Hooter Camp: Zion Training Week

Our HOOTERS training week began in Zion National Park. We've hiked all over the incredible red rock canyons, learning important skills like night hiking (w/out headlamps AHHH), using a GPS, poo smears (don't ask),and orienteering...

Actually its hard to get lost in a canyon, you only have two directions that you could go. Grand Canyon on the other hand is a whole different story...

It's been an intense couple of weeks in training. We've been learning to HOOT, identify numerous birds and calls, and important plants such as Poison Ivy:


Here is CB (Charlie Brown), hanging out on a trail, we're listening for owl hoots.
HOO OOO OOO OOoOoOooooo, the four note hoot



Nothing like a good Chicken Curry in the outdoors. MMM MMM good, Gill cooked for the entire Hooter Crew, best curry I've had in a long time!!

Hooter Camp: The Hotel Sweet

Early in the game, David Willey got us a 4 room sweet at the nicest hotel in town. There were 3 king size beds, a pool, full kitchen, leather couches, and an enormous deck. (e not to be confused with an i). Most of the crew wanted to sleep back at camp, but I definitely said KING ME!! What's funny though, is with all those amenities, there we were each on the internet, with our backs to a 50 inch TV (and hundreds of channels). Sometimes internet is just a necessity.


Here I am.... I found the stash of robes in the closet, HOW COOL IS THAT!! and I'm relaxin' by the pool. SWEET!

Highway 89

Everything I every wanted, I found on Highway 89 : ) My travel route on the way to Zion National Park, my mini adventure before the summer "job" begins...


Great Camp sight in Caribou National Forrest, there is a huge river off to my right there in that pic, as well as a huge camp fire.



This is a reservoir I drove upon... I think I stopped every 5 to 10 miles along that road. It was simply spectacular!

This is an overflowing creek by the second camp spot that I stayed at. This was in Logan Canyon. There was a herd of deer that were ripping grass around my tent that night. It was so cool to listen to.


This is the Snake river that the Spring Creek flowed into. It was Fabulous fishing, there were numerous outfitters in boats that morning. You could see the fish in spring river, enormous. : ) Wish you were here with me Ryan, we'd do some fly fishing : )

Cultural Festival- Salt Lake CIty

They are making lace by hand, 2 inches takes her about 6 hours. Moving those wooden pegs around in groups is how she does it. So if you find your grandmas hand made lace, it's worth somthin!!

Food Not Bombs

When I arrived in Salt Lake, I took the first exit to "downtown" area (well actually I missed it, and had to drive back, ahh crazy city driving). Anywho, as I continued down main street I came across a huge festival in the park, I Had to Go!! There was NOWHERE to park, but it must have been fate, cuz I took my next right and the spot was waiting just for me.

The festival is Salt Lakes Annual Cultural Festival, with arts, crafts, dancing, music, and food from countries all around the world. Better yet, it was free!!


.....


After an Amazing day listening to Indian music, watching Brazilian Dancers, and learning to make paper flowers, I finally decided that I had to find a place to stay. Camping is always a cheap option, but Couch Surfing would be pretty damn sweet too. I hoped over to the library just across the street (coincidence ?), where they let me bypass the library card rule for the Internet, and sent a shout out to as many interesting people as I could find. It wasn't an hour later that I got a call, and was hooked up at a place called the BOING house. Just down the street : )

This place was amazing. Initially I thought it was just a sweet hang out, where A LOT of people 'lived'. But the place is actually quite famous, and well involved in the community. Some time ago they got together and joined a group called Food not Bombs. This organization is basically a group who collects donated food from the grocery store and redistributes it to the community. Four times a week they receive donations where volunteers will bring a car full of food boxes to the house, which then go to the local parks where people can have free food. Fruits, veggies, chicken salad... practically anything.



There was this sweet old lady who would come to the door in her wheel chair and the BOING house group would load her up with food. How cool is that? I came down one morning after a charity concert, and there was yet another woman from the community helping them clean up the house afterwards. Sweet? Heck yeah!

I was highly impressed with the crazy lifestyle of the vegan musicians of that house.
So if you ever need a place to stay in Salt Lake they have an open door policy :)

Zion National Park- A Summer Padice

Here I am in the Grand Canyon, HELLO EVERYONE!!!


I'll be back in those little canyon crevasses looking for owls all summer, both here in Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and mostly the Grand Canyon- my main home base.





Check out that hooters shirt, had to start out the first day right- today was administration day!!
We met all the big wigs : )


CB on his motorcycle, he rode over 1,000 miles on his NEW BIKE- He is hurting.

Spring Break 2009: Vancouver or BUST

Spring Break 2009, I've decided I HAVE TO GO TO CANADA. I've never been : )
So I'm going to drive to Kalispell from Bozeman, pick up my mom, and head for he coast.

This is the first town where you are able to see Flathead Lake, my favorite summer spot. As the sun began setting, there was an incredible flood of pastel color over the lake, and I had to stop and get a picture before it faded away into the evening.


This is my mom, Sherry, and we are getting fresh water from the stream. Haven't gotten Giardia yet, so either I'm immune or we have CLEAN water!



Had to take a little side trip through Paradise.


You wouldn't know it, but I'm hunting for a shot at a heard of Big Horn Sheep.


When we arrived in Washington, we took a nice long stop at this overlook. In front of me on the hill there is a herd of horse statues up on the hill. It was a windy day, but SO nice to find WARM weather.


After staying with the Blehms- awesome family of ours in Spokane, my mom and I went out to Franks Diner for an enormous meal of pancakes, fruit, and sausage. MMMMM! Best breakfast in the city!


For a long time now, I've really wanted to see Fisherman's Wharf in Seattle. My mom and I walked along the Pier which was full of every little nick nack you could imagine. Flower bouquets aromated the air while the fishermen tossed their goods in a show like fashion. There were lollies, magic shops, fortune tellers, and venal record shops. Who would have guessed?


This guy looked like he might be compensating for something... ( had to peak around the fish).
SHHH!!! haha


In a place like that, you couldn't pass up the opportunity to have fresh sea food! oH MAN IT was DELICIOUS!! We ordered a seafood bowl with shrimp, clams, baby potatoes, corn and mussels. MMMMMM... oh man, it was so hard to finish. I was bloated, think I gained about 20 pounds. IT WAS WORTH IT!!




On the drive over to Seattle, we took a little pit stop in the park to play Frisbee, ride the dinosaurs, and graffiti the sidewalks.


China town in Vancouver, any one want to try some new lollies? haha
By the way Frog Legs are exquisite!


The butterfly pavilion in Seattle, (its attached to the museum in the main square downtown).


Mom had a BLAST-- in the space shuttle, shaking it back and fourth up and down... it was the real thing I tell you. (She's really into aliens). The 3 year old kid watching was SOOOO excited as his dad held him back to wait... the grown-ups were having all the fun : )


And look what we found when we got there!! ALIENS!!! they were velcrow and you could make them look however you wanted them to : ) Not like us, with plastic surgery...


I found a nice dinosaur, : ) I call him STEGO... and Look! I found BUBBLE TEA!!! MMMMM


Awwww and out night out on St. Patricks. My mom never knew I could talk so much. I made us lots of friends. haha, actually I just asked all those people to pose as if they were my friends. I don't remember any of their names (which I asked for after the photo). No joke. HAHA!!!

Return Home

I came to New Zealand seeking the small treasures of life, what I've come to find is that my life is that treasure box. My purpose... is to full it with memories of gold. And like a good pirate, I've managed to find a place I can hide away this plunder, deep inside a place where it can never be taken.

I have mounds of wealth, I am the Emperor of the universe, for I have everything I could have ever wanted. If I were to sit alone and bare with nothing to my name, I would still look out to the sea on a hot day and know I were the wealthiest person alive.

I've learned a secret that not many know, there is no limit to the treasure we can take. We are all meant to fill out lifes with gold, all you have to do is begin the journey. Life doesn't just happen, those special moments are meant to be lived for, sought after, and shared for all it's glory.

I tell you now, your treasure is waiting for you-

Find it - Happiness is real-

Family

pohutukawa New Zealand Christmas Tree

It's almost Christmas, I can hardly believe it! I have a sunburn like no other, I hope it doesn't bubble. Been putting on sunscreen, 70 spf, but I must have missed a spot. Oops : S

I'm homesick, so very homesick. I was telling stories about my crazy family... how I use to antagonize my little sister into soing things I know I'd get in trouble for.... about how my brother taught himself to drive when he was nearly four, and how my mom is an artist who spent her summers in a tipi.

I'd tell about my grandmother running naked amongst her genetically re-designed fruit trees, and how she lived in a camper called the "Cave Man". She would stay either there or in Pergatory, a garden shed, where she would fight for a bed between a lawn mower and shovels.

I've come to see what an extrodinary family I actually come from... far from normal at least. My grandfather was a clown who performed acts with balloon animals and a poodle. I hear he was once a salesman who did quite well, and later on became more of a philosopher. He would tell me unbelieveable stories, and once turned a useless tumbleweed into a christmas joy- the Gillam Family Christmas tree. That weed later became like a family heir-loom that reminds us that there is meaning and importance for everything in life.

We all know my father must be a little nuts, he now has 10 kids! He's already a grandfather, and his youngest is 4... By the way, I'm the oldest at 21... Chaos?

That's just the beginning....

Amongst it all, I've come to see that each of my family members are astrangely unique and have a bizzare tale of their own.

I like to tell people that I am a white sheep in a black family... For so long I've fought to prove that I am normal, mostly to myself. But I've come to find, it's not fun being normal. What story is there to tell?

I love my family dearly, and miss them terribly. Each and every one!

Merry Christmas to you all, I miss you!

-Capri

a deep given

A mix of photos over the last few weeks

Bumps, Bruises, Good Times, Great Scenery, and Even Better Company...

Those have to be the most skankiest toilets I've ever smelled in my life! It was all I could do to keep from vomiting. I'd take a big breath of air, prepare my toilet paper, and run to finish my business as quickly as possible. The worst part was that it kinda smelled like asparagus... I like asparagus... AHHH!!!

On the contrary, I must be in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Like a mountain scene from the movie Heidi. Like Yosemite or Glacier National Park, but of course so very unique in very different ways...

The river beds are a layer of green limestone rock, which gives the water a lucious aqua color. Deep pools of crystal clear water invite me in for a swim. If it wern't for the rain and 9 hour trek ahead of me, I'd be in in an instant!





Got a great little travel hammock I can bring along with me : ) and now I can sit back and play my guitar... and let the bruises heal?

Just two days ago, we spontaneously decided to go for a bit of a tramp... Wil, an English guy, Blair a guy from Scotland, and myself...

Isn't that pretty? It's taken about two weeks to heal. In fact I have a whole collage of bruises... each one with a great story!!

In total I have about 24 blisters on my feet, two big red ones on my hips, and a very soar Achilles tendon- the 5 day tramp

That beautiful one above from getting ready to jump into the waterfall- I got excited and slipped... I was the only one to come out with such a masterpiece.

Got several all over my biceps from bringing up parachutes over the last couple of days

and a nice tan/sun burn to match all the other colors.

IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!

... plus the sandfly and mosquito bites... but they go away too

Oh, did I mention Blair hadn't quite been on a backpacking trip like this before? I suppose we all had a rough time with a few days rain, but it was sure nice to end in a hut with a hot fire, and good meal! Plus, you've gotten a little taste of the scenery we were in!

Last Couple of Weeks: Beaches, Wildlife, and Tramping

Over the last couple of weeks I've been traveling along the east coast towards the fiord lands in the far southern end of New Zealand. Spent a few days camping along the beaches and searching for muscles, scallops, and crabs for dinner... sadly we didn't see any sea food for dinner.

The scenery is spectacular, better than in the movies! We stopped along several waterfalls and lookouts along the way, including the "famous" Niagara Falls. Don't go there! It was the biggest disappointment I've had yet. It was just a little ripple in the water, that didn't even resemble Niagara. The worst Tourist trap I've ever been to!

Any who... We stopped along this great spot called Nugget Point where there was a little light house and plenty of wildlife. We got to see the rare yellow eyed penguin as it came in from the ocean, being chased by a seal.... as well as the whole colony of seals. In fact, as we pulled out the binoculars, we were able to identify a strange screeching from one of the animals... it had just given birth to a pup. Isn't that cool? I've got some great photos of the area, just spectacular scenery!

Later we moved on to Invercargill, a sleepy little town that was made into a big movie not too long ago. A guy by the name of Burt Monroe set out from this town back in the mid 30's to set the land speed record at the Nevada salt flats. All based on a true story. Back in this time it was very difficult to travel, and what he was trying to accomplish was a huge feat. Well he made it to the US, and after several trials and a lot of error, he managed to get a classic (even for the time, 1920's model) Indian motorcycle to break the land speed record at 185.5 mph.

I was happy to find an exhibit to dedicated to him, and better yet, the Burt Monroe Challenge, a thrilling motorcycle race happened to be going on the very next day. Well the races had actually been going on for three days, taking place on beaches over motorways, and in a loop through the city. After several crashes, s nice sunburn, and some good photos, I have to say I had a pretty good day.

On a side note, I have to say that you meet people in the strangest ways when you are traveling. While I was trying to take pictures over the large hay bales, my little legs just weren't tall enough, and I hopped on the shoulders of one of the guys who was staying at the hostel. After an exciting race, I set my camera aside and introduced myself to the guy I was sitting on top of. That was Kyle by the way, a Kiwi guy who was astounded to meet an English guy, Scottish Bloke, and American girl randomly traveling together.

After a great time in Invercargill, Will, Blair and I headed towards Te Anu, a great little touristy city at the gateway to the most beautiful region in new zealand, the fiord lands. We managed to get a cheap little hostel right on the lake front (with GREAT views by the way) for like $23 a night ( It had a spa, HOT SHOWERS, a theater, and I got a queen bed too!) Pretty good for the money I'd say. So we decided that being in such a nice area we should do a little backpacking trip.

Now to be honest, I've really only done a one day trip into the mountains, and that was kind of by accident- by that I mean I was prepared, but I really didn't know where the people I was with were going or how long... (8 hours later...) Any who, since Blair was somewhat of a rookie, and I was too (but didn't realize it at the time), we decide three days was a good starting tramp. Well, the excitement piled on, and three days quickly turned into five days. You though I was leading up to some terrible story of the mountains... to be honest the bruise I got from falling at the waterfall (I jumped in the day before) look a lot worse than anything from the trip. I must say again, I was surprisingly more prepared than I thought considering the conditions.

With about 10 blisters on each foot (they were wet a lot) and a couple big rashes on my hips, they matched quite nicely with the purple one on my leg. (I have more now... but I'll have to tell you about that later : ) ) IT WAS ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT!!!

We stayed in huts along with way, and got to enjoy a variety of terrain and heavenly scenery. Every single rock in the river was a tealish green, a natural limestone color, and gave the crystal waters a unique baby blue color. Ooo it was so inviting! On our journey we walked to the peaks of several mountains and through the valleys where we could see distant snowy mountain horns pierce through a middle layer of clouds. The valleys were green meadows that rose into rocky mountain peaks, passing through bushy green forest and wrapped around endless waterfalls. Despite a bit of rain, the sun shown often, and warmed the trail with a yellow glow.

A picture can tell a thousand words, though a thousand words could not describe what I saw. In those five days, I traveled across canyons filled with glacial water and monstrous trout, climbed rooty pathways to the saddle of the mountains, then walked above marshy swamps painted with flowers of pinks and purples. Traveling the Greenstone and Caples tracks was one of the most memorable experiences I've had. It was my first long, multiple night tramp. I managed to carry a fully sustainable pack- everything I needed over five days to tramp and live somewhat comfortably. The three of us rustled those bags over rugged terrain and multiple river crossings for well over 60 kilometers. I'm so proud of myself!!! YAY!!!

Needless to say, when we finished the journey we all enjoyed a well needed hot shower, and the biggest best meal of my life!

I'm say to say we parted with Blair partway along the journey, due to time restrictions, and sent him on a ferry to make his way back to the north island. The next two days, I had to keep from looking back to check if he were there .

It's been a such a fantastic time traveling with these guys! So... I'm sure you are tired of reading... you are not caught up just yet! That is a minor outline of what I've done by the way, and I'll out another post about what I've been doing in Queenstown- the Adventure capital!!

Backpacking with Blair: Christchurch, Dunedin, and Southern like travels