Dreams lived by human power…

In 2005-2006, I was heavily involved with a really cool expedition by Colin and Julie Angus that was the first circumnavigation of the globe by only human power which you can learn about here if you don’t already know about it:http://www.angusadventures.com/world.html 

Since then, they have designed some hybrid kayaks which they have used to travel from Scotland to Syria and sell design plans for on their website.

And now this couple: http://carolineandpat.wordpress.com/ are using Colin and Julie’s boat design to travel entirely off road by human power from Washington to the Arctic Ocean. This has made Colin and Julie feel quite proud and I have to say, it’s pretty cool! That boat design can hold a mountain bike and trailer to pull the boat when cycling. It rows fast as well… Colin and Julie broke a time record when crossing from England to France using the boats. The boat is a great design and perhaps the weight of their gear enabled a quicker row.

Here is some news shared about the Caroline and Pat expedition by Colin: 

“A few weeks ago I came across details of an expedition with one of the most intriguing concepts I’ve see in a while.  American couple Caroline Van Hemert and Patrick Farrell are travelling by human power entirely off road from Bellingham, Washington 5000 km to the Arctic Ocean.  It is the route they have chosen that makes their expedition so unique.

The couple has rowed almost 1800 km up the Inside Passage to Haines, Alaska.  From here they are traversing the coastal mountain range by ski over the glaciers and linking up with the headwaters of the Yukon River.  They will then voyage by Packraft down the Yukon past Whitehorse and on to Dawson City.  Near Dawson another mountain traverse will bring the team to a tributary leading into the Mackenzie River which will take them all the way to the Arctic Ocean.  The expedition doesn’t end here, but will continue along the coast and into Alaska.

At this point Caroline and Pat have completed their row up the Inside Passage and are currently on their glacier traverse near the Canadian/American border.   Within a few days they will be launching their Packrafts into the headwaters of the Yukon River.

Julie and I noticed, as we looked through their website that the couple used two Expedition Rowboats (the boats we designed and sell plans for on our website www.angusrowboats.com) for their leg up the Inside Passage, and felt proud that these boats were such a fundamental part of this remarkable journey.”

What’s interesting is, Julie and Colin were never athletes, rather ideas happened which grew into dreams and passions which they chose to live out! They spend a long time preparing the plan to act out their dreams, get necessary funding with a plan they present to potential sponsors… and then they do it! What are your dreams and goals? How can you create a plan to reach them? :) It doesn’t matter how large or small a dream is… It’s choice to live it and it’s a human power from within.

One of my cousins just got married who is gay. I am happy for my cousin and wish her the best! 

I have read lately that Obama supports gay marriage and that it is ruffling some feathers. For a number of years now, gay marriage has been legal here and life carries on just fine. Life is not static and is ever evolving with new levels of acceptance and tolerance. 

What I find strange are those who marry that aren’t in love… Sometimes people marry for citizenship or a credit rating and money or power, social status… Many treat marriage like popcorn where they can’t stop at one. But again, that’s their prerogative and so be it… Hopefully they are at least mutually honest and open about their purpose with their new partner. So that is what’s strange to me and then there are marriages that are just sad which are filled with abuse and dishonesty. 

There are ways people want to go through the motions and marry… some want to get married in a religious institution because they desire a religious, traditional wedding, others marry in Vegas, or at city hall. There are wonderful destination weddings… there are weddings not legally recognized with a marriage certificate. Some believe in God and some don’t. I have known people to marry in a church who don’t believe in God at all but did it to support their partner who does.

To me, if two people love each other and wish to tie the knot, however they do it, whoever they are, whatever their gender… I can’t possibly judge it. I have no right to measure their love. And no one has a right to measure my capacity to love and be loved either… Love just is.

Carrot-Pecan Burgers ~ raw vegan goodness! mmmmm…

I love this recipe! :P I keep googling it every time I want to make it… so I may as well post it here! :) 

Recipe by Alissa Cohen.