Teamwork by Necessity
            Parents raising children with physical or developmental disabilities.
            Children caring for aging parents with memory and mobility challenges.
            Those caring for a loved one with a degenerative disease, cancer, injuries from an accident or military service, addiction issues, or any major challenge that makes it hard for an individual to function independently.
            Being a caregiver for someone with exceptional needs is hard because we worry about our loved one’s health, safety and happiness. And sometimes we worry about our own health, safety and happiness.
            The person with the special challenge has things the hardest, much as caregivers sometimes feel stressed by relentless worry. It helps to remember that we’re all on the same team.
            When we’re tired or stressed, it helps to take a deep breath, maybe take a walk in a pretty place, and remember that we’re all in the fight together.
            This week’s Hike Notes take visitors to Pillar Point Harbor – Mavericks Beach. This is a relatively flat walk that starts along the calm protected harbor water and then opens up facing crashing waves from Mavericks Beach.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
New this week:
Hike Notes 101: Pillar Point Harbor – Mavericks Beach

Attention Grabbers
            Sometimes we want attention. A performer wishes to captivate an audience. We hope for a compliment on a new outfit. We anticipate our joke getting laughs. We speak earnestly and hope our voice is heard. 
            But sometimes being the focus of attention is not so great. My severely autistic son is often noticed for undesirable reasons.
            If you struggle with language and can’t regulate your voice, people will turn and stare when your unconventional attempts at communication sound like yelling.
            If you don’t have a sense of where your body is in space, and can’t control your impulses, people in your pathway will be surprised or frightened.
            If you can’t regulate your emotions or sensory responses, people will interpret your neurosensory meltdown as a bratty tantrum.
            Being “different” is not easy. Helping someone with big challenges navigate the “normal” world is not easy. But we keep putting one foot forward.
            And once in a while, a moment of courage or beauty of spirit captures attention that reflects positively on being different.
            For this week’s Hike Notes, I’m sharing a hike from the archives, Magnolia Stroll – San Francisco Botanical Garden. It’s the season when magnolia blossoms—flowers that are attention grabbers in a good way—peak in San Francisco.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 46): Magnolia Stroll – San Francisco Botanical Garden

Going With the Flow, 100 Times and Beyond
            Water flows. Leaves fall. Wind blows.
            Like snowflakes, every moment in time and place is slightly different. Even Mother Nature is comforted by repetition and stimulated by variety.
            Almost two years ago, I created HikingAutism.com, with the desire to share hikes I’ve enjoyed with my severely autistic son, along with insights I’ve gathered as a caregiver handling the challenges of a family dealing with disabilities.
            A new Hike Notes post every week means there are now 100 hike descriptions on the site, in addition to 100 Insights posts accompanying them.
            Some readers use the site to go on the hikes. Some enjoy the scenic locations through the photos. Many tell me HikingAutism.com gives them inspiration. All of those reactions bring me joy. Yet if not another soul read the posts, I’d still write them.
            The heartbeat of this site started with a young teacher who miraculously helped our virtually housebound son get out in the world again (In Memory and Thanks). After his untimely passing, a new helper kept expanding our horizons on new trails. Other treasured helpers have become part of our family over the years.
            Thank you to the sturdy souls who help families like ours.
            In two years I’ve selfishly “saved for later” some of my most treasured hikes, with many still to come.
            For this week’s Hike Notes, I’m sharing one of my favorites in honor of hitting 100 hikes. I hope readers enjoy the special magic of Cataract Trail to Cataract Falls, a hike that packs my favorite features of Mt. Tam hikes into a relatively short stretch of trail.
            Going forward, new Hike Notes may be spaced by two weeks instead of one, with updating of existing favorites in between, or sharing a favorite photo with that week’s Insights post. Thank you to everyone who has walked along with us on HikingAutism.com so far.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos! Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. 
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 100: Cataract Trail to Cataract Falls

Seeing Past the Confusion
            Worthy treasures can be hidden by overlapping obstacles.
            Obscured by the tangled mass of cypress branches in this photo is the silhouette of a raven. Mouth open, head tilted upward. This concealed raven carries a special meaning for me (see “Guardians” Insights post).
            Treasured destinations may also require getting past obstacles, sometimes literal road blocks. Point Reyes National Seashore as a concept is a simple, stark place of wild beauty. Logistically, though, its powerful allure brings challenges for a rustic place with limited roads and facilities. Successfully visiting Point Reyes means checking for road closure alerts, winter shuttle bus availability during whale watching season, and guessing whether suddenly wet, windy weather will derail a visit plan.
            The effort to see beyond a jumble of confusion may reveal something precious.
            This week’s Hike Notes, Point Reyes Lighthouse, introduces a historic lighthouse gem in Point Reyes, west of Drakes Bay.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos! Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. 
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 99: Point Reyes Lighthouse