Happy Birthday GECKO

Just a year ago I'd spent more than 40 hours traveling home from Martahon Des Sables in the Sahara Desert. Add to this the 29 hours it took to run the 152 miles. I was tired. However, I was also invigorated. The time alone and away, raw in the emptiness of the foreign desert had served a purpose. I had entered the event looking for something. For something bigger than me, bigger than a great finish. I realized along the way I was looking for meaning. I'd long ago given up trying to figure out what it was that drew me into ever more difficult events and challenges. Eventually I hope to "fail greatly". Until then I've been happy enough to "suffer greatly". Purpose in hand I was on a quest for meaning. Day two of the MDS found me hot, stressed and fearing that "failing greatly" was upon me. Twenty miles into a twenty two mile stage and I was in trouble. I laughed. I could see the tent city. Home. So close yet impossibly far. I was done. Eventually I got it together, The hardest two miles I'd run in a long time (o.k., shuffled) and I was 'safe'. Lying in the sand, empty, lonely and stripped to the nerve the meaning came to mind like the dust devils of the dunes, softly at first, then quick and real. Run for this. Run to help kids experience what I was in the midst of. Raw, real, stripped down connection with the natural world. What better reality check then to be completely focused on water, wood (or camel poop as the case may be), fire and food (and coffee of course). With a lot of thought, effort, advice, love and care, GECKO was born. I reviewed my notes and video clips of that trip recently. I was struck by my mellow, yet solid clarity of purpose and feelings. It has been a great year. GECKO is real. We are getting kids into the woods and the world is starting to listen. If you don't have taking your kids camping on your summer agenda add it now. Soon I'll be back in the desert. This time less alone and with my meaning tucked into my pack. I'm excited to see where we go... I invite you to join or follow along. It's going to be a great trip. Morgan Murri, GECKO founder