In old age I shall walk quietly the beautiful trail. Navajo Prayer Last week I completed my first backpacking trip of the year. Ordinarily such an event would be no big deal. Until a few years ago I typically would do an early trip in the spring, several short ones during the summer months, andContinue reading “Hiking the Duck”
Tag Archives: travel
With Love from Red Reef Rock
Dream or nightmare we have to live our experience as it is and we have to live it awake. Jacob Bronowski When I was about five years old my family camped at Staircase Campground in Olympic National Park, as we did for many years. It was one of our favorite campgrounds, and I always lovedContinue reading “With Love from Red Reef Rock”
Shall We Gather at the River?
Soon we’ll reach the silver river, Soon our pilgrimage will cease; Soon our happy hearts will quiver With the melody of peace. American Gospel I first heard this old hymn at my grandmother’s funeral many years ago as a young child. I remember holding the tattered gray hymnal as we sang, and I envisioned aContinue reading “Shall We Gather at the River?”
Hiking with Bruno
One Last Time
Most of my hiking friends have favorite destinations, places they have perhaps visited only once but linger in their memories as particularly beautiful. At my age these memories occur as places where I would like to return one last time. Avalanche Valley on the eastern slope of Mt. Adams in the Cascades is one suchContinue reading “One Last Time”
With Me On the Trail
I cannot live without books. Thomas Jefferson On a bottom book shelf in my bedroom is a collection of books that have always been precious to me. Most books are precious to me, but these books are especially so, and I keep them there so that if my house is ever beset by wildfire andContinue reading “With Me On the Trail”
Living on the Edges
Backpacking is the art of knowing what not to take. Sheridan Anders The first time I carried my cell phone with me on a backpacking trip was completely unplanned. This trip took place many years ago, before the days of smart phones, and I had my flip phone with me in my truck as IContinue reading “Living on the Edges”
Growing Up in the Ring of Fire
The world is always ending somewhere. It just depends on whether it falls in your line of vision or not. Akweaka Emezi As I have written several times in these posts, I grew up with a view of Mt. Rainier from my bedroom window, and it never failed to delight, especially when the morning sunContinue reading “Growing Up in the Ring of Fire”
Hanging Out with the Monkey Mafia
When I first heard the phrase monkey mafia I thought our tour guide was referring to a sinister group of thieves who hang out in the popular coastal towns, helping themselves to the wallets of vulnerable tourists. We were warned to keep our belongings close to our bodies and not to carry food with us.Continue reading “Hanging Out with the Monkey Mafia”
A World without Flowers
It is late January as I write these words, and the snow that fell a couple of weeks ago has mostly melted, brought about by warming temperatures, then rain, then ice, and now the mud that must invariably follow. This is a trend that would be more likely seen in April. People around here refer to itContinue reading “A World without Flowers”
The Solitude Trail 