My Hike

To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.

Helen Keller

It's hard for me to be indoors a lot and not feel like I am missing out on something. Especially today, with the glorious storm we just had, I wanted to be out in the middle of everything.

What better place than the top of Camelback Mountain? The challenge: hike a mountain I haven't hiked in two years at least.

First I had to locate the trail. I Googled it, but that map led me up into a curving road flanked by palatial residences. So it was a complete miracle that I even got to Echo Canyon, the trail my sister always took me to when I was just a wee hiker.

But I found it! Since I went up the west side, it was not a picnic. I am going to be very sore tomorrow. But I did have glorious views of the sky and valley and the mountain I hiked.

In my experience, whenever I have been willing to hike a monstrous mountain and all alone, there is always a nice man waiting at the top. Today it was Caleb. (I made sure he spelled it with a C in case I cited him on my blog). We talked for a long time as we enjoyed the splendid view all around. He taught English in Korea. He said he was homesick for it. Since we were on the subject of travel, I told him about my adventures in Israel, and how I never get over missing it. But hiking mountains helps, because we hiked for a living there, as mentioned in previous posts.

On the way down, I followed these two little boys who had outstripped their dad and were having the time of their lives. Then I looked around, and there was no one in sight. I said, "Um, guys... I think we lost the trail." So we backtracked, and they were most grateful that I pointed it out to them. I probably saved their lives. Well, or at least saved their dad a long and painful search....

Then I went to Einstein Bros. Bagels, and got a blueberry bagel with whipped blueberry cream cheese, one of my favorite things in the whole world.

The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration.

Claude Monet