P.S. one week!

 

The end!

 As always, the people make or break the experience! This was a great co-adventure. Wildland Trekking once again exceeded expectations.

All accounted for at the top!

Betsy crossed off this bucket list item!

Happy almost anniversary!

Our fantastic guide and forever friend, Michael! 

The Ascent...Michael lied!

 Down is optional...Up is required! It wasn't easy, but not all that bad. We took our time, a leisurely lunch. Why rush...once you're up, you're up. 

Breaking daylight on our way

A look back at how far we'd come.

Layover day

 I looked forward to our day in the canyon perhaps more than any other day. The opportunity to day hike did not disappoint! Our guide took us on 2 amazing adventures, one of which we promised not share on social media (if you have a layover day in the canyon, I'll give you a hint!). 

Overlook to Phantom Ranch

The trail we came down, or Middle Earth, not sure!

The Camp

 Bright Angel Campground. 5/5 stars. More like a billion stars. A sky thick with stars. I have never seen anything like it! 

River in front of us, Canyon walls behind us, Phantom Ranch to the left, bath house to the right. 

The Mighty Colorado

 My first sighting of THE river. No words.

Nice Ass!

 I'm currently obsessed with Mules! They are surefooted, reliable, unflappable. While your Thoroughbred is freaking out over the ax wielding plastic bag dancing on the wind, the Mule is expressionless and steady. There's a life lesson in there somewhere. I'm not sure why everything associated with a Mule is so negative: stubborn as a mule, what an ass, drug mule! In the Canyon, Mules deliver supplies, humans and mail. Side note: I saw 2 mule trains with humans aboard, not a single human looked comfortable, every mule looked amused.  Second side note: you can still send a postcard from the bottom of the Canyon stamped DELIVERED BY MULE. I sent one to myself. We'll see how long it takes to arrive. I wish a mule would actually deliver it!

The Descent!

Our guide kept telling us, "this is the hardest day!" I'm suspicious that he was just trying to plant a seed that would help us make the journey up. However, the descent was indeed, unrelenting, knee jarring, toe jamming...magical, mystical, other worldly. Yes, that covers it!

Stairs...again with the stairs!

 

All Signs Point To Go!

Run, don't walk TO the Grand Canyon. (Do walk, don't run IN the Grand Canyon)

Twice my plans were foiled. CoVID, weather, but third time was the charm and I FINALLY got to the bottom. 

This journey down the greatest ditch in the World, first began with steps along the South Rim. 

That view...!

 

Acupuncture for Frozen Shoulder

You're a female in your forties when out of the blue your shoulder starts to hurt! You don't remember doing anything to it and you expect it will feel better on its own soon. The next thing you know your shoulder pain keeps you awake at night, suddenly you can't fasten your bra or the seatbelt! You have the dreaded FROZEN SHOULDER. 

Frozen shoulder can affect anyone (even Superman) after a shoulder injury when the shoulder is immobilized, but it can also strike for no apparent reason completely out of the blue. In my practice, I often see women in their forties and early fifties who fall into this latter category. There are a few theories, but the mystery of this affliction still remains largely unsolved.

The successful treatment for frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is less of a mystery. ACUPUNCTURE WORKS!! In my practice, Longevity Wellness Clinic of AZ, I combine acupuncture with other manual techniques and a good home exercise program. The results are exceptional. 

That's a wrap

Sorry it's taken a while to finish up the trip on this blog...sidetracked by the most recent school shooting. Sigh. Direct tie to why I feel called to do these trips. ANYWAY...

Stairways to somewhere

New doors to open.

I'll be waiting and watching!

Traditional Andean hat made from Alpaca.

Very elusive prey!

Special thanks to my comrades who helped with the hunt...

Clear Eyes...Full Hearts! (Can't Lose)

Stairways to heaven

Lots of stairs in Peru...lots and lots of stairs!

 Proof that every now and again, we went DOWN stairs!

 Looking up? Or looking down?

Stairs along the Inca Trail. What is it about stairs? They are little engineering marvels, they are utilitarian, they are symbolic and they are beckoning. Stairs lead us.

Magical Machu Picchu

I was so fortunate to have the opportunity after all the work was said and done, to travel to Machu Picchu. I went with an Inca guide from #EvolutionTreks and hiked the last 7 miles up through the sun gate. Magical, mystical, magnificent. Pick one. All apply. The trek is everything you've heard and more. The moment you climb that final stretch of stairs and step through the Sun Gate you are slammed with beauty as far as the eye can see. Machu Picchu stretches out below you like a lego building on a coffee table. It’s ...so...perfect! Not a stone out of place. What a fascinating and brilliant people.

Copyright Jody Murray 2018

Faces

The amount of trust these Peruvians showed us, continues to warm my heart. It's a bit transcendent to work with someone who doesn't quite speak your language. It's humbling. It's exhilarating. It's challenging. It's rewarding. Here are some of the beautiful faces I got to meet.

Buena Vista

Project Buena Vista is the love child of our fearless leader, Laura Reyda and her husband Flor. In addition to hosting medical outreaches, they bring students down to this 100 acre parcel of jungle in the Manu preserve. It's a magical place, with just enough comforts to make the stay completely lovely. Every day began and ended at the platform structure, home to the kitchen, the dining room, the treatment room and the CASINO. Nothing funnier than teaching Texas Hold 'em to a Peruvian card shark. Cesar, I'm not sure you ever learned the difference between "pass" and "I'm out", but I am sure you still owe me a ton of matches! Oh, did I mention, one of us on the trip is the daughter of a professional poker player?

Every morning, we boarded this boat and sped across the river, disembarked and hiked about 45 minutes through the jungle to the town of Salvacion. Monkeys, spiders and Tapir tracks, oh my. Reverse the steps and back to home base in time for dinner.

Parting thought: If you're goosed by an otter in a river...should it be called ottered?

Her name was Lola...she was a slow girl

 Moving our camp from Pilcopata to Buena Vista involved a 45 minute van ride and a 30 minute boat ride. We were met in  Atalaya by our 2 boatmen and guides, Cesar and Romero, a dog named Oso and a sloth named Lola. Now like most of the population, I had never seen a sloth...and now I was being handed a backpack FULL OF SLOTH! I'm telling you, it was the most magical delightful unexpected blessing of all time!

If I understand the story correctly, Lola was rescued from the river by Cesar when she was very young. He has been her caretaker ever since and she is about 1 year old. She came with us because "she needs to spend some time in the jungle."

"Puedes vor Lola?" Oh yes, yes, we can watch Lola. And we did. Like a hawk. And she....barely...moved! Ah, I get the joke now, she doesn't exactly need watching. Still, she was hypnotic, mesmerizing...like watching extremely cute paint dry. She is my new spirit animal and I will never be the same.

Pilcopata Clinic #1

 Let's get started! This is what we came for...acupuncture in the jungle! We worked 2 days in Pilcopata. Our little clinic room, located in the hospital was filled with chairs and one stretcher table. We had dogs pass through, even an occasional chicken...and people, oh my did we have people! Our second day there we saw (at least) 105 patients. Back pain, achilles tendinopathy, frozen shoulder, neck pain, ganglion cyst and some internal medicine stuff. The air was thick with the smell of moxa and PoSum liniment and the sounds of our Spanglish translations. Many thanks to my brothers here in AZ whose Spanish lessons proved invaluable!

My most memorable patient in Pilcopata was a young man with a pretty nasty elbow injury. He came in with about a 45 degree flexion contracture. With a lot of coaxing, a lot of patience and some superior tolerance from this dude, that contracture was eliminated by day two. This was quite an accomplishment and a great testament to the power of some well placed needles! I've been thinking about this fellow and I hope he has continued to improve. He was one tough Hombre'