May | 2013 | Mora Gunfighter

Rappelling

Mi amigo coming down from setting up my first top-rope climb. At Smith Rock State Park.

Smith Rock State Park

A snapshot of a portion of the Crooked River in central Oregon’s rock climbing mecca. The view at the top of my first climb. The climb is nothing to brag about, but the view certainly is.

Schooled by my Mother

The Mora Gunfighter and his mother. Photo taken by his wife, the mother of his children.

It seems that there’s a false notion floating around among the men of our day, that once a fella hits adolescence, and especially by the time he has traversed fully into manhood, he no longer needs his mother. That’s the biggest load of malarkey – that’s an appropriate word given that my mom might read this – out there.

Mom’s rock! You know it’s true. There’s no reason to question it. I’m not just saying this because of a nationally observed Mother’s Day. That’s behind us. My conscience is not bound by societal pressure to behave according to an established norm. No. I really mean it. Mom’s are awesome!

Case in point. I’ve never been a tea drinker. Coffee has always held a special place in my heart and tea just tasted like a watered down version of the good stuff. I don’t like my beer watered down, why would I want my coffee watered down? That was my disposition toward the drink until last November (2012). Mi madre (and my mother-in-law) flew out to be with my family during a tense time (see, moms are rad!) and while she was here she drank her tea, just as she always does. A conversation busted out about our beverage preferences and I decided to give tea drinking (I’m not a teetotaler, mind you!) a shot.

The long and short of it is this: I have had a cup of tea just about every day since November (usually immediately following lunch), and every time I do, I think, even if only for a millisecond, about my mother and how great it is to have a good relationship with her, and how awesome it is that she is still schooling me on the good stuff of life.

The Word: Locked and Loaded | Sermon

The Word: Locked and Loaded

I preached this sermon (on vicarage) at Trinity Lutheran Church in Palo Alto, CA. on May 9, 2013 (The Ascension of Our Lord)

Luke 24:44-53

Morning At Tiburon

Standing on Tiburon’s dock you can see a fog shrouded San Francisco skyline out on the horizon as it tucks behind the edge of Angel Island. What a way to start morning!

Beached

A variety of floating vessels makes for an amazing backdrop to any San Francisco adventure.

Allison Corp

An old school garage setup at an auto museum in Auburn, IN. Smell the motor oil on the mechanic’s coveralls.

Into the Wild

I’m about half way through this work. Krakauer definitely tells the story of Chris McCandless’ life in a captivating way. Many thoughts continue to cascade through my mind as a result of what I’ve read. I don’t know whether it’s the life lived or the way it’s conveyed on the page, but it’s definitely a keyhole into the psyche of the modern American adventurer.

Car In Tow

I can’t think about our move and not reminisce about the awesome sign the kids made to go in the back window of our VW. Hearts and flowers added just the right amount of hippy-esque flare that was perfect for our 40 days on the road. Sold the car, kept the sign.

Moving

Our year in California is drawing to a close. We moved to CA pulling a ‘69 Volkswagen Squareback. It was an amazing trip that brought a lot of new experiences.

Month: May 2013