Sweet Sorrow

We have been very lucky folks these past few months.  Brad's friend, Yessi, has been visiting the United States (more specifically Whidbey Island) since May.   Yessi and Brad met in New Zealand near the end of Brad's Te Araroa tramp in the spring of 2012.  They met up again in China in November of 2012 when Brad traveled to China for dental work, a Nepal trek and, of course, to see Yessi.  Then Yessi came here this spring where she completely wiggled and giggled her way into all our hearts.   Thursday, August 15, Yessi returns to China.  Missing her will be prominent  in all our hearts, but especially prominent for Brad.

During Yessi's visit she and Brad hiked and camped and hiked and camped and hiked and camped some more.  When on Whidbey they lived in a sweet little cottage in the woods.  They traveled from Washington to Oregon to California and back again -- from the Canadian border to the Mexican border.  They hiked Big Sur, Mt. Rainier, Glacier Peak, San Juan Islands, Olympic Mountains, Whidbey Island and even made it to the PCT kickoff in California's desert.

Yessi at the Pacific Ocean, CA

Brad & Yessi travel to their hiking and camping destinations
on the BMW bike

Brad and Yessi at Mt. Rainier

Brad and Yessi celebrate Brad's birthday at Hamma Hamma, Olympic National Park, WA

Saturday evening Yessi  generously treated us to  dinner at the Wild Ginger in Seattle.  She also hosted us to a tour of Boeing's Everett Plant, which Ed had done years and years ago but I never had, nor had Brad.   Boeing, being an interesting and integral part of Seattle's history, probably should be toured by  all of us so we understand more about our economic reliance on this region's huge and important company.  Thanks to the influence of a wonderful young woman from China, our family has learned more about one our region's most influential companies.  Like,  for example, for just a few million dollars I too could owe a Boeing plane.  Between Boeing and dinner, we made a stop at Ibex in University Village where Yessi purchased a new outfit at their 50% off sale.

Yessi at Boeing

Yessi & Brad shopping at Ibex in University Village

Brad and Yessi showing off their Ibex labels

Ed and Fran took a dinner-out-turn and treated Yessi and Brad to dinner at Cafe Langley on Tuesday evening.

Brad, Fran, Yessi & Ed at Boy and the Dog Park in Langley

“Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till

it be morrow.”

William Shakespeare

Adventures Unfold

From Big Sur, to home on Whidbey, to Glacier Peak to the San Juan Islands.  First on the week's  "adventure unfolding" trip agenda for Brad and Yessi was climbing a mountain,  second was sailing the seas.

Joe, Jeff, Jacob & Yessi, Glacier Peak, WA
photo by dbBrad 

Jacob & Brad, San Juan Islands, sailing the Klepper
photo by dbBrad

More Beautiful California Coast

Having been born and raised in California I have a tender spot in my heart for my home state.  There are still so many parts of California that are remote and wild and beautiful.  And, who can argue with the weather?  It's nice to see my son, Brad, get to know and love my home state, although we both are deep to the roots Evergreen State enthusiasts.

Hiking Big Sur certainly gave both Yessi and Brad a feel for California's central coastal landscape, both beautiful and brutal.   Brad has always expressed a huge preference for liking to be up high, and the PCT was too perfect.  Following the crest provided drop-dead stunning views  The lower elevation hiking, despite the ocean hanging out there, just couldn't compete.

As Brad tramped the wild coasts of California with Yessi, I did 24 days in Whidbey General Hospital.  I think he and Yessi had more fun!

Brad surveying the trail.  Brush made it brutal.

Yessi stopping for a break.

Brad and Yessi surveying the foliage, or is it looking for the trail?

Tawny grass and rock outcroppings complete the beauty of this scene

Wild and rugged

Yessi, Brad, Yucca, rock outcropping, and the Pacific Ocean all on a clear blue day.
 What's not to love?

Beautiful sky

Yessi and dbBrad -- so cute!

Yessi setting up camp.

Yessi searching for the trail

The Beautiful Tawny Hills of California

Hiking to record data for Green Trails Maps, in May dbBrad and Yessi were in Big Sur, California enjoying three weeks of very overgrown, burly and difficult trails.  Mostly nice weather but because of the difficult terrain very challenging.  Between the Manzanita and Poison Oak taking over the trails combined with no visual connection with the trail on numerous occasions, they earned every cent they were paid.  dbBrad can usually tick off 20 miles a day without too much effort.  At Big Sur, he was lucky to get 15, and often it was much less. 

Big Sur, CA hiking

Yessi & dbBrad looking very small in front of an old redwood snag

Beautiful sky over the Pacific Ocean

Brad loving the beach

The Pacific Ocean

dbBrad & Yessi hiking at Big Sur

Working Vacation

Brad on the PCT

Brad hiked about 5,000 miles in 2012 completing three separate trails -- the Te Araroa in New Zealand, the Pacific Crest Trail in the United States and the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.  And now, in April of 2013, he heads out again.  This first round of 2013 hikes will be in California where he will be hiking all the trails he can find in the Big Sur area.  He will be recording and mapping trail data for Green Trails so his hiking this summer will be a working vacation.   

Yessi getting outfitted for the Annapurna Circuit

Yessi arrives in Seattle from China on April 15 for a few days on Whidbey Island before she and Brad leave for California on the 23rd.   Once there they will meet a PCT friend of Brad's in the Bay area and proceed to the Pacific Crest Trail kickoff.   Hanging out there for a spell, including putting in a few miles on the PCT, Yessi and Brad will then head back north to Big Sur for a solid two weeks of hiking.  It was in New Zealand that Brad and Yessi first met.  

Later in the summer Brad and Yessi will again hit the trail for Green Trails, recording data for both the Olympic National Forest and Glacier Peak Wilderness.    Right now there is too much snow to even think about hikes in those areas.

Heart on the Trail will be in full heart-drawing operation again as Brad hikes and draws hearts to raise money for the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the American Heart Association.