A Journey Completed!

So here it is, the last post for my 50 for a Year mission.  I'm so blessed and amazed that I was able to accomplish all that I was able to accomplish.  I haven't posted in a while because I just didn't know how to come up with the right words to express my past year.  When the time came to do my last "50", it all worked out so organically and flowed so nicely that I couldn't even fathom it. Let me explain. When I thought about what to do for my last 50.4.50, I somehow imagined something big (perhaps a trip or night out) with some of my closest lady friends.  However, timing and school breaks had other plans for me.  That weekend found me heading to Las Vegas and on to Southern California for my son's fall break from school.  After a bit of pondering, I realized that since he had been on my first adventure, it was only fitting that he go on my last adventure! #50.

Last year I had been too afraid to go on the world's largest ferris wheel in Las Vegas, NV.  This year, I decided, what the heck?  What a great way to end this grand adventure of mine.  If you have never been to this Ferris Wheel, it's a pretty big deal.  The top of the Ferris Wheel is 550 feet up in the air, making it the largest ferris wheel in the world.  The views are amazing from start to finish.  Once you board your "pod", you continue moving for the full rotation of the ferris wheel.  It moves so slow that there is plenty of time to ooh and ahh over the Las Vegas Strip, the sunset, the mountains and the desert beyond.  We were able to see the sunset and even the dark skies of night.  All in all, it takes about 30 minutes for your ride to be complete.

It was very fitting that this last event for me on my 50 list was stopping at 550 feet up in the air. My chill glass of champagne was very celebratory to mark this auspicious occasion.  This year has been a year of fun, new things marked off my bucket list and many aha moments that have propelled me into a new way of life.

How does it feel to have completed what I set out to do?  I can't even begin to describe how this all feels.  This is huge for me.  I am the queen of start something and then not finish it before I start something new.   It felt very empowering and made me excited to usher in a new decade.  The feeling I had while I was 550 feet up in the air was one of complete jubilation.  I did it!  I really did it!

I thank you, the reader, for coming along on this epic adventure with me.  I'm not done with my adventures just yet.  This 50 list has inspired me to continue on with new ideas, trips, and better ways to operate my life.  Stay tuned for more.

“Because everyone has a natural yearning for completion, we are able to change and recreate ourselves endlessly.” ― Ilchi Lee, The Call of Sedona: Journey of the Heart

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

Conquering My Goals One Fear At a Time

Some one asked me the other day how I was doing on my 50 for 50 List.  Good question, I replied.  It gave me pause because I hadn't really been keeping track by the numbers.  I just know that I have been having a great time during the process.  This thought came about on a week where I have been getting the huge message that life is not about the destination but about the journey itself.  This gave me pause.  I need to look into this further. I decided to go back in time on my blog page and list the adventures I had had. They included everything from getting a tattoo to conquering my fear of heights.  That fear was basically conquered yet again with my latest first: Extreme Tubing.  What is extreme tubing you ask?  One would have to watch the video to completely understand it.  Let me let you do that first, and then I will go on to explain my experience.

[embed]http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPN_g7X6iRE[/embed]

Utah Olympic Park is right here in my backyard.  It is a wondrous place that played a vital role in the 2001 Winter Olympics.  It is the training arena for aerial skiers, bobsledders, ski jumpers and many a youngster who have felt the need to be adventurous.  They have alpine slides, rope courses and the latest addiction, extreme tubing.

It was threatening rain the day we decided to do this first.  Accompanied by two experienced 10 year old riders, I decided to conquer my fear.  By the time we got to the top of the ski jumps (which is what you are sliding down at 55+ mph), it started to full on rain.  Great, the course would be even slicker.  They started to rush people through the lines once the hail hit.  It felt like having to evacuate a plane on the slide onto a runway (I have never had to do this, and hope I never get the experience.).  Move, move, move is all I heard.  It was probably for the best because had I had to spend any time waiting on top of the hill, I most likely would have chickened out.

Into the tube I was thrown.  Onto the slick hill I went at top speed cackling manically the whole way.  I came in for a quick landing and realized that everything was intact.  Now I had to figure out how to get my big derriere out of the tube itself.  Once the mission was accomplished, we rushed into the restrooms to seek shelter from the now lightening.  The day was a success.  It even included my son's friend calling his dad and starting the conversation with "Guess what, we are still alive.".  Just what you want to hear as a parent.  Love it.

Now that I am a certified adrenaline junkie, I look forward to the next chance to hurtle my body through time and space at 50+ miles per hour.

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones. - Thich Nhat Hanh

P.S.  Just in case anyone else is wondering, this first put me at number 47.  I have given myself just about another month to complete!!  A lofty goal, but the experiences I have had up until this point have motivated me to keep the process moving.

From Chaos to Calm!

Chaos.  Yes chaos.  That word kept coming up for me today.  "I am so busy!"  I keep noticing people saying this.  I am so busy I can't…..  People filled my message box with the list of things that they were doing in a day.  I stepped back and for once, decided that instead of getting frustrated or annoyed, I would detach and see what message was being sent to me.  It took me all day to realize, but this was exactly how I used to be.  Busy, busy, busy.  People tend to think that if their days are filled to the brim and they can tell the word they are busy, it looks good.  It looks like they are important or have this amazing life.  I know, I was one of them. Today I decided to just sit on this and see what came up.  I have been spending a lot of time lately just getting in touch with my feelings and figuring out what messages I am being lead to.  I know, this might sound all woo woo, but guess what it makes me feel so much more grounded and present.  Wasn't I trying to accomplish this for the longest time?  Yes, my dear, I think that I have finally gotten the message.  The first for today is, just be still.  Be present.

I recently met with a relative who was telling me how much travel he and his spouse were doing.  Caribbean Islands for the holidays, Mexico for a week, here and then there.  My first question I asked him was, do you two ever sit still?  He gave me the weirdest look.  Do you ever just sit and be?  What are you running from?  I can have the nerve to say this because I was once a "runner".  Let's book an exotic vacation, be happy for a week and then guess what?  Your life at home is still the same. Do not get me wrong.  I love travel, I crave travel.  I also think that travel is one of the best things you can do for your life.  See new things, experience new cultures, and sip margaritas at the beach.  However, if you are running from something, stay still long enough to address that so you can go out on your adventures with a clear heart, clear mind and know that you will come home to that same feeling.

As I stepped onto my yoga mat this morning, I brought the word chaos with me. Does that sound as strange to you as it did to me?  I decided to bring this word because it came up several times before I even got to the studio.  So why dear Universe were you bringing me this word to meditate on today?  I came to the conclusion that it was officially time to calm down, be still and sit in my own chaos to see where changes need to be made.  Another aha moment for my 50.4.50!  Take the time to stop and smell the roses.  Take the time to spend quality time with your child before he is driving away to college.  Take the time to treasure every day.  It's a gift that can be taken away at any given moment.

I love the way the Universe works.  I love the way that it gently (sometimes more than gently) guides you to see what it is that it wants you to see.  They say that the best coaches are the ones that give you the tools to use to help yourself.  Today the Universe did just that.  I ask you, the reader, where in your life you can skim down the chaos and appreciate that the experience I had today may speak to you on some level?  Let's all put down our phones, gaze out the window and take a deep breath!  Enjoy the gentle moment and bring that forward into your own lives.

I am so busy doing nothing... that the idea of doing anything - which as you know, always leads to something - cuts into the nothing and then forces me to have to drop everything. - Jerry Seinfeld

Until my next adventure,

P.A. Walker

A Canvas of My Experiences

This week saw me completing probably my fortieth 50.4.50. I have been talking about this one for years and years. It finally took me turning the big 5-0 to act on it. My first tattoo, loud and clear on my forearm, is now a reality. Getting it has reinforced how proud I am of myself for making the plan to do this list and for coming so very close to being near the end. I made an appointment almost five months ago with a young man name Ryan at Oni Tattoo in Salt Lake City. He came highly recommended by a friend of mine who is very well-inked. I saw Ryan's work and immediately put down my deposit and waited out my five months. Not once did I waver from doing this. In fact, I was so excited that by yesterday when it was time for my appointment I was 100% sure of walking in the front door of that tattoo parlor and getting my ink.

I had been grappling with several design ideas, but the theme seemed to be the same throughout: a sunburst. It was perhaps a week or so ago when I was going through some old belongings and an artistic tile I had bought in Sedona a few months ago suddenly resurfaced. The design on the tile caught my eye and I said, this is it. I carried the tile around in my purse all week and every time I glanced at it, it became clearer. This was my tattoo.

The process was a whole lot easier than I thought it would be. It took literally all of about 45 minutes. I had it in my mind that I would be there for hours, but once Ryan sketched the initial design, we made one revision and off to the table I went. Ryan had a great table-side manner and really put me at ease. When he was done, he joked with me that I was officially on the dark side and now I would no longer be able to get a job! We laughed and immediately started talking about how long it would be before I came back in for my next. I am still considering whether or not to get some color on this one, a nice shade of purple might be the answer. This was reinforced when as I was driving back up into the mountains from Salt Lake, I was greeted with an amazing rainbow.

Getting a tattoo at my age was a bit unnerving, but I was helped when I asked the young man at the front desk if I was the oldest he had ever seen. He smiled, and said no ma'am, in fact last week we had a 70 year old lady come in for her first. That made me feel great! Thanks dude!

When I got home last night, I showed the tattoo to my kid. He shrugged, said that's cool and off he went. I realized later that his generation are probably so used to seeing tattoos that it didn't even make him blink. Let's hope that he waits until he is 50 for his first. If not, I will embrace his creativity and right to own his body as this is making me feel I own mine.

“My body is my journal, and my tattoos are my story.” ― Johnny Depp

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

A Love Affair with Capital Reef National Park

One issue with being a travel blogger is that you might be on the road for days at a time, thus preventing some timely blog posts.  I hope that you will agree that this trip was worth the wait. I cannot believe that I have never ventured South to the incredible area of Capitol Reef National Park.  In my quest for doing new things this year, I added a trip to this beautiful area on to my list of things to do.  I am so glad that I did.  Capitol Reef certainly delivered in the beauty and natural surroundings department.  It's hard to put into words the beautiful scenery.  How does one describe an area of the country that God spent extra time on?

Driving into Capitol Reef (which is about 3.5 hours from Park City, by the way) was the beginning of the scenery slide show.  Beautiful red rocks are at every turn in the road.  This particular National Park is one of the least visited in the country.  I am not sure of the reason, perhaps because of it's close proximity to the "bigger" parks such as Bryce Canyon and Zion.  However, it would be a shame for folks to miss this park.  It's an area that is so different from say, Zion National Park. The geography and rock formations will blow you away.

 

Since we arrived in the afternoon, we decided that the first day in the park would be more of a driving tour.  The Visitor Center is a great starting off point to lead you into which direction and activity that you want to embark on.  We decided that for the first time we would take the scenic drive.  This drive is approximately 20 miles round trip.  Stay on it until the end as this is by far the best scenery of all.  You may see some signs along the way that deter you, but all you have to do is look up into nature.  If the skies are clear, proceed on your way.

Around every bend in the road was a surprise and elicited another ohh and ahh.  It was amazing to see so much nature and variations in the view all tucked into one park.  We wrapped up this day by checking into the Capital Reef Resort (www.capitolreefresort.com).  Overlooking the red cliffs and 1 mile from Capitol Reef National Park, this casual resort is 3 miles from the quaint town of Torrey.  The rooms were comfortable, spacious and the resort itself had an awesome hot tub which will be quite the treat after hiking in the red rocks all day.  After unpacking our bags, we headed into the town of Torrey to check out a great restaurant for dinner called Cafe Diablo (http://cafediablo.net).  This little gem is completely unexpected when you look at what surrounds it.  It's got amazing gourmet food.  Everything from Rattlesnake Cakes to Pumpkin Seed Trout.  Every bite of my Watermelon and Feta Salad to start was amazing.  This was followed up by Pomegranate Ribs and some Butternut Squash Raviolis which were the special that day.  Each bite was embedding such fond memories in my taste buds that I can still cherish it to this day.  It's making me want to jump in the car and head back down.

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” ― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

Until tommorow's hike & adventure,

P.A. Walker

Kurt Cobain, Is That You?

We ended our day in Seattle by dining at a wonderful restaurant called the Crow (www.eatacrow.com) with our good friends that moved to Seattle from here in Park City. Along with an impressive bar menu (Whenever I leave Utah anything is an impressive bar menu, but this really was one!) the menu offered many delectable items. I decided to partake in the King Salmon since I was near the open waters and needed to fulfill my seafood cravings. It was delicious. Follow that up with an impressive dessert, a glass of Prosecco, all the walking we did and this girl was more than ready for bed. The next day saw us at the EMP Museum (http://www.empmuseum.org). According to their website, "EMP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum, dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular culture. With its roots in rock 'n' roll, EMP serves as a gateway museum, reaching multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, and educational programs, using interactive technologies to engage and empower our visitors. At EMP, artists, audiences and ideas converge, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the popular culture of our time." That all sounds very cool, and the museum certainly lived up to its name.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TkPZ5Ar4L0[/embed]

We started our tour of the museum by visiting the Star Wars Costumes Exhibit. There were literally dozens of amazing costumes from all of the movies, from Luke Skywalker to Chewbacca. My son is a huge fan and this exhibit really held his attention. The other exhibit that certainly held his attention was the room with all the video games in it. It was like walking into a life-size Mindcraft Game. There was begging and pleading to get him out of that room.

While my son was busy in the Mindcraft room, I wandered over to the hallway that was filled with Nirvana goodies. This Seattle based band was and still is one of my favorites. As I wandered the halls and looked at guitars, sheet music, cool photos from when the band was on tour, I could have sworn the ghost of Kurt Cobain was joining me on my tour. If you are a fan, do not miss this museum.

The EMP Museum has so much to offer every member of the family. We spent a lot of time in the Jam rooms. We were able to be "in-studio" while practicing our vocals, playing the drums, guitar and keyboards. Now mind you, I am so not ready to try out for the Voice. However, it was a treat to watch Adam Levine and the rest of Maroon 5 in a music video projected on a movie theater-sized screen. Of course we all had to dance and sing along. Don't worry, the rest of the crazy tourists were doing the same.

With our time in Seattle coming to a close, we bid farewell to the museum and it's helpful staff. One more stop in Cannon Beach, OR and we were on our way back to Park City!

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

From the Space Needle to the Gum Wall - An Adventurous Day in Seattle

We woke up to a warm and sunny Seattle day.  That kind of sounds fake, doesn't it?  Warm and sunny in Seattle, you betcha!  We mapped out our itinerary for the day, grabbed some breakfast and walked from our hotel to the check-in kiosk at the Space Needle.  I highly recommend buying tickets on-line for the Space Needle, as the lines can get long especially in the summer.  Buying on-line allows you to bypass the ticket line and head right inside to show your bar code and ride the elevator all the way to the top of the 605 foot structure.  After growing up in New Jersey and spending a lot of time riding to the top of both the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center, the ride to the top of the Space Needle didn't seem all that long or impressive.  However, when we stepped out of the elevator, the views were amazing.  All around you, you can see water and snow-capped mountains.  It wasn't particularly clear enough to see through the cloud layer and get a good view of Mt. Rainier.  I had been to the Space Needle when I was about 18, but guess I never realized just how impressive Mt. Rainier is.  I decided to do a little research and saw that this massive 14,000+ foot volcano is actually termed a dangerous super-volcano. Now doesn't that just make you feel comfortable?  I guess the millions of Seattle/Tacoma residents just put that right out of their minds.  To me, the beauty and recreational opportunities of living here far outweigh the risk of the volcano.

After the Space Needle, I was able to accomplish another first (hang on as there were several on this particular day) - heading into the Chihuly Glass Gardens.  Spectacular was the first word to pop into my mind when I saw this amazing collection of glass works by Dale Chihuly.  After spending a bit of time reading about this artist, I came to realize that I have seen his work featured in both Salt Lake City and the ceiling inside the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.  Words cannot describe the beauty of this artist's work.

The second "first" for the day was heading down to Pike Place Market and into the Le Panier French Bakery.  Wow, the food in here was delicious.  I spent several years living in Belgium, so was able to be blessed to go to Paris quite a bit.  The bakery was like stepping back in time to my years over there.  The bread and macaroons were beyond divine.  We had grabbed some cheese from the next door cheese factory Beecher's (www.beechershandmadecheese.com ) and combined with the bread and macaroons, a day spent in heaven was what we experienced.  When I travel outside of Utah, I am always amazed at how much better the food is for some reason. Is this due to scenery, better chefs, I am just not sure.  All I know is I was able to enjoy the best food I have had in a very long time.

No trip to Seattle would be complete without checking out the Gum Wall near the Pike Place Market.  According to Wikipedia, The Market Theater Gum Wall is a local landmark in downtown Seattle, in Post Alley under Pike Place Market.  Similar to Bubblegum Alley in San Luis Obispo, California, the Market Theater Gum Wall is a brick alleyway wall now covered in used chewing gum. Parts of the wall are covered several inches thick, 15 feet high for 50 feet.

As our day came to an end, visions of a delicious dinner swam in my thoughts.  Alas, we will save that for the next post!

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

Off to the Beautiful Emerald City I Go!

Off to the beautiful city of Seattle I go!  After spending five days in Oregon with family to celebrate my nephew's graduation, the road took us on our way to the beautiful city of Seattle.  After we left our rental cabin in Oregon, we took the scenic route down through Hood River, OR.  Hood River is an amazing place right on the banks of the Columbia River.  As we winded our way through town, we came upon another idea for a first!  Paddle boarding in the mighty Columbia River.  No easy feat as you watch the wind whipping down around the water.  Hood River is a mecca for people to come windsurfing and kiteboarding.  Folks travel from all over the world to sport here.  The beauty is jaw dropping and the water looks inviting but can be crazy dangerous with the currents and winds.  We chose a mellow spot that appeared to be kind of it's own little quiet enclave. After getting in our swim suits, we headed into the rental shop to get our paddle boards.  This particular concession is right by the marina. The staff was really helpful and the equipment was perfect for our first foray into the river.  As we dropped in at the mouth of the marina, it became very apparent that this not your quiet tidal pool.  Waves slapped at our boards as we struggled to navigate our way through the waters.  After paddling for just a bit, the fun turned into taking the boards to surf the waves onto the shore.  A good time was had by all, a good work-out and time to jump into the car.  Our route took us over the bridge into White Salmon, WA and on down WA-14 towards I-5.

As the driver, I was the only one who did not get to partake in the heavy napping that was going on inside the car.  Their loss as I got to see some incredible scenery along the banks of the river.  It's about an hour drive to I-5 when you come into Vancouver, WA.  We decided to stop and eat at one of my favorite places for lunch.  Beaches Cafe (www.beachesrestaurantandbar.com) is a great spot where you can sit and look out into the river, enjoy the sunshine and some great food all at the same time.  They are very kid-friendly and brought my son the usual placemat to color on, but it was the trip to the treasure chest to retrieve a toy that usually brings the smile to his face. The menu varies from burgers, shrimp and all the way down the line to the wonderful beef teriyaki bowl that I decided to order.  We had to, of course, finish up our meal with the delicious key lime pie that they have on their menu.

Back in the car we go and on the I-5 Northbound for about another two and a half hours.  As we rounded the final bend into Seatlle, I was met with the lovely skyline that let us know our destination was near.  It was a long day but filled with adventure.  Knowing that I had another first on my list made me realize how blessed I was to be living this adventure.  The excitement of paddle boarding was amazing and ending the night by having a great dinner at one of Seattle's cool restaurants Rock Bottom (http://www.rockbottom.com/locations/seattle) was the perfect end to a perfect day.  Stay tuned for my next installment where I give you the reader, a tour into some cool Seattle tourist spots!

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

A Mother's Day Spent in a New Way!

This week's new adventure had me on the road to Moab, UT, a beautiful area in Southern Utah that encompasses several National Parks including Arches and Canyonlands.  The first in this adventure came about when we decided to "glamp" at Moab Under Canvas (www.moabundercanvas.com).  What is glamping you ask?  It is a new word for a new kind of travel.  When you are glamping, there's no need to pitch a tent or bring a sleeping bag.  These items are provided to you as you sleep in a yurt, airstream, villa or in our case a spacious canvas tent.  I love to sleep outdoors, but sometimes you just don't have the time or energy to drag your own equipment.  When you glamp, it is all provided for you.

When we arrived at Moab Under Canvas, we were warmly greeted by Ben at the reception tent. Ben went out of his way to make sure we were properly settled in our tent.  He helped with our duffel bags, pointed out a lot of the area information and even suggested that we order our breakfast for the next morning so we didn't have to drive down into Moab (about 10 miles away) the next morning.  Ben gave us some great tips for hiking and made sure we knew that he was available if anything should arise.

After getting settled in, we headed into Arches National Park.  I have hiked here several times. However, every time I go into Arches, it makes me feel like it is my first time there.  The red rocks look different every time.  Around each bend of the road there is another stunning vista.  It truly takes my breathe away. The hike of the day was into the area with the arches called North and South Window.  An easy hike to do, especially with the young one.  Lots of fun rocks to climb up and over, and not too long of hike so there were no complaints.

        

        

After dining in downtown Moab, we headed back to our campsite.  The weather this particular weekend was a bit iffy.  The clouds kept rolling in and rain threatened.  Rumor has it that the night before we arrived, a spectacular lighting show and heavy rain had hit the area.  That would have been amazing to see from our campground.  The scenery just from our tent was one that changed on a minute by minute basis.  You can see the edge of Arches from the campground.  As the sun was setting, the rocks kept changing colors.  Truly a sight to see.

The next morning, which happened to be Mother's Day, I was greeted by an amazing sight while up at sunrise.  I hiked down to the reception tent to get a warm cup of tea [The tent is always flowing with coffee, tea, hot chocolate and plenty of great conversation with whomever happens to be at the front desk.].  As I walked out of the tent, I was greeted with an awe-inspiring view. It had rained pretty heavily the night before, which made for some wonderful sleeping.  As the rain cleared out in the wee hours of the morning, I was amazed to see not one, but two full rainbows up in the sky.  As words cannot describe this sight, here is a picture that just might:

It was one of the best Mother's Day presents I have ever received.  My son even told me that he had ordered those special.

We had originally planned to get up early and do the 2-3 hour roundtrip hike to Delicate Arch Trail in Arches.  However, since we woke to gray and cold, we snuggled in our extremely warm and comfortable beds and fell back asleep for a few more hours.

We ended the weekend by doing the Lower Delicate Arch Overlook Trail.  This is literally a 100 yards long trail that leaves right from the parking lot.  You are treated to a great view of Delicate Arch, but not as up close and personal as the other hike.  Next time, we will do the longer of the hikes.

Moab is one of those places where the weather can turn on a dime, one minute sunny and the next raining and thunderstorms.  We waited a bit, but alas, the weather did not break.  TIme to head back to Park City and do the dirty laundry.  How did we mess up our tent so much in just one weekend?

I am truly grateful to Ben and the rest of the staff at Moab Under Canvas for such as special weekend.  The company has other locations in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.  Hmmm, which one to try next?

Until my next adventure,

P.A. Walker

As always, you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter under my page Kiva Wellness.

An Adventure That Went South (West)!

Mountain biking on Antelope Island, Utah.  That sounded like a good item to check off my 50 for 50 list.  I had been to Antelope Island before but never mountain biked there.  Sounds fun, right? Let me give a little history on Antelope Island.  The island has an area of 42 square miles.  It is the largest of 10 islands that lie within the Great Salt Lake.  Antelope Island has natural scenic beauty and holds populations of pronghorn, bighorn sheep, American bison, porcupine, badger, coyote, bobcat, and millions of waterfowl. The bison were introduced to the island in 1893, and Antelope Island Bison Herd has proven to be a valuable genetic pool for bison breeding and conservation purposes. The bison do well because much of the island is covered by dry, native grassland. [Excerpt taken from Wikipedia.  Lots more history there is you desire a deeper understanding.]

Bikes on car, helmets and water packed.  Let's go.  It's about an hour and half ride from Park City.  Before I knew it, we were there and ready for some adventure.  I suggested that we stop at the Visitor's Center which is one of the first stops when you get off the Causeway onto the Island.  The center is a cement building perched on top of one of the highest points on the island.  As I exited the car, I realized that there were swarms of gnats.  Little tiny, annoying bugs that fly right into your ears and nose.  Okay, this should be interesting.  Perhaps the plan might have to be modified.

Pushing forward onto the island, we decided that Buffalo Point would be a great trail to do.  It's about a mile round trip and is overlooking the Great Salt Lake.  I suggested we hike in a bit to see what the terrain looked like since I had my son with me.  He is a great mountain biker on flat trails, but this one looked a little challenging.

Once we exited the car, it became very apparent that the gnat issue was not going to get better.  Undaunted, I suggested that we abandon the bikes, but still hike to the topmost section of the  hill.  Bad idea!  Anytime we stopped, we were absolutely swarmed.  If ever a person were to go completely insane, it might be in this instance.  They were everywhere, moving with us as we ran faster and faster back towards the car.  My son was screaming, I was screaming….

After finally getting back to the car, and getting whatever gnats were inside the car out, my kid declared that he never, ever wanted to come back to this island again.  Can't say as I blame him.

As we started driving again, I realized we still had not seen any bison or antelope.  One cannot come to the island and not see one of these animals.  When I promised to not stop the car at all, my son agreed to continue down the road to see what wildlife we could see.  We were rewarded with a herd of bison lounging on the beach and antelope prancing through the tall grass.

Antelope Island is very scenic and beautiful.  I am sure there are times of the year when the gnats don't swarm.  I, for one, am not ready to venture back there again.  However, the day was not lost.  We soaked in some beautiful scenery, turned the mishap into a funny story and ended up giggling the whole way home.  My kid was re-naming it Gnatelope Island and kept saying we got "Gnatomic Bombed".  It turned out to be a great bonding adventure.  We were met with adversity and turned it into a great day!

"When adversity strikes, that's when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on." - LL Cool J

Until the next adventure,

P.A. Walker

As always, you can follow me on Twitter or my Facebook page, Kiva Wellness.

Today The World Was One Big Family

How does one even explain this new adventure? Fate, universal love, karma, not quite sure what it is called. Last week brought with it an amazing first for me. I have never had the opportunity to attend a Hollywood premier. On April 1st, no fooling, that all changed. Let me back up by saying that about two weeks ago, I was standing in my kitchen and the overwhelming feeling that I was about to go to Los Angeles overcame me. Why did this happen? Not quite sure. I just thought to myself, I am going to be going.  I am really learning to trust my intuition, so I proceeded with my day with the understanding that I would be taking yet another trip. I happened to jump on Facebook that same night and messaged a dear friend of mine and told her that I was going to be going to Los Angeles. She reminded me that the World Premier for the latest installment in the Fast and Furious franchise would be taking place right around that time.  I just felt in in my bones. I told her that if it was meant to happen, tickets to the world premier of Furious 7 would just manifest. Again, remember I was now an authority on living the Secret after listening to it for ten hours. Well, I am here to tell you that this stuff really works.

Speed up two weeks, one frequent flier ticket later and a link that once it was clicked sent me into the world of “Congratulations, you now have a ticket to the World Premiere of Furious 7” on April 1^st in Hollywood, California.  It's a long story on how this all evolved.  I won't go into it, just stay tuned for the book…….

The Big Day Arrives

The morning of April 1^st I boarded a plane with an overloaded carry-on bag containing three outfits. After all, what does one wear to a movie premiere?   I also boarded the plane not having seen Fast and Furious 2 through 6. I had speedily watched 1 after learning I was going to be going. It was suggested that I at least get to know the players. I landed amongst the beautiful palm trees, people and sunshine.

Heading to my hotel in Hollywood, I realized that right at that moment the ceremony for Vin Diesel getting his star on the Walk of Fame was taking place. There were so many people that all I could see was the top of his beautiful shiny head.

When you see pictures from these Hollywood events, all looks so glamorous. Don’t get me wrong, it really is glamorous. However, it is also an endurance event. Let me outline my day and night. We started standing online at 2:00 PM. We were told to stand there and they would let us in to get our wristbands. Since we had no concept of time, we were afraid to do anything, leave to go pee, get a drink of water, anything. We did (we being a good friend of mine and myself) start to really get to know the occupants of our line. We had a nice young couple who had left their child with grandma. We also befriended a lovely young lady who had been an extra in the movie. She had driven all the way from Northern California by herself. She was totally a fan.

As the day progressed, 2:00 turned into 3:00 and all the way to 5:30.   At 5:30, we started moving. Yes, I am going to get my wristband and then find the nearest restroom. Guess the April Fool's joke was on me. We were ushered right out to the red carpet. The red carpet in this case, was actually a black and white carpet which resembled a road. There were very cool cars parked all around. We stood on this area for several hours as all the celebrities and beautiful people cycled through their interviews, waving, coming up to us fans and signing autographs and taking pictures. I have to say, everyone was really nice.

We finally got in to see the movie at 11:00 PM.  The movie was amazing. So amazing, that I have already gone to see it again three days after the last viewing. What a beautiful tribute at the end for the late Paul Walker.

Several things became very apparent to me during this day long experience. The cast of this franchise are so close and love each other dearly. They also really care for their fans. Other things that became apparent were that after experiencing the movie premiere I can honestly say I may never do that again. The best thing that became apparent that night was that this movie brought together fans, celebrities, rap stars, producers, family members etc. from all different races, cultures, and for one night, it felt like all was right with the world. All was right with the world and we were one crazy big family. It was truly a feeling I loved and will carry with me throughout the future.

"My philosophy is: If you can't have fun, there's no sense in doing it." - Paul Walker

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

The Circle of Influence

As I continue on with my new decade I keep having the feeling that my past no matter what I try and do, just keeps following me. I can resist it but it will persist. Case in point, I have been working on my circle of influence.  I keep hearing that you are the sum total of those five people that are closest to you. When I first heard that and looked around, I was kind of aghast and started really working on myself. I was attracting certain types of people that didn’t fit with my definition of success for myself. I was around some folks that were not very uplifting. Did I do this because I wanted to feel better about myself?  Most likely the answer is yes. After making this realization, I set about surrounding myself with some like-minded folks.  I went on retreats, took classes and did a whole lot of reading.  I sat down today for the first time and realized I had done just what I set out to do. I have succeeded in surrounding myself with a great group of people who are not only always there for me, but also uplift me.  So what is the problem? The problem is that my past keeps giving me pop quizzes. It keeps having people appear to throw me tests on how far I have really come.

After spending yet another lunch time with someone who just doesn’t want to look inside, I had had enough. I blurted out, "If you don’t change something, than why do you think anything is going to change?"   She stopped, looked at me and just keep babbling on with those words that I have forbidden my kid to ever use, “Yeah but….”. It was at that moment that I realized that not only did I have the tools to work myself out of this situation, but that I was ready to actually use them. I looked at her and again muttered, but louder this time, “If you don’t change anything, how do you expect this situation to ever change?”. I then got up and told her that I had to go and turned and walked away. This was a huge first for me. It might not have been the proper way to handle the situation, but in my gut, I think she may have gotten the message. Why do I sometimes continue to go back into these toxic situations that I know are not good for me to be in?  Simple, fear of letting the other person know how I feel and fear of conflict.

It has taken me a long time to get to this point of having these tools, but I know they work now and I certainly will not hesitate to use them if the situation arises again. In the meantime,  I made a point to reach out to my newest circle of influence folks and let them know how much I appreciate each and every one of them. I appreciate that they have come into my life at just the right moment and I truly thank them for that!!

I question if any of you have been in this same situation and how you handled it.

I leave you with a link to a great blog called The Evening Cup.  In this particular post, Nicole Taylor gives her readers some great advice!

http://theeveningcup.com/3-reasons-let-go-wrong-people/

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

Not So Fast and Not So Furious

I did it! I went to race car school. It’s been on my bucket list for years now and I finally made it happen.  I attended a class and training at Exotics Racing in Las Vegas. The staff was amazing and my experience was beyond awesome. I left the track that day saying that was one of the coolest things I have ever done in my whole life. It truly made me feel really alive.

After sitting in a class on technique and going around the track once to get some instructions from a seasoned professional, I was given the keys and allowed behind the wheel. For this adventure, I chose to go out in a Porsche Cayman.   Although it was referred to by some of the drivers at Exotics as the "go-cart", I was still thrilled to be able to get out and make some turns.

My instructor hailed from the U.K. and was a very patient man. He must have had nerves of steel. He instructed me all the way around the track five times.  I slowed way down going around the curves, but finally got up the gumption to turn on the speed towards the end of my session.  When I reviewed the video of my laps, I burst out laughing because I looked like I was slowing down to get a parking spot at the mall.  When I had originally heard that I was "only" going five laps, I thought to myself that that would not be enough.  It turned out I was very wrong.  It requires a lot of hard work and muscles to do even one lap.

As I left the vehicle, I was feeling like I hadn’t had the thrill of the speed. I realized that I had let fear hold me back and now I had regrets that I just didn't let it fly.  To satisfy my as of yet unmet need for speed, I decided it was time to take a few laps with the Professional Race Car driver. His name was Rudy and his credits included being one of the drivers in the first Fast and Furious movie. I thought I would be completely nervous going into this adventure, but the opposite was true. I had such a feeling of calm come over me that Rudy could see I wasn’t scared at all. In fact, I think he took this as a challenge and turned up the heat. During our last lap, we completely fish tailed and swung around. I still wasn’t freaked out. Sorry Rudy, you can’t scare this old gal!  I have made a vow to go back and do this again very soon.  This time I will drive the Lamborghini.

After completing this adventure, I truly left the track on such a high.  I also vowed that I would not continue to hold back because of fear.  I would put myself out there and feel the fear and do it anyway!

“If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough.” ― Mario Andretti

Until my next adventure,

P.A. Walker

Want-To-Be Writer Turns "Real"

I have always been a voracious reader.  I love to read books, magazines, you name it.  I am turning the tides and becoming a rabid want-to-be writer. Why do I keep labeling myself a want-to-be? I AM a writer. I have hit publish on several blog posts.  I have submitted several articles for review.  Now for one of my firsts, I am going to start not one, but two books. I have two distinct ideas for books and somehow they keep melding into each other. Should I combine them or separate them?  I am just not sure. Today’s adventure will be to surrender the ideas and see where the universe takes them. I have one of the books finished to the point of a raw manuscript.  I sent out word to two different people to help edit and got no response. Instead of stopping what I was doing and not going forward, I just surrendered. I will alternatively continue to seek out editors and also wait it out and see who comes to me. I have an idea of going to an author's event in Denver next month. I feel like this is what I am supposed to be doing and that this might answer this editing question. Again, surrender to the universe.  Why is it so hard to surrender to the universe?  I keep having this question come up when I try and do this.  Are you supposed to surrender completely or help the process along?  If you are to help the process along, what does that look like?

“I surrender this fear or desire. Thank you for taking care of it!”.

I ask you, the reader, to share with me any times in your life where you have just put your hands up and surrendered.  How did this work out for you?  Any thoughts on answering that universal question of how much should we be helping out?

"Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't". - Steve Marabol, Life, Truth and Being Free

Until the Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and my Facebook Page Kiva Wellness. www.kivawell.com.

Life Lessons from the Tubing Park

This adventure started out benignly enough.  I had a Groupon for a snow tubing session at Solider Hollow here in Utah.  Solider Hollow was the site of a lot of the cross-country ski events during the 2002 Winter Olympics.  After booking a session, I started out with my son and a friend and her family.  The evening weather was wonderful.  It was warm and the evening sky was filled with many stars.  We got into our tubes and headed up the rope tow towards what promised to be a night full of fun. The first run down was fantastic.  All five of us swapped ropes and bonded together for a joint ride down the hill.  It was so fast and exhilarating that I just remember screaming and giggling all the way down.  That was cool.  The next run down, it was me and my kid and the course was getting slick.  We screamed all the way down and thought that we would stop in time.  However, the course had a different idea for us.  In an instant, I just made the realization that we were going to go through the snow fence.  Sure enough, that was just what we did.  We both survived the scramble with nary a mark on us.  However, it kind of set the tone for the rest of the night.

I immediately shifted into a mental state of fear.  Pure, raw fear.  Each run had me so worried about the ending, that I skipped enjoying the ride down.  I kept going though because I was not going to let this stop my fun.  It was not until the last run that my fear came true.  This time I was all by myself, going so fast, that even when I dragged my feet down, I completely sped right by the course guy at the end.  I went through not one but two snow fences.  I heard my glasses shatter (or at least I thought I did), but got up and realized both me and my glasses were in one piece.  I put my fist in the air and yelled, "Thank God for Costco.  My glasses took the blow from the pole!".  I escaped with some minor abrasions and lived to tell the story.

Why am I telling you this story?  After my run, I decided I had had enough.  I sat and watched everyone else hooting and hollering and thought to myself - what a metaphor for life.  I was so focused and fearful of my ultimate end that I didn't enjoy the ride leading up to it.  I soon realized that perhaps this was mirroring my own personal life.  What am I doing to enjoy the ride leading up to my ending?  What can I do on an every day basis to enjoy the "ride".

I looked back on that final run and realized that right before I knew I was going to make an impact, I just surrendered and let go.  It probably saved me a few scratches by relaxing back into it.  Time to do that in real life!  I asked the course dude why he didn't stop me and he simply replied, because you were going way too fast. Time to slow down and enjoy the ride!!

Great Acronym to remember: FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real!

As Always,

P.A. Walker

Stuff Can't Fill the Heart

After unpacking loads of boxes during my recent remodel and move, it became very apparent that we just have too much “stuff”. What do I need all this stuff for? Why does my son need all these toys?? Why do I need closets and boxes full of clothes?  What kind of habits am I setting him up for as he gets older? After a family discussion, it was decided that for my son’s birthday this year, we would set up a donation page for one of our favorite charities Reach Out Worldwide (www.roww.org). My son surprisingly agreed to do this and as a result, his friends (or at least the moms) thought it was a great idea.  He got over $100 in donations for this great charity. He was excited to watch the total grow and I heard him telling his friends how he chose to do this and what the charity does.  I was overcome with that proud Momma moment.  I was glad to see that he hadn't tipped too far in the other direction!   Not once did he focus on not getting new toys or gifts but instead was very intent on watching the video on their website to learn more about this organization and where his raised donations would be put to use!

After seeing my son's selfless act, I decided that it was time for me to do the same and give to others. To be honest, I have had it pretty darn good thus far in life.  I have never wanted for much.  I have only ever wanted for the things that I thought I needed, to satisfy some ideal that I thought was important.  The American Dream - the house, the car, the 1.5 kids.  Funny what society throws at us and tells us that we need to uphold.

This year has been one of the very first where I have gotten myself into a new way of thinking.  Instead of worrying so much about what others think, I have, for the first time in my life, only worried about what I think.  It's been hard and it is still a work in progress, but I am gaining some ground.  It's been surprising how good it feels to give to others.  I heard a quote once that really spoke to this:

"When you put good will out there, it's amazing what can be accomplished." - Paul Walker, Reach Out Worldwide Founder

Paul was a great example of someone who could have given into the charms of Hollywood fame and it's perks, but he instead chose to turn that around and help out those in need.  After his untimely death, other family members stepped in to make sure that his legacy was upheld.  Again, another example of putting others first.

My lesson in all of this is that the time for me has come to turn my life from one of just being and doing to one of self-care and looking out for my fellow human beings.  I keep going back to the notion that we are role models for our children.  Simple as that!

As Always, P.A. Walker

In honor of Paul and his charity, please consider donating to Reach Out Worldwide.  For more information on what this charity is all about, head over to www.roww.org.