Road Trip Ramblings : NtW Oct/Nov Issue :

CONTENTS
1. Road Trip Ramblings
2. Yoga at Wilbur Hot Springs
3. Roadside Recipe: Pear, Olive Oil, Nutritional Yeast & Macadamia Nuts
4. Quote

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On the road trip back to the Bay Area from New York, I traveled through Canada along scenic Hwy 1- the Trans Canadian Hwy. I put over 10,000 miles on my truck on this solo roundtrip cross country photo adventure, and saw land, especially one place, that exploded my conception of what nature is…

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See photos here, its easiest to create an account:

http://www.flickr.com

Then find the photos by my id: aura_lc

My first stop was Vermont. I have had an idyllic idea of Vermont for a long time, and made a point to head north to experience the ‘green mountain’ state. Rolling wooded hills of pine and spruce, colorful wildflowers, rivers and abundant lakes with summer camps, small farms, loads of cyclists, and a few too many American flags. Everywhere expanses of verdant green grass made me wonder if there is a state supported lawnmower in action.

I stopped at Knoll Hill Farm, in Fayston Vt. Knoll Hill Farm hosts workshops that foster connections between land, people and community. They are activists in a new land movement that integrates conservation, health, justice, spirit and relationship. I picked blueberries there and enjoyed speaking with Helen, one of the founders of the farm.

http://www.wholecommunities.org

I then traveled through the Adirondacks, across Niagara Falls to Toronto, and north around Lake Superior. All along the Hwy 1 drive around Lake Superior there are state campgrounds. These campgrounds are especially nice, with a combination of forested tree areas and beach access. I really enjoyed Pancake Bay. When I arrived it was nearing sunset. I pitched the tent and walked down to the beach. I sat on the beach, looking out on the flat of the bay, at an opalescent sunset. The water was lapping slow and surreal, the colors turning from apricot to orange and golden, light green and blue, violet and mauve, and oddly shining off the bay.

Between the province of Ontario, there is Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which sit above Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. These days of the drive were remarkably unremarkable, but also serene. Canada, in general, is more understated than the USA. There are not as many billboards, advertisements or ‘rules.’ I felt safe (maybe Michael Moore added to that) and unfettered.

I got a taste of Calgary via a friend who also was in the Natural Chef program at Bauman, in Berkeley. He showed me all the natural food markets in the city, which are great.

Overall, I had been able to eat organic from stocking up in New York, and still having a reserve of kraut and goodies I had prepared. But I was surprised at the prices in Canada. Food is more expensive, though the exchange rate is slightly in favor of the dollar.

From Calgary, the trip exploded. I headed to Banff National Park, which was only an hour west, and in the Rocky Mountains. WOW! Amazing!!! It is the most majestic place of mountains, lakes and trees I have been, equal to Switzerland. You may have heard of Lake Louise, the tourist stop in Banff. Because of glacial silt in the waters, the water takes on an unnatural looking thick turquoise hue.

Driving from Banff National Park up to Jasper National Park takes about 3 hours, but it could take weeks. Around every turn my jaw dropped. Apparently the drive is one of the top 10 most beautiful drives in the world. I would have liked to spend more time in Jasper. The park is more understated than Banff, but with terrific hikes and places to explore. My next road trip is going to be a month in Banff and Jasper, camping, hiking and doing photography.

Then there was Vancouver. I was impressed with Vancouver, the most out of any city in the round trip road trip. It’s a sister city to San Francisco- it felt more like SF than any other city I have visited. I think it might be more pristine though… there seemed to be less trash, less homeless. I went to a yummy yummy Indian restaurant called Vijs… make it there if you are in Vancouver, you won’t be disappointed.

The last few weeks of the road trip were spent mostly in Oregon, either in Portland or camping along the Oregon coast. Another WOW! I am impressed with Oregon and their commitment to state parks all along the coastline. I stayed in campsites, yurts, and even a small cabin for the autumnal equinox, solar eclipse and new moon. All the parks are very well cared for, most with great beaches and views.

I also took a liking to the small city Florence, Oregon. Ok- its because of their terrific health food store and sweet service. Upon arriving in a new city, that’s the first thing I look for, and meet lots of nice people! Imagine that, friendly open-minded people in a natural food store.

Driving down the coast of California was a gentle way to come home. The redwoods of Humboldt spoke poems of wisdom, Mendocino reminded me of a liberal bourgeois, and Tomales Bay fed me raw oysters for strength.

Now that I am back, I am continuing with Nourishing the Whole, working as a personal chef/nutritionist with individuals and families around the Bay Area. I am also continuing with photography, and stock photography. Right now I am taking a Non-Violent Communication class, from the work of Marshall Rosenberg. It is about effective communication with compassion, and seeing the human needs we all share.

http://baynvc.org

I am feeling buoyant and comforted to have a home base, a familiar place that I love, and to pursue the work that I love. Wishing you well.

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YOGA AT WILBUR HOT SPRINGS

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This past weekend I taught 3 yoga classes at Wilbur Hot Springs. Wilbur is just two hours north of here in the rolling hills of oak and sulphur springs, and is one of the oldest natural established springs. It is a quiet place of retreat and rest, and the yoga classes I taught complemented the peace and introspection inherent there.

http://wilburhotsprings.com

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ROADSIDE RECIPE: PEAR, OLIVE OIL, NUTRITIONAL YEAST & MACADAMIA NUTS

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This is an easy one. Good for snacking. Pears and Asian pears are at their height now. This is a good way to increase the nutrient density of the snack, and stabilize the blood sugar with some fat and protein. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor, and is high in B vitamins, and the mineral Chromium. Chromium is a mineral deficient in many people (due to poor topsoil), its is helpful in stabilizing blood sugar, aids insulin resistance and increases metabolism.

- 1 organic pear, ripe but still firm
- 2T quality olive oil (Bariani works well here with its bite)
- 2T nutritional yeast (Frontier brand is good)
- handful of raw macadamia nuts (yes I know they are expensive, but so is cable tv)

Core the pear. Slice each half into 8ths. Place nice and fan-like on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast. Either chop up macadamias and sprinkle those on top too, or just eat nuts one by one with bites of pear. Yum, I’ve gotta make this 2 minute masterpiece again soon.

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QUOTE: The greatest revelation is stillness. -Lao Tzu

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Blessings.
Laura