Hiking To Celebrate

Recently we celebrated my husband’s birthday. He doesn’t like to make it a big deal. Every year we make it a low-key event. Usually I bake a cake and hang a banner over the mantle until he decides to take it down.

When we lived back east we celebrated his birthday in Maine. From Ohio we drove 12 hours one way to hang out on the beach and watch folks go by. When we were hot we’d jump in the ocean. It was so dang cold but it beat the heat. When we returned to the west coast we found a different way to celebrate. We’d hike.

We live in a valley. When the world went into lockdown we started hiking the surrounding hills. Once we were stronger and confident we decided to take his birthday celebration in a new direction. We’d hike at different parks within driving distance.

This year we hiked a small section of the Pacific Coast Trail near Lake Tahoe. The trail runs along Lower and Upper Echo Lakes above the Tahoe Basin. The trailhead started with a view of Lake Tahoe and the valley, an unbelievably beautiful and mesmerizing sight. The trail ran along one side of the lakes. Lakes to the west and massive rock formations and gnarly trees stood to our east. For the duration of the hike our go-to word was ‘wow.’

We don’t know where next year will take us but I’m certain we’ll find ourselves on trail.

List of tools and materials

• Muji pen

• Color pencils

• Sketchbook of newsprint with storyboard panels