Dads
            In the disabilities community, we often hear about “autism moms” and their fierce determination to do everything humanly possible to help their children on the autism spectrum. The more daunting the challenge, the more determined mothers seem to become.
            There are fathers who also fit that description, but in many families, including mine, the dads may take a quieter role: steadfastly driving kids to school and therapy appointments, handling bath/shower time especially as kids outgrow their moms, remembering medications, supplements and special diet restrictions at meal time.
            The daily reality of being a father may feel very different from what dads of special needs kids originally anticipated. In the big picture, though, it is the same job of figuring out how to help children live a healthy, happy life. The goal of helping our family member achieve full independence may feel out of reach, which makes unconditional love all the more important.
            It’s a little early for Father’s Day, but cheers to the dads out there doing their best under unexpected circumstances. May we all find the resilience to evolve with the hands we’re dealt in life. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s Hike Notes, Half Moon Bay State Beach-Francis Beach, takes readers to the main hub of a multi-beach stretch along the Half Moon Bay shoreline.
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Feel free to share on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
New this week:
Hike Notes 182: Half Moon Bay State Beach-Francis Beach

A Bounty of Color
            After years of drought in California, a string of atmospheric rivers combined with runoff of record snowfall from the mountains has a lake reappearing in a long empty lakebed. We are in a time of extremes.
            Nature’s mercurial temperament brings not only risks but great rewards. The wildflowers after the historic rains have been stunning, with a wide array of flowers still blooming in abundance in late May.
            We see wild irises on Mt. Tam, waves of California poppies painting orange brushstrokes across hills, seas of yellow along coastal bluffs, and patches of pinks, purples, and whites adorning city parks.
            In this glorious year for wildflowers, my joy at seeing favorites like purple lupine has been taken to another level by the appearance of large patches of yellow lupine. Nature has a way of reminding us of what is good in the world, countering the constant negative news cycle blasting at us from technology.
            The humble act of stepping outdoors—or simply to a window or open door--to see a flower growing through a crack in the sidewalk or hear a bird singing out of view has amazing power to restore our spirits.
            Stop for a moment each day to sense what nature is offering, and keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is El Polin Spring-Presidio Walk, an easy trail in San Francisco’s Presidio that offers historical sites along beautiful nature trails.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 115): El Polin Spring-Presidio Walk
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777

My Path to Choose
            Years ago, my Mother’s Day wish was to take my severely autistic son to Kirby Cove. Friends had recommended this beach down a steep trail just north of Golden Gate Bridge, and it had become a holy grail quest for me to get there.
            It wasn’t far away, and it wasn’t a difficult trail, but my son’s autism challenges had us virtually housebound. It felt like an almost impossible goal to achieve, not just as a marker for my son’s progress, but for me to do something for myself.
            The brilliant young teacher helping us get Sean out in the world at that time knew of my Kirby Cove goal for Mother’s Day. He showed up for his Sunday 1 PM Sean-support gig. The fog horns were blaring, and places near Golden Gate Bridge like our Kirby Cove destination were surely embedded in fog.
            “I guess we can try again next time,” I said wistfully, yet again pushing a personal goal down the line for “someday.”
            “I think we should go where we planned on going,” our wise and intuitive autism helper countered firmly.
            We went to Kirby Cove as planned. The fog burned off, and the sun sparkled on the waves of that pretty place just as I’d imagined. It is still one of my happiest days in memory.
            Flash forward to current Mother’s Day weekend when my wish for the day was again to try a new hike.
            “Roy’s Redwoods!” I’d announced repeatedly for weeks as our Mother’s Day trail destination.
            When the day came, I started my, “Too far to drive, too many things to do, can’t make myself a priority” routine. Then I stopped. What would our teacher have told me to do? He’d tell me to go where I had chosen, where my heart was tugging me.
            And so we did. I felt the same happy lifting of spirits I’d felt years ago at Kirby Cove when I allowed myself to take the path I’d chosen.
            Caregivers sometimes need help sticking to plans for our own wellbeing. Remember that the people around you will be better off if you are healthier and happier. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s Hike Notes, Roy’s Redwoods Loop Trail, leads readers along a path featuring redwoods, bay, madrone and oak trees, highlighted by wildflowers and birdsongs.
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Feel free to share on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
New this week:
Hike Notes 181: Roy’s Redwoods Loop Trail

Sibling Solace
            The third of four siblings, and the only girl, I am lucky that despite whatever sibling spats occurred through childhood, my brothers and I have maintained a lifelong loving connection.
            When a parent dies, brothers or sisters become a desperately needed source of comfort. Shared recollections reverberate so strongly one feels transported. Memories bring tears, smiles, contemplation. There is relief and wonder in knowing that someone else remembers.
            Now the mother of two twenty-something sons, I reflect on their connection. Extremely challenged with speech, our younger son would not be able to talk about the past with his big brother. We can see what he’s thinking about as he scrolls through thousands of old photos on the computer, easily clicking and finding an old photo of his toddler self sitting with his grandpa.
            As brothers, they could share memories by looking at pictures. It is a different way of sharing, but it’s something.
            May we all find comfort in the company of loved ones when we’re processing losses, and keep putting one foot forward as we face each day.
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Point Bonita Lighthouse, a historic Fresnel lens lighthouse jutting out from the Marin Headlands, and a great place for whale watching.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 13): Point Bonita Lighthouse
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes and photo galleries via the main Hikes page or the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite walks from readers! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism

From High Above
            One of my favorite things in childhood was to hike to the summit of Black Bear Mountain in the Adirondacks with my family. We would camp for a week at Seventh Lake near Inlet, NY. Between canoe trips and swimming in chilly lake water, we’d follow the trail lined by pine trees and make our way to the top, the strong calf muscles of my dad’s legs leading the way ahead of us.
            I was always thrilled to look out from on high and see age-softened Adirondack hills rolling softly as far as I could see. Being on a high peak and seeing so far out to the horizon was a literal and figurative pinnacle for me as a kid. We’d go back down and dad would chop wood and build the campfire.
            My dad’s legs lost the strength to hike with us long ago, but his wit, wisdom, and ability to talk about anything under the sun held strong, only surpassed by his sense of humor and big booming laugh.
            The spirit of my dad—taken by age and illness this week—will still be with me when I hike here in California on trails that remind me of the many gifts he gave me and my brothers, most important of which was to be a kind, loving person.
            This week’s Hike Notes, Tank Hill-San Francisco Hill Walk, takes readers to one of the rocky hills that offer visitors grand views of the San Francisco Bay and cityscape.
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Please feel free to share on Facebook at HikingAutism, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism
New this week:
Hike Notes 180: Tank Hill-San Francisco Hill Walk

Super Bloom on the Edge
            Facing a steep cliff overlooking the Pacific, with fog obscuring the horizon, it looks like people are walking to the edge of the world.
            The view on this bluff is even more stunning than usual, covered by a dense carpet of yellow wildflowers. Orange, purple, white and pink combine with various shades of yellow to create a mesmerizing color palette.
            This week I’ve been on watch for loved ones who are “on the edge” in a different way, battling dire health problems. Regardless of family worries, daily duties can’t be ignored. Having a severely autistic son who is totally dependent means I can’t stop for long to ponder matters of life, death and love.
            When taking my son on a walk this week, heart aching with worry, there was magic when we rose to the top of the bluff. A brushstroke of yellow covered all the way to the cliff edge, leaving space in my mind for nothing but awe at the power and beauty of nature.
            May we all embrace the daily miracles nature offers, and keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Mori Point, a great place for viewing the Pacific, sometimes with whales in view, or taking a walk along the beach after walking Bootleggers Steps down from the bluff.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 12): Mori Point
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes and photo galleries via the main Hikes page or the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite walks from readers! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism

Walking the Given Path
            Some people passively follow whatever path opens ahead. Others thrive on forging new, independent trails. Some of us alternate between these two extremes.
            Life doesn’t always give us a choice. The relationship we cultivated doesn’t work out. The favorite aunt we wanted to live forever passes away. The goal of becoming a veterinarian turns into a career as a teacher, or an accountant, or a waitress.
            Sometimes we’re on a trail and find ourselves in a spot with no clear signs of which way to go. We use our instincts to feel our way to the next clear trail section. The process of finding a sure trail after losing our way hones skills and builds confidence.
            I love rough dirt trails as well as bushwhacking through unmarked areas, but it’s also comforting to be guided by an easy to follow boardwalk or fence. 
            In the photo gallery for a new World Walks contribution from Florida, all paths are lined with a wooden boardwalk or bridge. I love the thought of wandering through the floodplain forest, guided by wooden structures underfoot.
            Check out St. Francis Trail-Ocala National Forest, third in a series of Florida World Walks, this one near Deland, Florida. (Click the World Walks link to see how to submit your own favorite walk!)
            The wooden boardwalk and paths shown in the St. Francis Trail-Ocala National Forest gallery reminded me of a wooden boardwalk through an unusual geological area. This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Jug Handle Ecological Staircase-Mendocino, a hike that features a wooden boardwalk through a fascinating pygmy forest in Mendocino County.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 139): Jug Handle Ecological Staircase-Mendocino
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes and photo galleries via the main Hikes page or the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite walks from readers! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism

Another World
            Dealing with extraordinary physical, cognitive or neurological challenges can be isolating. Those of us in the disability community sometimes feel like we’re living in an alternate world from everyday society.
            For our family, going out in public is daunting because our severely autistic son’s sensory processing issues, communication difficulties, and unpredictable behavior sometimes makes navigating the “normal world” feel impossible.
            Work and caregiving duties limit my ability to meet in person, so social media has been a great way to connect with other nature and hiking enthusiasts, as well as autism and special needs advocates.
            The walks people share in the World Walks section of HikingAutism allow me to enjoy “armchair traveling” myself while sharing great places with readers. 
            One of my social media friends shares photos of the Palouse region in Washington State. I’d never heard of the Palouse until seeing his posts, and often feel that the terrain looks slightly unearthly. Steptoe Butte State Park Hike, a new World Walks contribution this week, highlights that very quality of the Palouse. Check out the stunning scenery on the Steptoe Butte State Park Hike page.
            That sense of a place similar yet different from earth brought to mind a Marin County hike. This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Ring Mountain-Tiburon, a place that has unusual geological formations and rare plants.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 24): Ring Mountain-Tiburon
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes and photo galleries via the main Hikes page or the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite walks from readers! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism

The Micro View
            “Just look out at the horizon and take a deep breath. It will clear your mind,” more than one wise soul has instructed me.
            Sure enough, realizing how small I am in the bigger scheme of things is both humbling and liberating. My problems just aren’t that important in the greater universe.
            Taking this kind of macro view has long been a well-known stress-busting tool.
            On the flip side, my severely autistic son spends a lot of time looking intensely at objects up close. It wouldn’t be good if he used this micro view all the time, but looking closely at objects that fascinate him seems to bring a sense of comfort.
            Though concentrating on upsetting issues too intensely for a long time is not helpful, focusing on an object that brings a sense of peace and beauty can be as helpful in clearing our minds as looking far out at a distance.
            Living in a city, the horizon is not always in view for an emotional “perspective adjustment.” Finding a flower, a mushroom, or an unusual tree bark pattern to look closely at to the exclusion of everything around it—cars, people, buildings—can bring as much sense of quiet awe as the horizon does. Stepping out on my front porch in the morning and looking at a single flower works wonders.
            May we all find objects—distant or right in front of our noses—that help us tune out the negative and clear our hearts to let positive thoughts come in. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s Hike Notes, Rhododendron Dell Golden Gate Park Stroll, introduces readers to one of many special areas in San Francisco’s large and varied Golden Gate Park.
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Please feel free to share on Facebook at HikingAutism, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism
New this week:
Hike Notes 179: Rhododendron Dell Golden Gate Park Stroll

Teachers
            A friend from what feels like several lifetimes ago recently informed me that our master karate teacher had died. I still carry the physical and mental confidence I gained from studying karate as a college student decades later. One small correction in form by our teacher—made without words by repositioning a foot or adjusting an arm by even half an inch—taught students more than any verbal instruction could.
            I was reminded of the powerful role teachers play in our lives. Little do they know—and how often we ourselves forget—the impact they have on students.
            There are as many different teaching styles as there are learning styles. For those who missed the podcast telling the heart wrenching yet uplifting story of how a gifted young special ed teacher helped our severely autistic son, you can hear it here.
(https://www.gritgraceinspiration.com/podcast/hiking-autism/)
            Podcast host Kevin Lowe, who inspires others through his positive determination after losing his sight at age 17, followed our full interview about Sean’s wonderful teacher with a short episode suggesting ways any of us can make a helpful difference in the world. You can hear that episode here.
​(https://www.gritgraceinspiration.com/podcast/small-acts-of-kindness/)
            Teachers appreciate hearing a thank you. May we all stop to remember those who have guided us to higher knowledge, even those who are no longer here to hear the words. The good things people teach live on through their students.
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Gray Whale Cove Trail, a steep trail that takes strength to climb but offers breathtaking views worth the effort.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 93): Gray Whale Cove Trail
 
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes and photo galleries via the main Hikes page or the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite walks from readers! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism