Rivers of Chile 2010 off to a great start

After scouting and preparing for this expedition, the Alzar School instructor team was joined by the students on the 28th. Despite some exhausting travel schedules, the students were psyched to be in Chile and ready for adventure. The complete group came together in Curico, home of our two Chilena students, Valeska and Titi. Titi immediately provided the students with a mini dictionary of Chilean "modismos" (slang).

The first day, we were able to practice swimming in strong current at the Rio Claro bridge in Los Quenes. All strong swimmers, the group learned how being effective in swimming in whitewater makes you a better rescuer. This was a great way to get the plane stank off too.

The next day, we took advantage of the river fed swimming pool at our campsite to work on rolls with all students. Even though most students had not paddled since August, they were looking sharp. Our beginner students worked on wet exits and learned the basics of the hip snap.

Before leaving Los Quenes to make our journey south, a small group of students paddled the lower 5 km of the Rio Claro. They enjoyed its crystal clear water (duh, hence the name) and fun Class III rapids. They're learning how whitewater in Chile is continuous and fast paced!

Today, we made a 5 hour push south, camping outside the Saltos de Laja, a giant waterfall. The students were excited to play taca taca, enjoy their first hot showers of the trip, and use the warmer swimming pool to work on rolling.

We'll have them post very soon. They say hello to all family, friends, and supporters who are following this blog!

Heading to Chile!!!

Woo hoo! Kristin and I have wrapped up our fall semesters and are doing last minute preparations. This time tomorrow, hopefully we're in the SLC airport on our way to Chile! Follow this blog to hear the adventures in the words of our instructors, and even better, the students.

Training in Durango, CO

Well, never a big fan of turkey, Kristin and I packed up the car and headed for Durango, Colorado. She had been invited to participate in a slalom training camp with Alzar School Advisory Committee member Cathy Hearn, and I couldn't resist the doughnuts of Doughworks (seriously, they're that good).

The Animas is super low, as you'd expect, but that doesn't stop those slalom athletes from getting in a great workout. They've been paddling three times a day, honing technique and strengthening muscles. The river is frigid, the air not much warmer, and you know Kristin is hardcore for doing it, and loving it! There's a good group of athletes out for the week, and the spirit of training is contagious. I watch some of the workouts in between logistic planning sessions.

Also, I've been sneaking down to the river at least once a day as well. Previously, I had only been in D-town during May when the Animas is cranking. Because the fall whitewater is not optimal, that has meant some technique touch-ups for me, as well as attainment work outs and sprints. My goal for the week is to get the shoulders and abs into shape for the upcoming Rivers of Chile 2010 expedition we'll be leading in December/January. I'm realizing the importance of taking care of those shoulders in the off season... makes for a much easier transition to daily paddling.

Plus, Durango has this amazing bike trail system next to the river, so I've been going for some extended jogs. Most amusingly, I got my butt kicked at an "Extreme Ab" workout at the local rec center last night. All in all, it's been a very successful trip.

The End of Summer

Water is no longer being released from the Deadwood Reservoir on the South Fork of the Payette, the Fall Semester of the MBA program has begun for Kristin, and students arrive in Sean's classroom this upcoming Monday. Looking back over the summer, we are pleased with what we have accomplished. F.L.O.W. 09 was a huge success, followed by record attendance at the Camp Cup event in North Carolina. We taught Kayaking at the most renowned and respected kayak school, Otter Bar. The Alzar School now released a brand spankin' new promotional video that you should have received in the mail (if not just let us know!). Pebbles has applied to be the first dog officially sponsored by a river company, AND we have been in business for FIVE YEARS!!!

This Fall, we will have our Board of Directors meeting. All advisory committee members are welcome to attend, but attendance is not mandatory. Early responses sound like we will have a good turn out, with folks coming in from North Carolina, Montana, and Utah. The Rivers of Chile program is starting to fill. We've had lots of applicants from interesting students from all over, and love getting calls from people wanting more information! Space is still available, so we encourage you to apply.

There are rumors circulating the Alzar World Headquarters about a spring semester in Chile...but its too early to say more.

Sean, the head teacher is planning to climb two of Idaho's highest mountains this weekend, and the following weekend a team of Alzar Schoolians will head to the Boise River to participate in the River Sweep, cleaning up a section of the river running through town. Alzar School staff (aka Kristin & Sean) have trips planned to the City of Rocks, the Bliss Wave, and the Black Cliffs. It's sure to be a great few months at the Alzar School.

Why do we organize the Camp Cup?

Earlier, we wrote about the awesome people of the Camp Cup Challenge... the coaches, the volunteers, the kids. As I mentioned, that's one of the big reasons we put on the Cup; it's a lot of fun being around those folks. But, it's not the only reason we do it.

Last night, we were chatting with an experienced kayak instructor we met when we arrived here at the Otter Bar (www.OtterBar.com) to teach for a few weeks. He was very skeptical about why we would organize the Camp Cup, or even run the Alzar School. His thought was: "running a nonprofit sounds like a TON of work."

He was right, on some level. It takes a lot of paperwork, organizing, planning, scrimping for pennies, sweating, manual labor, cooking, cleaning, etc, etc. He suggested we just teach at a good kayak school, where the pay is better, the hours shorter, and enjoy ourselves.

We've done that before. We've taught with some great adult programs around the world. But, I guess what makes the Alzar School extremely worthwhile for us is getting to see the benefits the kids extract from their experiences. Giving our students the opportunity to experience the outdoors is phenomonally rewarding, truly worth all the hours of work we put in. The Camp Cup is just one example. We saw kids make new friends, challenge their boating skills, and build self-confidence. There were 112 kids, and I'm pretty sure they all got something out of the deal. They derive so much more than an adult does, I think, because they are at such a pivotal point in their lives. They are trying to identify who they are, what kind of person they want to be, and whitewater gives them an option that lets them be "cool" while still being healthy and unique.

So that is what makes whatever little busy work we did to make the event possible seem like a total bargain. At least some of that throng of kids will be lifelong paddlers, will help keep our rivers clean, will make good decisions because they learned how to do that through whitewater.

Check out the video we quickly put together:

People of the Camp Cup

One of the giant reasons the Alzar School gets so excited to help put on the Camp Cup Challenge is the chance to surround ourselves with dynamic, fun, committed people. Besides the 112 kids the event served this year, there were the forty-four volunteers from the 13 participating camps. These camp counselors, program heads, photographers, etc are all very committed to the idea of getting kids interested in the outdoors, through the venue of paddling. Having worked at a summer camp, we know the work is hard, the pay isn't great, and that you have to give up a lot of personal time (and space) to help these kids. That's why it's so impressive to see volunteers standing at the bottom of Nantahala Falls with throw ropes all day, sweating it out in the heat to time runs, or setting up lunch. The good news for the volunteers is that they get more than personal satisfaction out of the event. I saw numerous camp counselors exchanging greetings, making plans to paddle together in the future, and sharing laughs. We can't name all the volunteers here, but can't extend a big enough "thanks" for all their help. The event would truly be impossible without them.

At this year's Camp Cup Challenge, we were fortunate enough to have some of whitewater's "celebrities" there. What's really incredible about this is that these folks spend a huge majority of their professional time on the river, yet still are wildly enthusiastic to haul their boats up to run those kids through the course over and over. And, they're humble enough to man a throw rope if necessary, to wear goofy leis, and to give free advice to young paddlers. We had coaches and Olympic athletes, paddling heads from rival kayak schools, folks involved with two of the US's major paddling associations (the ACA and the USACK). It is rejuvenating to see folks who maybe sometimes have competing interests get along so well and have fun, all to make this event a great thing for the young paddlers. That's the spirit of whitewater, one of the reasons the Alzar School is so passionate about hooking kids into the outdoor scene.

A GIANT force behind the event was the American Canoe Association - Dixie Division (http://www.dixiedivision.net/). Once again, they were the generous host of the event, providing insurance, securing the Special Use Permit, and significantly upping the budget to make sure every kid got a healthy, delicious lunch. President Gordon Black was on hand, supervising safety at the bottom of the Falls with fellow rescue guru, Sam Folkes. These two titans of whitewater were pretty cool about giving responsibility to the younger counselors, and keeping the event about the kids. It was so great having them there!

As always, the Nantahala Outdoor Center (www.NOC.com) was a huge platinum sponsor for the event, making it possible by allowing us to use their incredible facilities. They also contributed financially, making it possible for each kid to go home with a sweet t-shirt to remember the event by and providing prizes. And, best of all, we had the support of Olympian Wayne Dickert, whose official job title is "Ambassador for the NOC." We'll never forget watching him hike his canoe back up in the rain during the training day to run more kids through the slalom course (while we sheepishly wolfed down dinner at the restaurant). You won't meet a better ambassador to the NOC or to the sport of whitewater paddling than Wayner (as he is affectionately known). Wayne was backed up by the whole NOC staff, who were extremely positive about the event and supported us with whatever needed to happen. A big shout out to Phillip, who helped hang gates, get bibs, wade through the icy water, etc.

Another pillar of the Nantahala Gorge was also immensely present in the form of the lovely Juliet Jacobsen Kastorff from Endless River Adventures (http://endlessriveradventures.com/). Juliet escorted so many kids through the Falls on the training day, it's impossible to keep track. She also helped Pablo coach kids in the gates, proving that, while she might not be a slalom racer, she sure can coach! ERA not only provided Juliet's stellar coaching, but took pictures, provided a TON of amazing prizes for the giveaway at the end of the day, and more.

Joe Jacobi (www.joejacobi.com) was present for the event day again this year, offering kids advice for running the gates and documenting the day through video and tweets. We're sure he'll have a commentary up on his site (see above) soon. With Wayner and Olympian Pablo McCandless, he also participated in the Counselor Cup, giving the kids a lunch time entertainment.

Last, but certainly not least, we had the coaching phenom Pablo McCandless in the house, imparting the lessons he picked up in Beijing last summer. What most of the racers didn't know is that Pablo was up at 7 AM to wade across the river to hang gates for the event. We're doing our best to get Pablo to work with the Alzar School on our "Rivers of Chile 2010" expedition this December, so keep your fingers crossed that the dates and stars align to make that happen. Pablo worked with US Junior Team Coach Rafal Smolen (also there to help coach the kids) to help spread the word about what kids can do to become more active in the sport of slalom kayaking and canoeing.

Wow! As you can tell, a lot of great folks (many unnamed) came together to make the Camp Cup Challenge 2009 a success.

Ellie’s Blog

I am super bummed that this trip is over because I’ve had so much fun! Overall, this trip has been totally different then the Alzar trip in Mexico. I think I’ve improved a whole lot and I’m not nervous being underwater or trying new stuff. What I really liked about this trip was that not only do the instructors teach you how to do things, the students teach too. I’ve also seen myself improve off the water. My leadership skills have grown and changed since A.I.M. (Adventure in Mexico), and I could definitely see my improvement on FLOW. This trip has been so awesome I don’t think there has been a single time when I’ve been bored. I also don’t’ think there was a time where I wasn’t either smiling or laughing. Looking back on the trip, I think it has been so awesome because everyone is so goofy and the rivers have been so different but so awesome too. I’ll definitely miss FLOW and my adventures on Alzar and hope to do other Alzar trips too.

Thanks Kristin, Sean, Katie, and Claudio for making this trip happen- it’s been a BLAST!

Glob by Connor Madigan

This trip has been a hesh learning experience for me. I have learned how to lead more efficiently, work better with different types of people, but most of all, and perhaps most importantly, I learned how to kayak. I started to get the hang of the fantastic things that is surfing. I also started on the road to mastering my roll, probably the most important maneuver. Kayaking has opened so many doors. Now I can go into bigger stuff, try new moves, surf, and have more confidence in my newfound abilities. I have just started to get the hang of all this new stuff that has been thrown indmy face. I have only begun to be enlightened as to all of the fun that I can have in this new sport.

McLeod's Blog Entry

This trip I have learned that there are a couple of types of people; those who do, those who watch, and those who think. No one person is only in one category, they are a cross of all of them, they just show one trait more prominently than the others. I have also learned to surround myself with people of all kinds so that I can learn from other points of view. But over all, the trip has been awesome.

Blog by Jeffrey Trufant

In this, my blog, there are a myriad of things about which I could write, but one is, by far, more important to me than most of the others. This thing is something that I began to learn before I embarked on my flight across the country to join Alzar. There are six billion people in this world- I only know a handful of them. Each of those people who are not in my handful- just like those who are- have, and create, opportunities for themselves, and unless I mix up my life every so often, the handful of people that I know my never expand and my opportunities may not either. There is a great big world out there- your own world is tiny, and you’ll never get out of it unless you throw yourself out. Give yourself a challenge, you can make it.

Final post by Mychal Hayes

Dear people of the regular world,

This will be my last blog entry of this trip. It saddens me that this trip is over. I have made some good friends that I hope to keep in touch with. My skills have improved on and off the water. My teaching ability and assertiveness has improved a lot since the beginning of this trip. Some of the best times of the trip were driving from the one river to another in the van. Those times were fun because we told a lot of stories and got to know each other. Other great times were after we got off the river and were sitting at the campsite talking. I’m glad I went on this trip and I wish it were longer.

Last thoughts by Robert Lapeyre

This trip has been amazing from all the beautiful places we have been to the kayaking; it is going to be unforgettable. Going in to this trip I wasn’t sure how I was going to like the whole leadership part, but I soon realized that it was pretty awesome. It was great being able to watch my paddling skills grow throughout the past three weeks. Looking back on the experience these is not anything that I regret. I definitely have a different and better perspective on leadership now that I have gone through F.L.O.W. If I were given the chance to do this again I would definitely do it.

Final Blog Entry, by Zoe Mroz

It’s pretty difficult to describe just how much I’ve learned these past three weeks. Having multiple opportunities throughout the trip to lead the group and learn from my mistakes and others’ mistakes, honing and establishing a larger basis for my own leadership skills, has pretty much cut out my work for the future improvements I’ll make. This trip has only scratched the surface as far as my personal growth as a leader goes, and has paved the way to many opportunities to continue developing myself as a future leader.

Having never kayaked before this trip, my three-week crash course was in-tents (ha- like camping)! My head is still spinning a bit because the sport is so involved. I’m so happy that I learned, though, because it’s incredibly fun. I will admit that I’m still slightly intimidated by whitewater, but I’d probably hop into a kayak anytime and push through a challenging rapid (though I should hope its at my level, of course.) One things for sure- I’ll NEVER look at whitewater the same way again!

Best moments of this trip include learning to roll (even if I don’t get it the first time), getting my sprayskirt on by myself, learning to set up and/or dissemble a tent in 10 minutes or less, being able to see the rural (beautiful) parts of Idaho and Cali and Oregon, scaling a giant wave on the Snake river without flipping, getting airborne on said wave, cooking s’mores by the fire with everyone, having interactive lessons with our awesome instructors, just shredding the gnarr in general, eating lots of new foods, tooth brushing parties, hanging out in Happy Camp, rafting with Pebbles, listening to comedians on my iPod with Ellie in our tent, catching a tiny glimpse of fireworks between pine trees on the 4th of July, and all the O.H.O. time in-between.

I won’t soon forget all the experiences I’ve gained on this trip.

Zoe's Blog #2

So I'm really excited about tomorrow because it's the 4th of July and we're staying in this phenomenally beautiful campsite, and we've made a really cozy settlement. The views are pretty amazing, so hopefully we'll get a good fireworks show.

Other than tha, I've been eating a lot of fruit/new foods and working a lot on rolling and I have FINALLY got it down. I even managed a combat roll on the Main Fork of the Payette. This was the second time we'd done this stretch but I'm really glad that we did because it is so much fun and accommodating for a beginning/intermediate kayaker like myself.

We have two more nights at this site on the Payette, and then two days on the Snake River. I'm quite excited to see what the leaders-of-the-day have in store for the group. That's always an adventure in itself!

Mychal's Blog Entry

Dear Citizens of the Regular World:

This trip has been a lot of fun. We started by going to the Klamath River. We ran that for three days, then went to the Cal Salmon and ran a couple of different stretches. We rafted and kayaked, the more experienced boaters paddled Clear Creek as well, which was fun. We also ran the South Fork of the American River, both the upper and lower stretches. There were some big holes and waves! Then, we drove to Reno and played in the whitewater park. We played for about 45 minutes.

After Reno, we drove to Boise and stayed at the Alzar World Headquarters. The next day we drove to the Payette and have been camping on a piece of property on near the South Fork. We've been running different stretches. First we ran the Main, then the Cabarton. On the Cabarton, after kayaking Howard's Plunge Conner, Robert, and I swam it, then jumped off a rock at the end. The next day, Robert, Ellie, Jeffrey, Conner, and I ran the Lower South Fork. Ellie and Robert got out above Staircase, the first larger rapid, and we finished.

Cali vs. Idaho, by Connor McLeod

The largest difference between the rivers in California and the rivers in Idaho is the volume of the rivers. In California, the rivers are very small in volume, for example take Clear Creek, which was running approximately 400 cfs. It was very small compared to the Mighty Main Payette, about 5,500 cfs. The American River was larger than Clear Creek, but still was only about half of the Payette. Also in California, the rivers are much more technical... take the "Gaping Maw..." some pretty technical moves but there were very few large waves, as on the Payette or the Snake, where there are huge waves but fewer technical movs. But over all, all of the rivers have been awesome in their own special way.

First Impressions, by Conner Madigan

So far we have shredded some hesh moves, crushed the gnar, and eaten a lot of food. We have some great times, and I have learned a massive ton.

1) Eat lots of food
2) Drink lots of water
3) Have patience when combat rolling
4) How to combat roll
5) The value of a shower
6) Lots of other stuff

It has been interesting to go face first into this new fangled sport known as kayaking. Swallowing water, getting accustomed to being upside down, and the concept of plowing into a force of water that is twice your size are things that take some getting used to. While were were taking breaks from shredding or being shredded, depending on your skill level, we have been doing work, coordinating logistics, and planning for future days. The task of planning and leading individual days has been interesting. Wearing the leadership pants requires a lot of things… you have to be able to keep track of everyone, all of the gear, the schedule, and Pebbles. It requires thinking and responsibility. So far the trip has been great and it will be really fun to see how the rest of it shakes out.

Clear Creek, by Robert Lapeyre

So far, in my opinion, there has not been a part of F.L.O.W. that has not been fun. We have paddled almost 10 different river stretches so far and they have all been awesome. With each river being different from the others in many different ways, my personal favorite would be Clear Creek. This creek, one of the most technical stretches we have paddled, was incredible. Between the clear blue, refreshing water and the powerful rapids, it could not have been any more fun.

The first couple days of this trip were sort of relaxing in the sense that we did not have to make any big decisions. That quickly changed when we started having leaders of the day. It is starting to feel like Kristin, Sean, and Katie are campers and it is up to us to decide what we are going to do. Going into my first day of being the leader, I definitely underestimated the difficulty and soon realized Sean and Kristin do not have an easy job!

Zoe’s Blog Entry 6.28.2009

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already been 10 days! So much has happened… and the days are so jam-packed with things to do that it’s really difficult to just find time to think about it all.

I’ve been having a great time learning the ropes—be it with cooking, packing things (so that everything fits), or kayaking. The other kids are really supportive and I think we’ve finally reached the point where we’re functioning as a single unit (today is the first day where we’re on time). Hahaha.

The rivers and rapids have been awesome. Some of the rapids we’ve kayaked/rafted are “The Barking Dog,” “Satan’s Cesspool,” “The Hospital Bar,” and “Meat Grinder,’ to name just a few.

I’m really looking forward to the artificial course in Reno, the food shopping day in Boise, kayaking the Payette, and gaining further strength on various virtues in order to become a better leader.

PS: I got an AWESOME sweater at that yard sale in Happy Camp, CA. :D

Zoe Mroz

Quick update- On our way to Reno

Hello! Sorry we haven't gotten too many posts lately... North Cali was pretty wifi remote. But, we just styled the Upper South Fork American today, and are heading to the Reno Whitewater Park, this afternoon. All the students are a lot of fun and are really growing as leaders. They are paddling well, treating each other well, and generally remind us why we run this non profit. Tomorrow we'll be in Boise (briefly) to restock with food, where the students will be making their menus. Then it's up to the Payette for a few days, then the Snake. So far, the river miles are adding up! We'll get more students to post tomorrow, and for those of you that are worried about it... almost all of them found some treasure at the garage sale in Happy Camp. Ellie was the one who ended up with the pink ski jacket, but there were some awesome finds!

More later, Sean

"Blast Off"

This trip has been phenominal so far; we have a great group of kids and the rivers are gorgeous and fun. I'm having a great time learning how to do tricks and different types of rolls. Every kid in the group is extremelly talented and has the ability to shar and teach their knowledge to everyone else. Just the other day I went creek boating- the water was so clear I could see all the way to the bottom.

Currently we are in Northern California paddling rivers like the Klamath and teh Cal-Salmon. Bigfoot is a big topic of conversation up here in the woods; today we spent time in a town called Happy Camp which has a huge statue of Bigfoot. There are eleven people total on this trip and everyone is extremely friendly and funny which makes it really hard not to have a good time. The food has been great, and I'm learning a lot, and I'm having so much fun.

P.S. Today I got a rad ski jacket from a yard sale. Its cropped, 3 quarter sleeves, and hot pink!

- Ellie George

Greetings from Boise!

I am excited to have the chance to get to post this first blog of the F.L.O.W. 2009 trip. My name is Katie, and in addition to working this trip, I also serve on the Advisory Committee and went to Mexico this winter with Alzar. I’ve been all over the world the past few years, but most recently have settled in Colorado, teaching and leading trips. Sean, Kristin, and I are also joined by Claudio, the fourth instructor. Claudio is from Chile and leads trips through South America and here in the U.S. He joined Alzar in Chile in 2007. In addition to being a very talented kayaker, Claudio is an enthusiastic leader and instructor, and I’m thrilled to get to work with him these next few weeks.

This week has been full of final preparations for the trip, including solidifying permits, putting together Alzar’s new raft (which we’re very excited to have), going on some scouting paddling trips, and much more. We’re all very excited to have the students arrive today and get the trip started. Tomorrow we’ll head out on our drive to California, where we’ll spend the first half of the trip. After paddling there, we will return to Idaho to paddle here for the remaining time of the trip. Personally, I am very excited about the rivers we’ll be paddling. I love having the chance to return to the scenic and big water of Idaho, but I’ll also be exploring for the first time, like the students, the rivers of northern California, which should be a wonderful experience.

This is Alzar’s fullest trip, with seven students. Coming from around the U.S. and here in Idaho, they bring a dynamic range of personality and talents that collectively will aid in the development of both technical and leadership skills for all. Welcome to Connor, Connor, Michael, Zoe, Jeffrey, Ellie, and Robert! You will have the chance to hear from them throughout the trip, as they document what we’re up to and all of our adventures.

Pebbles (Sean and Kristin’s dog who has been keeping me great company while I write this) has put down her toy and is looking up, as if to encourage me to wrap up so we can wait for the students. She is equally excited for the trip. Until the next posting, I hope you all get outside and enjoy the beautiful summer weather!

Getting ready...

Well, we're definitely getting close to the summer. Our FLOW 2009 course has 8 students accepted, registered, and excited to paddle. We still have three spots left, though we hear from new families every day. We've been hitting the boat swaps here in Boise. We're the lookout for a raft, kayaks to add to our fleet, and more. Today it was the swap at Idaho River Sports, which annually supports the Idaho Whitewater Association. We've had good luck so far, finding a sweet paddle for one of our students as well as coolers, oars, and crash pads.

We've also been getting on the rivers ourselves, fine-tuning our skills so we can keep our students on their toes. Last weekend, I was able to paddle both days, hitting up the Lower South Fork with some of the guys from the Idaho River Kids. Talk about some skilled paddlers! The rivers are starting to come up, which means we'll start seeing the amazing play spots on the Payette coming out (the Bladder, Bennett's, Climax). Some of our friends have even been able to hit up the Murtaugh Section of the Snake, one of Idaho's big water classics.

Other projects have included getting new hats made, fine-tuning our curriculum so our students can earn college credit, and wrapping up the school year. Kristin has only a couple of weeks left of her first year in the MBA program. That means final papers are due, exams are looming, and she'll be off to Durango for Team Trials. I've got a few more weeks ahead of me, with loads of grading and prepping still ahead. My job for next year is still up in the air. Between the two of us, we'll squeeze in as much paddling as possible.

More later,
Sean

Photos from Boise High's Outdoor Adventure Club Pool Session

In February, the Alzar School helped the Boise High School Outdoor Adventure Club put on its first event, a pool session where students learned the basics of whitewater kayaking. It was a great night, with more than 26 students showing up for the session. The more advanced teen paddlers did most of the teaching, with the Alzar School's administrators, Sean and Kristin Bierle, along with Advisory Committee member Ryan Crockett, providing some equipment and instruction.

Thanks to club members' fundraising, the event was free to them and their guests. We had the entire Boise State pool to ourselves for two hours, and the turnout was strong, especially since it was a Friday night. It was way cool and we hope to keep helping them get more kids involved in the outdoors.

I'm embedding some photos from the evening, check them out!

Spring or Winter?

As we get into March, the Alzar School is busy getting ready for the summer, even as there are random late snow storms. Yesterday, Kristin and I went to Bogus Basin and snowboarded for the first time in 2 years. Our rambling travels made it difficult to get up there, and I had sold my boarding gear before we headed to Costa Rica. But, after Bogus got 21 inches in 2 days, it was definitely time to beg/steal/borrow some gear and head up. We had a great time, spending the morning with my dad. We had talked about going paddling... but we're definitely warm-weather boaters when you can still ski!

Let’s see… what’s new at Alzar? Well, we were waiting, waiting, waiting, for the IRS to get back to us on our Form 1023 (the application for 501c3 status). Finally, they did, asking for some follow-up information. We responded to that as quickly as we could, and hope to be back on track for getting our official federal status soon.

Last weekend, we had a Board of Directors meeting, and it was good. We discussed insurance options, our Advisory Committee, and the upcoming FLOW 2009 course. Our Board is going to work to get more funds for the Idaho scholarship we are working towards, which is really exciting. Tony, our Treasurer, will be heading to Boston to run the Boston Marathon in April, and Katie, our Vice President, recently learned that she will be attending the University of Utah to work on her PhD in Molecular Biology.

We are seeing strong interest in our FLOW program for this summer. We have already accepted 6 students, with a maximum capacity of 11 students. We’re hoping to get around 8 signed up completely, which will be a good sized group to explore Idaho and California. It sounds like we are on track for permits, which is good.

Not much else is new. Pebbles is getting huge, and misses swimming in Mexico. I’m in limbo about my teaching job for next year, but have a promising interview this Wednesday. Kristin is hoping to race at Team Trials in Durango in May. More later!

- Sean

Yellowstone Wolves

Kristin and I are volunteering this weekend, helping our friend Erik Quissell lead a group of students in Yellowstone National Park. Erik is the sponsor of the TREE Club at Boise High School. TREE stands for Teens Restoring Earth's Environment, and the club participates in ecological restoration projects around the Treasure Valley. It also makes a trip every other year to Yellowstone, which is how I find myself in Gardiner, Montana on this beautiful winter day.

We got here by school bus, taking a loop through Pocatello/Idaho Falls/Dillon/Bozeman. In Dillon, not coincidentally, there was a huge sale at the Patagonia Outlet store, which we took advantage of. For our first day here in the Park, we visited hot springs around the the Mammoth Lodge and watched a slideshow put on the Rangers. This morning, we arose early and went searching for wildlife. A pair of dedicated wolf watchers generously shared their scopes with us, and we were able to spot (and hear) a lone female wolf howling for her pack. It was a pretty special experience. The students crowded in lines to take a look at the wolf, listening intently to the many stories of the wolf watchers.

Later today we'll be going snowshoeing and ice skating. The group of students are a lot of fun to be around and I am really glad Kristin and I were able to come on this trip. Also, it has been really nice because Erik has totally taken the lead on handling things, making it super easy for us to come along.

Winter planning and upcoming Yellowstone trip

Well, the Alzar School is back in the United States after a very successful "Adventure in Mexico" expedition. Sean is back at Boise High School, teaching away, and Kristin has begun a new semester in her MBA program. Our school focus has shifted towards preparing for the amazing summer program we are offering, "FLOW 2009." We admitted our first two students yesterday, and have several other students in the application process. We expect a great group of students for this program.

Even before that, the Alzar School is supporting the T.R.E.E. Club of Boise High School in its yearly trip to Yellowstone National Park. "T.R.E.E." stands for Teens Restoring Earth's Environment. This club, sponsored by Erik Quissell (one of the Alzar School's Advisory Committee members) engages high school students in projects to better our local environment. They visit Yellowstone in an effort to learn about wolves and the amazing geology of that National Park. Both Kristin and Sean will serve as instructors/chaperones/leaders of this year's trip, which will be taking place over Presidents' Day weekend. We'll be sure to fill you in on that trip.

For now, here are some photos from the Adventure in Mexico expedition to satiate your appetite for Alzar School happenings. Remember, if you are interested in joining on our summer course, FLOW, apply soon!

Waterfalls, by Ellie

Standing on the stairs above the first waterfall, I finally unclenched my hands from the railing and prepared for one of the most exciting things to happen in my life. We all had butterflies, especially watching another group of kayakers disappear over the drop. Becca was the first to go down the waterslide, then me, and then Maggie. The feeling of going down the slide was indescribable. Just before going down the first one, I remember deep breathing, concentrating on where to go, and the thought of what I was about to get myself into. While going down I wanted to scream and squeal because I was having so much fun. I lifted my paddle above my head and before I knew it, I was on the surface absolutely elated. After conquering one waterfall, I felt like I could do anything. Of course, running the next six waterfalls I was definitely nervous, but I had so much confidence that it didn’t really matter. We scouted each one, so we all knew what to expect, but each one was different and after each one I felt so exhilarated. The best part of the day was definitely looking back at all of the waterfalls that we just did; their beauty was unfathomable and the feeling of accomplishment was irreplaceable. I was able to test myself, push my limits just before going down each one which has made me a stronger person altogether. I will never forget how proud I was of myself and everyone else while looking back behind us at the water cascading down. The only question I had about running the waterfalls was whether I wanted to jump off them, or run them in my kayak. I will never forget the feeling of nervousness before running them, suspense while watching my friends go down, accomplishment and pride looking back at what we had just down, and of course, excitement and exhilaration while going down each waterfall. The confidence this trip, along with the seven waterfalls, has instilled in me will last a lifetime, and my memories will too.

End of the Maggie Trilogy

It is strange to think that tomorrow, I will be back home in New Orleans. I will be back in my city, with my family and friends, sleeping in my own bed… back to the old grind. I don’t feel ready to leave Mexico, because for the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve experienced a genuine adventure. Yes, I’ve been to camp, paddled rivers, climbed mountains, and slept in the woods…but there is something about this trip that has pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me in very unique ways. Leaving the United States and traveling to different countries is definitely something that I think everyone should try and do at some point during life. Regardless of where you go, who you’re with, and whether or not you speak the language…international travel can five you a chance to see the world and its inhabitants from a completely different perspective. I am so grateful that I came on this trip, because there really is just no denying the impact that cultural immersion has on a young person. Everything from directly interacting and experiencing the mountains and rives of Mexico has helped me to understand who I am and where I want to go in life. Stepping back from the superficial worries and demands that can so easily take over our lives as teenagers in the USA and leaping into a different culture and lifestyle is refreshing. It has served as a huge wake-up call for me, because I remember the elements of life that are universal: friends, family, love, nature, and adventure. The amazing experiences and realizations that have hit me while in Mexico will be a part of me, hopefully long after I leave here. I feel like every day here has been a non-stop adventure, and that is due not only just to the amazing paddling, but also to each and every aspect of life here the we’ve been opened to.

Attempt to Describe the Indescribable - by Becca

The trip to Mexico has been indescribable. It’s difficult to talk about one part of the trip in order to sum up what I have learned from this experience. I have learned to be more giving and grateful of what I have when we took the hike up to Xopilapa, the sight we saw at El Tajin taught me about the culture and history in Mexico, the ones that had existed before our time, and the ones who still exist today. The river experiences have been incredible, especially the last one we ran. The daring “rock slides” made me feel proud of the group and myself. We have traveled from very rural, to large cities, and the change always was interesting to see. For me, finding peace with change and different places has always been something I have worked on everyday. The challenge is exactly why I like these trips. It makes me a stronger, wiser person, but we are learning outside of classrooms. As I live through a day I think about good leadership and personality qualities I want to portray to others. Today, on our way to Tampico, we stopped at Xilitla to see the garden of Edward James. It is a huge elaborate architecture display of wild ideas, shapes, and stairs. The man who had it built was very wealthy and seemed to be a little out there. The people who are different and bold enough to create a home such as this are the ones who create the amazing things in this world. As I was carefully winding down the spiral staircase, taking plenty of pictures, I was thinking about what it would be like to meet this man. Would he be selfish? Selfless? Funny? Open-minded? Cranky? I searched through the art in the buildings to try and find the answer, but I couldn’t find one. Both contradicting characters seemed to fin this style of scenery. Instead, I imagined myself building a home like this, and years later people would look at it, weave through it and wonder the same thing I wondered today. The difference, in my home and gardens I would somehow show the important qualities to good character, in hopes of making them think about the world outside their own, as well as themselves in how they act and help the world. I don’t think I would even have enough money to create large kooky, twisty, tricky buildings today, but the point is, before this trip, I wouldn’t of thought anything about character if I saw these buildings. This trip to Mexico has been indescribable, but I hoped I have described it enough so you can grasp why these kinds of experiences are the ones one should have in his/her lifetime.

La cuenta de Marisol, 1.3.2009

Hola!
Bueno para empezar en este pequeno pero importante viaje que hice con mis amigos de Alzar School, para mi fue muy gratificante e incredible; descrubi cosas sobre mi misma que no sabia y que tenia. El primer dia que pase con ellos fue divertido por que me ensenaron muchas cosas sobre el kayak que apesar de que nosdoia me dijieron que estaba aprendiendo muy rapido y a buen ritmo. Por la tarde fui con ellos a remar solo un poco al rio de Cuetzala, per me di cuenta de un problema, lo mas importante y no lo sabia REMAR! Con ayuda de mi maestra Katie aprendi y despues con ayuda de Sean pude un poco mas; en la noche tuvimos una deliciosa cena en la que yo ayude a cocinar. Al dia siguente, regresamos a Cuetzala y esta vez aprendie como pasar por una corriente me llevaba, hasta que por fin pude! Regresamos a Jalcomulco y tuvimos un tiempo para hacer tarea y en la noche a cenar algo rico. El martes fue un dia muy importante para mi amiga Mayan y yo ya que fue el primer dia que ibamos a bajar el rio, pero, lo bajamos los dos en pato; la experiencia que tuve fue algo maravulloso para ser nuestra y mi primera vez en el rio. El miercoles fue un dia muy malo para mi ya que amaneci enferma y por esa razon no pude bajar por el rio en kayak pero mi amiga Mayan si, su experiencia fue incredible (bueno eso fue lo que ella me dijo); es dia fue ano nuevo y tuvimos una cena pequeno pero muy rica! Al dia siguen te hicimos un viaje a una pequena comunidad llamada Xopilapa, salimos de Jalcomulco por la manana e hicimos una larga y consada caminata entre bosques y montanas para poder llegar a la pequena comunidad en la cual junto con todos mis maestros y companeros, Sean, Kristin, Jessica, Maggie, Ellie y Becca; al llegar a Xopilapa (a la que por cierto fuimos por que Sean y Kristin querian llevar alguno utiles para la escuela y pequenos regalos para los ninos de ese lugar) fuimos a casa de una senora la cual fue muy amable al recibirnos en su casa llamada Guadalupe, ella junto con su familia nos dieron hospedaje y comida; despues de estar un pequeno momento decidimos dar los utiles para los ninos, asi que nos llevaron a la pequena escuela de esa comunidad y Sean me asigno la tarea antes de empezar a repartir de hablar con las personas y explicarles que era el Alzar School y que cosas les habiamos llevado y el motivo por el cual los visitamos; esa pequeno explicacion fue muy bueno por lo que ellos me dijieron y descubri que tenga la habilidad de poder comunicarme con las personas.

Pasamos la noche en casa de Dona Guadalupe y nos despertaoms muy temprano al siguente dia ya quen teniamos que regresar a Jalcomulco; el camino fue un poco mas pesado pero mas corto, aunque me di cuenta de que cuando me propango algo intento o lucho. Por alcanzarlo y eso fue muy bueno para mi persona; en la tarde fuimos de compras mas comida para el campamento. Con my ayuda, Sean logro no percterse en Xalapa y no tomar caminos equivocados, ya que las carreteras de Xalapa son un poco mas complicados! Al regreso a Jalcomulco, todos nos preparamos para cenar y tuvimos nuestra reunion, despues nos fuimos a dormir. El Sabado fuimos al Rio Actopan el cual fue otra experiencia incredible. Bajamos de Nuevo el Rio en Pato Mayan y yo, aunque al principio nos costo porque yo no podia muy bien llevar el pato y darle direccion, pero al final con un buen trabajo en equipo de las dos logramos llegar al final del recorrido, el problema de este rio al del anterior fue que sus rapidos eran muy largos y su nivel esta bastante bajo por lo cual era mas dificil pasar por los rocas. Este viaje me enseno cosas muy importantes de las cuales estoy muy orgullosa de haber aprendio y haber tenido la oportunidad de vivir. No podria haber pasado unas mejores vacaciones que estas, estoy muy contento de haber conocido a estas fantasticos y marvillosas personas loas cuales me prindaron so amistad sin condicion, verdadermente muchas gracias a Sean, Kristin, Jessica, y Katie por haberme ensenado poco pero much sobre el kayak y tambien a mejorar un poco mi ingles y descubrir muchas cosas que no sabia que tenia a mis pequenas pero grandes companeras de cuarto y amigas Ellie, Becca y Maggie por al igual que mis instructores ayudarme y brindarme su amistad y por sertes de una poca de ayuda para que ellas aprendieran a hablar mas el espanol y descrubrir que son todos unas magnificas personas, estoy muy agradecida y espero que esta experiencia algun dia se vuelva repetir y no desperdiciar esta oportunidad tan grande la cual tuve el placer de vivir y poder contar a todos ustedes.

Muchas gracias!

Les deseo a todos una bonita experiencia.

Attentamente,
Marisol Anell Soriano
Jalcomulquena de corrazon

A perfect beginning, by Ellie 1.3.2009

Talk about an exciting past couple of days! We experienced how people celebrate New Years Eve down here. Some houses make old men stuffed with plastic and fireworks and dress them up in outfits, which includes a mask; seeing them in front of the colorful houses was a little scary. Around dinnertime, someone dressed up with the mask of their old man, and danced and sang in front of our door and wouldn’t go away until we gave him money. At twelve o’clock, on New Years, they burn the stuffed old man, who symbolizes the past year. Besides watching a stuffed man turn to ashes, we also learned that you are supposed to eat twelve grapes, on for each month, and make a wish on each. When we woke up on New Years day, we quickly got dressed, ate, and set out for our hike, which was nine miles or so- no big deal. The hike, or caminata, from Jalcomulto to Xopilapa was very challenging, but it was all worth it when I reached the top of the montain and saked in the beautiful sightes of the mountains covering the horixon. Standing there, looking out at the canyons drenched with green trees, whith my friends at my side, and a donkey carringing all of our school supplies, was the perfect mixture for a great day- and that was only the beginning. As we progressed into rural Mexico, my excitement to give all of the supplies to the kids grew immensely. When we reached Xopilapa, we quickly hurried over to the school, where all the kids were waiting for us. We organized our supplies into piles as the kids organized themselves into two lines according to age and gender. Just before we handed out all of our things, Marisol stood up and spoke to the kids. The way she captivated the audience was so inspiring. The little kids looked up to her with big eyes filled with excitement and it was at that moment that I thought Marisol should run for president. While handing out pencils and crayons to them, I realized how much a thing like a pencil could do for them, they were grateful for all of the things that they got; for me I realized how fortunate I am and how great it felt giving things away.
After that, we went and relaxed by the river for a while; when we returned to the house we were going to stay at for the night, we were welcomed with a nice, hot authentic Mexican meal. We had beans, rice, and hand-made tortillas filled with deliciousness. After I got a tour of the town, I played various games with the kids at the house, like running around, skip-it, spinning around in circles, and soccer.
The next day we had a great breakfast of tortillas, beans, and eggs with some sort of red sauce. During our walk back to Jalcomulco, Becca and I sang numerous duets for the lower-school Christmas concerts and time just flew by. When we got back to the hotel, we took showers and ate lunch. We then left for Jalapa to get groceries. The car ride was fun because we got to decide exactly what we were going to be having for dinner for the next five days and buy them in the grocery store. I wandered through the aisles looking for a soup that everyone liked—looking back on it, I probably looked pretty silly. That night, Jessica, Maggie, and I made dinner and after that Becca and I walked to the paleteria and got chocolate and coconut nieve (which is icecream but Bluebell or Coldstone can’t even compare)… it kind of has the consistency of dough.
Today (January 3rd) Becca and I were the “leaders of the day” and we got to pick which rivers we were going to go on, when we were going to wake up, have meals, and so on. Today we paddled el Rio Actopan and it was one of the funnest rivers ever. Each rapid was really long and had plenty of waves and holes and swift currents. We tried surfing in a spot which was really challenging; then we also tried doing some tricks (by the way, surfing is something you do in your kayak, we didn’t bring a surfboard, Dad). These past couple of days have made out to be a perfect beginning for 2009.

Maggie Volume II

It is necessary to start this blog by saying that Mayan is the first girl in Jalcomulco to be able to roll a kayak. She is rolling in the pool right now with Sean, and I am excited for her. So many awesome things have been going on, I don’t even know where to begin. I think it’s safe to say that New Year’s Eve was one that I will never forget. At midnight, scare-crow like figures were burned and grapes were eaten for good luck in the new year. It’s hard to describe exactly what it was like, but regardless of the fact that I was kind of out of the loop, the feelings of celebration and community were definatley there. People smiling, strangers hugging, a scare-crow clowing up in flames..what better way to celebrate a new year. The only downfall was the loud music that vibrated our hotel all night… ha!

New Year’s Day that will remain with me forever. We loaded up TONS of school supplies on the back of a mule, packed our bags, and hiked to the estemely rural town of Xopilapa. Mayan, Marisol, Becca, Ellie, Kristin, Sean, Jessica, myself, ate the oh-so-lovable Beto (the mule-steerer) hiked for about nine miles as Pebbles tagged along. It was brutal but the burning in my calves and thighs was so worth it. The long hike and the scenery that we saw really helped me to see how lucky I am to be a part of this world. I can’t explain exactly how I felt during the hike, but it was the perfect mixture of delirium, gratefulness, and excitement for what was to come.
We finally reached Xopilapa and after Marisol spoke to the children and townspeople, we handed out all of the school supplies. Kristin and Sean pretty much left it up to the five of us to decide how to hand it out, and I have to say that we did pretty awesome! The smiles on the faces of those children are imprinted into my heart.

After a night of awkwardly sleeping (or not sleeping) next to snoring Beto, we began our journey back to Jalcomulco. We were all kind of tired, thanks to the choir of roosters/dogs/cats/Beto’s snoring that had been going on all night, but we attacked the trail with a since of fulfillment. We had to climb ladders that were placed along the mountain trail, and the views that we got to see (plateaus, a mountain with a snowy top, messages written on the stone) made them well worth it. When we got back the hotel, we were so tired, but finished off the day by doing some grocery shopping in the city. We had one task: groceries for five dinners, under a $100 budget. We did it, but it wasn’t easy- so many different kinds of soup! After that, I proceeded to get lost in a Wal-Mart’s toyville with Sean…it was like Santa’s workshop exploded (complete with kids running around like crazy). It looked so fun. Definitely not like the New Orleans Wal-Mart. Today, we paddled the Rio Actopan. It was beautiful! The waves were huge. I get so annoyed with myself when my boat flips or I get turned around…but I try to remember…its NOT that big of a deal. Life goes on. Keep trying to do better. I remember the love and hospitality of the people of Xopilapa, and through I tower over them and speak a different language like some Martian, they’ve helped me realize that life isn’t always about being the “greatest” or absolutely perfect. So, that being said, maybe I’ll roll better tomorrow. And maybe I won’t. I’m just so grateful to be here.

A Change in Pace, by Becca 1.3.2009

Mexico has been awesome so far! I was supposed to write about it days ago, but it all passes by too fast. Two days ago, we took a long hike up to Xopilapa. The hike made our legs hurt, but the view was worth it. The whole trip was worth taking; we got to gather and give a bunch of school supplies to children who don’t get those kinds of things easily. It made me think about how lucky I am, and how things can be taken for granted so easily. The kids looked so excited to receive pencils, paper, stickers; whereas shopping for school supplies at home has never been the highlight of my year. I truly am lucky and the experience made me grateful.
After the hike, we all drove to Xalapa and shopped for our dinners. Mayan and Marisol were a big help in the grocery stores. It’s really cool having two girls from Mexico on the trip. I feel my Spanish is improving from talking to them and they know their way around Jalcomulco very well, which is the town we are currently staying in. They are very nice, along with everyone on the trip. Unfortunately, Marisol is leaving us tomorrow night and Mayan is leaving Tuesday. It makes me sad, but I’m glad they were part of my experience in Mexico.
Today, we paddled a very fun river in Actopan. The rapids were very continuous and lots of fun! We paddled for most of the day, and today, Ellie and I were “leaders of the day,” and we make the decisions and lead the group for the day. For example, we helped find a way to and from Actopan and we decided we wanted to paddle the river in Actopan and what we wanted to do the rest of the day. Tonight, we will get feedback about how we led to help us become better leaders. Mexico has been awesome so far and I am excited for what’s left to come!