Statement of Purpose and Intent



On March 12th, 2011 I began a 400 mile trek along the Arizona-Mexico border from Agua Prieta to San Luis Rio Colorado, an adventure with a purpose I am calling BorderVenture.

Through BorderVenture I hope to raise awareness of border issues, expose exaggeration of border violence, combat the racial profiling, discrimination, and often outright racism that seems prevalent of late, and to record and recount personal stories of people living near or trying to cross the border. I will record my experiences and stories in this blog, and hope to have them further covered by supportive media, organizations, and other websites and blogs. I plan to aggressively publish my experiences through media outlets, interested groups, the Internet, and through whatever other avenues I am able. I will write tirelessly and advocate my findings to all who will listen, publish, and share them.


Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Minor Setback

I've decided I need to take a few days off.  I started walking out Nogales around 5am, and after walking for a couple hours, the pain in my right achilles tendon is as bad or worse than before.  I am quite torn about this decision, but I called and talked with a good friend, and what he said echoed the more sensible and logical parts of my conscience.  It might have been fine to keep going, but the next two days to Sasabe are the most rugged of the trip and very remote- through desert mountains and canyons without roads or trails.  So the two items of concern are 1) it becoming a more serious injury that might require rescue, and 2) It is making me move more slowly and awkwardly, increasing the likelihood of other injuries and overuse due to overcompensation, and 3) it is making me take longer to get to water sources.  Water sources that might not be there at all.  So there's the rub.  And I'm pretty sure it is literally rubbing causing my injury, the back of the shoe rubbing on my achilles where it attaches to the heel.  It is a newbie mistake to start a long hike with new shoes, but I was hoping it would be fine because I've never had foot or achilles problems, and I love my old pair of Salomon's.  But these are a different model, and apparently don't fit quite the same way.  So here I sit, typing in Tucson.  When I can get my car keys back tomorrow I'll drive to Flagstaff and either grab a different pair of shoes or buy something entirely different. Best case scenario, I'll be back on the border by Saturday, but it may take longer.  Sorry for the let down.  If I could do it any other way I certainly would.