WINTER MAGIC

Yes, I know it's not technically winter yet, but to me, the winter is here when everything is covered in snow and I'm dressed in 3 layers of clothing head to toe. In Alaska in particular, it's hard to accept that it's not winter yet when we're surrounded by mountains covered in snow and hemlock trees that have turned into dancing white sculptures. And then there is the one of a kind magical silence that only winter snowfall can create. It's best experienced deep in the woods...

This past weekend we spent the night at the Dale Clemens cabin. To get there, we had to hike about 3 miles up the Lost Lake trail through deep hemlock forest. Some snow had already fallen in town, but it wasn't until we entered the woods that I was struck by the enchantment that this snowfall offered.

I was in a bit of a sour mood leading up to our hike, but as soon as we entered the woods my energy shifted. I am a firm believer in the healing and restorative power of nature, and this time wasn't any different. 

As soon as we entered the woods, we were greeted by snowflakes. We stopped, looked up and paused to relish the enchanted feeling of watching snow fall. It descended in such a unified and controlled way that made me feel the pace of time - a slow, steady and harmonious process. The snow had a singular purpose and it was executing it beautifully. 

Looking up, we also noticed the chandeliers that nature had created out of hemlock branches and snow flakes. We started to hike again with snow-covered and wild blueberry bushes beside us, their dark blue fruit shimmering beneath the snowy hats. And although the silence was broken by the sounds of snow crunching beneath our feet, the sense of awe and calmness that this winter wonderland offered kept our hearts enchanted for the rest of the hike.

Overnight, more snow had fallen and the tracks we had made the day before were now dusted with snow, creating shadowy dips and mounds on the trail. And with that, the vivid memories we had made in those same places just 24 hours earlier had become part of the magical silence and endless renewal that these snow-covered woods offered to anyone and everyone that greeted it.

Happy snowy adventures!

~Modern Akhmatova

WORKING TO LIVE

B enjoying the view of Resurrection Bay in Seward, AK.

We did it. We moved across the country to follow our bliss. A dream to live in a place where nature trumps development and wo/man's presence. We will live in Seward, Alaska for at least a year or through September 2017. After that, who knows. For now, we are happy to have made this possible for ourselves and our relationship.

We are fortunate enough to be able to keep our jobs on the East Coast, while living out here. I believe that this arrangement is the future of knowledge work or the knowledge economy; to be able to work from anywhere and thus, live anywhere. This is a shift from our industrial economy wherein one's job location decided one's home location and lifestyle. I already have a number of friends and colleagues who are embarking on this journey of working from where they want to live. Because in the global knowledge economy, all you need is an Internet connection and a computer to get your work done and earn a living.

And then, with a little bit of forethought, self-control, and luck, one should be able to save enough and invest in the right things, in order to eventually have the flexibility to become a consultant/free agent and truly take control of one's time and effort.

It's harrowing how our 21st century, "civilized" lives are set-up in structured phases. We get to play and frolic while young, then we get socialized by the school system. After that we enter college, where we get to explore a variety of interests and organize our time freely. Next, we enter the workforce, where we get even more socialized and out of touch with our natural cycles and range of abilities. And throughout this phase we yearn for the day when we get to retire and have the freedom to be intentional with our time and effort.

I understand that this structure is thought necessary for the calm and organized progression of the masses. However it is time to rethink this paradigm and move it in the direction of inclusive well-being for all life on earth, not just the government and the economy. With all the scientific and technological innovations that have taken place over the last two centuries, we are more knowledgeable and aware of what makes for a healthy lifestyle that is inclusive of the entire ecosystem.

My fiance and I have been working toward this lifestyle for almost 5 years now, or basically since the start of our relationship. It is an ongoing process for us, figuring out what our vision is, how to achieve it, and who and what to spend our time on. However, it's naive to think that we're the "judge and jury" in our lives. There is that entire "ecosystem" of people and places that affect who we are and what we do. That said, we are super excited to see how Sewardites and this magical environment affect our individual and combined outlook on and experience of what matters most in life.

Happy "working to live"!
~Modern Akhmatova

MY GRANDFATHER'S LABOR DAY

"Every job has dignity."

As the Labor Day holiday approaches in the U.S., I am reminded of the hard fought struggles and triumphs of the labor movement, not just here in the states, but all over the world. It is a history that affects all of us in one way or another. This year I'm reminded of one specific person who exemplified and taught my mom, and me through her, the real value, dignity of, and respect for hard work - my maternal grandfather ("deka" in Serbian) Slavko. 

Who are the people in your life that taught you the literal and figurative value of hard work?

As a homeless 10-year-old, deka Slavko survived working for a cruel German shoemaker between approximately 1926 and 1936. Later on, he survived the World War II forced labor camps. And when he finally was released in 1944 as a 28-year-old, he returned to Yugoslavia and started working in a shoe factory. He realized that the only profitable skill he had was as a shoemaker, regardless of the painful memories that this job must've brought back for him. 

Despite the fact that poverty and World War II took what some would call "the best years of his life" to get an education and explore all that life had to offer, he was never bitter. After the war, he quietly pursued a simple family life in Yugoslavia. He married my amazing grandmother ("baka" in Serbian) Duca, raised two children, and was the sole provider for his family until he suffered a heart attack in his 60's. 

My mom tells this story about grandpa, of a time when she was a little girl taking a walk with him in their hometown of Bijeljina. She remembers it was a Sunday morning one spring or summer day. He was dressed in his clean suit with a hat on his head; a hat that he pretty much always wore when out and about. She was wearing one of a few dresses she owned, and that my grandma always made sure were perfectly clean and pressed. At one point they came upon a street cleaner spraying the streets with water, cleaning the debris that had accumulated from the day before. Deka Slavko immediately raised his right hand to his hat, held the tip of it, made eye contact with the man, took off his hat and tipped it in his direction, while saying "Dobro jutro druze. / Good morning, friend". 

My mom, being a little girl of no more than 10 years old was confused at the scene. After they passed the man, and there was a good distance between them, she asked "Daddy, why did you take your hat off for the street cleaner, when no one else does that?" Deka Slavko, in his gentle way, turned to his beloved daughter and explained "Imagine what it would be like if no one cleaned these streets. We would have to walk in dirt and filth everywhere. Because of that man and his hard work, we're able to enjoy walking in our neighborhood. That is why everyone's work, including the street cleaner's, should be respected. We shouldn't value them based on the amount of money the work earns them, because that has nothing to do with us." My mom went on to say that her dad's explanation that day helped her later in life to choose work that would ensure she could provide a good life for her children.

And although I never got the chance to meet my deka Slavko, I like to think that his respect for all work was passed on to me. My mom, his daughter, certainly made sure that all four of her children understood and embodied a healthy work ethic and respect for all working people.

Happy Labor Day!

~Modern Akhmatova 

THAT TIME WE BIKED TO PITTSBURGH

Day 5 of our 7-day, 370 mile bikepacking adventure in October 2015.

Last October, my fiance (henceforth known as B in this post) and I completed our first long-distance bikepacking trip from Reston, Virginia to Pittsburgh, PA; approximately 370 miles across the C&O Towpath and Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trails. What follows is a combination of notes B and I took during our 7-day trip. We also included the total cost of the trip and some lessons learned at the bottom of the post.

We had planned to bikepack round trip, but shortly before arriving in Pittsburgh, we decided that we were too sore, tired and hurt to make it all the way back. Despite that unexpected ending, it was quite an adventure, and one that we hope to experience again in other parts of the world.

Happy bikepacking!
~Modern Akhmatova

Day 1: October 10, 2015 (Reston -> C&O MP30.6)

The day's mottos: "Where the fuck is the Jefferson Memorial?" and "Ok, let's go a few miles more!"

Day 1, biking through Washington, D.C.

Day 1, T enjoying the 
Great Falls on the Maryland side

We are currently laying down in a tent that is 30.6 miles in on the C&O Towpath coming from D.C. We biked a total of about 54 miles. It has been an eventful and fun day. Here are the highlights:

• Left T's mom's house in Reston around 11am
• Visited T's brother's family on our way to the trail. They wished us a good trip. :)
• Rode almost non-stop from Reston to D.C., stopping along the way to snack
• Downtown Vienna was pretty
• Took a break in Clarendon
• It felt very cool to ride into D.C.
• We planned to ride to the Jefferson Memorial but couldn’t figure out how to get to the damn thing, so we gave up
• Hit the C&O towpath around 2:30pm
• The weather was beautiful
• The Potomac river sparkled
• B and I felt like a team
• We snacked a lot on gibanica, cevapi, apples, eurokeks, Jafa keks, banana chocolates, and more. T's mom made sure we had lots of food to take with us on the way out, hence all the Serbian treats! :)
• We stopped at Great Falls for the beautiful view.
• Great Falls and the several miles south of it (MP14) were very scenic, but busy
• Almost made camp around MP26 but T didn’t like the feel of the place so we went on to MP 30.6 which was a good choice though B took some coaxing
• We hung out with two women from Iowa (Jill and Darlene) at our campsite who were biking southbound. Laughed a lot, collected dry leaves, made a fire and relaxed.
• One of the women had been to AK where she biked from Fairbanks to Seward! Crazy cool.

T was inspired by the day's events to write some poetry:

The trail glistened with autumn colors and smells

I felt blessed and grateful.

We are healthy, happy and free enough to take this trip.

Life is good.

Day 2: October 11, 2015 (C&O MP30.6 -> C&O MP79.9)
The day's motto: "Where the fuck is Saki?" and "Damn, that food is good!" (re: Bean's in the Belfry in Brunswick, MD)

Day 2, scene inside the Bean's in the Belfry cafe

We biked 52.3 miles today counting in-town mileage. It was another gorgeous day. Here are the highlights:

• Had an “early” wake up (8am) and start (9am) on the trail. Left some snacks for Jill and Darlene and a note, since they weren’t up yet.
• Saw a man sleeping next to his bike on the trail in the morning.
• Passed horses (carefully) on the trail. Had to get off our bikes and walk.
• Rode pretty much straight to MP55 for coffee before stopping for a long break before noon in Brunswick, MD at the Beans in the Belfry cafe. B had a turkey sandwich and I had chili with cornbread muffins and coffee. Be also had a cannoli for dessert. We relaxed there for at least an hour or more. There was live jazz music, great food, comfy seating and just an overall great atmosphere!
• 2 eagles soared above us, as we enjoyed ourselves on the outside patio of the Beans in the Belfry cafe.
• B dried out our damp camping gear (camping next to a river we had lots of condensation every evening) on the railing outside the cafe.
• B kept looking for his co-worker (Saki) who was riding southbound and had started in Cumberland on Friday afternoon, but he failed to materialize. B had given up looking for him by the time we stopped in Shepherdstown, WV (MP72).
• In Shepherdstown, WV, we were interested in the Bavarian Inn, but soon found out that it was too fancy for us. So we decided to go to "Food Lion" instead :). We bought apples, oranges, sandwich meat, mayo, bread, and a green pepper.
• We biked another 7 miles to get to our awesome campsite alongside the Potomac river (MP79.9). All to ourselves this time :)
• Only then did B get a message from his coworker that he had missed him in Shepherdstown. Doh! We had been less than a mile apart.
• Ate dinner on the banks of the river and quietly got ready for bed.
• We gently fell asleep to the sounds of the forest and the flowing river beside us.

T was inspired by the day's events to write some poetry:

The spiderwebs dance in the evening autumn light

While the river shimmers and glistens in its slow trek onward

Every onward, just like us.

Another one:

Green tunnels

they do not end.

The autumn leaves cover everything,

the green canopies overhead,

a beautiful roof over our heads.

The sun streams through

as well as patches of blue.

The river borders our green tunnel on one side

with the canal on the other.

We are blessed

We are in awe

We are grateful.

Grateful to be alive,

grateful to be healthy to experience this.

Day 3: October 12, 2015 (C&O MP79.9 -> C&O MP145)
The day's motto: "Riding like champs!"

Day 3, hanging out and
drying our gear at an Aqueduct.

Morning of Day 3, eating breakfast at our campsite.

Beautiful ride on Day 3 around MP84 on the part of the trail
that goes along Bigslack Water, which had been recently reopened
after being closed for decades.  

We biked approximately 66 miles today. It was a long day of riding but we had a great time and great weather! Here are the highlights:

• Saw a guy on a bicycle and 7 pups running behind him at the start of the day from our campsite
• We got up early again and rode to MP100 for lunch (Williamsport, MD)
• Ate pumpkin chowder at Desert Rose Cafe in Williamsport, MD. Food was OK, not as good as Beans in the Belfry’s and we should have skipped the dessert completely.
• Decided to do a 60 mile day while having lunch. Why not?
• Ran into another couple on our way out of Williamsport who were also on their way to Pittsburgh, but they were stopping at Hancock (MP124) for the night
• Dried out our clothes and gear at an Aqueduct at MP116 on the C&O Towpath. B also washed his clothes in a Ziploc bag.
• Streteched on a bridge in Hancock, MD
• Passed more horses on the trail
• Saw a man drag his kayak by rope across the canal
• Came across a flock of wild turkeys at around MP137
• Tried to stop at Bills Place (MP142) but it was closed.
• Biked till sundown. Made it to MP145 before dark. Had the place to ourselves. No one was out there at all.
• Stood naked on a picnic table to wash down with wipes in lieu of a shower
• Heard coyotes while in our tents trying to fall asleep

T was inspired by the day's events to write some poetry:

Why do we need diamonds,

when we have morning frost

on the tips of grass leaves, glistening in the morning sunlight?

Why do we need gold,

when we have yellow canopies

hovering above us in autumn?

Day 4: October 13, 2015 (C&O MP148 -> C&O MP185 -> GAP MP15)
The day's motto: "Sufferfest"
Miles so far: 221

Miles remaining to Pittsburgh: 135

Day 4, enjoying a particularly gorgeous part of the
trail near the Paw Paw tunnel in Oldtown, MD.

Day 4, B inside the Paw Paw tunnel.

Due to the extreme nature of the prior day there was no journaling the night before, so we wrote our notes on the morning of Day 5.

We arrived in Frostburg, MD around 6:30pm on Day 4. T is currently enjoying a warm cup of coffee at the Mountain City Coffeehouse and Creamery in downtown Frostburg on Main St. Here are the highlights from yesterday/Day 4:

• We experienced our own version of "Sufferfest"!
• 55 miles of it
• 1,200 ft of elevation gain (T told B there was only 400ft of gain but she was a liar)
• No dinner or barely any (B had an energy bar since everything was closed)
• Our campground was at the top of a goddamn mountain
• Sighted another flock of 7+ turkeys
• Paw Paw tunnel - truly amazing. Flashlights definitely recommended.
• Another lunch at an Aqueduct (we seem to love these)
• "Bosnian" meat pie and spinach pie at the European Desserts and Sandwiches Cafe in Cumberland, MD. It was ok, though nothing special given the price.
• Finished the C&O Canal Trail!
• No camping in Cumberland (MP185), so at 4pm after already riding 40 miles, we decided to go on to Frostburg (15 miles) and 1200ft of elevation gain.
• Started biking the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail
• Found a campground with fantastic showers and laundry service. Barely made it there in time. They close at “sundown”.
• No poetry this time. T was exhausted!

Day 5: October 14, 2015 (GAP MP15 -> GAP MP44)
The day's motto: "Time to rest?...Just Kidding!"

Day 5, B enjoying the scenery at our campsite in Frostburg, MD.

Day 5, we were so excited to reach the Mason-Dixon line! 

We only went about 28 miles today, because were were super sore, tired and hurting. Here are the highlights from today:

• Ate breakfast at a local cafe then fueling up some more on "7-eleven" food
• Explored Frostburg’s Main St, the local book and art stores
• Thought about staying in Frostburg but the idea was just unsettling.

• Crossed the Mason-Dixon Line
• Crossed the Eastern Continental Divide - this is the highest point on the trail
• Survived another hilly town - Meyersdale - and successfully finding the grocery store
• B got a flat tire but was prepared for it so no big deal
• Made it to Rockwood, PA where we set-up camp at the Husky Haven campground.
• Found out that Rockwood is "train central"
• First night we needed to wear ear plugs :)
• T opened 2 large cans of soups, instead of 1 for dinner!
• B dropped a sandwich in the fire when toasting sandwiches for dinner. Had a bit of extra charcoal. Ate it all anyways.

Day 6: October 15, 2015 (GAP MP44-> GAP MP88)

The day's motto: "We are crazy. We don't know when it's enough”

Day 6, on our way back from Fallingwater.
We would not recommend biking to Fallingwater from the GAP trail!!!  

We wanted an easy day. Instead we gave ourselves a 50 mile day counting our side trip to Fallingwater! Here are the highlights from today:

• We had an early start because we needed to get to Ohiopyle for our Fallingwater tour!
• Fed apple cores to a one-eyed horse in Ohiopyle
• Saw friends that we had met on the trail in Williamsport, MD and met new ones
• Crossed really beautiful bridges
• Ate at Falls Market in Ohiopyle, PA
• Pushed our bikes up a mountain on our way to visit the Fallingwater house near Ohiopyle that Frank Lloyd Wright designed for the Kaufmann family
• Ditched all our gear in the woods during our climb up to the Fallingwater house
• Got free chips at the Ohiopyle tourist center
• Decided to ride another 17 miles at 6pm!!!
• Biked in the dark
• Tentless sleeping in Connellsville, PA in small huts we shared with a German friend we had met earlier on the trail in Ohiopyle
• Connellsville is louder than Rockwood, if you can believe it!

Day 7: October 16, 2015 (GAP MP88 - GAP MP150)

The day's motto: "Fuck it! Let's go to Pittsburgh!"

Day 7, biking through an industrial zone near Pittsburgh, PA.
It was interesting but a shock to our senses after the lush
green trails we had experienced up to this point. 

Here are the day's highlights:

• Had the Martin's grocery store next door for bathroom and food visits
• Took our time getting ready in the morning
• Enjoyed the company of fellow bike enthusiasts. Shared breakfast with friends we had met on the trail: Angie, Mark, and Steven
• Steven, the German guy, ate 4 ice cream bars for breakfast, because the pack was cheaper than the single bar at Martin's. He also stocked up on "chips'o'hoy" cookies! :)
• Enjoyed the morning sunshine overlooking a bridge and river in Connellsville, PA
• Thought we’d “Take it easy” again and only go a few miles today since B thought it was 62 miles to Pittsburgh and we were hurting pretty bad, but then when we saw it was “only” 59 miles on a different sign we decided to go for it!!!
• Biked to Pittsburgh!
• Took short breaks along the way and kept at it until the last minute
• Biked through the pain
• Stopped at the last coffee shop of the trip ~30 miles outside Pittsburgh - of noticeably lesser quality than our previously encountered coffee shops.
• Didn't really like the last 20 miles of the trail going into Pittsburgh. Was a bit of a shock to the system after being on such beautiful and natural trails till then.
• Decided to take a bus back to D.C. the same night and to pack our bikes up for transport. The guy at Amtrak gave us 2 free bike boxes :)
• Stayed at the Grayhound bus station for 6 hours. We were too tired to go anywhere and our bike ride into the city was not pleasant. Sorry Pittsburgh, but we weren't impressed.
• B tried to find some food nearby but everything was closed, so he got a McDonald’s shake instead. It made no sense that everything would be closed that early on a Friday evening!

Day 8: October 17, 2015

The day's motto: "We made it!"

Highlights from the day:

• Found out, the hard way, that you can't rely on Amtrak to travel back home with bikes in tow.
• B packed our bikes in large rectangular boxes, so that they could go on the bus. Had to leave both of our crates and my front basket at the station, because they couldn't fit inside the boxes or on the bus with us.
• We left Pittsburgh around 1am and we arrived in DC at 8am. Slept the whole way through.
• Took a million elevators while using public transportation on our way home
• Arrived at T's mom's place in Reston, VA around 11am - exactly 7 days after leaving for our bikepacking trip!
• Ate a big breakfast with mom and hung out at the house for the rest of the day.

Total cost: About $400

People who helped us along the way:

• Woman/runner on the W&OD trail into DC told us where to go to continue on the trail.
• Man who owns the Inn in Frostburg told us about the weather and where to find lodging in Pittsburgh.
• Man on the trail near Frostburg, PA told us where the next campground was and where to find a grocery store in town.
• Man from barber shop in Meyersdale, PA helped us find "Food Lion"
• Man flying a kite at the end of the GAP trail in Pittsburgh. He approached us and told us a bunch of neat things about Pittsburgh and gave us directions to the Amtrak station.

Animals we saw or heard along the way:

• Lots of deer and squirrels
• Wild turkeys
• Raccoon
• Ground hog
• Geese
• Ducks
• Salamander
• Grey herons - 2 at least
• Bald eagles

If we were to do it again:

• Probably would just stick to the C&O towpath
• Camping was more frequent (5 miles vs 15 miles) and free and generally better spots (quiet, secluded)
• More interesting scenery (generally) - though the first 20-25 miles of the GAP were good too
• If we did do the GAP again, we wouldn’t do Fallingwater again without a car or some other vehicle.
• We don’t know how high those “hills” were but damn it felt like we climbed forever out of Ohiopyle
• It might be better to do the whole thing in reverse (especially the GAP). The people coming down the Continental Divide looked like they were having a blast. Though going up really wasn’t that bad.
• It would be nice to do the Great Falls section mid-week to avoid the crowds. We literally had to get off and walk at parts because it was so crowded.
• We would invest in panniers.
• We would make reservations on Amtrak ahead of time, since they have such limited space for bicycles (unfortunately).