Light Emerges from Darkness

            Six years ago, our family was virtually housebound. Our younger son could barely tolerate leaving his own bedroom. His version of autism was a mysterious, multi-layered sensory trap, and we were caught in it with him.
            Destiny brought a gifted young teacher who helped our son—and us— get out in the world. Our “autism whisperer” worked miracles from day one. Several months of happy progress later, an undetected heart problem stole our beloved helper from this earth.
            Sharing uplifting moments as we walked through our grief helped us keep going. Other wonderful helpers stepped in to keep us moving forward. My heart is lifted when people tell me they are inspired by my photos of hikes with our autistic son. This hikingautism.com site allows me to fulfill the many requests I’ve had for specific information on hiking destinations, as well as to share some insights on challenges we may share with others.
            New entries will appear in the Hikes and Insights sections every week or two. Insights may touch not strictly on hiking and autism, but also include the benefits of getting out in nature, the challenges of being a caregiver, or whatever comes up at the time.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
Hike Notes 1: Marin Headlands Visitor Center to Rodeo Beach