Meet YogaGeorge
Hi! My name is George Neuman and I’m YogaGeorge! At least that’s how I start all my travel videos. 😊 https://www.youtube.com/@yogageorge8835
I’d like to introduce you to my son, Wesley. He’s the inspiration for the hike that then inspired this blog.
Day 4 of our hike. We’re heading up Bright Angel trail.
I’m blessed to have children (also Maggie) who are independent souls who inherited their parents’ lust for life and travel. Their mother, Karen, and I took them on many trips when they were young and now that they are established in their adult lives, they are the ones suggesting the adventures!
YogaGeorge and Maggie trying to stay warm at Holland State Park, Holland, MI.
YogaGeorge and his lovely wife, Karen enjoying time at Holland State Park in Holland, MI.
Karen and I, like many parents, took an approach to parenting where we focused on experiences rather than material possessions. As a parent, you hope that the lessons will take root but you never know and just hope for the best. I feel very blessed that both Wes and Maggie want to spend time with Karen and me. The Rim-to-Rim hike was something that I hadn’t really considered though I had heard good things about going below the rim.
Wes is an IT manager at a local trucking company. His preferred choice of travel shifted after college when he became more outspoken about wanting to see more of nature. In the fall of 2023, he organized a trip to the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota. We pulled in three of my great nephews, Ethan, Gavin, and Andrew to join us. We hiked, camped, and generally enjoyed spending time with each other in that amazing setting. Wes is engaged now to Skye, an amazing woman who brings out the best in him. That and she loves to bake! He’s now advocating more travel for the entire family so we can continue to build new memories together.
As you may have guessed from my moniker, YogaGeorge, that I am into yoga. I took up the practice of yoga about 7 years ago and became a certified instructor 3 years ago (https://www.facebook.com/YogaGeorgeJourney/ ). I had the broad goal of having a better body in retirement than I had when I started my yoga practice. I thought improving my flexibility would be a great foundation for cardio and strength training. Little did I realize that my yoga practice would blossom into such a significant part of my life or that I would eventually become an instructor. I don’t teach regularly at a studio. Rather, I fill in when local studios need a hand and do some private instruction. Yoga, like any other subject, has many layers and I feel I’ve just scratched the surface about how my practice can improve my life.
I’m retired now having been a physicist in industry for over 35 years. I have a consulting business (https://www.iridescencethinfilm.com/ ) which allows me to stay active in my scientific community. I specialized in a branch of physics call Thin Film Optics. I feel very blessed that I stumbled into a field that resonated with me. I absolutely love the topic and it allowed me to stretch my scientific creativity which led to over 120 patents. So, if you are reading this, and you need some thin film work, feel free to reach out via my website! First call is free! 😉
I live in Holland, a small beach town on the shores of Lake Michigan. I moved here about 20 years ago and, though I love to travel, I have no desire to make anywhere else home. Holland hosts the Tulip Festival that celebrates the history of the town. It is a beautiful place and I encourage you to stop by if your travels take you to the area.
Even though the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim hike is my first long hike, I am familiar with short hikes. Maggie and I have explored the parks around Holland. Our hikes started during COVID when she had to take her university classes remotely. We’d head out daily after finishing our work and that gave Karen some peace and quiet for a couple of hours. There’s no debate that COVID terribly affected so many aspects of our society and took the lives of too many people. Having time with Maggie was a blessing during this period of social isolation. We got to connect on a level that could not have happened under any other circumstances. I feel blessed but also a bit guilty of the joy that came out of that dark period. Hiking became a regular part of my life that I continue to cherish. Wes’s invite landed on fertile ground!
My travels are driven by an insatiable wanderlust. I want to see the world and experience different cultures – especially the food! I am lucky that Karen also loves to travel though she prefers to stay in accommodations with walls! 😊 We’ve taken advantage of the freedom that comes with retirement and have traveled extensively. Cruising is her favorite form of travel. You only unpack once and the ship takes to new places to explore. She enjoys my penchant to plan our trips and humors my more outrageous side quest recommendations – as long as there is good food and drink!
Karen enjoying a cappuccino with our beloved travel companion, “Eric’s Cock”!
(By the way, Eric’s Cock has his own Facebook page! Like and follow his travel adventures at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063023632272 )
YogaGeorge