The rest is nearing completion although we still feel tired. One wonders (should that be ‘two’) what we have been doing to feel this way. Whew! We digested the matzos finally; Ellie wore us down most pleasantly; we should have owned apples instead of gold; we’d like the political class to disappear and mostly, wish all our friends and family, very good health.
It’s time to wake and get going at last. An excitement is building, which actually commenced before we returned from Hawaii. We intend heading for Northern Arizona, Southern Utah, Northern California, the Sierras and perhaps Oregon. This could change, of course, as the area mentioned is vast and time is short. We are remaining relatively close to San Diego as Natalie is currently ‘with child’. As an aside, we have always been fascinated by this phrase. We find it an elegant expression. Unfortunately, we don’t get the opportunity to express it much—Natalie is not often pregnant. And Jenni is far too busy adventuring to be with child, herself. (Phew!!!).
The trip following this one, we hope, will be spent climbing along the Andes, something under discussion although we have not committed to as yet. We intend to change that.
During May and early June, we will be based in Sedona, a town Hercule Poirot may have understated as: ‘One for which we have the spot that is soft’. It is a wonderful place, surrounded by giant red rocks, mountains, challenging hikes and climbs and an artsy feel to it. The artsy part is of course the attraction that clinches it for us. One of its advantages is that these spectacularly shaped and sized rocks are in the town. In addition, it is close to Grand Canyon, Prescott, and Flagstaff, making it a convenient base. Finally, we have always had a desire to spend more time in this area. Short of moving there permanently, it’s a nice tradeoff.
A recent disappointment is that we were rejected or in the alternative, failed to secure a place in the lottery for the Half-Dome ascent in Yosemite. The idea was to form a team with our son, Robbie and Sam Hoffman. The concept is terrific but the government has other ideas for us. Instead, we are excited that Rob may join us for a possible ascent to Mount Shasta Peak—one of our dream climbs.
That concludes some of our conceptual ideas for the next three months which can, of course, change at any time. This is probably the strength of hike-a-about, the liberating effect of following our dreams rather than be locked into a fixed schedule.
We look forward to seeing you on the road, slopes and peaks. As always, be safe.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
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