fievel goes west

After Colette’s brother Joe and his wife Christy left us in July, we were on our own and left with a mission to find a place to live before we flew out for the weddings. After a few days of disappointing searching we realized we were going about it all wrong. There was such a quick turnover of places, we learned to load Craigslist ads in realtime, throw the contacts in an Excel sheet and hit it with a systematic rigor. It was clear that at the end of the day, any desirable places would be gone. After this running around, we were fortunate to land an amazing house with a yard and a large shed, rarities for this area. We had one day of throwing our stuff on the ground before heading back to the south.

We had such a great time with the two wonderful weddings, my brother to Eliza and John to Jamie. We also had a fun couple days in Nashville with my parents and even had the chance to go to Atlanta to see our friends Ryan and Micah and help them move into their new city before the perils of law school commenced. Not to mention, we got to see our dear friend Lauren for the last time before she departs for a temporary move to Kenya! It was perfect couple of weeks being around those we loved and sharing some good memories in a place we might not see for awhile.

Geography lesson. San Francisco is surrounded by a large bay, the San Francisco Bay. Across the Bay Bridge to the east is rightly named, the East Bay. According to culture, pace of life and city density, the East Bay sits next to San Fran in a similar manner as Brooklyn to Manhattan. After crossing the Bay Bridge, if you go to the north you’re in Berkeley, if you go south you’re in the heart of Oakland. Our neighborhood straddles that line.  Berkeley is smaller and more affluent with the wealthy families and professor types watching over things from their Berkeley Hills mansions. Oakland has a more diverse and gritty edge to it. Those who have lived in Oakland for years swear that it is in the middle of a cultural Renaissance, I’m already effortlessly buying into this notion. Our house really is right in between these two cities, we are a fifteen minute bike ride to Cal Berkeley’s campus and equally fifteen to downtown Oakland or Lake Merritt. This has its perks, as we are right in the center of it all and able to attend a wide array of events, but also can cause an identity crisis. We find ourselves tempted to claim any one of the five nearby neighborhoods depending on the mood. Oakland is a historically diverse city and we see that reflected all around us. 2010 Demographics for Oakland: 34% white, 28% black, 17% asian, 25% Hispanic. We are a novelty as a young, heterosexual, married white couple. Though difficult at times it can be very invigorating. We are constantly having to think twice about the way we communicate and connect with those around us and make the extra effort to understand our friends and neighbors. 

We are really thankful to live next to a couple who just moved down from Seattle and who we actually share a lot in common with. They have been great to have around through all these similar transitions and discoveries. Also a blessing is the Church we have been going to here in the East Bay, Christ Church. It has a great mix of the traditional/liturgical aspects of PCA with a very comfortable community based parish system for engaging the surrounding neighborhoods and involving every member. We jumped into a small group right away as they were starting this month. We looked one up on the Church website that was meeting right down the street from us. As we were knocking on the door, we realized how crazy it was that we were about to walk into a room where we did not know a single name or face. It ended up being a great fit for us, a friendly, intelligent, gospel centered group. It is great to have a little social interaction too as the faces from Church are becoming more familiar and folks are including us in activities around town.

Our lifestyle has been leaning towards the sparse these first few weeks. We have been prolonging our gracious gift cards from the wedding to allow us the thrill of spending amidst a spirit of saving. I have been learning a lot more skills, in lieu of spending more money for someone else to do a worse job. I have learned multiple repairs on the bikes, building a bed frame and compost bin, staining, joining Oakland’s tool lending library which allows us to check out a wide variety of hardcore tools for free, and many new recipes and cooking styles. When you have more time than money, this is what happens. Lastly, good news on the job front. I received a call yesterday that I got the job at an amazing county rehab hospital. It might be the perfect job for me, a very diverse population and heavy in neurological injuries. Colette has had a tough time in this super competitive market in the Bay area, loads of fantastic and pertinent research but difficult to get a foot in the door as a research assistant. She is starting her volunteering at the Berkeley Free Clinic this Tuesday, a good opportunity in a setting that will allow her to do more hands on stuff than most volunteer positions as it is run on altruism and public funding. At the same time, she is keeping her sanity by working part time as a waiter/barista at a neat local joint. She is currently studying to retake the GRE in a month, as she is applying to Cal Berkeley’s Public Health program this fall.

We talk about our friends and family often. Many of our joys here are realized in the context of those we care about and their individual passions that are reflected in what we see daily. We hope to share some of them with you soon! There is always an open door, bed, and a full refrigerator waiting on you if you can make it out here.

With love,

Ryan

Our new Oakland apartment! (Don’t worry, we only live in 1/4 of it)

Colette: First night away from my husband and I can’t sleep. Could be because I’m still on California time. Could be because I miss him be next to me. Pathetic? Maybe. Attempting to sleep on a couch back in Birmingham, I can’t help but think about everywhere we’ve been, everything we’ve seen, everyone we’ve met…

We left family in SoCal a bit begrudgingly. In typical Warden fashion, we quickly found our next adventure as we made our way up to Yosemite. We stopped in the famous Bishop, CA. If you’re asking yourself why you’ve never heard of it if it’s famous, you’re probably not alone. It’s basically only famous in one circle: the rockclimbers. Besides the incredible amount of bouldering, you’re not missing much. But there’s nothing like bouldering first thing in the morning.

And then there was Yosemite. We had heard fables of the summer traffic through the park, so we tried to avoid it by coming in from the east side. I am so glad we did. The drive took us through a 10,000 foot snowy mountain pass, with views of the valley and Half Dome along the way. Upon our arrival at the station, rangers helped us plot our route while invoking a deep fear of bears within us. The hike took us along Yosemite River, through ancient pines and firs, before dumping us at the top of Yosemite Falls, 10+ miles later. From this point we had incredible views of the valley 4,000 feet below, where the people looked like swarms of ants. Another night of camping and many miles later, we finally made it back to our car. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you view it), we didn’t have to fight off any black bears.

Though we had laughed at the throngs of people who thought it would be a good idea to go down in the valley, we couldn’t resist the urge to see the views from below. Thus our adventure into the mobbed valley began. It included: being stuck in standstill traffic, biking because it was easier than driving, seeing Half Dome from the base at Mirror Lakes, viewing the falls from below, and driving in more standstill traffic on the way out.

You know you’ve had too much traveling when you want to leave Yosemite earlier than planned. We decided to cut a day out of our Yosemite trip and head up to the East Bay for our first taste of home. Much to our dismay, it didn’t quite feel like home at first. We thought it would be a good idea to get a feel of the neighborhoods by driving around. Hours of driving later and we still didn’t get a good vibe…

Ryan: There is alot to be said of feeling at home in a place. I have had a weird last couple of years wrestling with and reestablishing that feeling of home. With my last year of PT school I started afresh in a new city every few months. With each place: after enough time, relationships started, and memories had, it began to feel like a place I never wanted to leave. It was always sad to leave these tents of a home but encouraging to know that our hearts can have enough room and energy to take in this change. It is easy to already compare the Bay area with our past experiences. Places seem really dark until you have those relationships and good memories to give it more personal context. We are not on vacation anymore. We have been establishing home in our relationship and in our hearts, but we are now at a stop on our journey where every conversation and experience is done with purpose. Home is not a place where you throw your stuff down and watch TV all night. I am excited for the home, neighborhood and city that we are learning. We pray for the energy and strength to fully engage it, not in spite of our growing responsibilities but through them.

Our wedding photographs

8 states and 8 national parks later, we finally made it home to the Pacific Coast.

Home for a while included aunts and uncles and cousins and second cousins and brothers and sisters. Home for a while included southern California beaches. Home for a while included perfect weather, a bed, a roof over our head, a shower, and great company. It was hard to leave that all behind, but we’re back on the road. Current stop: Yosemite.

It’s hard to even begin to document all that we have seen in these past few thousand miles. There has been so much beauty, so many interesting people, so many adventures. We’ve gone from desert to mountains to beach and back again. Interestingly enough, despite the amazing adventures and time spent together, we’re ready for civilization again. While driving through a windy mountain road, it hit us: we want to start establishing our home and working. We want to be able to complain about a job or homework. Maybe it’s a need for consistency, maybe it’s a need for community. Who knows, but we’re ready for San Fran.

We last left you as we were on our way out of the Rocky Mountains. We stayed in our first hotel of the trip in Grand Junction, CO, a nice change from our blow-up mattress. We found a gem of a canyon in Colorado National Monument and then spent at least an hour trying to find a swimming hole called the “potholes” as a break from the 100 degree heat, but to no avail. The search wasn’t a total waste; we befriended an interesting man who was, to our surprise, a retired truck driver from Muscle Shoals, Alabama!

We said our farewells to Colorado as we made our way into Utah, which has got to be one of the craziest states in our country. You are surrounded by so much beauty in just driving through it. Of course, it also helps if you stop at the national parks along the way. We hit up Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. We were met with crazy spires, vivid colors, and geological wonderlands at each spot.

And then there was Arizona and the Grand Canyon. Famous for a good reason. We discovered that knowing the history and geological formation really helps you appreciate a place, especially the Grand Canyon. After taking the advice of friends at the canyon, we decided to start our hike later in the afternoon and hike into the night to avoid the heat. Luckily, we were spared of that in other ways as well. After about 30 minutes of descent on the South Kaibob trail, we started to notice the clouds rolling in. Not to mention, the huge flashes of lightening that we could see entirely too clearly. When exposed on the edge of a cliff, with minimal amounts of trees around you, you feel exceptionally vulnerable to the elements. It was frightening but we made it out alive and were able to enjoy the incredible view. The canyon was enjoying the rain, since there hadn’t been precipitation since May 18^th.

After leaving Grand Canyon, we traveled through many miles of desert, finally crossing into our new home state. We managed to find a pocket of beauty in the seemingly endless wasteland in Joshua Tree. The park lived up to its reputation as a site to behold and a great place to rock climb. From Joshua Tree it was straight to the coast. Our first stop was San Diego for a great visit with relatives and our first steps into the Pacific. Moving on up the coast, we made our way to Laguna Niguel for more time with relatives. It’s so refreshing to have people you care about all around you.

Not many newlyweds get the opportunity to spend the first two months of their marriage with each other every second of the day. We are so thankful that we have the time to make a trip like this together. We like to say we are undergoing a “marriage camp” of sorts. It’s definitely a unique experience to see every mood, emotion, and bodily function. It’s basically impossible to hide anything. We’ve loved every second of it. But we also need the time with others to bring out different aspects of our personalities that only our family and friends can.

Leaving thick bands of Ponderosa Pines below us, we came up to the alpine meadows at the top of Rocky Mountain NP. Patches of wildflowers mixed with the white fields of snow. Things can change so quickly when going into the mountains. Even in the deserts of Arizona, as the elevation changes, the vegetation thickens and before you know it you’re in a massive forest. On the Continental Divide at the top of the RMNP highway, we parked to play in the snow for a minute. We noticed a young guy standing next to his bike with his arms crossed seeming to take the views in. It appeared as if he had pedaled his bike all the way to the top with all the gear in tow behind him. We were impressed. He came up to us right as we got out of the car. He said he noticed our single speed bikes on top of the car and felt he could then trust us. He had broken a few spokes and barely made it to the top after trying for three days straight. Being as the sun was now setting, Dylan was more than relieved when we helped him down the mountain. Complete with curled mustache and blue jean shorts, our friend had pedaled all the way from his place in Brooklyn to this height on the way to his sister’s wedding at home.  In San Francisco. We ended up having some great things in common to talk about and shared a dinner and night musing under the bright stars. It was interesting as he told us about the minorities he has found each place he has visited. The minority defined as those who care and are intentional about the decisions they make, from relationships to the air around them. We talked of the progression of human thought and technology. With each new advance we have more impact on other people and the world around us. From plastics to nuclear energy, our efficiency grows. At the same time we keep adding to our list of ways we could shortly destroy our planet. Dylan was a former Pratt Institute sculpting student who also held a penchant for science fiction. He liked to believe there have probably been plenty of other advanced beings that have destroyed themselves at this same transition. Whatever angle you approach it from, we decided we are at a place where self consciousness and preservation will not suffice. As our impact on others grows we have to have a larger vision and compassion that embraces the responsibility we share. This poses massively hard, selfish as we are from the outset. We started to wish we were in an earlier generation that didn’t have this weight to bear on it.  Oh to be able to simply farm and make some textiles. However, it is exciting to have such potential for good. In the Christian context, we can rejoice that we have a part in the redemption of our earth that groans in pains of childbirth for its Savior.

Colorado mountain peaks, that’s wassup.

Estes Park, Colorado

We’ve come a long way since Birmingham, and we’re only half-way to our final destination. The miles have been rolling by easily, which is surprising seeing as to how we drove through the panhandle of Texas. Right as you enter Colorado from the south after miles of rolling nothingness, the land really does come alive. That’s not to say that we didn’t enjoy our drive through the great state: active fires on the side of the road, charred trees and grass from previous fires, field after field of ranging cows, windmills, farmland, and oil rigs.

We made time to stop at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs (epic, free city park) before heading on into Denver. Seventeen hours after our departure from Houston, we pulled into the Mile High City. The Jenson’s kindly gave us a bed and hot water for a few nights. Our time there was short but eventful: Edward Scissorhands at the Red Rock Amphitheater, a trip to the zoo, gourmet hot dogs at Biker Jim’s (reindeer dogs!? Yes please!), a tour of Great Divide Brewery, and bowling & bbq. All with a backdrop of astonishing, snowy mountain peaks.

Being a nomad requires that you cannot stay for too long in one place. Two to three nights tops. Though it was tempting to stay in Denver for a little bit longer, we had to abide by the nomadic rules. This time, we headed to the Rocky Mountain National Park, with a pit-stop in Boulder. We are sad to say that we did not boulder in Boulder Canyon; storms thwarted our efforts.

The historical road into the mountain town Estes Park, our current location, kept throwing crazy views our direction. 13,000 foot mountains would greet us around the corner of the road and watch over us on our ride. Raging creeks followed us up the mountains. Mountain lodge after mountain lodge tempted us to come in, but our light wallets reminded us we shouldn’t.

If you’re ever entering Rocky Mountain through Estes Park and are in need of great food and interesting conversation, stop into Nepal Café. And make sure you come a little late and are the last one there. Just do it. Somehow, maybe when we were enjoying our food with eyes closed, the whole restaurant seemed to have been emptied of all other diners. At first we felt bad. But then the conversation began rolling with the Nepalese family who runs the restaurant. The father told us about his arranged marriage; they were 15 and 17 years old and have now been married for 45 years. He told us about his home near Mount Everest. These are the moments that make a trip, that make a life.

Next stop: Grand Canyon.

Uncertainty.

The word has a pretty bad reputation. No one wants to invite it over for dinner. No one wants to go to the movies with it. It’s the kind of acquaintance that you hide from if you see them out in public. But let’s be honest, people aren’t hiding from it because it’s annoying. People hide from it because most of us fear it.

So here we are. Uncertainty has found us and cornered us. Here we are, staring uncertainty in the eyes, fearful, yet willing to face it. With this uncertainty always looming, we have packed up our trailer, made a bedroom out of the back of our minivan, and began our journey out to the West Coast.

Some people think we’re crazy. Some people think we are just plain old stupid. Go to a new city without jobs or a place to live?! Absurd! It wasn’t easy leaving a beautiful group of people and the incredible community we have in Birmingham, especially with the unknowns ahead of us. As the day of our departure drew closer and closer and the reality sank in, it was impossible not to ask questions. Are we really doing the right thing? Are we running away from a good thing? Are we actually crazy? We cannot know the answers to these questions, but we have found a conviction in where we are going and what we are doing. We make our way confidently to San Francisco, excited to be in a city where we can pursue our interests.

We know that the Lord will provide and not lead us astray. This doesn’t mean He guarantees us the perfect job, or any job at all. He guarantees us what He has designed to fit into His plan. This may mean failure after failure. It may mean doors shut in our faces. It may mean struggles ahead. But we go in faith. We rejoice in failures, because we know it is His will. He guides not only with open doors, but more forcefully with doors that are closed.

For now, four people in a kitchen in Houston are all singing “With a Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles while preparing breakfast. There’s harmonizing, dancing, and general merry-making with newlyweds and parents and the smell of bacon in the air. There is a confidence and a peace about the direction we are going. We are not running away—from a city, from family, from friends. We are running to something, even if we don’t know exactly what that something is. And we need our community even if we’re not living in the same city. We can only get by with the help from our friends.