Out With the Old, In With the New
            We turn toward a new year. Anticipation looking forward, reflection looking back. Expectations are tinged with lighter or darker shades for each of us, depending on what life has dropped in our laps at the moment.
            “Breathe out the bad, breathe in the good.” This concept pops up in all sorts of practices for improving our well being.
            On a recent visit to the Labyrinth, above San Francisco’s Mile Rock Beach, a companion suggested we walk the labyrinth inward and then back outward from the center, discarding the things we don’t need or want on our inward path, and soaking up and accepting the things we do want on our outward path.
            I gave it a try. Bordering on hoarder house status, both literally in my house and figuratively in my mind, I had a hard time focusing on what to discard as I wound my way to the center of the labyrinth.
            My only step toward the goal was acknowledging the pressure I put on myself for everything. I pushed away self-criticism for not accomplishing the discarding goal. On the outward walk, I gave myself credit for making the attempt, and enjoyed the simple pleasure of being in a beautiful place, touched by fresh cool air and late afternoon sun.
            My son on the autism spectrum not only didn’t focus on the discard-and-welcome tasks, he also wasn’t particularly careful about walking through the labyrinth, and that was fine, too!
            A stop at the beach, watching ever-changing waves crash in and back out, was nature’s added reminder of how things come in and out of our lives, no two moments the same.
            We don’t have to wait until the New Year or a trip to a labyrinth to allow ourselves to declutter our brains, hearts or houses. We can also welcome positive, good things in our lives at any place and any time. Give it a try whenever the spirit moves you!
            ​ This week’s Hike Notes take us to the Labyrinth at Lands End. The Labyrinth is an extension of the previously posted Lands End Lookout to Mile Rock Beach walk in San Francisco. Absorb the vibes of the stone labyrinth pattern at your feet while soaking up a glorious view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands!
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            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 43: Labyrinth at Lands End

Winter Light
            My childhood winters: Six foot snow banks. Warm winter day: Anything above 32 °F. Cold winter day: 0 °F and below.
           The sun was down by 4:30 PM at the solstice. The light just before dusk lit up our living room windows with what I called “electric blue,” a reverberating, zingy neon blue that only appeared during the depths of winter.
           Though my life path led away from cold and snow, my heart still aches for deep winter.
           “I miss the snow,” I tell friends. “I loved five mile walks with my beagle even when it was 10 degrees below zero.”
           Now I live in a temperate place. Throw darts at a “guess the weather” dartboard and 90% of the time you’ll hit “58 °F and foggy.”
           As autumn progresses, my heart is tugged toward winter hikes. I long to be on a mountain or seaside trail when the sun is about to set.
           I thought it was the snow and cold that I missed. 
           I realize now that what pulls on my heartstrings most is the magical late afternoon light. East coast or west, snow or no snow, there is something transformative about dusk in December.
           You don’t have to travel far to sense the special light of winter. Stand by a window at dusk, and the mystical glow of the season will come to you.
           ​This week’s Hike Notes take us to Tennessee Valley Fox Trail, a lesser traveled extension above the popular Tennessee Valley trail. A recent visit just before the winter solstice bathed the view in hazy golden light, the residual glow guiding us back to the trailhead after sunset.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            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 42: Tennessee Valley Fox Trail

Take a Pause
            What do we need for a “vacation break” from the everyday strains of life?
            Airplane tickets to an exotic locale?
            Keys to a pricey hotel room?
            Extended time off from job or home duties?
            None of the above.
            We need the ability to stop for a moment.
            To take a deep breath.
            To find momentary peace of mind.
            Look out a window. Step outside the door and look up at the sky. Walk to the nearest open space and look toward the horizon.
            Take sixty seconds in the morning to notice the sunrise. Sixty seconds in the evening to soak up the sunset. Sixty seconds any time to stop and think of nothing.
            I am grateful to live in an area with countless locations for enjoying scenic “take a pause” moments. This week’s Hike Notes introduce a China Beach Stroll. This little cove behind San Francisco’s Sea Cliff neighborhood offers dramatic views of the Marin Headlands, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the wide Pacific, all from a small patch of beach.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            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 41: China Beach Stroll

All That Glitters
            The phrase, “All that glitters is not gold” has endured since Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (though “glitters” was “glisters” in his version).
            We are reminded that shiny objects may not live up to their advertised preciousness.
            Yet appearances can be deceiving in both directions.
            Sometimes a humble entity, perhaps with apparent imperfections, belies hidden riches.
            People who look and act differently from the general populace—for our family a quirky autistic son, but there are countless different examples--may have wonderful facets that take time to see.
           And yet again, it is quite possible that a sparkling outer shell does contain wonders. And that an object with a duller patina may in fact not be concealing a treasure.
            In either case, facing a new person, object, or place with an open heart offers more opportunities to appreciate.
            I’ve driven across the Golden Gate Bridge countless times, and walked across it more than once. It’s a thrill every time. When the offer came up to walk on the new span of the Bay Bridge, however, I felt a little dubious. I was pleasantly surprised.
            This week’s Hike Notes lead us on a Bay Bridge Walk. Showered with less adoration than its iconic sibling, the Golden Gate Bridge, the post-earthquake updated east span of the Bay Bridge is not only a visual improvement, but has an official walking path from the Oakland side up to Vista Point on Yerba Buena Island.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            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 40: Bay Bridge Walk

Walking Ahead
            Some kids on the autism spectrum are “runners,” suddenly taking off when least expected. Traffic, steep places, deep woods, the water’s edge. Tight reins seem to be in order.
            Other spectrum kids are the opposite. Clinging to a parent or caregiver, they need nudging, comforting hugs, and more nudging to inch forward.
            Our son fell into the cling-hug-nudge category. We parents, teachers and caregivers can become ingrained in our support modes. We forget to experiment with loosening the reins to help a child achieve greater independence.
            Getting our son out of his sensory defense shell onto hiking trails took a lot of work. He found a calm and confidence in nature that then carried into more stressful environments. 
            The first time a helper encouraged me to just let our son walk ahead on his own, I was in panic mode. Over time, he progressed to walking alone at a distance.
            From where we’d started, that felt like nothing short of a miracle. 
            Complex challenges take a lot of time to overcome. But progress happens.
            Want to find out how far you can go? Keep on trying.
            This week’s Hike Notes introduce Chimney Rock – Point Reyes, an out-and-back hike at the outer reaches of Point Reyes. My heart lifts when visibility from San Francisco is so good that I can see Chimney Rock jutting in the far distance. This is a heavy-on-the-scenic-driving, lighter-on-the-walking type of hike, and as always, blue sky or overcast, the views are stunning.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            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 39: Chimney Rock – Point Reyes