New Mexico: Hiking Along Rito de los Frijoles in Frijoles Canyon
During the first part of November 2009, Jen and I spent a week in New Mexico hiking in the mountains, canyons and desert. The scenery was stunning; and the variety of ecosystems and terrain was unbelievable. New Mexico is not at all what we expected! And, having spent time in 35-states and several countries, New Mexico is our new favorite place to be.
We stayed in Sante Fe, which is a really neat town with lots to see and do — and GREAT food. Sante Fe is also reasonably close to many of the must-see destinations in North-Central New Mexico. A scenic drive to the Sante Fe National Forest, and hiking in the snowy mountains, started our week of high-altitude fun (Sante Fe is the highest state capitol at about 7,000-feet above sea level). Another scenic drive up the High Road to Taos led us to the Taos Pueblo, the Rio Grande Gorge and many of the other gifts Taos had to offer — including an equally beautiful drive down the Low Road back to Sante Fe.
One of our favorite day-hikes was a day we spent in Frijoles Canyon just outside Los Alamos. We enjoyed it so much, we went back the next day. The drive to and from Los Alamos is another beautiful experience; and Los Alamos is quite a surprise itself. Mountains and canyons, skiing and museums, the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Bandelier National Monument, along with the second largest volcanic caldera — Valles Caldera — teeming with Elk, Mule Deer and other wildlife, make Los Alamos a destination with something for everyone.
Rito de los Frijoles (Little River of the Beans) flows through Frijoles Canyon and into the Rio Grande just outside Los Alamos. Frijoles Canyon features steep cliffs with dozens of ancient cliff dwellings and ceremonial alcoves and kivas. As we hiked back down from a 142′ climb up the side of a cliff to a huge alcove, a pair of Mule Deer approached the trail we were walking on. We stopped to take a picture, and one of them walked right by me — within about three feet of me. The deer went about their business with absolutely no fear of us at all — as if they knew they were perfectly safe.
Hiking in the other direction, the Ritos de los Frijoles drops down into a deep canyon on it’s way to the Rio Grande. We followed it — sometimes crossing over it by stepping on stones or fallen trees and sometimes scaling canyon walls hundreds of feet above the little river. Up and down, we made our way to the first of a set of waterfalls (Upper Falls and Lower Falls) that drop the river down several hundred feet to the Rio Grande.
Along the way, we encountered very little wildlife; but we did meet up with a rather large Tarantula that showed as little fear of us as the Mule Deer had. This heavy, hairy spider simply crawled up some rocks on the left side of the trail we were on, crossed the path, and continued up the rocky slope to our right.
As we got closer to the Rio Grande, we could see it in the bottom of the “vee” made by the sides of the canyon. The water appeared to be green — blending in to the colorful landscape of the canyon. A few switchbacks took us down several hundred feet where we took a rest below the lower falls before retracing our steps back, up and out of the canyon.
The next time I go to New Mexico, I’ll spend more time and do many more things I didn’t do this time; but I’ll definitely go back to Frijoles Canyon — and I’ll spend more time there. Next time, I’ll get there as early in the day as possible and stay as late as I can — spending plenty of time lounging by the Rio Grande and taking more time to sit and relax along the rocky path that follows the Rito de los Frijoles through the canyon.
Jennifer and Pete Koerner in Frijoles Canyon, New Mexico
Saturday Night Lights! Congratulations Jake & Camden Wildcats!
Most of my posts are about making life better in some way — improving health, deepening your spiritual connection, building strong, healthy, and happy relationships, and supporting other experts in these fields by letting you know what they’re up to. Today, I want to honor a group of young men who have brought a lot of joy and excitement to an entire community over the past several months — my son’s football team, the Camden County Wildcats!
The Wildcats compete at the AAAAA (5A) level in Georgia High School Sports; that’s the highest level of competition — the biggest schools with the biggest rosters, the biggest programs, and the biggest boosters. Football at this level is about as close to college football as you can get! If you saw the Wildcat’s training facilities, practice fields, weight room, film room, and their stadium — complete with brand-new artificial turf — you’d think you were at a Division II college. And if you saw the Wildcats play, you’d truly be impressed.
The Camden Wildcats are the only undefeated AAAAA team in the state at 14-0; and they have advanced to the AAAAA State Championship to be played in the Georgia Dome next Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 8:00 PM. The Wildcats will play the Peachtree Ridge High School Lions (12-2) for top honors at the top level of high school football. The game will be televised on Georgia Public Television, and broadcast on their web site at www.GPB.org.
These young Wildcats are truly an impressive group of young men. I’ve know some of these kids since they played little league football (and even coached some of them at that level); and they are absolutely some of the nicest and most respectful young men I’ve ever known. These young men are led by an amazing coaching staff, headed up by Coach Jeff Herron, who has a record at Camden County of 107-11! That’s an absolutely amazing feat in Georgia High School Football! Coach Herron brought the AAAAA State Championship home in 2003; and has advanced to the playoffs every year since 2000. Coach Herron is also one of the nicest people you could ever meet — always being thoughtful and kind to the kids while instilling confidence, honor, integrity, self-discipline, and heart in each of his players.
I played football in high school; and I’m not a big fan of sitting and watching anything (I’d rather be doing). But it’s impossible to live in this community and not be a fan of this team! And, speaking of fans, the Wildcat parents and fans are also the most dedicated and loyal fans I’ve ever seen — with the Woodstock Wolverines (from Cherokee County north of Atlanta) being the only other team I’ve seen that I would say matched the heart and spirit of the Camden Wildcat fans (and players). It isn’t unusual for Camden to show-up for road games with as many or more fans than the home team — even when the Wildcats traveled to Birmingham, Alabama to face Hoover High School (from the MTV show, “Two-a-days”)!
Camden, as a State AAAAA powerhouse, opened their season in the Georgia Dome with a 21-6 win over Norcross High School (another AAAAA power); and coach Herron made the motto for this season, “Dome-to-Dome.” True to his word, the Wildcats will end their season in the Dome — hopefully capping a perfect season with a Championship Ring!
Good Luck to Coach Herron and his Mighty, Mighty Wildcats; and congratulations on an amazing season!
Here’s a couple links to articles about Camden’s Semi-Final victory over the Newnan Cougars:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/printedition/2008/12/06/hsnew.html?cxntlid=inform_artr
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2008-12-06/camden_county_pounces_on_cougars
Here’s a couple pictures taken of our Junior Linebacker (Jake) after their 27-7 win in the AAAAA Semi-Finals against Newnan High School:
Jake after beating Newnan
Pete, Jake, and Jenn in Newnan (It was 29-degrees!)
Yeah, that’s me and Jenn wearing our “Game Faces!”
Pics From A Past Life… (Fulton County Fire Dept./EMS)
Below are some past-life pictures I recently found. I’ve done many, many things in my life; but they were all things I imagined or dreamed about as a kid. I used to get a real kick out of the old television show, "EMERGENGY!" and, when I grew-up, I got to run about 35,000 ambulance/rescue calls in Atlanta, I got to be on the FCFD Water Rescue & Dive Team with the great Captain Barry Wayne Lipham, I got to drive Fire Engines, Ladder Trucks, and Rescue Trucks, and I got to teach Fire, Rescue, Hazardous Materials, and Emergency Medical classes all over the state and around the world. In fact, the first time I went to the Soviet Union to teach Emergency Responders, I was accompanied by Dr. Gail Anderson — whose father was the Emergency Physician who was the basis for guess what television show — that’s right, "EMERGENCY!" If you let life surprise you, it will.
These pictures are only a small part of a story that is a only a small part of an amazing life — a life that is testament to the fact that THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS! For good or bad or better or worse, I can clearly see how I have created every moment of my life with a thought. Whether you call it, "Prayer," or not, you can imagine desired realities and then live the experience. I had a very vivid and active imagination when I was a kid; and I still do. Thus, I have a very vivid and active life. And, as my life changes and expands, my mind changes and expands. I look at these pictures and I remember how I used to think about the world — how much I thought I knew, and how little I really did. I can still see my old perspective; but I’ve seen other perspectives, now, also. And my world is a bigger and brighter place as a result. I’ll share some more pictures soon… Stay tuned; I’ve done some cool things and seen some beautiful places over the years!
Click ‘Read More’ to see pictures of one of the many chapters of a very colorful life…
Hazardous Materials Training & Teaching: More Pics of "Cool" Things I’ve Learned How to do…
I don’t know why anyone would want to mess with Hazardous Materials — other than the fact it is mentally and physically challenging and SOMEBODY’S GOT TO DO IT… I’ve always sought out challenges… My thought was always that it was way better to know what’s going on than not; and it’s way better to be the guy doing the "helping" than the guy needing help! Knowledge is power; and it is often the only difference between "victim" and "rescuer."
Click ‘Read more’ to check out some more pictures of Pete experimenting with life…
Up The Creek (with lots of paddles) in St. Marys — Kayaking Pics
When I left the Fulton County Fire Department — and Atlanta — I moved to St. Marys and opened a kayak shop called, "Up The Creek." It started small; but, with lots of help, Up The Creek quickly became one of the biggest kayak tour and instruction operators — kayaking with anywhere between 1-person, up to 80-paddlers on some of our trips! We owned a couple hundred kayaks at one point! The area around St. Marys is perfect for kayaking, offering amazing views and wildlife — and lots of good weather for kayaking. The shop is located footsteps from the St. Marys River, and is within an hour of Cumberland Island, the Okeefenokee Swamp, countless tidal rivers and creeks, and several beaches for surfing.
We had great "business trips:" Whitewater kayaking in North Carolina, Sea Kayaking in Florida, and Coastal Georgia and South Carolina, excursions to Utah, and lots of trips to Cumberland Island in Sea Kayaks. I opened the shop in 1997 and sold the shop to Tom and Julie Monahan a few years ago — shortly after writing "The Belief Formula." You might not believe this, but this kayak shop was actually born when I was a child watching "Sesame Street." I saw a video of a kayaker flipping over and turning back upright. I was terrified and curious at the same time — the perfect seed for a real life experience (curiosity and intense emotion)… I recently found the video clip on YouTube:
So, another childhood impression emerges into my experience… Here are a few pics of the shop, some of the boats and places we paddled:
*Click on ‘Read more’ to see more pics of a life of adventure and discovery — and trial and error, etc…
More Pics: What next? Flying… It Was Only A Matter Of Time. All Dreams Are.
While I was growing up, my dad worked for Delta Airlines; I literally grew up on and around airplanes — and I love airplanes. My parents told me that my first word was, "Airplane." I used to sit for hours watching airplanes taking off and landing; and I always knew I would be a pilot one day. And now, I have had a pilot’s license for about 16-years… I also imagined how cool it would be to fly helicopters; and I’ve been fortunate enough to do both… And, my dad was my first official passenger as a licensed pilot — another complete circle from dream-to-thing.
Flying is a cool thing that cultivates certain character traits — like attention to detail, for instance — and gives you a sense of freedom and a completely new perspective of life and the world. I’ve flown a number of airplanes; and, though I’ve had a couple close-calls due to equipment, I’ve always made it back home. Maybe because I’ve never imagined anything else?
Click ‘Read more’ to see a few pictures of yet another evolutionary experience along my walk around this world…
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The Belief Formula
