Joandra and the Academia

Yoandra: Hello, my name is Yoandra, I have two brothers Max and Edgar. I love sports and I love running.

My mom was good at that and I know I will be better than her, because that’s what my trainer says. He says I have all the potential to become the best runner of the world. I am in fourth grade of elementary school and attend school in the morning. I am a good student because my grades are good. In the afternoon I go to my training sessions in the stadium.

I want to say that I love my coach because he is so kind to all of us.

Roberto: Nine year old Yoandra Yady Martinez Aragon was born in Rivas, Nicaragua.

She comes from a very economically poor family which was only recently able to save enough money to complete the corrugated metal roof over their three room home. But it is also a family rich in running history. Yoandra's mother, Jacqueline Aragon, used to compete in the 400 and 800 meter dash in the 80's and has won the Central American championship.

Jacqueline is willing to help her daughter in every way she can, although she is a single mother and she is working very hard to provide food and a good education for Yoandra with the little incomes she makes as an independent saleswoman.

Nicole: I'd like to point out that Yoandra's trainer is her cousin Roberto!

One hot December day last year, she was on vacation from school and came over to visit. The power was out, so without much else to do, we sat on the breezy front porch and I quizzed her on multiplication tables and long division.

She got every problem right.

Yoandra has won so far against incredible odds of poor educational opportunities, a drug and violence infested neighborhood and cultural prejudice relegating girls only to passive, sexual and maternal roles.

The Academia de Atlestismo would provide the support, comraderie and discipline that could keep her story a success throughout adolesence and into adulthood. But to do this, we need help. The Academia is providing professional training, clothes, shoes, doctor's visits, vitamins, nutritious food and more to their athletes.

All donors who provide a mailing address will receive a thank-you card with the signatures of all the athletes. If you would like to donate in someone else's name, please provide their name and address. (although sooner rather than later if it's for Christmas since the card will be coming from Nicaragua and usually takes about 1 1/2 weeks to arrive).

If you would like to donate with a credit card, simply click on the 'Donate' button on the top right of the screen. (Remember 2.9% of the amount will be taken out for accounting costs by the Paypal system)

If you would like to donate by check, just email me at the address in the upper right corner of the screen and I can get you the information you need.

If you would like to see what is needed and what costs are, as well as more information about the Academia, please click here.

If you would like any additional information, please contact me at the email address in the upper right corner of the screen.

Hey you! Thanks for reading all the way to the end! :)

Hey! You Forgot Your...

Coyote...

Republican vs. Social Service

Click on image for interactive map from the New York Times to see food stamp rates.

Wyoming is a traditionally Republican state, no surprise there. However, here in Sheridan, that does not bear on social services. There are over 150 registered nonprofits in this town of 15,000 people.

The beliefs that the government should stay out of the way and that a community should take care of itself, including the impoverished among them, are not mutually exclusive.

In some ways, it makes so much sense. By cutting government programs out of the picture, taxes aren't as high (theoretically, as there is no Wyoming state income tax anyway) and so people who need those programs aren't being charged for them. Social service programs are supported by private donations, foundations and grants, many of which are local and therefore can address issues that pertain specifically to that community.

I've just never seen it actually work that way before.

But in this small community without many people moving in or out, it does seem to.

Time Difference

It's amazing how the same thing can look so different depending on how much time you give it.

The Way We Used To

I love camping. I love getting up in the mountains, having everything I need on my back. Feeling part of something so beautiful, so permanent and still so temporary.

But, I also love my new double wall, 30 ounce Big Agnes tent, my 10 ounce Sierra Design rain jacket, my 3 ounce MSR Pocket Rocket stove, and my thermarest.

In other words, I like being spoiled while I'm in the middle of nowhere. Maybe not spoiled in the 'in-hotel spa' sort of way, but spoiled in the 'dry and warm or at least will dry out quickly' sort of way.

That may also help explain why I have 3 tents, 3 backpacks, 3 systems of water purification, 4 rain jackets (oh, no, I think that's because I lived in Seattle).

With a multitude of outdoors sports stores and even more brands of equipment to choose from we are truly spoiled in a way never before known.

Here in Wyoming, we're a little closer to those days before gortex, some of the most authoritative writing on the wilderness here hasn't changed in a very long time. So one of the most helpful books for unofficial trails is the Field Book: The Bighorn Range.

Originally copyrighted in 1960, the version I have is from 1977. Some things haven't changed, like their advice on how to get where you want in the Bighorns. But others, well, take a look at the camping list.

On the left side you'll see evidence of life before the internet (you have to write people to get information on actual paper!) and on the right side, surprisingly optional equipment includes maps (well, I suppose if you don't have GoogleEarth!).

It makes me want to hug my synthetic fabrics (comfortable, quick drying AND light).

August Fields

It's amazing how the summer has flown by! It feels like it was just a month and half ago I was posting pictures of snow. Oh wait, that was a month and a half ago!

The fields are drying out to golden now as we begin August. Rain is more sparse even though it may come with more noise.

The year is passing in a familiar way.

Often in Nicaragua I would become seasonally disoriented. It would take a moment or two to remember what month I was in because the countryside lacked all familiar indications of time of year.

But here, I am intrinsically accustomed to the subtle changes.

The fawns are becoming more bold. I startled one on the road this morning. It's butt was towards me as it was playing and it wasn't until it's friend started running away that it turned, jumped (literally four hoofs off the pavement an inch) and scampered away. I was pretty much stopped a few feet away by that time.

The creek I cross every morning and afternoon shows more rocks above it's surface.

I don't worry about rain on construction days because even if there's a sprinkle, it won't last more than an hour or so.

They're lovely days while they last!

The West

Deep breath, in a different way.

It's another version of the west.

It's the Little Things

Just a little moment to realize how lucky you are.

This is Kat's groundbreaking, the start of her half of a 2200 sf duplex. That's 1100 sf of 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen.

Her own little slice of heaven.

Rodeo Week

It has started!

She's Such a Giver

It's Rodeo Week here in Sheridan! And the kick-off is a... kick-off.

The boot kick-off is a Sheridan tradition to start off the week and this year, Katie Lloyd, Habitat for Humanity Americorps volunteer won with a kick of 71 feet 1 inch!

The article mentions that Katie and another one of the volunteers were practicing with their steel toed work boots at the house site earlier in the day, but somehow in my supervisory visits, I missed seeing it.

Katie ran track for CSU and is currently training for a half marathon, but I'm sure that has nothing to do with her winning!

She is just such an awesome volunteer that she does anything she can to help spread the name of Habitat! You know, like getting on the front page of the paper!

Thanks Katie!

There's Just Something About the West

Deep breath.

Lucky in Wyoming

This was one of the views at the campground over the weekend.

Complete dependence on constant power.

Not that it is inherently bad; believe me, it sure is a lot more comfortable and productive to have power at your fingertips (including batteries!).

When I lived in Seattle with all those other treehuggers it was hard for me to believe that there were people in this country for whom the destructive power of fossil fuels wasn't obvious.

But it is actually really difficult to see the extent of the impact of coal and natural gas industries here in Wyoming where the population of the entire state is just over 550,000.

There almost no litter, no air pollution, no crowding.

For today, in this place, there is still enough space for everyone to be individuals and to do as they see fit.

I wonder if they know how lucky they are.

The Long Weekend

I hope you had a wonderful fourth of July!

Mine was spectacularly American and the first one I've celebrated since 2006.

Lake, sun, trout, grill, camping, friends, fireworks, not necessarily in that order.

Calves

Are you my baby?

Where's my baby?

They look so soft and cute

And loud and skittish.

Branding Specialists

First off, it wouldn't be a branding without a brander! There are two brands that are kept hot by a propane flame. He switches off so that the brand is always hot, effective and quick. (by the way, that's hair burning, which is also what it smells like)

The vaccinator isn't necessary, as long as you don't mind running after all the calves again or having a sick and probably illegal herd. Soooo, it's a good idea.

Ropers get the calves where the work is done by lassoing their hind legs and sliding them over the grass.

A few of the moms are in the corral with the calves, but most are outside waiting. Not waiting patiently either. I was amazed how loud it was. Even in the middle of the country, if there's 100 mooing moms, it's loud!

The calves are then flipped onto their back/side by one person pulling the tail and the other pulling the rope that has the legs. It's a leverage thing.

Then they're held down, one person at the head and one at the feet so that everyone get get to the parts they need access to!

Then we have the surgical castration. Again, very important only if you want a good, healthy herd.

When I held the hind legs of one of these calves, it wasn't easy, but they really only flinched when the branding iron first touched and the first cut of the knife. I was surprised at how little they struggled once they were down.

And Gordon, he and Edith (who I know from Habitat) own this ranch and threw the branding party!

With a View

Good Monday Morning!

Don't you wish this was the view from your office?

Real Cowboys

On Sunday I went to a branding at a friend's ranch.

While most everything went smoothly, one calf got let go and ran off before the holders realized he was missing an eartag.

Fortunately running after him was the break a few of the cowboys needed from the real 'work' of the day.

Reclining Nude

I went to a friend's ranch the other day for a branding and passed a lot of cows on the way there and back.

None, however, quite compared to this lovely lady lounging in the grass.

First Impressions

So Sheridan hasn't been very welcoming.

Don't get me wrong, the people are friendly, they're great, actually, really warm (and that's everybody, I've had random people on the side of the road smile at me as I drove by (should I be paranoid?)).

But the weather has not been warm, to say the least.

But I'm promised that spring comes to this land too and that someday (hopefully soon!) I will actually get to see the tops of the mountains.

Snow dripping off pine needles.

Expectations

I'm still getting settled in here at the new job and home, so I thought I'd provide some entertainment before your weekend.

In Nicaragua, I was often surprised at how little was considered normal. No ceiling (just a corrugated metal roof), no kitchen cabinets (no oven either), no sink in the bathroom (and no running water during most of the day).

But then I'm reminded that those things weren't always normal here either. Just after WWII a home in Levittown averaged 750 SF. I probably don't have to tell you, that's not average anymore.

subprime from beeple on Vimeo.