Welcome Back

I spent yesterday with my dad and my stepmom, Pam. It had been a long time since I’d seen them, so I guess it was something of a Boxing Day Miracle. I also had a wonderful FaceTime call with my brother and sister-in-law.

We spent the day hiking and eating. I think that as far as calories go it was a wash.

Sierra Farewell

This is my last hike with Dad before he heads out for his new home. We went up to the Donner Pass area for the day. The weather was cloudy and pleasantly cool (especially coming from Davis in July) and we had a great vantage point of the Range of Light during our lunch break.

Dad gave me an extra long hug when he dropped me off. I can’t wait to go hiking again when he returns for a visit.

Movin’ On

Back home in Davis. It’s starting to sink in that Dad is getting ready to sell his house (the one I grew up in) and move to the East Coast with Pam. I have to admit that we both feel anxious about this (which is normal when you make big changes in life). That being said, I still have the rest of my family and a good team of caregivers out here, so I think it will be alright.

I’m lucky to have a loving family, and Dad says he will be back to visit me in California as often as he can. I believe him.

The Coast

The Oregon Coast is really beautiful. It’s great for a leisurely drive on a summer afternoon. This part of the world always makes me feel like I’m not in a hurry.

Astoria

When traveling in the Pacific Northwest, I will always make a point of seeing my brother and sister-in-law. This time we met and hung out in Astoria, Oregon near the mouth of the Columbia River. It was only for a few hours, but those family moments are precious.

Jackson and Wendy, I love you guys.

All Apologies

Aberdeen, Washington. This small town near the coast is the childhood home of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain (1967-1994). Naturally, Dad and I stopped by a small city park on the banks of the Wishkah River that’s become a shrine dedicated to the late great musician. It’s really too bad that Kurt chose to join the “27 Club” of rock ‘n’ roll greats who died young. (Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and many others come to mind.) I guess we can never truly know what’s going on in another person’s soul.

Being considerate types, we did not knock on doors of private homes in the neighborhood to ask stupid questions. There was homemade signage in the area to suggest that the locals are tired of it.

R.I.P. Kurt.

300

Here I’m being very brave. I’m standing on a narrow pedestrian walkway on a bridge, cars whizzing by in the roadway next to me, staring down at the tide several hundred feet below.

This is Deception Pass, a thin channel in the Puget Sound area separating Washington’s Whidbey Island from the mainland. The tides here are intense because the water gets funneled through a small passage. It’s a beautiful and fascinating spot.

Also, this is my 300th blog post. Quite a milestone.