Ah.... Weekend

So I think by this point, if you've been reading for awhile, you'll know that J and I don't take many days off. Before work started to get so insane and we were in the field 8-10 months a year, we were really active and used to actually take mini-trips on weekends quite frequently. Shooting up into the mountains for a quick hike/camping trip, up to a lake for some fishing, or into the woods for some mountain biking. Two years ago we came out of the field and we've never really gotten back into that. We work most weekends and any time we take off normally is spent on a huge landscaping project we have going on at the house.

This spring as we were regaining some sanity at the coast, we were discussing why we won't make time to do that sort of stuff anymore...realizing how much we needed it for sanity purposes. And we both decided that we would make it happen. Now...this summer isn't the greatest to do it considering how much I have been and am going to be gone. But happily it looks like we aren't letting that stop us.

Saturday we did end up working all day at the house on gardening and the landscaping...getting a huge amount of work done (one day I plan to post some pictures of the process...and transformation). But then on Sunday we took off for the mountains to accomplish 3 things:
1. Get into the woods and breathe fresh mountain air.

2. Get some serious exercise in.

3. See something beautiful (I put this last because where I live--this is pretty easy no matter where you go!).

The river we crossed to get to the trailhead--taken from the truck sitting in the water.

All things accomplished. We had only intended on going about 6 total miles because we wanted to get back in time to visit and check on 'the girls'. But due to road closures, roads where maps had them as trails, and other issues, we ended up on a longer trail than we intended (and one not maintained hardly at all...the first mile or so there was a lot of bush-whacking and climbing over crap). But about 4 miles up, the trail switched to north facing and all of a sudden 75% of the trail was under snow.

Stopped by the snow. By the way? Snowmelt...best water ever.

We kept going for about a quarter of a mile before it got to the point we had no idea where the trail was under the snow. So we didn't make the climb we wanted but it was okay! We knew it was early in the season to get much elevation.

The peak that wasn't to be -- China Cap in the Eagle Cap Wilderness

On the way back down, we hit a sign and a fork that we hadn't noticed going up. The trail number was one that didn't exist on the map and so we took a left following the number that we were supposed to be on...hiking another mile before we finally realized we went the wrong way. Hiked that mile back up, figured out where to go and ended our hike. A pre-planned 6 turned into just over 10 miles. Tiring but felt really good.

We still managed to get up to see 'the girls'...and also saw these ladies in a field on the way up. And then we went out to eat at the local place that we love but rarely go...the food is incredible. Came home, had some wine, and relaxed to some episodes of MI-5.

It was a good weekend. Okay, okay...EXCEPT...my camera broke. I obviously can still access the pictures I took before it broke, but no more taking pictures. Luckily I have a very generous brother who is fed-exing his camera to me today to take back to Alaska so I didn't have to make a rush purchase. Thank you brother dearest!
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Now playing: Again Today by Brandi Carlile