It’s hard to believe it’s already half way through February!  The year is speeding by.  Last month there were some exciting developments in the near future for me and, as in the past, I want you to be aware of them.  So here it is, the latest life update from yours truly!

Currently I am a Program Instructor at Berkshire Outdoor Center in Becket, MA.  February marks the fifth month of my position here and I am loving it!  There’s always something new and challenging about my work and the community here at camp is as fantastic as ever.  The northeast continues to present lots of exploratory opportunities and I have barely scratched the surface.  Most recently, a number of us staff members stayed at a couple rustic cabins for a night at a farm and forest in Rupert, VT.  The weather didn’t really cooperate (howling winds and icy snow the whole time!) but we still had a grand time!  I am still looking for community involvement outside of BOC, though there is some progress being made there as I visit and get to know some church congregations in the area.  We’ll see where those relationships go!  It’s been such a good experience to live in this part of the country and discover what the land, people, and culture are all about.

Now for the really exciting part: in January I was offered and accepted two new positions with BOC!  I will continue instructing here in Becket till June, then will switch to summer camp mode.  This summer I will be the Ropes Course Site Supervisor at Camp Becket for Boys, which will last till the end of August.  This position involves me supervising and helping run all ropes course and climbing activities at camp, plus helping with some other activities throughout the summer with program staff.  I am excited for this opportunity to grow and stretch my abilities and knowledge in the field!  I have only ever been part of one summer camp (love you forever Camp Seymour!) so it will be a good experience to be on staff at a new camp.

The second part is that I am now officially going to New Zealand as part of BOC’s International Program!  We partner with an outdoor camp outside of Auckland, NZ, called Camp Adair, and do a staff exchange program with them.  What this means is I will be staying here at BOC for the remainder of this year and then going to Camp Adair this October where I will stay for six months working as a Program Instructor and doing some traveling on the side.  I am really stoked to get more international experience and learn from another culture and outdoor program!  And what could be better than doing so in the land of The Lord of the Rings?  Nothing.  Literally nothing.

I will return from overseas in April, 2018, and that’s where the plans end.  Most likely I will finish out the spring season back here in Becket, MA, and then have a second go at summer camp with Camp Becket.  That, however, is yet to be determined.  We’ll see how things go over the next year!  For now, Becket is home.  It’s strange to think about still, that I’ll be here in Massachusetts for a while yet.  I never thought I’d call this area of the country home, but I’m confident and at peace that it’s where I’m supposed to be.

If you ever find yourself out on the east coast, give me a holler!  There’s always a place for you to stay and friends to be made here at camp, so please come for a visit!  Or, if you can’t come visit, send a postcard (but the first option is preferable) and expect one in return.  Thank you for all your support and involvement in my life.  It makes a huge difference in my life!  Can’t wait to see where we go next friends.  Be blessed!

We drove on Highway 120, rising in elevation and leaving the city farther behind as we went.  Dry grass and tall pines flanked us on both sides as we approached our final objective in California.  It wasn’t long before we came upon the long line of campers, rental vehicles, and packed family cars; a sign of where we were.  We had arrived at one of America’s first protected areas and a landscape that has inspired people from all walks of life for centuries: Yosemite National Park.

After a brief stop at the West (Big Oak Flat) Entrance ranger station, we picked up a backcountry permit for the Hetch Hetchy area, a lesser known spot in the northwest part of the park.  We pulled up to the backpacker campground at Hetch Hetchy and started to load our packs, excited for our 6 mile hike around the nearby reservoir, and had some lunch once finished.  I looked at my watch and saw that it was about 2pm.  Yikes, I thought.  Hiking in the afternoon?  This should be fun.  We shouldered our packs and started off down the dirt road that led through the campground.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the sun was high, and it felt like it.  It was hot out, like, really hot.  It wasn’t long before we were sweatin’ buckets as we walked, expecting to find the trailhead soon.  Suddenly the road took an interesting turn uphill and our confidence wavered.  It dropped even more so when we came upon the sign that said, “Helipad Access.”  This is so not a trailhead.  

As it turned out, we had taken the wrong road and instead of finding a trail to take us on our merry way we found a helipad.  Not exactly our finest moment!  The helipad did afford us a good view of the area though.  A few hundred out lay the Hetch Hetchy Dam and Reservoir.  We could spot the small parking lot to the right of the Dam for day-visitors, and the (actual) trail leading through a tunnel and then around the reservoir to the left.  Bearings in mind, we started down the hill.  As we went, though, I could feel fatigue seeping in.  30 minutes trekking today felt like two hours on an average day.  I thought of how the rest of the day was probably going to go if we carried on and saw two scenarios playing out.  One: we could get a portion of the hike done but then have to stop because of fatigue, dehydration, etc.  Two: we could take it real slow and finish the hike in the dark.  The facts weren’t promising: we were running on little sleep (Kaari and I had to take Alyssa to the airport that morning at 5am), got a late start, and it was a very hot day.  Was this very smart?

I voiced my concerns to Kaari and after talking about it we decided to stay at the campground that night.  We both needed a restful afternoon, so after some searching we found a good hammock spot and enjoyed the afternoon from a grove of pines below the slopes of the Hetch Hetchy Valley.  The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful, an appreciated change after so much action the past week.  Although, we did find a rattlesnake in camp that night.  We were sure to set up the tent after that instead of cowboy camping!  The next day we hiked to Ranchera Falls, skirting along the edge of the reservoir for 6 miles.  Despite the hot temps we didn’t jump in for a swim, mostly because it’s illegal.  That’s right, it’s illegal to swim in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir!  Why?  Because it’s San Francisco’s water source.  Things didn’t go as planned, but I’m glad we spent time at Hetch Hetchy.  It was good to see a different part of the park and gain a more complete picture of it.  I was also encouraged by the lack of traffic in the area.  It heartened me to know there is still some solitude to be found in one of the most highly visited sites in the country.

Day 3 in Yosemite dawned.  This was the day we planned to spend in the main valley.  I must admit, though, it hasn’t attracted me much in my life.  The crowded famous places usually don’t fit my love for unknown backdoor areas.  But after watching the climbing film, Valley Uprising (which takes place in Yosemite), earlier in 2016, I was inspired anew to go.  But it’s important to keep first things first…so we ate pancakes and drank coffee first, then hopped in the car and left our campsite behind.  As we descended the final stretch in, the valley floor came into view.  Two of the greatest icons of our land rose in the distance: the daunting, challenging face of El Capitan soaring 3000′ above on the left, Half Dome’s unmatched novelty further down on the right, as if God Himself cleaved a granite dome in two, and towering, unyielding granite walls in between it all, running the 8 mile length of the valley.  The Merced River slowly wound it’s way through the heart of the green meadows resting below the walls, as Bridalveil Falls and countless other falls on both sides poured life down to all below.  It was absolutely captivating.

This was it.  This was the birthplace of so much our people hold dear.  Art, literature, the conservation and preservation movements, the sport of rock climbing…all these and more were brought to life here.  This was the place the great naturalist John Muir described as, “Look(ing) like an immense hall or temple lighted from above.  But not temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite.  Every rock in its walls seems to glow with life.”  As all my sense rejoiced in their surroundings, I realized John was right.  This place was a slice of Heaven; this place was Yosemite.

After a good hike up to Vernal Falls on the far end of the valley, a much needed swim in the Merced River, a trip to the visitors center (science!),  and some ice cream, we drove up to our final spot for the day: Glacier Point.  Kaari and I wanted to get a good view of the area at sunset and we heard Glacier Point was the place.  We parked and started towards the overlook and as we approached, the eastern half of the valley revealed itself.  Distant waterfalls were bright white highlights on a granite landscape atop a green carpet of life below.  Presiding above it all was Half Dome, a ruler sitting enthroned above the rest.  We had a profile view of it, getting a good grasp of its size and shape, which are both RIDICULOUS.  But this was only half of the view; there was still the western side around behind us, blocked by mountains and trees.  We knew of a trail that ran west and down from Glacier Point, so we decided to give it a try and find the missing half.  Immediately upon getting on the trail we left the crowds at the parking lot (this is the secret to good experiences in national parks), admiring the view as we jogged along, chasing the sunset.  Slowly but surely the rest of the valley started to show up, but mostly through trees.  Some views were great but we knew there was more, so we kept going, seeking that one perfect spot.  And then we found it.

It surprised us.  We came around a bend in the trail and I let out a gasp.  Whoa.  “Come on!” I yelled with joy.  “Are you serious?!”  I could hardly believe my eyes.  Before us stretched the entirety of the western Yosemite Valley, lit by a glorious sunset.  The gentle Merced River snaked its way through the center, reflecting the glowing pink and orange clouds as a mirror.  All things seemed to glow with a life and pride that came from within.  El Capitan stood nobly on the right, silently convincing us of the respect and admiration it deserved.  It was truly one of the most inspiring, sublime sights I have ever laid eyes on.  I wanted to stay there forever and soak it all in.

In that moment, it clicked for me.  “I think I get it,” I remember telling Kaari, though I was afraid to interrupt the serenity of the moment.  “I get why Yosemite is so special, why it has changed history.”  She nodded in agreement.  There really is no place like it, and it deserves every bit of its reputation.  There is more material on Yosemite than maybe any other park, but it took a personal visit for me to truly grasp the truth of it.  This has been a big lesson for me over the years: there is no substitute for personal experience.  This is true for every area of life.  So I encourage you, don’t be satisfied with just reading about a person or place.  Go experience it yourself!  Then you’ll understand, it’ll “click” for you, and you won’t ever forget it.

The next couple days we drove north through eastern Oregon, visiting friends and family in the Columbia Gorge (thanks Ryan and Emily for the orchard tour!) and Portland (thanks Jeremy and Lori for having us overnight!), finally returning to Tacoma and concluding our summer road trip.  My final thought on this California adventure has to do with perception.  When you think of a place beyond value, somewhere important, a place you don’t think we can afford to lose, where do you think of?  Is it a famous spot?  One only you know about?  It’s easy to be blown away by the extraordinary, historical, legendary icons.  But can we find worth in the small, ordinary things?  Can we value our own street, local parks, or neighborhoods as much as the world renowned travel destinations?  If we can learn to, it might just change our lives.