On a rainy Sunday afternoon I spent several hours in my basement cutting glass. Taking a break from a long week of writing it was a pleasant diversion. With my mind and my hands I created something tangible, unlike my stories, an expression of art you can feel and touch. In the process though I seem to have manifest a better understanding of my life’s purpose.

Recently I had become enthralled by a geometric pattern called the Endless Knot. A symbol of Tibetan Buddhism well known to our community of climbers, the design represents the interweaving of the spiritual path, a flowing of time and movement within that which is eternal. As a meditation on the pattern I created a practice of constructing stained glass window ornaments. A series of simple straight-line cuts and 45-degree angles in 23 pieces, this little project traces a never-ending course of convolution that inevitably leads back exactly where it began. Some say it’s a map of the universe. I’ve made four so far and there’s one in progress.

Originally I started making these Endless Knots as gifts to donors and sponsors of the Joy Trip Project. They’re available for purchase as well and the money goes to offset my travel expenses when I’m on the road. As a way of saying thank you to those kind enough to support my work these knots are a small but intimate expression of gratitude. But like most gifts the creation of these patterns gives back to me in joy and piece of mind far more than I receive in cash contributions. Relaxed and a bit more focused I write a few more stories. My work is exposed to a broader audience. My sponsors are pleased. Another check comes in. I get another assignment. I write some more. I build another knot. And the gift perpetuates.

I’ve discovered that my life’s purpose is to give every bit as much as I’m prepared to take. As a freelancer often my ability to give is stifled by what I might loose if I incur the cost of producing a story without the means to pay for it. But as a reporter it’s my job to take stories and share them with as many people as possible. As I observe the world around me, I focus my attention on those who make expressions art through music, film, photography, literature and painting. I follow the work of those who dedicate their lives in the service of others through philanthropy or environmental protection. And I seek to understand those who risk their lives in the pursuit of adventure and inspire all of us to exceed our limitations.

I take all of this in. These people and their stories enrich my life. It’s my privilege to pay it forward in my reporting, my photographs and in stained glass in hopes of inspiring others to share their stories as well. In the perpetuation of giving and taking the Endless Knot winds its way through time returning to where it began, continuing an eternal cycle of renewal.

photo by Meghan Peterson

“Because living in New York City you can kind of feel like you’re in a bubble. Maybe any city is like that,” Morrigan said. “But that everyone around you has the same opinion and is in the same boat, especially when it comes to the environment. You know we should be recycling, we should be taking care of the planet.”

In a community full of liberals Morrigan and Alan believed that everyone would be eager to embrace sustainable practices and a lifestyle to mitigate the damaging effects of climate changes.

“But then we would see these poles and watch the news and it didn’t seem to be that way elsewhere, Morrigan said. “Otherwise every body would just be in the same boat and something would be happening. But we decided to take off and figure out what Americans were actually thinking. And Americans have all sorts of opinions.”

So the two started making plans to travel around the county taking pictures and asking questions. Through their journey, called Project Tandem Alan and Morrigan wanted to connect with everyday Americans across all walks of life to discover what they thought about the planet’s changing climate.

“So basically we decided to do it on bicycle, which almost started by default,” Morrigan said. “My father told me once about a friend he had in college who had biked across the country and we thought oh that’s so cool.”

Alan said it started with biking across the country. “And then we got to talking about it more and we figured how hard could it be to bike around the country and so it would give us the full diversity of America,” he said. “Because if we only went across the country we would only hit a certain thin band of America where we wanted to get as much of the population as we possibly could.”

Traveling just the two of them Alan and Morrigan peddled two bicycles 11,000 miles around the United States. Project Tandem aimed to illustrate the true opinions of the American people and what they truly believe when it comes to protecting the environment.

New music this week by Chad Farran from his album Another Ride. Find more of his work online at www.chadfarran.com.

This podcast is brought to you thank to generous support of our sponsors Recreational Equipment Inc. REI and Patagonia. We don’t take money from just anyone. Sponsors of the Joy Trip Project support our mission of an active lifestyle through outdoor recreation and community involvement. Support us by supporting them.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this podcast help spread the word by posting a link to it on your Facebook page. Or send it as a tweet to your followers on Twitter. Social media is vibrant exchange of ideas join the conversation by becoming engage. Post your comments the Joy Trip Project blog or send us an email to info@Joy Trip Project.com.

Share your stories. share your passion for outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and practices of sustainable living. You just might inspire our next Joy Trip together. But most of all don’t forget to tell your friends. Until next time take care.

The Beautiful Empty Photo Conspiracy calls for the creation of original pictures from across the country. Photojournalist Lucia De Giovanni curates the collection that will be on display at the Fox Theater in Boulder on June 12^th. The event coincides with the release of the album by the indie band John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light.

“I think artists of all types should collaborate more… this project is an excuse to do that,” Common said in an exchange via Facebook. “There aren’t restrictions for participating — you don’t have to be a “professional” photographer to be in this project. Anyone can make art.”

This is the next in a series of projects that encourages the work of other artists. In the past Common sent out calls for filmmakers to share their vision in the creation pieces set to music that become significantly more powerful than the sum of their parts.

A contribution of $10 allows photographers to share up to three images. They’ll also receive copy of the CD. Boosting album sales in the process the Photo Conspiracy is a smart way to build an audience and allow all those who participate to share in the creative process.

Registration is open until May 15^, 2010. Complete details and guidelines can be found at: http://beautifulemptyphotoconspiracy.blogspot.com/

If you’re a writer, there are few things better than to combine your passion for storytelling with something else that you truly love. For writer Majka Burhardt climbing has long been the subject of her many articles in adventure magazines. A certified rocking climbing instructor and a member of the American Mountain Guides Association Burhardt blends her love for the outdoors with vivid descriptions of scenic landscapes and literary portraits of the many interesting people she encounters.

But it was on a trip to Africa a few years ago that she discovered a unique opportunity to add one more passion to the mix. On a journey to explore the industry and culture of Ethiopia coffee, Burhardt found that when you least expect it you can find adventure in the most unlikely places.

“Well interestingly enough I saw a lot of crumbly basalt on that first trip,” Burhardt said. “But I realized that there was just so much potential in Ethiopia that was really unknown to rest of the world, mainly because we all associate with it drought, famine and war, and instead I’m in this bucolic countryside searching for wild coffee and I looked at these basalt faces and said, O.K. there’s got to be more because the topography is amazing.” You have things from the third highest peak in Africa all the way to one of the lowest points on earth. So there’s got to be climbing.”

So Burhardt put together to small team of her best climbing buddies all of them women, and one photographer, guy named Gabe Rogel, and headed back to Africa climb a few first ascents on mountain spires in the cradle of our most ancient civilizations. Her book Vertical Ethiopia tells the story in words and pictures behind this expedition to explore a world of new possibilities.

Check out Majka’s new film on climbing in Africa called Waypoint Namibia

Music this week by the band Khumbula

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this podcast help spread the word by posting a link to it on your Facebook page. Or send it as a tweet to your followers on Twitter. Social media is vibrant exchange of ideas join the conversation by becoming engage. Post your comments the Joy Trip Project blog or send us an email to info@Joy Trip Project.com.

Share your stories. share your passion for outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and practices of sustainable living. You just might inspire our next Joy Trip together. But most of all don’t forget to tell your friends. Until next time take care.

“Listen to the exhortation of the dawn! Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, the glory of action, The splendor of beauty; For yesterday is but a dream, And tomorrow is only a vision; But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, And every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day! Such is the salutation of the dawn”

Kalidasa ~ Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language (4^th-6^th Century A.D.)

Photograph by Chris Gibbs

“Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment.”

Morihei Ueshiba ~ Japanese martial artist, founder of aikido (1883-1969)

Photograph by Chris Gibbs

“When you get to the end of all the light you know and it’s time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly”

Edward Teller ~ Hungarian-American theoretical physicist, member of the Manhattan Project, known as “the father of the hydrogen bomb” (1908 –2003)

Photograph by Chris Gibbs

“Winter is not a season, it’s an occupation”

Sinclair Lewis ~ American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930, he became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1885-1951)

Photograph by Chris Gibbs

“In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer”

Albert Camus ~ French author, existentialist philosopher, and journalist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, (1913 – 1960)

Photograph by Chris Gibbs

“Nature chose for a tool, not the earthquake or lightning to rend and split asunder, not the stormy torrent or eroding rain, but the tender snow-flowers noiselessly falling through unnumbered centuries.

John Muir ~ Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness (1838 –1914)

Photograph by Quang-Tuan Luong

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