Appreciating Life at Point Reyes

While thinking about a student who's seriously ill and sending good thoughts his way, I'm finding it comforting to recall a trip Amy and I took up to Pt. Reyes this past December, during the week between Christmas and New Year's.  Amy's dad Rich had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and Amy had spent the two weeks prior to Christmas back in New Jersey, helping her parents navigate the medical system and begin his treatment.

Amy was glad she could be there for her parents, but it was a stressful time for everyone, and we knew that her ability to be a source of support depended on both of us taking some time out along the way.  So she came home to San Francisco for the holidays, and we put up a Christmas tree for a few days before heading up to Marin.

On our first hike that week we took Sky Trail to Woodward Valley, and then we wound our way down to the coast.  Fog was creeping up from Bear Valley, but the coast was clear enough to see the Farallons.

We made our usual trek out to Tomales Point, and the tule elk were incredibly active.  One male chased another for several hundred yards, just off the trail, stirring the rest of the herd into movement.  (No, not here, but trust me, they were running wild.)

I took a solo hike up to the top of Point Reyes Hill, down to the coast via the Bucklin Trail, and back up via the Bayview. The view of Point Reyes from the summit was spectacular:

I'd never been down Bucklin before, and it was so isolated it was spooky. I came across a relatively recent deer skeleton right on the trail, as well as an endless variety of mushrooms:

A challenging day, as these "Half-Way" and "Almost Done" shots make clear:

Our last day we went to Kehoe Beach for the first time. I love the pastures that roll right up to the dunes:

There was a minus tide that day, making the beach hundreds of yards wider than usual and exposing huge rock formations that are usually covered in surf. A stunning way to end our trip:

The reality of Rich's illness was always on our minds, and we knew that Amy would be returning to New Jersey shortly, but it was helpful to spend just a little time in this most beautiful place, not to shut out the reality of death, but to appreciate life even more.  So as my student R. is locked in a tough battle with cerebral malaria, I'm not surprised to feel a keen sense of appreciation for every aspect of life, particularly as it's expressed in a place like Pt. Reyes.

Comments

[Eric Lapp]

Really cool Ed, we also have a most wonderful Bucklin trail here too nearly at my back door, leading up the Green Mtn. foothills to the Long Trail/App.Trail. Passing of a local outdoorsman 'hero'/youth mentor here this week Mark Skakel - who I knew very briefly from tennis league years back...in the oddest way, loss of these great souls physical presence sharpens our sense of gratitude and appreciation and deepens our commitments to our beliefs.

[edbatista]

Thank you, Eric--I'm sorry about Mark. And I agree that a heightened sense of gratitude, appreciation and commitment may be one of the most important things we derive from any loss, whether the person was a close loved one or an acquaintance. That's definitely been the case with me over the past few months.