Walking Towards Sustainability

New Blog!- Unpacked: A Walker Returns Home

2008-01-02T04:38:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Half a year in the backcountry was a total adventure. But not as big an adventure as leaving the backcountry for home!

We are inviting you to share in our journey to come home and come home well. This journey takes form in our new blog- Unpacked: A Walker Returns Home. Give a click here- we'll see you there!

Home

2007-10-07T04:24:00.000-04:00

Sunday, October 6th: I am (Yannai) sitting in The Coffee Bean Cafe in Jerusalem. My coffee steams me an initial aroma. With the immediate shot of wake up comes a surprise: deja-vu, whacking me over the head like a two-by-four. I am back updating the blog at The Stellar Brew Cafe in Mammoth Lakes, California, sipping that delicious, poisonous beverage and waiting to return to the trail. A quick shiver of tears and emotion, I'm back to the present and it hits me: Our walk is done.

Back home, back in Israel, back to work. The last weeks have been a daze. We’re walkers and life around us seems only to run.

It is wonderful to be home; we have missed family and friends and it is pure joy to be reunited. But we are sad, too. This is difficult and overwhelming and overstimulating.

First things first- our last week on the trail:

We met Yael in Darrington, WA., spent a day at the computer and hit the trail from Rainy Pass, eyes on Canada. Our first day was very sunny- unusual in Washington. No complaints from us.

We set off on a brief climb to a ridge, and once near the top, began what was to be a constant stream of alpine (above treeline) trail, a dramatic end to our hike. Jaggedy teeth of the North Cascades peered down at us from all directions. We dipped into forest from time to time, but spent most of our final 60 miles in open highland, landscape with vistas everlasting.

We spent Shabbat in a peaceful gully, reading, thinking, collecting our thoughts for the end. Two basic thoughts occupied our minds: Wow. This thing is almost finished. And we’re going to have salad soon- you know, cut vegetables, dressing, the works.

In all of our blog-bonding together, we’ve not covered the subject of Shabbat on the trail. Shabbat in general is a time for listening, for appreciating, for stopping, looking around and realizing, "Hey- things are okay." Trail Shabbatot make such a realization hard to avoid. With no human act to develop the status-quo, it is evident that beauty exists without our footprints.

We leave Shabbat with a renewed sense that our job here is merely to uncover. Perfection exists. The view from Shabbat proves that. During the rest of the week, we need simply to dig It out from hiding.

Back to our week. Sunday was long- a thirteen hour, 25 mile day pulling Canada that much closer. We met Achilles and Jen, a thru and section-hiker, respectively, and paralleled them till the end. 'Twas another taste of how easy it is for us to befriend fellow hikers. How special for Achilles to finish his trek- from Mexico to Canada, over 2700 miles!

Monday was our final day on the PCT. Before midday, we reached our highest point in Washington, inhaled a final panorama and climbed down, en route to our trail's end below treeline. A few miles later, we glimpsed the meter-long clear-cut that marks the US-Canada border.

Under mostly cloudy skies, we reached the country line: a miniature Washington monument and funny little towers marking the northern terminus of the PCT. Chana remembered to knock down the Washington Monument, which bizarrely hides the PCT register, a journal for finishing hikers. Ignoring the symbolic value of tumbling the US-Canadian border, we read comments written by fellow hikers, many of whom passed us along our way. We signed our own names and wishes to the PCT community, put the border back together and continued seven anticlimactic miles to the highway.

Thankfully, we made it to the road and the Manning Park Lodge before dark. And just like that, we were done. We were in a kind of shock at that point and didn't fully comprehend our achievement. That shock lasted a while- the following days of travel to Vancouver, to Seattle, the plane ride to NY, even the extra day in Dublin and return to Israel.

As our responsibilities expand beyond the capacity of a backpack, our daily interactions beyond one another, our biggest challenge is to take our walk home with us. To be honest- it is not easy. Harder than we anticipated.

We look back on pictures, and sometimes find it hard to believe where we were. Ireland, Scotland, the Sierra, Adams, Goat Rocks, Rainier, North Cascades. How do we contain such a journey in day-to-day life?

For the first time, we are beginning to understand the miraclulousness of Tzimtzum- God's constricting of Himself within the constraints of this world; His extraordinary kindness in allowing us to access His Infinite-ness despite our fragility. He took this giant Thing, full of unfathomable Light-i.e., Himself, and packaged It special for us to be able to taste at just the right dosage.

For the two of us, maybe for you, too, it seems intuitive to take pictures of “big,” almost infinite experiences like this trip of ours, to remember them with sentimentality but leave them as “other” to everyday life- to define them as “vacation.” Or time "off.”

But we are told to imitate God. And we do not want to just close our trip between the bindings of a photo album. So how do we do it? How do we blend something so huge into the nooks and crannies of day-to-day? Human beings are the world's greatest juxtaposition of spiritual and physical- perhaps because we're the greatest Tzimtzum of all, it is our job to make sense of the whole thing, and uncover the limitless-ness that the illusion is covering up.

Our guess, at least a major ingredient in cracking the mystery- and in turn, a blessing and a prayer that we offer and beg you to offer us back:

Slowness. Perhaps the greatest gift the two of us can take from walking so much is learning to walk. When we walk, we appreciate. The most mundane of objects is Divinity's hiding place. The same can be said of us: Our mundane activities and possessions and business and daily interactions are hiding places for magic and depth that can only be fully appreciated at a slow but sure pace.

We felt it as we walked. We could meet each other, ourselves and our surroundings in an un-blurred, unhurried fashion. We could make out the details and fine tunings and fall completely in love with them.

Our prayer for us as a couple is to take this walking speed home. No running, just walking. We pray that we not move too fast to dive into a water source. We pray not to rush past a viewpoint, even if it is off-trail. We pray not to run past the chance to listen. We pray not to dash to the store for something new, before finding the depth in what we have already. Through it all, we pray that we take the time to know ourselves, because if we are here, some Greater Power finds us interesting enough to be here.

John Muir, our dear friend from the Sierra once wrote: “Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days inciting at once to work and rest! Days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us God. Nevermore, however weary, should one faint by the way who gains the blessings of one mountain day; whatever his fate, long life, short life, stormy or calm, he is rich forever.”

Five months of mountain days behind us, we joyfully embark on years of enjoying the generous wealth provided us. And as wealth generates wealth, we dream, and plan, on many more 'a mountain day. Nope, we surely not done just yet.

Windows into Him, windows into ourselves, windows into each other, windows into us. Wealth, indeed.

Gratefully,

Chana and Yannai

It's Raining- and We're Watching it through a Window!

2007-09-11T12:52:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,

We're back indoors! On the east coast, inside a house, surrounded by familiar faces- both deeply joyed and saddened to have completed our long walk.

We crossed the border with Canada just a week ago, hiked another eight miles to the road, spent a night, and made our way to Vancouver, Seattle, and eventually, Riverdale, NY.

Now comes a few more days with the family at Yannai's parents. Then it's back on home to Israel.

But guess what! On route to the Holy Land, we get to spent one last night in Dublin- to savor the end of this treasure of a journey we've been traveling, and enjoy the music, beer, cider and purest of happiness-es that make Ireland the oh-so-dear place it is.

We're gonna take a few weeks to gather our thoughts on the whole trip, the walking, the outside, the simplicity, the experiencing of uninterrupted nature and uninterrupted each other. When we've got it all together, we'll share our last week on the Pacific Crest Trail with you and post our closing thoughts. Feel free to prepare yours, too!

For the time being, we're excited to come home and bring the PCT, Ireland, Scotland and our last six months along with us.

May the coming year reveal to us the sweetest of things- and when they come, may we be awake enough to realize them and savor them eternally.

Chana and Yannai

They're Back....!

2007-09-09T18:27:00.000-04:00

There was a Yannai & Chana sighting in Riverdale, NY this past Friday, September 7th. They look great and look forward to write about the final part of their journey when they reached the Canadian border and their goal!

You guys rock!

Your hiking buddy,

"Ibex" Yael

You guys want me to meet you WHERE????

2007-08-29T20:49:00.000-04:00

Several months ago when Yannai was still sitting at the desk opposite mine at the Derech Hateva offices at SPNI Jerusalem we talked about how amazing it would be to meet him and his Chana on the trail sometime in August. A good idea. One of those ideas that may actualize but could very easily not. The west coast of the US is very far from Jerusalem.

Fast forward to early-August, high on the success of an amazing summer at Derech Hateva where 5 groups of diverse Israeli and American teens have just finished - healthily and happily a month of backpacking on the Israel trail. I have booked a ticket to the US for a work and family related trip. It may actually work out. Excitedly, I e-mail Yannai & Chana-- I would love to meet them on the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail). No response. They are apparently deep in the wilderness without WIFI. Days pass. More days pass. Uh-oh!

My travel agent is now calling me several times a day to book my travel within the US. I give her tentative dates with the hope that it will buy more time. The airlines have become less forgiving and don’t like to hold seats for people awaiting responses from the wilderness. Decision time. No e-mail. Decided. I am going to meet them – worse comes to worse I’ll be accused of stalking – decisions without consensus – a hazard in group dynamics as Derech Hateva participants are truly aware – but hopefully okay in this case (they did agree five months ago, what could have changed …). I pick a date that works in my schedule, book a VUSA ticket which allows travelers to change dates/times without a fee or penalty and hope for the best.

I arrive in NY, it Thursday, 8/16, I still haven’t heard from them. Eager to confirm my plans, I call Yannai’s mom. She tells me that on Sunday night they (the parents) are flying to Washington to meet them at Steven’s Pass – WOW! They will have a cell phone and can call me – EVEN BETTER – two way, real-time communication. They call. I was however on vacation with my family and rural Pennsylvania with bad dial-up internet and no map of the Pacific Northwest. We discuss dates and places to meet. The date I had chosen didn’t work for them. Okay – we move it to the week before. No problem. Where? Stehekin. Okay. “It’s accessible?” “Yes – it’s a town. You may need to take a boat.” “Okay, I naively say.” I try Google maps. They don’t like dial up. We set a window of time and a place and say adieu until we (hopefully) meet on the trail. I am happy.

Barnes & Noble does have a map of the Pacific Northwest albeit hiding behind a map of Washington, DC. I find Stehekin. No roads. Uh-oh x2. Only accessible by boat, “okay,” down a 55-mile lake, once a day. The town is 10 miles from the trail. Challenging. I’ll fly in a day & a half before I should meet them. Hope for the best.

In Kansas City, minutes from leaving to the airport to fly to Seattle. Yannai tracks me down via my mom. Chana got sick and they hiked out. They are off the trail. Change in plans. I am running for my flight, I agree to meet them at the Darrington Motor Inn in Darrinton, WA. I arrive in Seattle at 11:30pm. Get my bags. Rent a car. They only have a Jeep. Not the compact I ordered, not so sustainable. I argue. That is my only option; I take it and start driving the 2 hour drive north and west. Arrive super late and fall into bed.

It’s Wednesday morning August 29th. I am in Darrinton, WA. Yannai knocks on room #2. Reunion. YAY! They look amazing. A little shaggy, but it’s great to see them. We shop for food at the local IGA.

So we are off to the PCT for a couple of days. Time to pack. I’ll write on the other end.

Love,
Yael

Mile 1150: Onwards to Canada!

2007-08-29T16:05:00.000-04:00

Hello!!

'Tis been a long time since posting last- towns are few and far between in these parts, and those few that are far between have very- very- limited computer access time- our mighty apologies...

The last weeks have been quite splendid- often adventurous, mostly beautiful- and always breeding both relaxation and exhilaration.

So for a short summary of up till now:

Yosemite was tremendous- golden and heavenly like the entire High Sierra - although shuttling down to the Park's renowned valley proved more exhausting than anything else, when abundant beauty was overshadowed by abundant crowds, and we learned that for us, Yosemite's grandeur is best experienced in solitude.

Once out of Yosemite, storing our food in bear cannisters was no longer required. Without missing a beat, we sent ours home. We've yet to discuss the whole packweight thing. In short- every bit of ounce counts- we've cut tags out of clothing, ripped unnecessary straps from our backpacks, and cut our shared toothbrush in half. Losing six pounds of bear cans was a gift we couldn't resist granting our knees.

We now had to hang our food- quite an experience, but a skill well-worth re-learning. Some hangings were more successful than others, and a few times we just gave up and slept with our food (a brilliant thing to do, especially the time we saw a bear peering at our camp before bed time. Ahhh, the stupidity of an exhausted mind...) We've been more careful since then, and have yet to lose our food to any form of four-legged bandit. But that might be habituated critters telling us that the wilderness and/or other campers offer much better goodies than the dehydrated delicacies present in our food stores. One morning, we discovered that despite our very accessible food bags, a small animal had chosen to munch on a dug out piece of used tissue, instead.

Continuing north, we descended towards Lake Tahoe where we bid California our bittersweet goodbyes. We tucked that which it had given us deep within our camera, journals and memories, and headed up to the wet, green Cascades of Southern Washington.

From the beginning, we were dropped below treeline. After weeks and weeks of open, shining sun, the forest's initial gift was claustrophobia. Ultimately we adapted to the darkness, thoroughly enjoyed the thick, sweet smell of pine, and were inspired by the nobility of the towering trees.

After a short bout with food poisoning, turned in our favor by a forest-service man who drove us to town, we continued our walk through a pleasant section--wildflower-rich Mt. Adams Wilderness.

Guiding us through the Southern Cascades were the giant volcanoes- Mts. Adams rising in the East, St. Helens to our west, the godly Rainier up north and Hood in the south- each one divinely hovering on our trail's horizon.

Next came the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Everyone who has been through the Goat Rocks Wilderness seems to have a story. Our experience was no different. In almost zero visibility, we baby-stepped across narrow ridges, glaciers and snowfields- a multi-hour march balancing wonder, terror, and the nagging desire to be able to see just a few more feet in front of us.

After Goat Rocks came the infamous "worst miles of the PCT"; 40 miles through logging territory --clearcut after clearcut, each former-forest in its own stage of regrowth. All in all it turned out to be kind of a drag-made-fun by the huckle and blueberry bushes that offered their fruits as consolation for the missing trees.

Four days and 75 miles later, Adinah and Elli Kranzler- Yannai's parents- came to visit us on the trail, bringing hugs, a few days of relaxation and really, really, really good food. We got to sit, rest, feast, and enjoy being taken care of. They picked us up from the cold, fog, rain and hail at Steven's Pass Ski Area, and drove us to the peaceful Lake Chelan.

A word about Steven's Pass and the top half of our trail in Washington: It lies in what is referred to as a "rain shadow," i.e. the leeward and drier side of a mountain range. In addition to the rain shadow, locals told us of the area's perennial hot, dry summers. Well, climatology and local wisdom can be decieving: many days and more clouds behind us and we've come to the wet realization that in a state that boasts a rain forest, terms like "rain shadow," "hot" and "dry" are quite relative. One hiker eloquently explained the ins and outs of Washington weather to Chana: "Lady - it RAINS!".

As we headed north, Glacier Peak Wilderness greeted us with perhaps the most stunning views of all. First we had a few more days of mist and rain. But one miraculous morning, we awoke to a pink and red sunrise that shooed away all grayness and brought about clear skies. With Glacier Peak and endless ridges of craggy, snowy pinnacles as our background, we treaded up and over the most lush alpine meadows we've seen.

Always whistling us a hello from the rocks below and above were burly marmots, passing their day in the most tumbly, bumbly and ungracefully adorable of fashions.

A day, an emergency run down 10 miles of mountain (a medical scare that is, thank God, okay), and lots of logistical adventures later and we've now a few days of treat- hiking the trail with Derech Hateva director, Yael Ukeles!

When Yael leaves, we'll be 'a trekkin' the last fifty miles or so to the Canadian border- and B'ezrat Hashem, bring our walk to a peaceful and safe ending. What a journey it's been! Blessed we certainly have been, and we'll joyfully let you know when all is good and done...

Till then...

Much Love,
Chana and Yannai

Happy Hike Naked Day!

2007-07-08T16:38:00.000-04:00

Hi! We're up in Cascade Locks, Oregon. Just a few miles from the border to Washington, the month of August and Cascade mountains await. Just wanted to tell of a special day on the calendar of the one foot wide, 2700 mile long community known as the Pacific Crest Trail...

June 21st marked the summer solstice, known as "hike naked day" on the Pacific Crest Trail. The day was celebrated in the most literal of fashions- by hiking naked. We crossed paths with one thru-hiker who observed Hike Naked Day by climbing up Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48- a site filled with over a hundred people per day, including some who are innocently unaware of the uniqueness of June 21st.

In honor of Hike Naked Day, we wish to explore the depth and hopefulness that exists within it.

A solstice occurs when night and day last exactly the same amount of time- when sun and moon are granted equal exposure. Many nature-worshiping traditions, including the Celtic/druidic and Wickan ones, numerous Native American ones, and other such cultures made/make great celebrations and dance festivals in honor of the yearly solstices.

According to our tradition, the moon was originally created as one of the two "Me'orot Hagdolot"- the great lights. As a punishment, though, God minimized the moon's size, promising to return her to her original grandeur when this world would reincarnate itself into the next. The moon's equaling the sun as a great light, therefore, is one of the elements of our Acharit Hayamim- the "After days" (Acharit does not mean "end of" as it is often translated. It is more like "afterwords"- as in representing a time after - or beyond- time).

Our redemption includes a return to the state of Adam and Even in the Garden, and continues with our rise- or better said, adjoining of the Oneness, from there. As we all know, Adam and Eve were naked before they sinned. They had yet to be pulled down by physicality, could rather transcend it- and therefore did not need clothing. Their embarrassement at being naked was a reflection of a lowered state.

So back to a solstice. What is the celebration of solstice? When moon gains equal footing as the sun. What are we talking about? Redemption! And why then, would thru-hikers walk naked? Because they are celebrating a return to Eden! They mark the special day by displaying that they are beyond embarrassment at their own physicality. (One might argue, that even when thru-hikers are naked, their bodies are so dirty that they are not, technically, naked, but that's a whole 'nother subject...)

So...

For those that are curious...

We did not hike up Mount Whitney on June 21st.

Nor did we hike naked on Hike Naked Day.

Those with extra relgious fervor might want to ask- why did we not hike naked on Hike Naked Day? After all, its seriousness is the most possible of seriousnesses, its holiness of the holiest degree.

Our answer to such questions is this: As Jews, we are committed to both cyclical and linear understandings of time. While we recognize a constant Divinity within the forces of Nature, identifying God's perfection as being woven within the current state of the world- we also believe in an ultimate redemption, a linear process from imperfect to perfect, incompleteness to completeness, a return from exile to the Land of Israel.

While we have seen clear signs of redemption in the context of our return to our land, we're not there yet (For further research on us "not being there yet," read the news...). So just like the Ma'apilim who were not allowed to rise to Israel after the sin of the spies, just like we are forbidden to enter certain parts of the Temple Mount- we are forbidden from hiking naked on Hike Naked Day.

But how cool is the world! Even if we can't hike naked, we can appreciate others' recognition of something obviously holy- and Hike Naked Day is definetly that. People are so exciting! The universe is so exciting!

So we end with a prayer: We bless you and us, that we may reach the state of meriting to transcend our physicality. No doubt that when we rebuild and return to the Garden, with the help of Hashem, it will be designated wilderness by the Geulah's national park service. And it will no doubt have a special long walking trail through it, in which we can explore God's revealed perfection. On this trail, there will be trail angels, just like there are on the long trails on the current earth. Only these trail angels- they'll be real angels- congratulating humankind on thru-hiking history; overcoming the painful challenges, the tears, the failures, the constant blisters and aches and falls and the dreams to just be done with it all- achieving a full unity with the Master and Breath of the world, and coming out standing tall and proud. And when that happens, please, please let it be soon, may we all be blessed to unabashedly Hike Naked through the backcountry of Eden.

Mile 512- Mammoth Lakes, CA.

2007-07-08T14:50:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the Range of Light!

Such is the name given by John Muir to the High Sierra. After two weeks of calling this range our home, we are overcome with the truth contained in Mr. Muir's description.

We're here in Mammoth Lakes, CA.- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks behind us, Yosemite just a day away. After more than 200 miles of roadless trail, we finally crossed a pathway made for motorized travelers this passed Friday (more a dirt road than a major highway. But after miles and miles of uninterrupted wilderness, a road is a road is a road, and it sure looked funny.) The easy access out of the backcountry presented an irresistable opportunity to hiatis to town and a grocery store, so we hopped on a shuttle, shopping-spreed through the supermarket and ducked into the friendly, luxurious confines of a motel6, just in time for shabbat.

Since our break in Bishop, we've continued to meander through the High Sierra, experiencing daily this spectacular show of scenery. It's almost as if Nature is showing off. The pattern of our trail goes like this: Instead of conus shaped mountains with approachable summits, this range is more a labyrinth of towering ridges made of stone, with deep canyons of trees and lakes in between. We climb up to 10, 11, 12 or even 13 thousand feet to a mountain "pass"- a spot in the ridge through which we can walk- and then immediately descend into the canyon, back under the canopy of trees, next to or through flowing creeks, past gentle meadows.

The mountain passes are remarkable- each with their own distinct versions of glacier/snowmelt lakes, a different variation of rock, and hundreds of stunning wildflowers, that succeed in standing tall through pockets in the rocks, holding their ground where even tall, strong trees can't muster the ability to survive.

This far into the walk, we've developed a rythm. We no longer need to take super long breaks in the afternoon and get to camp by 5. We wake up as early as possible and get on the trail between 6 and 8 every morning. Early daytime is such a great time to walk; everything is still so new and it's cool outside. We stop here and there to eat and breathe and then keep going till about 2 when we stop for lunch.

Which brings us to the "Steve wrap." The story goes like this: In the begining of our hike we had packed food like triscuits and fig neutons and peanut butter for "lunch." At that time we weren't burning nearly as many calories as we are now...so that sustained us, although spoonfuls of plain peanut butter can be pretty hard to swallow....

After about a week and a half of such appetizing cuisine, we were resting under a big tree next to the trail and a thru-hiker named Steve pulled up and joined us. He is flying- walking twice our speed. And he talks almost as fast as he walks. He pulls out his bear can and starts preparing a lunch that he had been "dreaming about for the last 20 minutes". His lunch: a tortilla with peanut butter, nutella (chocolate spread) and dried cherries (for the "flare")

We watched him with intrigue as he ate, and decided that a tortilla with peanut butter wasn't a bad idea. The dried cherries sounded like an odd addition, but we let it go. When resupplying in Bishop we bought the ingredients intending to eat the cherries seperately, but decided to take the risk and try eating a "steve wrap" in its original form. The result? It has completely revolutionized our backpacking experience- and the dried cherries are the BEST part! No kidding- try it at home. And if you don't like it? Walk a few hundred miles, and then try it. Still doesn't work? There is a secret ingredient: lunch on fig newtons and spoonfulls of peanut butter for a week.

Back to our typical day- At lunch, we take off our shoes and socks, sometimes take a quick dip and then keep walking, later to stop and cook dinner, sometimes to swim then, too. Next we walk a bit more, rejuvinated by our daily version of an instant, salty grain. Evening has surprisingly become our favorite time to walk, as the day is cooling off, the light is sooo nice as the sun goes down and the quiet is settling in again. We've been pulling into camp right as the sun sets....and becuase we've already cooked, all that's left to do is set up camp and crawl into our sleeping bags and pass out. We always decide that we should start making tea/hot chocolate and read for a bit before bed, but we usually make that commitment during the day, and come night time, our heavy eyes scoff at the idea of staying open for an extra minute.

A gift of the backcountry is the chance to observe amazing wildlife: Marmots, always there to greet us playfully above treeline, giant hares that we confuse with deer, lots of actual deer, a pikka or two (little rodent-like animals that have an extra sweater of fur for the alpine cold) and a lone coyote (a treat, for they are notoriously shy).

We haven't seen any bears yet. Thus far, the only animal to make its way into our food is the one and only, the wild, sly, terrifying, undisputed king of the Sierra Nevada wilderness:The chipmunk. One day during a swim, the chipmunk went on one of his vicious hunts: Sneaking right behind our backs, he dug his way into a bag of nuts and proceeded to chow down. Discovering his mischief, we guarded our food more closely. But he decided we weren't a threat and marched proudly within several inches of us to gather scraps that he had dropped- no shame whatsoever. Since then we have termed our bear cannisters chipmunk cannisters, after the fearless creature that they protect us from.

A final species to play a part in our adventure, another small giant, is the mosquito. Never alone, never, it seems, in groups less than a thousand, the mosquito is there to warmly greet us whenever we cross under treeline. To date, we are still unappreciative of his hospitality. They come in SWARMS!!! In our eyes, ears, mouth, food. At times, we've pretty much lost it. Never having been ones for middle ground anyway, we've traded our deet-free lemon eucalyptus bug repellent for 100% DEET- The little container warns of over-applying, spraying directly onto the face, basically going one step short of directing the purchaser of the product not to apply the product at all. Apparently wiser than we are, the mosquitos seem to understand how potent the chemical actually is, and scram every time we put on just a bit.

A first for us, was observing a fast day, the 17th of Tamuz, in the backcountry. Burning calories three times as fast as usual, the fast was pretty tough. Recognizing our difficult time, the mosquitos happily came to keep us company. Grumpy and hungry, we were not in the mood for a playdate. Apparently interpreting our pleas for mercy as an invitation for more, the mosquitos came at us with more fervor. The end of it all?- We stayed in the tent for most of the day, and eventually stripped down in the afternoon and went and sat in the river just to get away from them...the following morning we got ready in record time and ran outta there.

Weather has been beautiful- the Sierra Nevada is one of the most mildly-climated mountain ranges in the world. Every day brings lots of sun. We probably saw clouds for the first time in a month a few days ago (kind of a change from Scotland and Ireland). Night's cold and morning's somehow colder- one day, after camping low by a river bank, we awoke to find frozen condensation on our sleeping bags, ice in our water bottle and bear cans that were frozen shut. Chan sat on hers for ten minutes to warm it up, till she could finally open it and get breakfast. But the sun always rises above the ridge, and beautiful weather follows without fail.

All in all, walking has become almost like a long term meditation...an excercise in thought and in removing thought. We are very conscious that we are nearing an end in the High Sierra and cannot believe the beauty that we have been present to. Back in Kennedy Meadows Campground (towards the beginning of our walk on the PCT), a man drove by and told us that he had hiked the PCT in '77. He said that he can still remember what happened on every single day of his thru-hike. An experience so intense is hard to forget, he continued. We've been reading this small booklet, memoirs of a PCT hiker called "Mystical Backpacking," where the author writes of the exact same phenomenon. And when we think about it, we too can put ourselves back into everyday that we've hiked so far. We can visualize standing on every single one of the passes and remember the views and how we were feeling- not something that we can do in our roles as students or at work. We both feel very lucky and blessed to have experienced these last weeks.

Next on schedule comes Yosemite. More of the Range of Light, perhaps the most famous part of it. As always, being in town has relaxed us, but also reminded us why we want to be outside- where cars don't roam, lights don't direct traffic and "stuff" hasn't complicated the beautiful world that was given to us.

Goodbye for now, all of our friends and family at home and everywhere else- we spend lots of time thinking of you, and always try to guess what you're up to.

May we all merit appreciativeness,

Love,

Chana and Yannai

Mile 370- Bishop, California

2007-06-26T14:08:00.000-04:00

Hey Hey!

In town for a short bit- Bishop, California- to restock our packs with food, and refuel our bodies with fresh fruits and vegetables, some rest, a shower or two or three, and other luxuries that wondering in the middle of nowhere does not provide us with.

We're right off the trail from the High Sierra- this area is gorgeous! Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and into Yosemite next week- God sure smiled on this place when He evolved it into existence...

Our first week on the Pacific Crest Trail was in the desert- pretty brutal for us, scarce water, hundred degree heat- we just kinda wanted to get in and be out as soon as we could.

Finally, we exited the desert or "transition zone" to non-desert, and entered into a large expanse of forest...

Only all of the forest's trees had burnt down. Beautiful wildflowers had taken first dibbs at the freed up nutrients, and abounded along our walk- but still not very much water was to be found, and shady spots were few- very few, and far, far between. So we waited a bit more for some coveted tree-coverage.

But the wait was worth it- and sure helped us to value what was to come: A week rambling up and over snow-patched peaks, past (and in) navy blue from above, crystal clear from within snowmelt lakes. We're drinking from rushing waters straight from under the ground, seeing mountains and just mountains for miles and miles and miles, getting a true taste of paradise, and seeing it from 13,000 feet above the sea.

A true highlight of being here on the PCT, is getting to meet the community of thru-hikers (hikers walking the entire 2700 mile trail, from Mexico to Canada). Everyone is so helpful to us and each other- and they are all such substantive, interesting people, too!

Another priveledge is experiencing "trail magic"- benefiting from the kind generosity of "trail angels"- individuals who help out hikers, bringing food, giving rides, providing any assistance that they can. We spent a Shabbat at a campground- basically sitting at a picnic table most of the day and talking to each other- and while we were sitting, person after person came up to us, offering a ride here, a ride there, asking if we needed anything from the store, bringing us ice- one even brought us frozen water and sodas from his campsite, that he had wrapped up in a towel so they would be cold when they got to us! (And we were very, very hot- coincidently our tent does not have an air conditioner, and neither did our picnic table, and it was like a billion degrees outside, and boy were we happy to get frozen stuff from this kind, kind soul...)

We've learned in the past and are learning it again- if you want to rekindle a belief in the goodness of people- thru-hike a long trail- the AT, the PCT, whatever- whether it's the thru-hikers or the trail angels- there is so much good energy flowing between everyone- the best way to describe it is hopeful. And as a quick sustainability thought: Hope and the ability to appreciate are very, very, very sustaining- and more importantly, they make us want to continue sustaining ourselves tomorrow. 'Cause without the will to be sustained, material and immaterial nutrients are of little worth.

So we've got to get back to the trail this afternoon- hitching back to the trailhead, marching up and over 11,000 foot Kearsarge Pass, and descending back into Kings Canyon and the wilderness and our slow walk through the hills. Sure is hard to leave town and our motel room's television, but we're refreshed, excited and ready for more.

We'll check in in about two weeks or so.

Till then, happy trails to us and to you

Chana and Yannai

Mile 236- Nervous and excited- midnight before flying to the Pacific Crest

2007-06-10T22:10:00.000-04:00

Well,

It's Sunday night- we're 'a shippin' out to America's West Coast tomorrow morning. In Hebrew, the word for both excited and nervous is Mitragesh. In other words, in the Holy tongue, excited and nervous pretty much reflect the same mush of emotions. And the root of the word, Regesh, is the same as the word for "emotion" itself, basically signifying that nervousness and excitement basically reflect a big mush of emotion in its most general sense.

In any case, that's what we're feeling- a whole big mush of emotion. Three months on a trail is a darned long time. We've got new gear- ice axes, bear-proof cannisters, rain-pants and more to protect us from conditions that we're just not used to. We're scared, but really happy to be at this point- guess time will bring what it brings, space will place itself in front of us, and we'll hopefully be able to take it all and enjoy it at our slow, walking pace.

A word to add to the sustainable word list, that we have experienced and benefited from: vulnerable. If I leave myself closed and don't allow myself to be nourished by caring individuals around me- I just won't last. Sustainability is admitting fragility, harnessing the infinite powers around us because we know so well how prone we are to being finite.

In the last few weeks, we experienced vulnerability in allowing ourselves to be cared for- and we had truly special times with family, and appreciated family and all that it brings with it in the most dear way possible.

From arriving in Riverdale and being embraced and supported by loving parents, to having just a good, good time with true big siblings, Yannai's sister Ravi and her husband Avi, to a treasured week with Chana's grandparents and seeing and spending Shabbat and a day at gear shops and ice cream stores with Chana's dad, to a most pleasant evening with Chana's grandma, Nama, and finally, to sharing watermelon, burgers, beer, music and late nights with best friends - Michal in Pittsburgh, Elie, Steve, Robs, Yehuda and Naomi in New Jersey- we were re-aquainted with what it means to be taken care of- and the sustenance of that is boundless.
A few of you have requested some addresses to send things to us- so here are a few, with approximate arrival times:

Around June 20th-ish-
Chana and Yannai Kranzler
General Delivery
Independence, CA 93526

Two Weeks Later:
Chana and Yannai Kranzler
General Delivery
Tuolumne Meadows
Yosemite, California 95389

That should be good for now...

To family and friends back home- we miss you a ton.
To friends here in America- 'Ts been priceless to spend time with you here.
And to family we've seen and been cared for these last few weeks- Thank you. We love you dearly, have had our energy replenished by you and will be thinking of you as we walk.

Sincerely looking forward to hearing from you,

Much love,

Chana and Yannai

Mile 250- Showered, Laundered, and eating heartily in Riverdale

2007-05-31T14:52:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,

We're here in NY- living clean and comfortable for a bit at mom and dad Kranzler, in Riverdale, NY. The last week and change has brought cleanliness, satiation, and dear time with family- but we're itching to return to the trail and the mountains, and are busy preparing for stage 2 of our trip- the Pacific Crest Trail. Flight date is Monday, June 11th.

Tis been a bit since our last post- we still have to tell you about our last week in Ireland. In short- it was perfect. We got to see island life (human and other), coastal cliffs, tons of rain (of course)- and best of all, lots and lots of traditional music.

The week started with a failed attempt at seeing County Donegal- public transportation made life a bit difficult- but took a permanent turn for good when we spontaneously decided to hop on a bus to Galway. From that point on, the trip was much of a play-it-by-ear experience.

From Galway, we ferried out to the island of Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. We rented some bikes for Friday, and had ourselves a beautiful ride around the island. ...quite a change from walking everywhere but definitely alot of fun!

Inishmore's a pretty amazing place, all green, and majestically strewn with gray, stone walls. And speaking of sustainability- bikes are pretty much the tourist transportation of choice, and the island is filled with visitors biking around enjoying the scenery and taking the slower-than-car route to experiencing life.

Inishmore provided us with a lovely Shabbat. We took a long walk during the day, and watched a colony of seals spend their afternoon at ocean's edge. We sat watching them for a good long while, until an excited sheepdog sniffed them and darted into the water, barking away and scaring the seals off. In for the show were numerous birds, including some puffins in the distance.

On Sunday we returned to mainland. For the last few days, we rented a car, and snuck some peeks at areas we couldn't have seen otherwise. We spent an evening camped in the town of Westport, and were privileged to see and hear some truly beautiful music. Here's the way the pubs work: A handful of players jam together in a corner, and everyone else stands or sits around listening to them- it's a great energy, simple and no frills, the way music was meant to be.

There were two "sessions" in Westport: the first was with mostly elderly players (a pennywhistle player who looked well into his eighties), and a sophisticated looking young women playing the flute. At one point, an old, old man from the crowd began to sing a heartfelt ballad with his eyes closed- everyone was silent and listened. In Irish folklore, the greatest heroes and warriors also sang and played the most beautiful music. It's amazing how this culture values music and respects it!

The second session was in the back of the pub; there were three flutes, three fiddles, and two concertinas (small accordions) - it was amazing! It was very inspiring to see how the younger generation is still playing and enjoying the music of their grandparents and their grandparents' grandparents...

The morning after Westport we hiked up "Achill Head" to the highest coastal cliffs in Europe and peered down hundreds of feet to the crashing ocean below. The next day was spent in Connemara, the Burren, its peaceful wildflowers and perfumery, the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, and finally, the quaint town of Doolin- famous for its music (At one of the pubs, a small girl of about seven came along to "clog"(traditional dancing) for everyone- without a doubt among the cutest things we've ever seen).

Along the way, we stopped at a gift shop, and talked with an Irish sculptor for about an hour. We spoke about our being Jewish, his objecting to organized religion and preference for worshiping Nature, and the disregarded similarities between pagan and Jewish beliefs. The conversation eventually led to environmentalism and went on for the better part of an hour until the man realized that he was neglecting customers. All in all, it was just another of many amazing interactions we had with always-friendly Irishmen.

The next day we made our way back to Galway, then Dublin, checked into a hostel dorm-room for the quintessential backpacking-through-Europe experience, and headed out for a night on the town. We went to the famed "Temple Bar" and saw music of a more professional nature than what we had seen in the small towns. These guys were like a well-oiled traditional music machine, perfectly choreographed, completely tight and together. But in typical Irish fashion, they looked like anyone you'd pull off the street, and looked jolly-as-can-be as they jammed away.

In the morning we flew out of Ireland, and arrived in New York already dreaming of a time when we would visit next. Ahhh- what a trip. Amazing, fun, unbelievable- those words don't do it justice. Precious, probably is the only way to capture it.

Here we are in Riverdale, well rested, nervous and excited to head out to the High Sierra and our first multi-month adventure.

While here, we've nursed blisters, feasted on home cooking, chinese food and lots of ice cream. We've spent really nice times with Yannai's parents and Ravi and Avi, yannai's sister and her husband, and hung out a bit with friends. We've spent loads of time preparing- we bought 144 energy bars, and three meals a day for five weeks, to send ourselves as mail drops (boxes with supplies sent to a location ahead on the trail). To keep in shape (and make some extra cash), we spent three days gardening at the Kranzlers.

Tomorrow, we head out to Deep Creek, Maryland, to see Chana's grandparents. Monday, we're out to California.

And tonight- we're gonna hunt down some traditional Irish music in a pub or two in the Bronx.

Hear from you soon,

Love,

Chana and Yannai

Back in Ireland- Mile 218.5

2007-05-10T08:25:00.000-04:00

Hi to all!!

Wow- what a last week and a half we just had: We completed our first thru-hike- the West Highland Way- a wondrous trek through mountains, past (and in) lakes, finishing with a grueling, but definitely rewarding climb up and down the UK's tallest peak- the snowy, windy, cloudy (apparently almost all the time) Ben Nevis.

The first half of the way goes along Loch Lomond- a long, perfectly blue lake- gorgeous from the outside- freezing, but mightily refreshing from the inside.

Next, we entered the Highlands- green and rocky, just like we imagined Scotland to be. Sometimes we walked through the hills, sometimes up and over- but wherever we were, we were met by stunning views- mountains either rolling or pointed, some snow-capped- and all, always with silver lines of water flowing down the sides.

Our first week was met with amazing sunny weather- like our first week in Ireland, we thought the rainy rumors were just a myth. But then the second week happened. And myth was most certainly proven true- we got totally drenched, blown, smacked in the face by hail, and slept through a storm more fierce than anything we've experienced. Sunday morning we woke to find half of the tents around us collapsed and our pitch for Shabbat --on a grassy island surrounded by a trickling stream--now surrounded by a knee deep rushing river. Eventually we made it off our island, and walked the good part of the day's 9 miles through rain. We spent the next night inside, and downed 6 cups of hot chocolate between us.

Eventually, several days later God made his peace with the walkers of the West Highland Way, and the sun came out.

But then Scotland's sun took its rightful position behind the clouds once more- and pretty much remained hidden till we left.

Most fresh in our minds and very sore leg muscles is the 12 mile hike up and down the towering Ben Nevis. A big mountain we imagined it to be- but the beauty we enjoyed around us on the way up and down was a world away from what we expected.

The biggest surprise we were in for- was the fresh snow that escorted our feet up the last quarter mile to the summit. It was so much fun to walk through the snow! And the summit was the most eery feeling as the white snow below us, and the thick white cloud which enveloped us left our entire field of vision completely white.

We walked up "the Ben" with friends we made along the West Highland Way- a truly sweet couple- Joerg from Austria and Andrea from Germany, who were visiting Scotland from their current home in Austria. Befriending them was definitely a highlight of our trip, and we hope to stay in touch with them in the future.
After a long, long, long descent down the mountain, we enjoyed dinner and some cider with Joerg and Andrea, slept like rocks- through, of course, more rain- and headed out to the train station in the morning- promising each other that we would visit Scotland again.

We're back in Ireland now, in County Donegal, the Republic's northwest tip- ready for a week of a little more conventional touring, relaxing our joints and muscles- and catching as much traditional music as we can find- last night was our first of the week- an awesome fiddle/whistle/piper and guitarist.

We're excited as ever, and are beginning to dream about the homemade meals we are going to eat when we get to New York (that's a lie- we've been thinking about that for the whole month...)

Just two sustainability thought for the road: One: Chana made the important point that Yannai must wash his underwear often when living in the backcountry- to do otherwise is not sustainable.

Two: That morning when we were caught with knee deep water between us and the trail- Yannai walked right in without thinking and got soaked. Chana waited a few minutes till Chan and Yan found a dry escape- and came out okay. The lesson: Sustainability (in this context, being able to walk for a 'sustained' time without getting wet and uncomfy) means patience.

Catch you soon,

Chana and Yannai

Sustainability Thoughts- One

2007-04-29T10:39:00.000-04:00

Two weeks now into our journey, it's about time we start some talking about the whole sustainability thing. Without doing a formal essay, we're just gonna flow some thoughts out- please feel free to comment on any of them, to disagree, to say 'that's really obvious', to say 'wow', or best of all- to offer some input of your own.

To start, here's a few different descriptions of sustainability that we've heard:

According to Liron Kranzler, sustainability represents the fine line between us humans being just another part of our ecosystem, and having the most unique role of leadership within that ecosystem.

For Rambam and Aristotle lovers, Yael Ukeles (Derech Hateva founder and director) equates sustainability with 'balance'- (in other words, sustainable living represents 'The Golden Mean'.

Lots of other descriptions have been given, the most famous being enjoying and living in the present without compromising the potential to be in the future. Before our next post, when we will go into more specifics, here are some sustainability thoughts- please ponder them, and give us your thoughts...

I love potato chips. I would love to just eat potato chips. Nothing else. Now, we all know that eating only potato chips is not sustainable. I cannot sustain a healthy body if I only eat potato chips. As I begin to get rounder, I will quickly realize that eating only potato chips is not sustainable.
Drinking coffee is not sustainable. Smoking is not sustainable. Sleeping four hour nights is not sustainable. Getting home too late to see my spouse is not sustainable. Sitting all day without getting up is not sustainable. Infrastructure neglect is not sustainable. Abuse is not sustainable.

Unsustainable words: Neglect, abuse, shortsighted, weak, hatred, drunkenness, insufficient, inefficient, greed, closed, hoarding, slumber, arrogance, static, relentless, vicious, desperation.....

Sustainable words: evolution, growth, healthy, listening, balance, vision, strong, love, adequate, efficient, curiousity, respect, open, movement, process, confidence, surge & retreat, hope, determined....

That's a bit for now- before saying goodbye for some time, just a few things we've experienced in Ireland and Scotland- easy little developments that society here has made to make life just a bit more sustainable:

Ireland (maybe the whole EU?) has cut down on their use of bags- Liron, you'd love this- every store asks if you need a bag- some even charge for bags and many grocery stores sell cloth-knit reusable bags- apparently, Ireland has placed a huge tax on plastic disposable bags. Also, at Starbucks (in Scotland), they charge you ten pence less if you bring your own mug! Material costs money- here's a way to save money! And material- especially disposable material- takes up space in landfills (for reference on how this can be damaging- see Israel, and how their landfills are full...).

Well, we've got to go. We want to hear from you!!! Say hello, let us know what you're thinking,

Chana and Yannai

Sunday in Glasgow- Mile 105.5

2007-04-29T09:41:00.000-04:00

Hi all!

We've reached Scotland- two weeks of our trip behind us.

The last week of our trip was spent along the Dingle Way- a gorgeous- truly gorgeous, mostly coastal walk around the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland's southwest.

The week consisted mainly of long walks along the beach, ridge-walking stretches overlooking the coast, and minor winding roads through small towns and farmland. With our arrival in Dingle came the rains- the first to hit the area in a month- so for most of the week, our never-ending views of the Atlantic were limited to the few feet we had surrounding us.

While walking through the violent winds was certainly frightening at times, it made alot of the walking very special. On our first day we met a misty path that skirted a green-as-can-be hill- Mt. Eagle it was called- that was covered with little stone 'Clochans'- thousand year old beehive huts, and that looked down upon the ocean hammering against the rocks.- No doubt it would have been beautiful in the sun, but to walk through the path in the mist was nothing short of spellbinding.

The beach walking was also amazing- long, long stretches of walking along hard-packed sand and the ocean. The last day, we had a 6 mile stretch on the beach- we took off our shoes and meandered next the water bearfoot- and we finally had some sun!

An undisputed highlight of the week was all the people we met. Stereotypes are stereotypes- but one that seems again and again to ring true is that people in Ireland are so friendly! Not only nice- but friendly, as in they seem to want to connect to really everyone they meet. We slept inside at hostels two nights this week- and the managers of both just talked and talked and spoke and said and told- the pace here works in such a way that it allows time for endless stories, one after the other. Without asking, we've been fed information about the Irish school system, a ladies sick aunt, someone's friend who l0ves music festivals- they just seem to skip the small talk and speak about real things, their own lives, and asking us about ours. We've hitched rides, been in a cab, been stopped by farmers in the middle of the road- and even when we can't make out what they are saying (which is most of the time) we feel welcomed and comfortable listening to them speak.

Another fun people thing about the Dingle Peninsula is that it is part of the Gaeltacht- the areas in Ireland that are mostly Irish (Irish Gaelic) speaking. It is a singing language that we both had t0ns of fun listening to- we even spent 20 minutes in a hostel watching Gaelic reality TV- the content was just as meaningless as other reality TV (we were helped by subtitles), but the language we didn't understand was a pleasure.

A beautiful morning was Wednesday, when we skirted a tall mountain, Mt. Brandon- the sun stayed out long enough to get us to the top and we got to see what Dingle looks like when it's clear- green and cliff against the blue of the ocean- this is the Ireland of the movies and our dreams. On top was an 'Ogham Stone'- a stone left from ancient times with actual language carved in. A few times we passed small cottages with 'for rent' signs and looked at each other with similar thoughts...

A last word about the week- we spent two nights on grass above the beach- one night was beautiful and peaceful- with both sunrise and sunsets in view (think narrow peninsula)- but the other one was by far and away the most stormy of our tent-sleeping careers. We sat awake listening to the wind smack at our tent, and the rain beat down on it, honestly afraid that all of us- backpacks, tent, shoes and bodies would blow away- but we made it out okay, and the morning brought calmer skies- we subsequently named our tent Myrddin (Welsh for 'Merlin), for its courage and strength of character.

Well that's it for the Dingle Way- this is one of the world's treasures, no doubt- both in its scenery, its walking and its people.

We'll be in touch soon and tell you about our times in Scotland,
A great week to everybody and us,

Chana and Yannai

Mile 45- Dingle

2007-04-20T13:54:00.000-04:00

Hi all!!!!

Can't believe we've already been here a week!!

We traveled westwards from Dublin Sunday morning and started the Kerry Way, traversing the center of the Southwest’s Ivaraugh Peninsula, passing by the highest mountain range in Ireland- Magillicuddy’s Reeks.

Throughout our walking, we passed through miles and miles of moorland- marshlands, covered this time of year by dry, yellow bumps of grass- to look at them is to see these little yellow bumps running along, marching to somewhere’s else. We also walked through two enchanted forests, dark and full of trees and rocks fury with moss- we walk quietly and fast, so as not to disturb the spirits and people of the woods ;) At one point, one side of the path was yellow bumps, the other fury green rocks, and we crossed through with the surreal awareness of other-world-ly life that exists around us here. It’s totally wild to feel the magic of this land, the souls that have resided and presided in its nooks and crannies for thousands of years.

The first day of Kerry Way goes through National Park. But from then on the trail goes through other people’s land- funny, a little, but it gives a nice window into society on the countryside. So here's what we've learned: Residents of Kerry own lots of sheep. No crops-just sheep (and a cow or a horse here and there). And we're not talking like a sheep or two to a household. Picture green, lush rolling hills, with thousands of sheep just hangin' out all over—and they are all having babies now so it's really funny to watch them--they run and play like puppies! A nice thought is that for the most part, these sheep are not for meat- just wool.

The farmland on our way is so remote!!! A single house surrounded by fields at the base of mountain in a secluded valley---these people live ALONE!! Only tiny winding roads to get them out.... and several of the towns marked on the map are just a few houses and a church scattered about in a valley (and a pub or two or forty)...it was really quite incredible to see the way they live...and they are all so friendly and their accents are so much fun to listen to. And much to our surprise there are all kinds of Irish accents that change from one county to the other.

A word about our first campspot- it was by a lake, with perfect views of the small, green, misty islands in the lake’s center. We wonder- which one of these islands beholds a stone with a sword stuck in it, waiting to be pulled out by the once and forever king? (We’ll never know, ‘cause come morning time we left the spot, abandoning our hopes of becoming the undisputed rulers over the British Isles).

Because of the private land thing, camping out is a puzzling matter. It’s kind of okay to sleep anywhere, but one needs to be discreet. One night we slept in the yard of a B&B, sharing the space with the family’s livestock. Another night we made camp at a picnic area on the side of a road. All in all- the sleeping’s been cold but peaceful, always accompanied by fresh air and pretty things in the distance.
It’s the end of the week, and we’ve moved on from Ivaraugh and the Kerry Way- and on to Dingle Peninsula and its Waymarked Way (the name for long distance trails in these parts). It certainly seems beautiful at first glance…We’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!

Shabbat Shalom from a pleasant corner of our world,

chana and yannai

Day 1, Mile 0

2007-04-14T19:44:00.000-04:00

Hi to all,

We're here and safe in Dublin, joyed to begin this trip we've so long been waiting for- we've been dreaming about being in Ireland for a long time now. Our Shabbat was truly wonderful- we were in a hostel room- maybe 6x12 feet big, and locked in because of the electric key only door (we don't use electricity on Shabbat...)- really not much to do but relax and stay put- slept a ton, ate, read a bit (Chan read an entire 500 page book...)

So here's how I think we'll start our whole sustainability talk: We got some good input from Batel, a friend of ours, before we left- that one manifestation of sustainability is staying local- local food, local products, and that the greatest local that we have is Chana and Yannai. So as we begin our walk to sustainability, we're gonna start out sustainable as can be- we'll limit our mass communication time, and enjoy what's most local to us- us. We'll check in with you in a few weeks, post some pictures, give some ideas, questions, experiences and so on. But for now- we say that we're truly excited for you to be with us on this journey, that we look forward to growing together, that we wish wellness to you and us- and give our goodbyes till some time soon.

Be good,

Chana and Yannai

in rush to leave

2007-04-12T11:36:00.000-04:00

hi all- got a plane to catch...