~ A Long Weekend and Hikes with Friends ~
Lucky lucky me. To have wonderful friends, to live so close to the beauty of nature, and to have health and strength to go on adventures. Recently, over the long Memorial Day Weekend, I got to go on three separate hikes with three different friends.
Lisa – Saturday – My buddy, Lisa, and I got to walk through a nature park not too far from our house. We saw wildflowers, ducks, and irises…lots of irises! All wild, of course!
Lisa and I have known one another for something like 20 years. When my husband and I opened our martial arts school, before the floor was even finished, Lisa walked in and became one of our first students. She has stuck with her training, and luckily for me, she has stuck as a dear friend! I love her a lot. Going on a walk with her on a beautiful Oregon day lifts the spirits and brings great joy!
Andrea – Sunday – I was at Andrea’s house by 7:20 AM. We knew if we wanted to beat the crowds in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge on the Eagle Creek Trail, we’d need to be up and off pretty early. We were so glad we made that decision!
We hiked up to Punch Bowl Falls and gloried in the splendor of a perfect day in May. We were celebrating Andrea’s birthday. We’ve known one another for over 30 years! Andrea is one of the kindest, most caring, and funniest people I know. I love her a lot! Hiking with her in the Gorge is like standing in the middle of a waterfall. Afterward, you feel renewed and refreshed!
…and we saw one of Oregon’s finest. A huge slimy slug!
Nancy – Monday – This day’s hike started at 6 AM! Nancy found a trail called Dry Creek Falls, also out in the Gorge, and we thought an early start would be good. Like me, Nancy is an early riser so it was fun to be on the road together with the sunrise.
Nancy and I started training martial arts together back around 1987 so we’ve known one another for a really long time. The fact that we’ve remained friends means more to me than she’ll ever know. I love her a lot! Nancy is a smarty-pants, so hiking along with her meant I got to learn a lot about geology, plant life, and other cool stuff. We hiked to the waterfall and got drenched in the spray. Refreshing!
How incredibly grateful I feel to have dear friends who are willing to go on these longer training hikes with me! As I walk the Camino, they will remain with me in my heart for sure.
