Canadian Border – August 26th

A thousand white butterflies dance over the meadow and celebrate the accomplishment with us. 1/2 way! CANADA! 1500 miles of walking together as a family.

Two grizzlies ate huckleberries on the slope above us as clouds swirled the jagged ridges this morning in dramatic fashion and bid us not forget these northern Rockies or what we have learned here as we turn south and head to the high peaks of Colorado.


How blessed we feel, how smiled upon to share this journey,

this land, this time as a family. We sat in the meadow and shared appreciations for each other and first 1/2 highlights…….here are a few.

*Reading around a little fire at night while drying boots.


*Trail Angels: all those who have illumined the Divine in their care for us – from support crew like Bud and Mo to all those met along the way.


*Natalie going from crutches after a tough fall to back on the trail with us in less than a week – courage that inspired all of us.


*Cody and Jess’ willingness to embrace this journey, make it their own, and bringing their joy and determination to it.


*Laughing in the tent at night: like when Deso tried to bound out of the tent and ricocheted off the mosi net back into the center with a much chagrined look.

*Jessie Faith’s humorous writing and remarkable ability to spark great conversation with whomever she is walking with.


*Moments with friends – like frog racing and berry picking.
*Bread, hot from the dutch oven with butter and jam.


*Being awed by the subtlety and majesty of the natural world – from alpine flowers to grizzly bears. We’ll miss being in the lands where the grizzly still walks.
*Coco’s beautiful photographs.
*Skinny dipping in perfect mountain lakes and streams.
*Singing “Seek Ye First” in the mornings in harmony and “I Got Me a New Girlfriend” at the top of our lungs in the afternoons.


*Games on the trail – like Jess winning 128 back massages from Bobby when she stumped him with Jamie Foxx in 20 questions.
*Wellstone chewing down whatever tree he’s tied to at night and sounding like an 800 pound beaver gone mad.


*Scheduling our re-supply days so we could watch the soccer world cup games in June and July – we saw 7.
*After a day of 40 degrees, wind and pounding rain, being saved by the MaKenna’s hay barn in the Centennial Valley.
*The joy of being a family discovering together more about ourselves, each other, this natural world, and the Creator of us all.

“we thank you god for this most amazing day
for the blue true dream which is sky
the leaping greenly spirits which are trees
for all that is natural
that is infinite
that is yes”
e.e.c.

Look out Mexico – here we come!