The-Atlantic-thefemalesurvivalist

I made this short video a couple days back. Hiking through the thimble berries, I remembered the close encounter while on the Eagle Creek Trail, a short segment in Oregon which coincides with the Pacific Crest Trail. Just a few miles from Cascade Locks, I had the closest bear encounter of my life.





While eating thimble berries around 7 a.m, I rounded the bend of a very narrow legdge. The drop off and mountain kept all hikers from deviating from the narrow trail. Suddenly, I felt something brush my pack. I turned to look and saw a cub scampering up the tree I'd just passed, an arms length away.

Just below that tree a mother bear glanced up, stood on her hind legs to see what had passed. She began huffing at me, I backed up, calling to my hiking partner a ways behind, hoping he would not walk past a mother and cub as I'd just done. We couldn't see each other at that point. He told me he saw the bears and knew I had just passed them.

I hit my poles together, yelling, backing up, glancing behind me so I wouldn't fall off the ledge, or worse, back into another cub!

Finally, expecting a bluff charge, determined not to run or touch the mother unless she touched me first, the mother took off into the canyon, her cub scampering back down the tree, running behind her.
Just then, Rainmaker rounded the bend.

Both safe, and a true story to last a life time.

The Geo still working great!

Yesterday I participated in a massive car move in Richmond, Washington.
 Three different dealerships were putting on a huge event at the Columbia Park, right along the river. 880 cars had to be moved to this place. 88 volunteers, all part of various non for profit groups participated. I was drafted to drive as part of the WMO, or better known as the World Wide Missionary Outreach group.

I personally relocated 10 cars. I drove two Mercedes, several brand new trucks, a Honda or two and some other seriously nice vehicles. Mine were all brand new. Some being relocated for the special event were trade ins. The most expensive vehicle I drove was $43,981 dollars. Thankfully, all were insured by the dealerships.

The biggest problem I had was getting the seat adjusted fast enough to pull out right in line with the other drivers. I'm pretty short and the seat adjustments varied from right below the knees, at the side with an electrical slide button, or for the Mercedes, on the door by the window adjuster.

It reminded me of my first car ever, a 65 Oldsmobile. Everything on that car was electrical. When the electrical went bonkers, I couldn't open any windows or adjust the seat. The defroster quit working. There was no heat. Wow. I swore I'd never have another all electrical vehicle.

After all was done, we were some pretty tired car movers. Hopping in and out of a van, walking quickly to a new car with the trunk open, sliding in the "plates" shutting the trunk, jumping into the car in question, adjusting the seat, the air conditioner and putting it into gear, staying in line, pulling onto the grass, parking, jumping out, leave the keys in the ignition, run get the removable plates, get into your specific van, ride back to the dealership. Repeat!

Thanks to everyone who helped me not get lost in town, waiting at red lights, squeezing by locals on the freeway.

I still love my humble Geo. I've never met anyone who had a Geo and Didn't love theirs. Bring back the geo!

This little girl is learning how to use my hiking pole. I don't have it extended far. Being two and a half, she doesn't quite get the value of a wrist strap.

The kids are tough. Here they're doing the first glass in a two week swimming course. I've got my puff jacket on, standing near the fence that keeps parents from getting too close to the students.

Its important to invest in our kids. Maybe if they were exposed to wilderness experiences, they would want to protect our natural resourses. Kids belong outdoors, for lengths of time. The sunshine, fresh air and challenges build strong bodies. Look how tough these kids are, swimming in 65 degree weather. Yeah, I know, the pool is heated.
By exposure, I mean a pleasant taste, expanded upon gently. I've been asked many times how a person gets their girl friend to like camping and such. I really don't know. I've loved the wilderness experience all my life. Early on, my mom made sure I got girl scouting and camping trips. She hated it and found a way to make it happen for me.

Ok, so I'm going to tell it just like it is.

I met this guy, and we had lunch. He was a nice guy, older, polite. We had previously exchanged some messenging stuff and he asked me out on a date. So I went.

Well, somehow our lives are just millions of dollars different. I am the frugal female survivalist. Minimalist, a cook, author, writer, artist, wanderer.

He is rich, retired, rich, owning tons of stuff. Has an airplane, a big home, a motor home. Whatever. Now, normally it wouldn't have bothered me so much except I ended up hearing about all the mega bucks his daughter, his son, his family was making, etc. Money and software and whatever. O.K.

After awhile, we ended up walking around at a park. Why does the conversation keep reverting to material possessions? Currently, I am looking for a job. I'm a lowly cook at this point. I just hope to make a decent living. And after awhile it just began to eat on me, this conversation of wealth, until I couldn't take it any longer.

So, you blew it guy. Its not interesting to keep hearing about someones mega bucks when they're hunting an hourly wage. I don't care about your daughter's salary, blah blah blah.

Now, I've got a grip, have rested and relaxed and realize I am the wealthy one. I have such a great bunch of friends, family and health, and survival skills that will keep me knee deep in many adventures to come.

So, dude, I just gotta ask you, what were you thinking?

Many of the articles in this great magazine deal with mind over matter. The positive mindset can over come so many obstacles.

The color photos and stories of the battles our men have seen overseas, both in Iraq and Afganistan is mind boggling. These same men must come home and  find civilian jobs and operate in a "civilized" society. Unless you've been there, done that, I imagine the task is difficult at best.

The articles can help the rest of us going through tramatic experiences. One article I'll keep is entitled, Inner Strenth-Its all about your attitude.

Written by Chaplain  Mark D. Philips, he delves into the idea of embracing the chaos. If we can realize that disappointments are as common as success, we can establish realistic expectations. This seems hard, because we want to control our world, and all the disappointments are hard to accept. Yet if we can, the Chaplain says, it will help us not to feel overwhelmed by things we can't control.

He talks about growth, looking toward the future with the attitude that This Too Shall Pass. He says it like this "And it came to pass" as though the current crisis is part of a time line, a story, just one minor event. The event could change our path. It doesn't have to completely.

I really liked how he incorporated Michael Jordon's quote into the final statement: never quit.

MJ said " I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost more than 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot and  I missed. I have failed over and over again in my life. And that's precisely why I succeed."