goods.
GPS Cons:
1) The awful voice. I'm not going to lie, this is one of my number one pet peeves. "In a quarter mile, turn right. In 857 feet, turn right. In 20 feet, turn right." Yes! I know! I'm turning right! I brushed my teeth as well, thank you! Pet peeve aside, here come the actual values.
2) No good map. The screens are relatively small, and the map often shifts while you're driving. Better ones you can change mode. But you're still trying to look at a very small map. You might be on a very busy road and want an alternate route. The GPS can do that often, but if you're either super rural and there's maybe a neighboring US highway, or super urban and everything is jammed, it's hard not having a map just to look at in big scale.
3) The listed "attractions" are often things like Six Flags or minigolf. Not interested.
4) Finally, and probably most importantly, I think it takes away from the sense of adventure. To quote Mason Jennings, "If you never get lost, you can never get found." That, my friends, is an important thought for both adventuring spiritually and physically. It creates a bit of dependence on it. "Well, who cares, just toss on the GPS and we'll be fine." Essentially, it takes away the skill of adventure, and that's no good.
Atlas Cons:
1) You can't update it, unless you buy a new one.
2) That's a lot of paper. (But at least it's recyclable)
3) Hard to make quick decisions. You usually have to plan stuff ahead of time.
4) Those are the only cons.
GPS Pros:
1) Updates.
2) Good if you're by yourself and you can't look down at written directions. Though that voice is awful, at least it's there.
Atlas Pros:
1) AWESOME attractions listed. Museums, sites, scenic routes, etc. Has it all.
2) HUGE MAP. It's perfect for dreaming, thinking of adventures, ease of activities. All sorts of great stuff.
3) The big picture in general. Easy to plan around construction, find alternate routes, etc.
Final decision: I've got to go with the atlas. It inspires as well as directs, which I think is important. Though the GPS systems have improved and are great, they do begin to fail after a few years. Atlases have a timeless quality about them. They teach you how to navigate and adventure and spring ideas for other adventures or other ways to get there.
Coming up: Winter is cold. Suck it up and go on an adventure anyways.
The summer of freshman year of college, I went to Washington, DC to visit my sister Betsy. It was a wonderful time. From there, we drove up the East Coast to Fairfield, CT, where I had a meeting of the Jesuit Colleges/University on social justice. She drove up to visit another friend a bit north of there. Afterward, I needed to drove back west to Kansas and Betsy needed to get back to DC. We decided the easiest thing to do would be to drop her off at the train station in NYC and for me to head out from there on I-80. She bought her ticket from the station in Chinatown, the very lower end of Manhattan. She jumped out of the car with my credit card because the cops were pretty prickly about "No standing." I got lost from there, with the GPS telling me, "Turn Left on 7th, now." It doesn't help when you're at the intersection of 7th St. and 7th Ave... I ended up taking the Lincoln Tunnel, the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and many other confusing roads in my desperate attempt to get out of NYC. I did (until I got sent back here).
So, now that we have that bias out in the open, let's have a good discussion of their virtues and faults. We'll do cons first, so you leave with a feeling of their goods, since Jesuit discernment says you should always discern between two goods.
 |
| Demonstrating appropriate map use. |
GPS Cons:
1) The awful voice. I'm not going to lie, this is one of my number one pet peeves. "In a quarter mile, turn right. In 857 feet, turn right. In 20 feet, turn right." Yes! I know! I'm turning right! I brushed my teeth as well, thank you! Pet peeve aside, here come the actual values.
2) No good map. The screens are relatively small, and the map often shifts while you're driving. Better ones you can change mode. But you're still trying to look at a very small map. You might be on a very busy road and want an alternate route. The GPS can do that often, but if you're either super rural and there's maybe a neighboring US highway, or super urban and everything is jammed, it's hard not having a map just to look at in big scale.
3) The listed "attractions" are often things like Six Flags or minigolf. Not interested.
4) Finally, and probably most importantly, I think it takes away from the sense of adventure. To quote Mason Jennings, "If you never get lost, you can never get found." That, my friends, is an important thought for both adventuring spiritually and physically. It creates a bit of dependence on it. "Well, who cares, just toss on the GPS and we'll be fine." Essentially, it takes away the skill of adventure, and that's no good.
Atlas Cons:
1) You can't update it, unless you buy a new one.
2) That's a lot of paper. (But at least it's recyclable)
3) Hard to make quick decisions. You usually have to plan stuff ahead of time.
4) Those are the only cons.
 |
| This is an actual GPS. I'm not judging, though.... |
1) Updates.
2) Good if you're by yourself and you can't look down at written directions. Though that voice is awful, at least it's there.
Atlas Pros:
1) AWESOME attractions listed. Museums, sites, scenic routes, etc. Has it all.
2) HUGE MAP. It's perfect for dreaming, thinking of adventures, ease of activities. All sorts of great stuff.
3) The big picture in general. Easy to plan around construction, find alternate routes, etc.
Final decision: I've got to go with the atlas. It inspires as well as directs, which I think is important. Though the GPS systems have improved and are great, they do begin to fail after a few years. Atlases have a timeless quality about them. They teach you how to navigate and adventure and spring ideas for other adventures or other ways to get there.
Coming up: Winter is cold. Suck it up and go on an adventure anyways.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Season Hunting
I love going back to the same place throughout the year. I think it's great to see the transition that a place goes through during the year and over a while, as well. A sense of adventure is awesome. But there's a beautiful feeling about being able to return to the same place time and again. You also get to know the routes and map well enough to drive off on a random highway for a bit and know that you'll hit something else and take it 50 miles east and be back where you need (note: have a good atlas, and definitely not a GPS, especially one on your phone. This will be a later post.). My two years at Creighton University, I frequently wandered to Indian Cave State Park, Boyer-Chute National Wildlife Refuge, and De Soto National Wildlife Refuge. One of my favorite and most trustworthy highways runs the route between all three--US 75, which runs from Dallas to the point where Minnesota and North Dakota hit Canada. I hope to drive the length of it some day. Why do I share all this information? Because having a place to go inspires more adventures, and also somewhere to think and pray about them.
I think returning to the same place again and again creates a sensitivity to the nuances and things that happen there. It's a beautiful opportunity to explore hidden opportunities and trials that lie there. I'm not referring to the environmental seasons--I mean my own. But having the same physical location throughout the seasons helps as well. I saw Indian Cave and US-75 in every season and state imaginable, especially as I began more seriously discerning entering the Jesuits. This picture was a particularly fun camping trip that lots of friends came on. But I saw it in winter with the sky laid bare by frigid winds. I saw it in spring with buds starting to push out of the trees. I saw it in steamy May when the green was almost overbearing.
I saw myself in these same places. And I return to those same places quite frequently. It helps me know what I've done, who I was and am, who I'm becoming. This is a major and important part of discernment. It can be a small daily return, the Examen. Or it can be the place I went to wrestle with myself during the 30-day Spiritual Exercises (God is a hell of a personal trainer). When we are there, we can also explore where to go next. Standing frigid and sick with swine flu on a river bluff over the Missouri River, a hawk flew just over my shoulder and I realized I needed to move from that place of comfort and great happiness at Creighton to a new journey with the Jesuits. These same movements come in the Spiritual Exercises as well.
It is also important how we get there. We do not simply appear at a location. I associate music with certain roads. I-29 through Missouri and Iowa is Chuck Ragan, State Radio and Eddie Vedder. I-70 across Missouri is Cake and Franz Ferdinand. If I listen to something different, or especially nothing at all, that deserves a special note. What was different? Why? Was something happening? Was nothing happening and I felt stagnant? Was I restless? Content? These are all important questions about journey of spirit and physical journey as well.
Let us not forget where we have been, lest we forget the places we are going.
Next time: Atlas vs. GPS--Is there Really a Difference?
 |
| Indian Cave. Courtesy Tim Nendick, currently in Spain, so he doesn't know. |
I saw myself in these same places. And I return to those same places quite frequently. It helps me know what I've done, who I was and am, who I'm becoming. This is a major and important part of discernment. It can be a small daily return, the Examen. Or it can be the place I went to wrestle with myself during the 30-day Spiritual Exercises (God is a hell of a personal trainer). When we are there, we can also explore where to go next. Standing frigid and sick with swine flu on a river bluff over the Missouri River, a hawk flew just over my shoulder and I realized I needed to move from that place of comfort and great happiness at Creighton to a new journey with the Jesuits. These same movements come in the Spiritual Exercises as well.
It is also important how we get there. We do not simply appear at a location. I associate music with certain roads. I-29 through Missouri and Iowa is Chuck Ragan, State Radio and Eddie Vedder. I-70 across Missouri is Cake and Franz Ferdinand. If I listen to something different, or especially nothing at all, that deserves a special note. What was different? Why? Was something happening? Was nothing happening and I felt stagnant? Was I restless? Content? These are all important questions about journey of spirit and physical journey as well.
Let us not forget where we have been, lest we forget the places we are going.
 |
| Skipping rock at De Soto NWR. Again, stolen from Tim. |
Next time: Atlas vs. GPS--Is there Really a Difference?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Art of Flexibility
started 8/28/2012
As I sit here in a Bolivian coffee shop with an awkward hour between the time the health department office closed and the immigration office opens, I can't help but think about how important flexibility is in adventure. Now, flexibility is an art form. It requires patience, patience (even more of it), and a lot of creativity. Needless to say, the beauty of adventure is so often found in our willingness to be flexible--to openly embrace change and spontaneity as our guides. It won't come easily, but the more you are able to incorporate a flexible mentality into your life, the more you will begin to realize that adventure is everywhere. You just have to be willing to open your eyes...and your time.
Time. Time is a concept created by humans and maintained by humans. This is why attitudes toward time so easily change from culture to culture. Even after 8 months, the lax attitude towards time is something I'm still getting used to in Bolivia. Compared to the rushed deadlines and the hurried nature of the United Stats, Bolivia is as close to turtle-speed as one can get. For North Americans, this is just another thing "to get used to" here, but for me, this is one aspect of life that I'm really trying to appreciate. Many times, this includes bringing a book or a notebook to any meeting or to any place that may have a line. It often includes swallowing any immediate thoughts that are about to run out of my mouth when I'm frustrated or becoming increasingly impatient. It is a constant reminder that time is what I make of it.
What if we were to loosen up our sense of time in our lives--to understand that so often our sense of time is based upon situations outside of our control...how late you were to work this morning because of an increased amount of traffic or how long you had to wait to see your doctor when you had an appointment. What if you could stop and have a wonderful, unexpected conversation with a friend when you run into her at the store before dinner? What if you could take the time to walk to the end of the street that you pass every day just to see what is around the corner?
This concept of time reminds me so much of what I learned on retreats in high school and college. This is God's time--the beautiful conviction of time in which relationships, conversations, and the beauty of adventure take the reigns of our lives. We are able to embrace the unexpected and focus on the most important parts of our lives. It is in this sense of time that we find the most beautiful adventures.
Embrace it and find adventure in every moment :)
As I sit here in a Bolivian coffee shop with an awkward hour between the time the health department office closed and the immigration office opens, I can't help but think about how important flexibility is in adventure. Now, flexibility is an art form. It requires patience, patience (even more of it), and a lot of creativity. Needless to say, the beauty of adventure is so often found in our willingness to be flexible--to openly embrace change and spontaneity as our guides. It won't come easily, but the more you are able to incorporate a flexible mentality into your life, the more you will begin to realize that adventure is everywhere. You just have to be willing to open your eyes...and your time.
Time. Time is a concept created by humans and maintained by humans. This is why attitudes toward time so easily change from culture to culture. Even after 8 months, the lax attitude towards time is something I'm still getting used to in Bolivia. Compared to the rushed deadlines and the hurried nature of the United Stats, Bolivia is as close to turtle-speed as one can get. For North Americans, this is just another thing "to get used to" here, but for me, this is one aspect of life that I'm really trying to appreciate. Many times, this includes bringing a book or a notebook to any meeting or to any place that may have a line. It often includes swallowing any immediate thoughts that are about to run out of my mouth when I'm frustrated or becoming increasingly impatient. It is a constant reminder that time is what I make of it.
What if we were to loosen up our sense of time in our lives--to understand that so often our sense of time is based upon situations outside of our control...how late you were to work this morning because of an increased amount of traffic or how long you had to wait to see your doctor when you had an appointment. What if you could stop and have a wonderful, unexpected conversation with a friend when you run into her at the store before dinner? What if you could take the time to walk to the end of the street that you pass every day just to see what is around the corner?
This concept of time reminds me so much of what I learned on retreats in high school and college. This is God's time--the beautiful conviction of time in which relationships, conversations, and the beauty of adventure take the reigns of our lives. We are able to embrace the unexpected and focus on the most important parts of our lives. It is in this sense of time that we find the most beautiful adventures.
Embrace it and find adventure in every moment :)
Monday, September 10, 2012
Fall Adventure
HOLY COW! It's been far too long since I wrote here. I apologize for the long delay--it's been a move from the Novitiate in the Twin Cities to NYC to start back up my college learnin'. But it is about high time to discuss something EXTREMELY important. Fall adventures!
I think fall adventures can be broken up into a few important subcategories--picking, hiking, and peeping. Often, you can create an amazing day by combining all three.
Picking
In the Northern Hemisphere, fall means it's harvesting time. And what can be more fun than picking your own fruits and veggies? I grew up going apple picking and pumpkin picking with my family. As the youngest, I got to enjoy several years of simply riding in the wagon and enjoying everything going on around me. Later, I got to be the stepladder for my three older sisters. We often picked a variety of different apples for various purposes--baking, eating, rotten ones off the ground to see who could throw them the furthest.... It is best to see what the local choices are and what is in season when you go.
Unsure of where and what to pick? Check out your state's Department of Agriculture website. Most of them have guides to buying local and what is in season. You can also use Pick Your Own. It's not the best website in terms of appearance, but it is GREAT in having local farms, etc. You can also just use a search engine. Yelp is surprisingly good for this. Make sure to look up reviews and other information, as some orchards do not allow you to pick. Also, I tend to avoid anywhere that has wagon-rides, massive play areas, etc. This can be great, but take away from the time you spend with each other and often have an admission fee, rather than just paying for what you pick.
Hiking
Of course, a hike goes well with everything. What is better than busting your butt on a 5-mile hike and then feasting on fresh-picked strawberries? Not much. This can also just be a fun day outside at the park.
Peeping
What on earth, Ken!? This is simply what some of the New Englanders call New Yorkers who drive up and clog the highways to look at leaves. Leaves change depending on your climate and how your weather behaved that year. Because much of the Midwest was in a drought, the leaves will change especially early this year and might only have a few days with beautiful colors before jumping straight to brown. Where to go? This can often be found on local visitor guides, but my favorite is to stab a map and go there (which means you should get a good atlas).
Combining all three of these activities can make for a long, but very rewarding day before going home to bake and devour whatever you just picked. But the glory of God simply abounds in a day full of these three activities.
Missouri Department of Agriculture
Nebraska
New York
Coming up next time...Atlas or GPS? Greater Glory?
I think fall adventures can be broken up into a few important subcategories--picking, hiking, and peeping. Often, you can create an amazing day by combining all three.
Picking
In the Northern Hemisphere, fall means it's harvesting time. And what can be more fun than picking your own fruits and veggies? I grew up going apple picking and pumpkin picking with my family. As the youngest, I got to enjoy several years of simply riding in the wagon and enjoying everything going on around me. Later, I got to be the stepladder for my three older sisters. We often picked a variety of different apples for various purposes--baking, eating, rotten ones off the ground to see who could throw them the furthest.... It is best to see what the local choices are and what is in season when you go.
Unsure of where and what to pick? Check out your state's Department of Agriculture website. Most of them have guides to buying local and what is in season. You can also use Pick Your Own. It's not the best website in terms of appearance, but it is GREAT in having local farms, etc. You can also just use a search engine. Yelp is surprisingly good for this. Make sure to look up reviews and other information, as some orchards do not allow you to pick. Also, I tend to avoid anywhere that has wagon-rides, massive play areas, etc. This can be great, but take away from the time you spend with each other and often have an admission fee, rather than just paying for what you pick.
Hiking
Of course, a hike goes well with everything. What is better than busting your butt on a 5-mile hike and then feasting on fresh-picked strawberries? Not much. This can also just be a fun day outside at the park.
Peeping
What on earth, Ken!? This is simply what some of the New Englanders call New Yorkers who drive up and clog the highways to look at leaves. Leaves change depending on your climate and how your weather behaved that year. Because much of the Midwest was in a drought, the leaves will change especially early this year and might only have a few days with beautiful colors before jumping straight to brown. Where to go? This can often be found on local visitor guides, but my favorite is to stab a map and go there (which means you should get a good atlas).
Combining all three of these activities can make for a long, but very rewarding day before going home to bake and devour whatever you just picked. But the glory of God simply abounds in a day full of these three activities.
Missouri Department of Agriculture
Nebraska
New York
Coming up next time...Atlas or GPS? Greater Glory?
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Where Do I Find Adventure?
It can be very difficult to find places to adventure. Having recently moved to New York City, this has been a great concern of mine. Folks talk about the Botanical Gardens like it the great outdoors and that an hour to get to Central Park isn't that bad. I'm used to my Midwest standard of an hour putting me well outside the city. When I first found out I was moving to New York, it was 10:30 at night. I spent the next four hours looking up state and national parks, wildlife reserves and Appalachian Trail access. There is a pretty good abundance of activities to keep me busy for the new few years.
Where does one find all of these resources? This post is to share what I've found. And if you know anything I don't, please pass it along!
Recreation.gov
This is a relatively recent project of Federal Government. The website is greatly improved and certainly deserves attention. You can select what activities you are looking for and search by zip code, names of places and more. Click the "Other Activities" on the drop down menu to see hiking, camping, etc. One disadvantage is that when you select more than one activity, it searches for those places with all the things you selected. If you are willing to just do one or two, you should search them individually. This website is EXTREMELY helpful in finding campgrounds. It usually has pictures as well, so you know what you're getting into. This is also the website you will use to reserve most lodging on federal land.
National Park Service
The National Park Service is often the first place that I look for adventure. There is an amazing number of places that we often to not know about. National Parks often get associated with the western United States, but the East has its fair share as well. My favorite feature is to view state-by-state what options are available. You can also search by activity, location and topic (i.e. Presidents). The NPS is currently working to improve their website--it can be a bit clunky, but is getting better. For larger parks, I suggest writing to the local offices. For example, Shenandoah National Park has multiple sections with miles upon miles of trails. Online maps are usually just the most popular trails, whereas the local offices will have maps of all the trails.
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuges can sometimes be a tossup. They are run by the Fish and Wildlife Service. I call them a tossup not because they are bad, but they do not always have the opportunities you might be looking for. If you are going to go to a refuge, I suggest looking it up online ahead of time. I love atlases and will often pick out the green space and go. Do not do this is the refuges--they are sometimes close to the public, have only a small trail or are for driving tours only. Their website is well set-up. The have a section for photography, birding and trails.
National Forest Service
The National Forest is another excellent department of the federal government, which also includes federal grasslands. National Forests are often areas designated so that we can make sure they are not over-logged, etc. Frequently, the forests include private property. However, the NFS is great about having hiking and camping available. Some of the main distinctions between NPS and NFS are the mix of private and public property, the ability to harvest goods and hunting. Make sure to check before you head out on one of these trails if you will be crossing private land and especially if it is a hunting season and you need to wear bright colors and be aware of hunters. We do share these spaces. If you are out traveling, I greatly suggest stopping by their regional ranger stations to find out more, especially for the West.
State Parks/Trails
State parks and trails are excellent resources. The rules and regulations differ greatly between states. Many allow hunting in some or all of their parks. Make sure to check if you are hiking during the hunting season. State parks can also be a tossup in terms of quality. I have had several disappointing visits to what I thought would be a great park and in fact turned out to be nothing more than a pavilion at the edge of a small lake. The primary point of many parks is to encourage recreation. For some parks, though, that means anything from skiing, to snowmobiling, to four-wheeling. If you are looking for something in particular (or to avoid something, like noise), do thorough research before embarking on your journey. As an aid, I have created a page with the main site for each state's park system.
Reserve America
This is the website that many states are now using to reserve campgrounds. It's very helpful if you know the general area in which you would like to stay already.
StateParks.com
This website is an AWESOME resource. It has all of the state parks in the US, along with state forests, wildlife areas, etc. It does a fantastic job categorizing locations and helping you find the right one for you. It also helps you find area accommodations that are not necessarily state run, such as bed and breakfasts.
LocalHikes
This is a website made up of people who find hikes and then list them using a simple software. The website is very basic, but all the easier to use. You can search by zip code or city to find the hikes nearest you. They range from county, to state to federal trails. You can also apply to be a reporter--give back by reporting hikes that you know of and help further establish the website.
60 Within 60 Series
This is an excellent book series. It is put out be Menasha Ridge Press, which also has a great variety of other adventure literature for "hiking, biking and paddling books for the active outdoor lifestyle." The 60 Within 60 series are books that list 60 hikes within 60 miles of major metropolitan areas. My grandma recently gave me a copy of the NYC edition as a gift and it is excellent. They have a variety of easy to strenuous hikes for each place, along with recommendations for time of year, what to bring, environment and more. If you are going to a city destination for vacation, I suggest checking the local library for a copy of one of these books. If you are moving, I suggest simply buying a copy (~$16).
National Geographic Maps
If you really want to get to know an area, these are the way to go. These are some of the best maps I have found, though they can be expensive. They are often sold at site for national parks and other federal lands.
Where does one find all of these resources? This post is to share what I've found. And if you know anything I don't, please pass it along!
Recreation.gov
This is a relatively recent project of Federal Government. The website is greatly improved and certainly deserves attention. You can select what activities you are looking for and search by zip code, names of places and more. Click the "Other Activities" on the drop down menu to see hiking, camping, etc. One disadvantage is that when you select more than one activity, it searches for those places with all the things you selected. If you are willing to just do one or two, you should search them individually. This website is EXTREMELY helpful in finding campgrounds. It usually has pictures as well, so you know what you're getting into. This is also the website you will use to reserve most lodging on federal land.
National Park Service
The National Park Service is often the first place that I look for adventure. There is an amazing number of places that we often to not know about. National Parks often get associated with the western United States, but the East has its fair share as well. My favorite feature is to view state-by-state what options are available. You can also search by activity, location and topic (i.e. Presidents). The NPS is currently working to improve their website--it can be a bit clunky, but is getting better. For larger parks, I suggest writing to the local offices. For example, Shenandoah National Park has multiple sections with miles upon miles of trails. Online maps are usually just the most popular trails, whereas the local offices will have maps of all the trails.
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuges can sometimes be a tossup. They are run by the Fish and Wildlife Service. I call them a tossup not because they are bad, but they do not always have the opportunities you might be looking for. If you are going to go to a refuge, I suggest looking it up online ahead of time. I love atlases and will often pick out the green space and go. Do not do this is the refuges--they are sometimes close to the public, have only a small trail or are for driving tours only. Their website is well set-up. The have a section for photography, birding and trails.
National Forest Service
The National Forest is another excellent department of the federal government, which also includes federal grasslands. National Forests are often areas designated so that we can make sure they are not over-logged, etc. Frequently, the forests include private property. However, the NFS is great about having hiking and camping available. Some of the main distinctions between NPS and NFS are the mix of private and public property, the ability to harvest goods and hunting. Make sure to check before you head out on one of these trails if you will be crossing private land and especially if it is a hunting season and you need to wear bright colors and be aware of hunters. We do share these spaces. If you are out traveling, I greatly suggest stopping by their regional ranger stations to find out more, especially for the West.
State Parks/Trails
State parks and trails are excellent resources. The rules and regulations differ greatly between states. Many allow hunting in some or all of their parks. Make sure to check if you are hiking during the hunting season. State parks can also be a tossup in terms of quality. I have had several disappointing visits to what I thought would be a great park and in fact turned out to be nothing more than a pavilion at the edge of a small lake. The primary point of many parks is to encourage recreation. For some parks, though, that means anything from skiing, to snowmobiling, to four-wheeling. If you are looking for something in particular (or to avoid something, like noise), do thorough research before embarking on your journey. As an aid, I have created a page with the main site for each state's park system.
Reserve America
This is the website that many states are now using to reserve campgrounds. It's very helpful if you know the general area in which you would like to stay already.
StateParks.com
This website is an AWESOME resource. It has all of the state parks in the US, along with state forests, wildlife areas, etc. It does a fantastic job categorizing locations and helping you find the right one for you. It also helps you find area accommodations that are not necessarily state run, such as bed and breakfasts.
LocalHikes
This is a website made up of people who find hikes and then list them using a simple software. The website is very basic, but all the easier to use. You can search by zip code or city to find the hikes nearest you. They range from county, to state to federal trails. You can also apply to be a reporter--give back by reporting hikes that you know of and help further establish the website.
60 Within 60 Series
This is an excellent book series. It is put out be Menasha Ridge Press, which also has a great variety of other adventure literature for "hiking, biking and paddling books for the active outdoor lifestyle." The 60 Within 60 series are books that list 60 hikes within 60 miles of major metropolitan areas. My grandma recently gave me a copy of the NYC edition as a gift and it is excellent. They have a variety of easy to strenuous hikes for each place, along with recommendations for time of year, what to bring, environment and more. If you are going to a city destination for vacation, I suggest checking the local library for a copy of one of these books. If you are moving, I suggest simply buying a copy (~$16).
National Geographic Maps
If you really want to get to know an area, these are the way to go. These are some of the best maps I have found, though they can be expensive. They are often sold at site for national parks and other federal lands.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a 35-mile stretch of shore along Lake Michigan. Authorized in 1970, the park had a controversial start as local property-owners worried about the arrival of large numbers of tourists. Although there were a good number of visitors, local homes did not seem greatly disturbed and the local small towns were thriving.
The park is named for a Chippewa legend, in which a massive forest fire forced a mother bear and two cubs to flee. They swam into the water to avoid the fire. The mother reached the opposite shore, but the cubs became tired and were unable to complete the journey. They drowned in the lake. The legend says the Great Spirit was awed by the act, especially the mother bear who stood on a high dune and kept watch long after, hoping desperately for her cubs. Great Spirit formed two islands for the cubs--North and South Manitou Island. Great Spirit then buried the mother deep inside the dunes to commemorate her spirit and where she could wait for the cubs.
The park is absolutely gorgeous, and certainly worth a visit. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera--the pictures here are courtesy of the National Park Service. The park is divided into five main parts: North and South Manitou Islands; Platte River; D. H. Day; and Good Harbor. The park has ample hiking and swimming, along with many other activities. Because of its location, however, there are a large number of other visitors and it can be harder to find empty spaces for prayer or quiet.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros: hiking; camping; scenery; other activities
Cons: number of visitors; park is not contiguous
Activities: hiking; swimming; bird-watching; boating/fishing; winter includes skiing, etc.
Bring: lots of sunscreen; swimwear; lots of water; good hiking shoes; camera
Recommendations:
This is a year-round park with activities to match. Unlike many places, no matter what time of year you come, you will certainly find activities to meet your needs. There is ample lodging nearby as well. The park has site and backpack camping, as well as many nearby bed and breakfast locations. I highly recommend the Sleeping Bear Point trail. It is 2.8-mile loop trail with some difficulty. Start at near end of the parking lot. Toward the end, there is a quarter-mile spur that leads to Lake Michigan and probably the best water I have ever been in. Keith said the scenic driving tour was excellent. There are 12 pull-offs where you can get out, walk, and read about the history and importance of the park.
Get to the park in early or mid-morning to avoid the big crowds. Stay until afternoon for when the beach warms up a bit and it is warm enough to swim. While in the area, visit the ample cheery orchards and local farms. Fudge is also a local phenom and worth finding.
Sleeping Bear makes it easy to find God in all things. The natural beauty is simply astounding with a fantastic mix of cultural and historical importance. From indigenous to farming to shipping industry history, the area is ripe with stories worth hearing.
The park is named for a Chippewa legend, in which a massive forest fire forced a mother bear and two cubs to flee. They swam into the water to avoid the fire. The mother reached the opposite shore, but the cubs became tired and were unable to complete the journey. They drowned in the lake. The legend says the Great Spirit was awed by the act, especially the mother bear who stood on a high dune and kept watch long after, hoping desperately for her cubs. Great Spirit formed two islands for the cubs--North and South Manitou Island. Great Spirit then buried the mother deep inside the dunes to commemorate her spirit and where she could wait for the cubs.
The park is absolutely gorgeous, and certainly worth a visit. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera--the pictures here are courtesy of the National Park Service. The park is divided into five main parts: North and South Manitou Islands; Platte River; D. H. Day; and Good Harbor. The park has ample hiking and swimming, along with many other activities. Because of its location, however, there are a large number of other visitors and it can be harder to find empty spaces for prayer or quiet.
 |
| Photo Courtesy of NPS |
Pros: hiking; camping; scenery; other activities
Cons: number of visitors; park is not contiguous
Activities: hiking; swimming; bird-watching; boating/fishing; winter includes skiing, etc.
Bring: lots of sunscreen; swimwear; lots of water; good hiking shoes; camera
Recommendations:
This is a year-round park with activities to match. Unlike many places, no matter what time of year you come, you will certainly find activities to meet your needs. There is ample lodging nearby as well. The park has site and backpack camping, as well as many nearby bed and breakfast locations. I highly recommend the Sleeping Bear Point trail. It is 2.8-mile loop trail with some difficulty. Start at near end of the parking lot. Toward the end, there is a quarter-mile spur that leads to Lake Michigan and probably the best water I have ever been in. Keith said the scenic driving tour was excellent. There are 12 pull-offs where you can get out, walk, and read about the history and importance of the park.
Get to the park in early or mid-morning to avoid the big crowds. Stay until afternoon for when the beach warms up a bit and it is warm enough to swim. While in the area, visit the ample cheery orchards and local farms. Fudge is also a local phenom and worth finding.
Sleeping Bear makes it easy to find God in all things. The natural beauty is simply astounding with a fantastic mix of cultural and historical importance. From indigenous to farming to shipping industry history, the area is ripe with stories worth hearing.
 |
| Photo Courtesy of NPS |
Saturday, July 21, 2012
I Hate Buses
I hate buses. Not the city, public transit type. The cross-country sort. Probably more succinctly, I don't trust other drivers on hills. When I was in high school, I went to an intensive week-long diversity training camp. On the way to the Methodist retreat center where it took place, our travel bus broke down on the crest of the very large hill. And then the brake systems failed. Thankfully, instead of tumbling off the very steep right side of the hill, we careened into the trees on the left. I like being in control of the vehicles I am in, especially in hilly areas.
This past week, I had no choice but to be led where I wanted to go, but certainly not the method I wanted to take. We flew to Cuzco, and then drove south along the Trans-Oceanic Highway (TOH) to Andahuaylillas. This area is one of the most spectacular I have ever seen, both in terms of the nature and human-made places. Andahuaylillas is home to "The Sistine Chapel of the Southern Hemisphere," one of the most gorgeous churches I have ever encountered. From there, we continued another 3 hours south on the TOH to other small towns where the Jesuits work. We hired a driver for the day and rode in his Euro-style 11-passenger van. It was literally a white-knuckle ride. The speed limit was 30 kmh (19 mph), and even slower on the turns. We were certainly above that. We squealed around hairpin turns and passed trucks on blind hills. Trust was the most I could do.
This was a place I have found myself on spiritual adventures as well. I am reminded of the end of the Gospel of John: "When you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go" (John 21:18). John notes that this is how Peter was crucified, but we can find other importance in the passage as well. We often take adventures in ways or to places we do not want to go. I remember frequently finding myself restless and quite cold on riverbanks in rural Missouri. Half the time, I had no idea why I was there. The Holy Spirit was happily driving along, laughing as we went up on two wheels around spiritual cliffhangers. I wasn't even allowed to pick the music--Jesus took my iPod and wouldn't give it back. "You will listen to Frank Turner and like it, damn it!"
By the return portion of the trip, I was feeling more confident in the driver. He slowed a bit as we passed through some clouds in the mountain passes. We still took turns faster than probably safe, but here I am writing this post. I still had to brace myself on the seat in front of me. This was more for the comfort of Matt, who was sitting next to me.
The same seems to hold true for much of my prayer. I can say, "Trust, trust!" all I want. If I don't actually practice, it's a moot point. I could have refused to ride in the van and stayed at the retreat center in Andahuaylillas, but then I wouldn't have seen this:
If I choose to avoid the places or ways God leads me, then I'm missing the same spiritual picture as well. The Spiritual Exercises are made up of four weeks--sin, the life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, and the Resurrection. You can't get to the Resurrection without passing through the execution. As we go deeper into our spirituality, as we get older like Peter, God begins to dress us. We no longer demand an individualistic outfit, but follow where led. The next hard part is making sure we follow the right voice, which we must save for another post.
Next week: National Park Recommendation
Next week: National Park Recommendation
AMDG,
Ken "Headed Stateside" Homan
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Welcome from Kitzi
"Oh, to live will be an awfully big adventure"--Peter Pan
Along with Ken, I would like to welcome you all from the beautiful continent of South America to A Jesuit Guide to Adventure! About a month ago, Ken brought his idea to me and asked for my opinion on the creation of this blog. Without hesitation, I knew that it was a wonderful idea and agreed to contribute writings, reflections, and suggestions for living adventurously.
However, as I began thinking about it more and more, I couldn't help but think that maybe I was the wrong person for the job. As strange as it sounds, I feel like my faith and spirituality during the last 6 months that I've been in Bolivia have really begun to waver more than they have before. I'm a part of a Catholic, nonprofit organization and am living in a country where the majority of the people identify as Catholic, yet still find myself questioning a lot when it comes to my faith. Maybe it is the fact that the people here have become hardened to the poverty that they see everyday and accept it as the way the world works...or maybe it is the fact that I, too, see myself becoming hardened each day to the poverty that I see. Whatever it is, it had me questioning whether or not I was the right person to co-author this blog.
Yet, it is also for this very reason that I feel so pulled to contribute. The more I talk about both my love and my struggles with faith and religion, the more I meet others who relate to the way that I feel. We are confused, passionate, open, and unfulfilled with where we are at in our search for faith and discernment of spirituality...and it is in this way that I believe my contributions to A Jesuit Guide to Adventure will help to create an important balance and comprehensive insight to spirituality. It is the hope of Ken and I that with a variety of voices and perspectives, we can reach out to not just one specific population, but an all-inclusive, continuously growing reader group.
You can expect me to write a variety of reflections based upon my experiences in Bolivia, creative and inexpensive ways to engage in adventure, recommendations, and faith-related questions and concerns.
Enjoy!
Kitzi
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Oh the places you'll go...
I'm experiencing one of the downfalls of adventure--sickness. In Peru, apparently we say, "Mi estamago es flojo," or "my stomach is lazy." Jealous of the other guys out getting to do service in the community, I decided to take some time to look back on places I have visited or lived. The easiest way to do that seemed to be a map. I'm a very visual person and tend to associate stories with places. So using a picture of the U.S. I found on a Google image search and the paintbrush option in Paint, I started creating this map to see where I have been and the people that accompanied me or who encouraged me along the way.
If you asked me to, I could tell you a story from each of these places, who I was with, and who I met there. Some of them I have been blessed to visit several times. If you look at the dot on the Alabama-Georgia border, that is the location of the School of the Americas protest at Ft. Benning, GA. I was blessed to go there five years in a row. For better or worse, my prayer sometimes seems like a montage of these experiences. Making this map though has allowed me to sit with each of these places and people individually. We have many things now to store memories--journals and pictures that can be stored en mass. My spiritual directors have always encouraged me to pull these out again, especially the journals I keep on retreats. It seems to be the same way authors are often encouraged to write and then let something sit a while and come back to it. Perhaps there is a fresh experience that gives light to a previous one. Only recently did I discover why I left college early to join the Jesuits, a two-year delay.
These tools help me to remember that discernment is always an on-going process. We are always burrowing deeper into the mystery, discovering something unknown--going on an adventure. My suggestion is to pick out a specific experience, and even smaller if necessary. I could never reflect on the entirety of an 8-day retreat in one sitting; however, I can sit with specific prayer periods of that retreat. In the same way, I could never reflect on my month in Denver; but I can be with a particular hike I had there. Our adventures are like a good poem or piece of art that has many beautiful, hidden bits of knowledge. It is best to treat them as such, giving them the time they need for recollection and quiet. Then we can more fully share the story.
Not only does this practice teach me new things, but it helps remind me of the old things I need to remember. As I prepared for this trip to Peru, I was quite scared. Not for any reason in particular, but I think the newness of it was nerve-wrecking (to the tune of feeling physically ill). It was similar to the worry I had when my parents moved to Lawrence, KS after my senior year of high school. I love adventure, but I also depend on a strong sense of home. Given that previous experience, I was reminded of the comfort that so many people and the Holy Spirit offered me. Despite feeling sick the entire flight, once landed I felt fine and ready to go. This is the kind of reminder I needed, drawn from a past experience. Nothing new, but certainly just as powerful as the first time.
The places you go may be many or few, but they all deserve time for reflection or prayer--an Examen at the end of the day, or even a whole hour. Whatever it is, I hope you find it grace-filled and fruitful. Let your adventures be not just physical, but spiritual as well. Oh the places you'll go....
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Welcome from Ken
Welcome to A Jesuit Guide to Adventure! This idea popped into my head during my annual 8-day silent retreat on the beautiful bluffs in Minnesota. I passed it by a couple of friends who thought it was worthwhile. I hope to use this blog to encourage a variety of voices, and not just my own. Kitzi has kindly said she will co-author the blog and there may be others to join later on.
The goal of this blog is to share some of our own stories of Jesuit spirituality and adventure. After all, Jesuits have been adventurers and travelers since the beginning--Ignatius sent his best friend Xavier to China just a few years after their founding. This spirit of adventure has wound its way into my own life in a wonderful and awesome way that has led me to beautiful places and truly spectacular people. I hope in this blog I can share some of my own experiences, trials and graces, as well as reviews and tips. My goal is for our posts to offer a variety of reflections, neat places to visit, and things one may need to know to get there. I would also hope that it inspires you to do your own discernment and traveling, no matter how far or near. Stories for me are not personal things, but belong to the community. I share my own stories so that you might make your own to then share them.
You can expect from me posts on a variety of topics--reflections; adventure music and literature; reviews of places; recommendations; and a few helpful tips. I will try to write in a timely manner, and if unable, ask someone to guest/co-author to fill in some of the wait. We do ask patience as we get the blog up and running, but we hope it will be a valuable resource in your own discernment and adventuring.
The goal of this blog is to share some of our own stories of Jesuit spirituality and adventure. After all, Jesuits have been adventurers and travelers since the beginning--Ignatius sent his best friend Xavier to China just a few years after their founding. This spirit of adventure has wound its way into my own life in a wonderful and awesome way that has led me to beautiful places and truly spectacular people. I hope in this blog I can share some of my own experiences, trials and graces, as well as reviews and tips. My goal is for our posts to offer a variety of reflections, neat places to visit, and things one may need to know to get there. I would also hope that it inspires you to do your own discernment and traveling, no matter how far or near. Stories for me are not personal things, but belong to the community. I share my own stories so that you might make your own to then share them.
You can expect from me posts on a variety of topics--reflections; adventure music and literature; reviews of places; recommendations; and a few helpful tips. I will try to write in a timely manner, and if unable, ask someone to guest/co-author to fill in some of the wait. We do ask patience as we get the blog up and running, but we hope it will be a valuable resource in your own discernment and adventuring.
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