Toni's Tribute to All Countries, But Mostly America

 We love backpacking.  We enjoy it so much.  There's nothing that compares to being out in the wild and completely on your own, carrying your own food, water, clothing, and protection from the elements as well as the animals.  I'd read that one of the best hikes in The Olympic National Park was to The Enchanted Valley, so off we trundled for a 4-day, 3-night adventure. Aaron's toes were still healing from our grueling 20-mile hike only a week ago, so he was a brave man to carry a heavy pack and hike for 4 days, especially since the park required we carry stupid bear canisters.  I hate bear canisters.  They are super heavy and make my hiking miserable with the added weight.  Plus they consume too much precious space in my small backpack.  Since Aaron always hangs our food up in trees at night, the canister was superfluous weight which I did not appreciate hauling.  But we obeyed the rules.  And encountered not one stinkin' bear.  The...

 Aaron’s mushed feet and toenails are still recovering from our grueling hike one week ago, and since we leave tomorrow for a 4-day backpack trip, he opted for zero hiking today. So we spent the lovely day on yet another sunny beach and watched the pelicans and the people. I went for a three-mile hike down the beach to Hole in the Rock. Aaron kept his eyes on the beautiful pelicans as soar on the air currents and dive for fish. He read, napped, and didn’t move from his chair for hours. Was a perfect day on a gorgeous black sand peace on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Can’t get much better than that!

Sometimes I wonder how it is that I ever sold my beach house. These misgivings come each time I visit the beaches of the outstanding Pacific Northwest. Todays hours spent sunning ourselves and walking rock strewn Ruby Beach was no different, and Aaron and I speak of whether or not our souls need to purchase property on the Oregon coast once again at some point before we die. Walking the beach as magnificent breakers crash and pound in constant rhythm must be the most soul-fulfilling and rejuvenating exercise known to man.  It was this exercise above all else which eased my grieving heart in the months after I lost my Bry. Almost I am convinced never to leave the beach again.