Hiking and Healing
You may have noticed that uploads to this website have been on haitus for a while. On October 16 my mother passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack. It’s been a difficult time.
My parents were living in Washington, DC, so my husband and I traveled there as soon as we could to be with my dad and go through all the necessary steps. My husband went back to Colorado after 2 weeks (the start-up company that he works for was generous and understanding) and I stayed on in DC for another week to continue helping my dad with things.
Shenandoah National Park – Hawksbill Summit
Exercise was really helpful during this time, and while I went to a few yoga classes in DC, there is nothing like going to the mountains. After a few weeks of not hiking, my heart yearned for healing time in the mountains. I urged my dad for us to take a trip together to Shenandoah National Park one day. On November 5 we rented a car and drove up to the park for a 2.6 mile loop hike to Hawksbill summit, followed by a meal at Skyland Lodge.
It was a pleasant and easy hike.
At Hawksbill Mountain summit –
Along the Appalachian Trail –
It had been a while since I’d seen so much moss. In Colorado you usually only see lichen.
Shenandoah National Park holds a special place in my heart because it is where my husband and I went for our honeymoon and hiked extensively for almost 3 years. Although we only went for a short hike, the drive along familiar roads, through familiar towns and rolling hills, was comforting.
Views from overlooks on Skyline Drive –
Boulder – Wonderland Lake
Just before flying back to Colorado I caught a bad cold (unsurprising, given the circumstances), so I rested for a few days after I got back. When I was finally feeling better, the first hike I went on was to Wonderland Lake in Boulder. Similar to Shenandoah National Park, Wonderland Lake has a homey feel to it for me, because I used to hike there often after we first moved to Boulder. The trailhead was only 5 minutes walk from our apartment.
Having been close to sea level for three weeks, I could feel the effect of the elevation on my breath. Overall, though, it was another comforting hike.
Boulder – Mt. Sanitas via Sunshine Canyon and Lions Lair Loop
The next day I went on one of my favorite hikes in Boulder – Mt. Sanitas via Sunshine Canyon and Lions Lair trails.
Going Forward
A lot more time and a lot more hikes are going to be necessary to further the healing process.