.

>>> GROWING OLD.

THAT'S A PIECE OF CAKE.

IT'S LIKE SOME DAY YOU GET UP AND SAY BYE-BYE AND YOU HAVE TO WALK OFF AND GO.

AND IT'S BECAUSE YOU REALLY REALIZE THAT WHATEVER YOU NEEDED TO DO HAS BEEN COMPLETE.

IT'S DONE.

I ALREADY TOLD THE GIRLS, I'LL KNOW, AND WHEN I DO, I'M GOING TO GO UP IN THE BUSH AND GO INTO A REALLY DEEP MEDITATION AND JUST SHUT IT OFF.

THAT'S HOW I CAN BE HAPPY.

THAT'S JUST WHO I. A IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LAYING IN THE A BED.

I'M GOING TO GO SIT BY A TREE IN THE DIRT AND I'M JUST GOING TO DISAPPEAR.

I'LL BE GONE.

NATURE HAS NO CLOCK.

IT RUNS BY THE SEASONS OF THE SUN AND THE MOON: MOON.

WHEN IM WORKING ON THE LAND AND THE WATER I END UP BECOMING A PART OF IT.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE NATURE LIGHTS MY FIRE IN A WAY.

THERE'S NOTHING WILD.

THERE'S NO WORLD IN THIS.

IT'S ALL HOME.

THE OTHER SNEAKY THING YOU NEED IS JUST CRUSH IT.

SO THE END IS ALL FUZZY.

THEN IT'S A TOOTHBRUSH.

I'VE CURED BLEEDING GUMS WITH THIS THIS WILL.

SOMEWHERE DEEP IN SIDE OF ME THERE'S A DRIVE TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT IS SO MAGNIFICENT GENERALLY IF THESE ARE BLUEBERRIES.

THEY HIDE.

OH LOOK.

THERE'S A BUNCH.

GUIDING IS THE MEANS TO HELP PEOPLE BEGIN TO CONNECT INTO THAT REALLY DEEP SPACE IN THEMSELVES THROUGH NATURE.

YOU KNOW IT'S SOLID UNDER YOU.

FEEL IT?

>> I KEEP RUNNING INTO THE BOTTOM .

>>> AND IN THAT PLACE THAT'S WHAT I CAN DO.

THAT OPENS THE DOOR.

>> THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

>> MOST PEOPLE IN AN OFFICE AREN'T GOING TO HEAR ANYTHING I GOT TO SAY.

YOU'LL GET STEADY ON YOUR FEET.

BUT IN NATURE THAT CHANGES THINGS.

I'M NOT HERE JUST TO WORKS AND WORK AND WORK.

WE'RE HERE TO SEE AND FEEL AND TOUCH AND GROW.

YOU'RE STANDING IN EDEN AND YOU'RE DISREGARDING IT.

YOU GOT TO LOOK DEEPER TO SEE THE COLOR.

YOU GOT TO LOOK DEEPER TO FEEL.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE.

AND IF THERE'S TEN PEOPLE WITH YOU AND ONE OR TWO THAT'S LIKE AMAZING, THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE TURN ON THE SWITCH.

THAT'S WHAT I DO.

I KEEP LOOKING FOR THAT SWITCH.

IT'S CLEARING OVER HERE TOO.

>> OH IT IS, YEAH.

>> SEE IT COMING?

HE IS BASICALLY THE ICONIC IMAGE OF A MAINE GUIDE.

HE CAN OUT PADDLE HUGE PEOPLE AND WHEN WE CRASHED IN THE CANOE HE WENT UP THAT RAPID LIKE IT WAS A WILD HORSE OR SOMETHING.

RAY'S RESPECTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES FOR HIS SKILLS.

I FEEL LIKE HE'S ALMOST A LEGEND.

>> FOR A WHILE I REALLY WASN'T AWARE OF HIS REPUTATION UNTIL I STARTED TO TRAVEL WITH HIM IN THE NORTH MAINE WOODS.

IT HAPPENED A HANDFUL OF TIMES ON CANOE TRIPS AND I WOULD HEAR SOMEBODY SAY THAT'S RAY REITZE.

SORT OF A CLICHE BUT HE WALKS THE WALK AND TALKS THE TALK.

HE'S THE REAL DEAL.

HE IS IT WILL WILDERNESS.

I REMEMBER SNOWSHOEING AROUND WITH HIM ONE DAY AND I THOUGHT WOW, HE'S A LOT OLDER THAN I AM AND I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH HIM.

I THOUGHT I WAS PRETTY STRONG.

AND HE WAS LIKE A BULLET THROUGH THE WOODS.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT, I DIDN'T REALLY FIT INTO THE NORMAL PLACE IN SOCIETY.

THIS IS PRETTY SWEET.

BY NATURE I'M REALLY, REALLY SLOW.

I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH AN OLD ELDER THAT LIVED AROUND US AND IT LED ME TO SOMETHING QUIETER AND QUOTER AND QUIETER IN ME.

I LED ME TO FIGURE OUT TO FUNCTION IN SOCIETY WITH THE LAND AND THE BUSH.

>> RAY AND I WILL BE MARRIED 50 YEARS COME APRIL.

DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S BEEN THAT LONG.

LIKES TO STAY BACK AND I WOULD VENTURE OUT AND GO MORE TO MAYBE SOME OF THE SOUTHERN STATES AND HE WANTS TO GO NORTH.

DRAG ME INTO THE WOODS.

>> MY CHOICE OF LIFE AND THE WAY I LIVE WHICH IS OFF THE GRID INITIALLY HAD TO DO WITH WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY AND WE HAD NO OTHER MEANS.

AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE DESIRE TO WORK THE PAY ALL THE BILLS THAT GO ALONG WITH THE EVERYDAY NORMAL LIFE.

BUT I DIDN'T NEED THEM.

WHEN WE STARTED GUIDING IN THE EARLY 80s MOST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE SAID YOU'RE CRAZY BOY.

YOU'RE JUST GOING TO STARVE TO DEATH.

THEN I FINALLY LOOKED AT IT AND I SAID WELL IF I STARVE TO DEATH IT'S OKAY.

BUT I'M GOING TO BE HAPPY.

>> SOUNDS A LITTLE RIDICULOUS.

>> THINK IT'S TOO MUCH?

>> THE CIRCLE IN MY LIFE IS PEOPLE, AND THAT CIRCUMSTANCE IS ACTUALLY DOES THE HARD WORK.

>> WHEN I FIRST WENT TO LIVE ON RAY'S LAND, HE SAID TO ME IN NO UNCERTAIN TERM HE WASN'T LOOKING TO BE ANYONE'S DAD.

AND LOOKING BACK THAT'S VERY MUCH WHO HE BECAME TO ME.

>>> THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A BAD ONE THERE .

>>> WE'RE ALL LIKE FAMILY, SO HE'S PASSED DOWN THE LINEAGE TO A COMMUNITY THAT ALL SEE RAY AS AN ELDER .

>>> BOTH RAY AND JEFF HAVE SO MANY SKILLS AND WHENEVER THEY DO SOMETHING IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH.

>>> WHEN YOU TURN IT THIS WAY IT WANTS TO GO DOWN .

>>> SO I WOULD SAY I'M PRETTY BEGINNER .

>>> ONCE YOU GO AROUND TWO, THREE TIMES IT WON'T COME DOWN AGAIN .

>>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE MORE CARE AND THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY WANT TO PLUNK THEIR FEET IN THE DIRT AND THEY WANT TO LOOK AT THIS EARTH AND UNDERSTAND IT AGAIN.

AND WHAT THEY REALLY WANT TO DO WHAT IS REALLY CLEAR IS THAT I AM SLOWING DOWN.

I GOT GLAUCOMA IN THE LEFT EYE AND I THE RIGHT I LOST.

AND THE PROSTATE ISSUE THAT WAS INTERESTING.

AND I KNOW WITH AGE YOU GET TIRED AND AT SOME POINT YOU NEED SOMEONE ELSE.

>>> I DON'T THINK THE SUN IS COMING OVER THIS MORNING .

>>> AND I DON'T THINK I'M FAR FROM THAT.

>> I'M ANXIOUS TO GET BACK OUT ON THE TRAIL ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH RAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE TIME IS FLEETING AND LIFE IS SHORT AND EVEN MISSING ONE CANOE TRIP LEAVES ME FEELING RATHER SAD.

LIKE I JUST MISSED ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BE OUT THERE AND SHARING THAT WITH HIM.

WHILE I STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN TO FROM HIM.

YOU DON'T HAVE A 401K AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SAVINGS.

YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK, SO YOU NEED TO KEEP WORKING.

THAT WAS UNNERVING IF YOU WILL OR SCARY.

DOWN DEEP INSIDE I KIND OF HOPE THAT JIM WOULD PICK UP AT LEAST A PIECE OF THIS.

IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER.

SHOW BECOME A GUIDE AND I BECOME THE HELPER.

>> IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN MY LIFE.

I HAVE OTHER WORK THAT HELPS PAY THE BILLS.

HE IS THAT 5,000 CATALOGS ARE NORMALLY SCHEDULED FOR REQUEST AND 1,000 FOR THE TREE SAIL.

I HAVE TO MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUNSHINES AND I NEED TO GET A ROOF ON MY HOUSE BEFORE THE SNOW FLIES.

I THINK THAT HE FORGETS THAT WHEN HE WAS MY AGE HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET TOO ALONG WITH GUIDING .

>>> I WOULDN'T DO LESS THAN 16 .

>>> BUT WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE DOING IT?

>> 20.

>> EVEN IF IT COST AS LITTLE MORE.

>>> IT REALLY IS THE CONVERSATION THAT SEEMS TO COME UP MOST ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY.

HE'S LOOKING TO STEP BACK FROM THE ROLE OF BEING IN CHARGE AND WANTS TO PASS ON THE LEGACY OF WHAT HE'S CREATED.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN SO WE CAN CARRY ON WHAT HE STARTED A LONG TIME AGO AND SO I CAN HELP GIVE BACK TO HIM.

I KNEW I WANTED TO FIGURE OUT A NAME FOR THE GUIDE SERVICE AND I DIDN'T REALLY THINK OF IT.

IT JUST CAME TO ME.

TUMBLE HOME IS PART OF THE ACIN THEMY OF A CANOE BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT RETURNNG HOME TO YOUR HEART AND WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO.

>>> I CALL THE WOODS THE BUSH.

THAT'S A PART OF MY SOUL.

THAT'S A PART OF OF WHO I AM.

I CAN JUST WANDER AND DISAPPEAR AND NOT COME BACK FOR DAYS.

THERE SHE GOES.

IT'S AUGUST REALLY GETTING STILL AND QUIET AND LEARNING TO LISTEN IN A DEEPER SPACE.

WHEN YOU CAN HEAR A LEAF FALL FROM A TREE.

SOMEHOW UNTIL IN THAT SPACE OF MY OWN JOURNEY THERE CAME A POINT WHEN I REALIZED WHY I CAME ON THIS EARTH AND WHAT I WAS DOING.

SO IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT I MOVE FROM BEING A MAIN GUIDE TO A DIFFERENT KIND OF GUIDE.

>> CAN YOU GO OUT AND GET US A COUPLE PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVERS?

>> SURE.

>> AROUND.

>> YEAH?

>> WE NEED A LITTLE ONE TOO .

>>> THE TRICK IS TO WRAP THIS AROUND THE END AND PULL IT.

>> IT'S JUST MY DESIRE TO LEAVE A LEGACY.

IT HAS BEEN ACTUALLY FULFILLED.

IT'S ALREADY BEING DONE.

>> HE'S SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE THAT REALLY RESPECT HIM AND WANT TO LEARN FROM HIM.

>> YOU'LL FIND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE LEARNED DIFFERENT THINGS FROM HIM.

AND WITH EVERY DIFFERENT PERSON HERE'S PASSED ON A DIFFERENT PIECE.

>> HE SAVED MY LIFE PHYSICALLY.

HE GAVE ME ALL THESE INCREDIBLE SKILL AND VERY MUCH NURTURED ANY SPIRIT AND MY SOUL.

>>> MOVED HERE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND INITIALLY I CAME HERE TO WORK ON GUIDING SKILLS BUT ILL LIKE TO WORK MORE ON -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY MY SPIRITUAL SIDE BUT THAT IS WHAT I'M HOPING TO WORK ON .

>>> IF WE LOOK AT JIM OR CARA OR ANY ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE THE FUTURE.

I BECOME A PIECE OF THEM AND THEY BECOME A PIECE OF ME.

ALL YOU DO IS SWITCH SEATS.

LIVING CLOSE TO NATURE HAS REALLY TAUGHT ME WHO I AM.

LIKE, NATURE WOULD ALWAYS LEAD ME TO THE EDGE.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S TO THE EDGE OF ME.

FINALLY OPENED EVERY DOOR THERE WAS.

>> YOU CAN SAY THAT MY HEART AND SOUL WAS IN THE LAND, IN THE EARTH AND THE WATER.

THAT'S THE CYCLE OF LIFE WHICH GOES ON AND ON AND ON.

YOU CAN COME AND GO.

I REALLY ENJOY LAYING DOWN ON THE EARTH.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE I'M LAYING THERE AND A GREAT BIG PAIR OF HANDS REACH UP AND FOLD OVER YOU AND COVER YOU UP AND I CAN DISAPPEAR.

GONE.

VERMONT PBS.

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