Welcome to my Moonbox: a gathering of musings, learnings, and aspirations held (perhaps, sometimes only briefly) by the many expressions of me, Sarita.
From the desk:
To whirl in reverence
there is no word for, this ethereal
chaos, the way the trail taps
loops into me, the way tree bark—
the way rivers—
the way words—
carve lore into the universe
and I don't mean a day spent romantically spinning
or a night gazing into some abyss of faith—
there's something sad about running
through a grove of ancient
bristlecone pines, something mortal
and wounded, drought-stricken
and wildfire smoked but rooted
time immemorial, this urge
to dissolve as the world so honestly does
to be tired and without knowing
to see thousands of years woven into a single tree
to see a forest of them—
the land taps into me
something that cannot be undone.
I breathe thin air
I drink thinning water
I remain as synonymous as ever—
reverent, naïve, dissolving—but also
here, carving faithful abyss,
spinning the way mortals do.
Life updates: This is a complicated month to explain, but it all pertains to my L2H Project. This project, it is an FKT attempt, a fundraiser, a ceremony, a prayer run, a moving altar, a film, a communal act, a woman in the desert, a woman in the mountains, a story, a dream, a movement, a body, a poem, a message, an athletic feat…
L2H – Lowest to Highest (CA) FKT route – 132-ish miles and 33,000 feet of gain. There is currently no official female-only time. I will attempt it fully supported with a goal of finishing within 3 days. Start date: Oct 31st, 2024.
The exact route I plan to take: Google MAP | Gaia GPS MAP | CalTopo MAP
I will have Live Tracking via my Garmin InReach Mini (usually updates every 10 minutes) and I will provide that link via my Instagram stories and LinkTree when it comes time. I also plan to alert the FKT powers that be and they should post the tracking link on their website.
As much as I’d like to write an entire essay on the what and why, I’m content sharing the threads of what’s to come. Much can be gleaned from my fundraiser page, which goes into more detail: RER 2024 Fundraiser. Please donate if you can and/or share on my behalf. Funds raised will be split between ReNew Earth Running and the LPPSR Environmental Department for a winter community garden program. Achieving my goal for this fundraiser would mean the world to me! Thank you, muchas gracias, manahobu!
[Previous: Moonbox Notes #24]
La Vida Mundial:
VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA VOTE VOTA
HBD to all October birthdays!
Recent Top Pick Reads:
+ “Decolonize, Ecologize, Indigenize, Joyify,” by José G. González, Medium, Oct 15, 2024. A great dive into each subject, what these terms are, and what they necessitate. I love how these terms come together to express the importance of regaining rootedness, of understanding traditional ecological knowledge, and of embracing joy in the face of oppressive dominant norms.
+ “REVIEW: The Trauma Mantras: A Memoir in Prose Poems by Adrie Kusserow,” by Diane Gottlieb, Hippocampus Magazine, Aug 6, 2024. I really want to buy this book now. I like that this is part of a movement to take a different approach to how we negotiate trauma not just within ourselves but how we expect others to deal with or showcase trauma, too.
+ “Kindness and Sorrow,” by Laurie Easter, Short Reads, Sep 11, 2024. A very touching and wonderful short piece about how gutting loss can be and how strange it is to walk the path of “normalcy,” and how people often just miss the mark in offering their condolences.
+ “Desert Ghosts: History, a geologist knows, is never far below the surface,” by Forrest Gander, Orion Magazine, Articles, Oct 1, 2024. A short piece about how generational experiences of place are, can be. I know all too well the desire for and constant search to see lost loved ones within a landscape.
Books/Mags in progress:
+ Curandero: A Life in Mexican Folk Healing by Eliseo “Cheo” Torres, edited by Timothy L. Sawyer, Jr.
Recent Listens/Watchings:
+ “The KCC 20th Anniversary: High Impact at High Altitude,” by The North Face, YouTube, Sep 12, 2024. A short film about how the Khumbu Climbing Center in the Himalayas has become an integral component of safety within the Nepali climbing community.
+ “Protect Gila River,” by Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project and Natives Outdoors, Vimeo, Oct, 2024. A short film that showcases and discusses the Gila River and the need to designate it as a Wild and Scenic River. There is currently a bill in Congress that will protect this invaluable river that is absolutely vital to life and economy in the southwest. Len Necefer wrote a brief Substack about it.
+ “Arc’Teryx Presents: Jamie,” by Well Traveled Collective, Arc’Teryx, YouTube, Sep 20, 2024. This short documentary goes into the story of Jamie Logan, who, in their younger years was an influential climber, but they always held a deep secret. To be her truest self, she had to finally transition.
+ “Legacy of Land Trailer,” NOVA, PBS, due to release later this month I believe, 2024. A new series that will document 6 climate change stories based in Native American communities, from Alaska to Arizona. Very excited to watch these!
+ Outside TV/Outside Studios in partnership with Thereabouts has a new series called Running Dry, hosted by Natives Outdoors founder, Len Necefer. There are currently 5 episodes with more to come, but watching the series does require membership with Outside Online. Nonetheless, it’s a wonderful series worth watching as it goes over a very important topic, the current state of the Colorado River and the unfortunate politics that currently contribute to its demise.
Writing/Projects: (updates are highlighted)
+A film project! Wow, can’t believe this is happening but it’s happening. I’m making a film with 41West Productions about my L2H FKT attempt this Fall, but it will be about so much more than just an athletic endeavor — it’s about community, the body, poetry, a moving ofrenda, how we mourn, how we build altars, how we are the sum of both our pain and joy…
+I currently have one general submission in the ether: a short nonfiction piece entitled, “A Searing Thing” (Hippocampus Mag).
+I submitted my previously published essay, “Sounds of Me, Sounds of Light,” to an essay contest (where this is allowed). Winner/runner-ups were recently announced and I was not one of them.
+The hybrid essay/memoir I wrote in 2021, “Chuckwalla,” still needs some major revision and writing. I have also submitted this project to the 2024 Graywolf Press work-in-progress prize. I was not selected for the Graywolf prize.
+I have a Science Fiction novella that I’ve been slowly working on since 2017.
MISC/Brags/Swag:
- I’d like to continue to hold space and celebrate my body’s ability to heal and how wonderful it is to be able to run, walk, hike, and stand in this body of mine. Thank you, body!
- Recently, Fenix Lightning sent me two headlamps for my upcoming L2H endeavor, and they also provided me an affiliate link and discount code for you to receive 10% off! Enter AFSARAA at checkout.
Thanks for tuning in to Sarita’s Moonbox.
¡Feliz Otoño!
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