LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT

KwaZulu-Natal: South Africa: The top of the Tugela Falls, the world's second highest...someone forgot to turn on the tap. Big surprise! (Beyond the chain ladders and the Sentinel).

'LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HIKE-ABOUT?'

Hike-about is an adventure that commenced June 2010. After storing our household movables, ridding ourselves of a house but retaining our 'home' together, we set off with the purpose of hiking in different parts of the world, not forgetting the home country, the USA.

Our primary focus is hiking to mountain peaks but any challenging hike will do just fine. Extended stays enable us to enjoy and experience living in various places amongst differing cultures. Hike-about has evolved into a way of life. It's also a process of discovery, both the world and ourselves.

We work and live 'on the road' but return to the city in which our grandchildren reside, every couple of months. This provides us the wonderful opportunity to be with them as well as a child or two, even three and of course, friends.

By the end of 2023, the blog contained over 1,560 hikes (less than that actually undertaken), each a set of pictures with stories and anecdotes from the trails. An index to the right allows the viewer to identify earlier experiences.

Finally, we are often asked about the journey's end.
O
ur reply, as accurate as we can state, is: "When we are either forced to cease through health issues or the enjoyment level no longer reaches our aspirations, we will hang up the boots."

"A Life Experience As No Other: Dare to Seize the Day Together", published by Fulton Books, depicts our life on the road and mountains until the beginning of 2017. It has developed 'exponentially' since then.

Jenni and Jeffrey Lazarow

Whereas we continue to update the blog regularly, we circulate email notifications infrequently.

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

62.36 California: Berryessa: Annie's Rock, a hike in an incredible region, an experience supreme.

  
  We have displayed a few hikes, not all, from this region situate a little outside Winters, a few months back. Each time we visit Berryessa Lake/Blue Ridge Mountain or undertake a hike on and over the ridges with views that are magnificent, we are re-re-re-reminded how beautiful so many parts of the world are. The interlinking of the mountains, the interesting slopes, the lake and dam, not forgetting the ground cover, all meld together to form, in our opinion, another little piece of heaven on Earth. While it's not difficult to rush to judgment and perhaps exaggerate the beauty of a particular place, I would take a stand to support this contention. In the end, what does it matter. That a person finds him/herself in a place that reaches the soul and further, stirs and arouses it, is more than enough for most, certainly us. 

  We discovered long ago and trust it will always be the case and that continues to be a major influence over us. No matter how wonderful, how gorgeous or remarkable a sight is, nothing enhances or matches the feelings derived from a struggle and sweat to reach such destination. Simply put, the beauty of the visuals is enhanced relative to the effort expended in reaching such vantage point. Perhaps expressed a little differently: The beauty, the reward and the satisfaction are not just a function of the aesthetics, but also an integral part of the struggle, the journey. 

 The main body of the lake at rear.
I think this might be called 'bushwhacking'.
We climbed to the peak in the middle the previous week only to find on our return that it was supposedly closed.
A view from the above peak toward Monticello Dam, another staggering experience with a hint of risk.
I feel mesmerized when we stare at this view...and intimidated that we still need to return to ground level.
Apparently, the scramble was worth it. (The dam is behind and to the right of Jen.)
We think overpowering in all facets is not an exaggeration.
The road below passes below Monticello Dam.
Jen did not want to leave him out of the picture...very sensitive.
Let's leave on a relatively high note, providing some perspective from the ridge. (Annie's Rock to the left and higher.)

Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey

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