Among the many things I’ve missed during this pandemic, trails are top of the list. While there hasn't really been any point over all the various closures and stay-home orders that I haven’t had at least some option for hiking, I just haven't felt comfortable with the risk of being around the large numbers of other people likely to be out on my favorite trails. Thankfully, as time as passed and we've learned more about how Covid-19 is and isn't spread, the growing consensus seems to be that the risk of spreading the virus is reduced outdoors. Armed with that knowledge - and not one but two options for face coverings! - I finally felt comfortable joining a small group of my Alpine Trails Book Club friends for an absolutely glorious hike. We met up at Ebey's Landing, a trail I've hiked many times. After so much time away, it felt like I was seeing the trail with new eyes and the combination of sun, ocean breezes, flowers, and the company of some of my favorite people was just what I needed.
Read moreLime Kiln State Park
Back in April, when life was hectic and exhausting, Alpine Trails Book Club provided the perfect escape for me in the form of a weekend spent camping on San Juan Island. Our April book selection had been The Light Between Oceans, a heartbreaking and beautiful tale of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who find an infant washed up on their remote island off the coast of Australia, then struggle with the fallout of their unofficial adoption of the girl. Obviously after reading of life on a remote and rugged island whose only structure was the light, we couldn’t leave the island without a hike to one of two lighthouses on San Juan.
Read moreLife: Week 17
After an exhausting, travel-filled start to the month, April has wrapped up on a high note! Since my sister-in-law was still in town, I was able to celebrate my birthday with both her and my husband over macarons, cocktails, and a delicious dinner in Kirkland. It was otherwise a mostly uneventful week, with most of my time outside work spent prepping for the month's book club outing - a weekend of camping on San Juan Island! After a week of typical spring weather - aka sun, rain, warm, cold - I was a little worried about the conditions we'd be camping in, especially since I discovered dozens of holes in my camping tarp on my last trip and hadn't yet replaced it! Things looked even more iffy when I found myself caught in a hailstorm as I was packing up my car to leave Saturday morning! Thankfully, we didn't see a single drop of rain all weekend. I even managed to soak up enough sunshine to get a sunburnt face! It was a weekend of books, laughter and relaxation. We hiked to a lighthouse, stopped by a farmer’s market, and discovered an alpaca farm with award-winning alpacas where I couldn’t resist picking up a skein of the softest yarn with a photo of the alpaca the wool was shorn from. And to top it all off, my wonderful friend Ashley surprised me with a birthday cake while we enjoyed a sunset from the campground!
Read moreRosario Beach & Lighthouse Point
Deception Pass is one of my favorite places for winter and early spring hiking, and after weeks of snow in early February, the snow-free trail to Lighthouse Point was a truly welcome sight. As our group gathered at the trailhead on a chilly morning under slate grey skies, I found myself immediately regretting not bringing my puffy down jacket. It may not have been snowy, but it was still cold! Thankfully the faint, sporadic sunlight that struggled through the clouds was enough to warm me once we got moving. Between the rugged views and rambling conversation, any lingering chill was quickly forgotten.
Read moreLife: Week 8
After another week of mucky snow that just won’t go away, I didn’t venture far from home. My week was mostly work and knitting, although I did manage to get out for a lovely lunch with my mom and niece that gave me a much needed mid-week sanity break! By the weekend, I was beyond happy that my March Alpine Trails Book Club outing finally provided the perfect opportunity to to get outside. It may have been cold and overcast for most of the day, but we had a snow free hike, and even saw a few brief bursts of sunshine! It still felt like February, but the passing moments of warm sun on my face gave me hope that spring is still on the way.
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