Family Fun

I spent the last three days traveling around southern Georgia and northern Florida with Mike's brother, his wife, and their adorable 14 month old daughter. Mike joined us for a trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore, where we hiked along the beaches and trails before waving our goodbyes to him as he returned on the ferry to the mainland. The rest of us spent the night in a very pleasant campground, surrounded by tall saw palmettos, live oaks, and the sound of the ocean's waves. The next day we returned to the mainland and drove to Ocean Pond, a pleasant campground in northern Florida. We got to the campground after dark, so we weren't sure what to expect when we awoke the next day...but it was a beautiful place. The "pond" was actually quite large, much more like a lake, and it beckoned to us to swim in it. That is, of course, until the camp host told us that there were alligators in it. He added, "oh, don't worry about it, because parents let their kids swim unsupervised in that lake all the time." Apparently they haven't had any attacks, but that's not enough to convince me to swim with the alligators!

We hiked about six miles along the Florida National Scenic Trail. It's quite flat compared to other national scenic trails, and the forest that we hiked through consisted of pines and palmettos...quite different than the Continental Divide Trail!

The next day, we drove to the east entrance of Okefenokee Swamp, which is managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service. We toured an old homestead and learned how the occupant had made a living as a "swamper." The boardwalk led us to a viewing tower, overlooking a lake which might have been teeming with alligators. We saw several gators lurking in the murky water, and a few long, black snakes in the understory of the forest. I, for one, was appreciative of the boardwalk, as it enabled us to walk above all of these creatures and avoid potential "interactions." Mike and I plan to go on an overnight canoe adventure one of these weekends, and I'll return with his parents at some point in April.

This morning I cuddled with my adorable niece one last time before they headed on to continue their travels. Now I'm getting settled once again into my Georgia lifestyle.

Surprisingly, Surviving

Mike's room, and the view of the pool out his window.

Mike has nearly finished his first week at FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, in Brunswick, GA), and surprisingly, he says it's not as bad as he expected it to be. All federal law enforcement officers (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, etc...) are required to attend this academy once they've been hired into their first permanent job. The training can last anywhere from 3.5 months to 5 or more, depending on the agency you work for. Mike's class is going to last 4 months.

Mike is really impressed with his instructors and classmates so far. Most of his classmates are married, mature, and work well as a team. I'm so glad to see that he's feeling upbeat and positive about this experience so far! Yesterday he had his first set of physical testing (running, bench press, agility, flexibility, body fat) and surprised himself with the good results. He went immediately to the campus clinic afterwards and was diagnosed with bronchitis. Let's hope he gets better soon...

I live with a great couple about 15 minutes from Mike's "home". I've come to really enjoy the dogs I live with! The tiny chihuahuas are so cuddly and cute. Mike and I have been able to see each other for a couple of hours every night. Sometimes he'll have night classes, but so far, it's working out great.

Thanks for all of your prayers!

At Home in Georgia

Pictures from the drive across the country: Golden Gate Bridge, packing the car with too much stuff, views through the windshield, Buffalo River National Scenic Riverway, Little River Canyon (another NPS site), azaleas (which are blooming everywhere in Brunswick!)

Well, after an 11 day road trip through 10 states (including the length of California), Mike and I have arrived in Georgia and made ourselves at home. I’m living with a married couple in their beautiful home just outside of Brunswick, about 15 minutes from Mike. I have a large bedroom, bathroom, and walk-in closet to myself, and full use of the kitchen and other living areas. In the mornings, I wake up to the sound of a cardinal chirping right outside my window, and then I eat my breakfast on a large, screened-in porch. The horses and dogs greet me with tail wags and winnying, and the birds continue to sing.

We didn’t know what to expect for Mike’s lodging. When we arrived at the academy, the lady that registered him said that there are two types of housing- the older dorms, which they call the “crack houses”, and the newer ones, called the “Taj”. Any guesses where Mike ended up? That’s right, the Taj! We drove about a mile further onto the campus, and discovered three large, five-story yellow buildings, with a pool in the courtyard. He has a room on the fourth floor, complete with a double bed, couch, chairs, a kitchenette, and a private bathroom. And, of course, an ironing board, which was quickly put to use when it came time for Mike’s uniform to be ironed. He even has maid service every day, so he comes home to clean linens and towels (or “terry service” as they call it). Also, dining hall offers a lot of variety, and he eats for free. All in all, it’s a pretty nice setup!

We’ll probably be able to see each other most evenings, and we’re looking forward to our weekend adventures together. From what I’ve seen, this area of Georgia is quite beautiful, especially the old homes in Brunswick, with bright pink azaleas blooming in the yards. Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers!

Galapagos of North America

So we're officially on the road again, after having checked out of our apartment on Thursday morning. The southbound travel through California was smooth, but lengthy. We traveled via the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco to San Jose, where we spent a night with Mike's wonderful cousin and second cousins.

The next day, we drove to Santa Barbara, where we met up with our Peace Corps friends (who we last reunited with in the Virgin Islands, a few winters ago). We had a terrific time catching up over a delicious Italian meal. Thank you to our amazing hosts so far!

We took a ferry to Santa Cruz, the largest of the Channel Islands (a new national park for both of us), and saw several humpback whales enroute. We had little idea what to expect upon arriving in the park...but it blew us away. The island is vibrant green, filled with vegetation at this time of year. Hillsides of yellow flowers with a backdrop of the aqua colored ocean made us feel like we had arrived in paradise. We hiked up 1,800 feet to a viewpoint along the Montanon Ridge and saw whales spouting in the distance. Later, we watched the sun set over the ocean from a perch high on a cliff, in complete solitude. We camped for a night under the eucalyptus trees in a very peaceful campground. On the ferry trip home, our captain spotted two humpbacks and brought us within 200 feet or so. We were all amazed as one whale demonstrated pectoral fin slapping on the surface, to scare the krill into a ball so the other whale could dive deep and swallow them. So beautiful! I love marine mammals.

(By the way, they say that the Channel Islands is like the Galapagos Islands of North America, since there are nearly 150 endemic species found there--and nowhere else on earth.)

Now we're in Las Vegas, briefly visiting my parents and sister. We spent the day hiking around the Springs Preserve, a fascinating outdoor museum which demonstrates gardening techniques for super dry climates. After an evening of swimming and relaxing in a jacuzi, we're ready for bed! On the road again tomorrow morning, heading toward Albuquerque.

To the Rim of the Crater

We returned yesterday from a wonderful three day getaway to the Crater Lake region of Oregon. Our goals were to visit our friends, Smitty and Shawn, who recently moved to that area, as well as explore Crater Lake National Park. On Tuesday night, after I returned from a late shift at work, we set off toward the OR border. We camped in the back of our Explorer and set off again bright and early on Wednesday morning. The drive north was beautiful, especially along the Smith River. There were waterfalls everywhere!

We had a great time visiting with Smitty and Shawn (and of course Latte and Panda, too). Our wish for enough snow to ski on was granted, and we had a great afternoon of cross country skiing up, up, up, and then back doooowwwwn. We picnicked in the sunshine, on the snow, and later skiied around the headwaters of the Wood River.

On Friday, we said our goodbyes to our wonderful hosts and headed toward the national park. Lots of snow had fallen at the park the previous day, and it turned out that the road to the crater's rim was closed. We were so disappointed to not see the "crater lake" of Crater Lake National Park! As we walked through the exhibits in the visitor center, a voice called out to Mike. Sounds unlikely, but it turned out that a coworker from our time in Colorado was working there, and he gave us some great advice about a trail that would lead us to the rim. We strapped on our snowshoes and plowed through sparkly snow, about 900 vertical feet (over about a mile) up to the rim of the crater. It was steep terrain, and I started to get a bit scared of tumbling down the mountainside, but we eventually summited the rim and were greeted by a panoramic vista of the deep blue waters of Crater Lake. Mountains in the distance, ice covered rock formations nearby, and there we were, completely alone to soak in the view. It turned out to be a blessing that the road was closed, because otherwise we would have had to share the view and the solitude with bunches of other visitors! We both agreed that it was our best snowshoeing adventure EVER.

The drive felt longer on the way home than on the way there, but luckily we made it before darkness fell. Now we're counting down the days and watching as the boxes pile up in our living room...on Thursday we'll begin the drive toward Georgia!

A Rainy Day on the Coastal Trail

A cold wind was blowing and a light rain was falling as we began hiking from Klamath River Overlook on the Coastal Trail in Redwood National Park. The trail set out along waving grasses some 500 feet above the crashing surf. We walked along a high bluff with nearly-continuous views of the largest of all oceans. Soon, the trail dropped to the rugged coast at Hidden Beach. Huge, storm-driven waves crashed against the rocky coast sending ocean spray high into the air.

The final section of the trail wound around a point of land, with ocean on three sides. Ahead of us was a bridge and a sign which we had hiked by on a previous adventure. This completes the Coastal Trail through Redwood NP! It's another goal accomplished! After a little over 8 miles, we quickly climbed into our little red car to escape the now howling wind. As we drove back south to our home in Mckinleyville, the light rain turned to a hard rain. It is now pounding off our roof and reminding us of how fortunate we are to have a warm shelter from the storm!

Rain Has Arrived

Well, the surprisingly sunny weather that we've experienced so far in Humboldt County has finally changed to the more typical--that means RAIN and gray skies. But we were still able to walk to church and back this morning, and I was able to take a walk with my client this afternoon, before the rain really set in. I know the area needs rain, but oh-how-I-love the sunny days.

In the few days since I last wrote, our moving van deposited all of our boxes into their new temporary home, a nearby storage facility. It was interesting to see what we deemed "important" enough to make the trip out here, back when we packed these boxes (about 4 months ago). We were amazed that, once we consolidated the goods into fewer boxes, we could fit all of it into a 9 x 5 storage unit. What a relief that is!

I'm still looking for an apartment in Georgia. I had a pretty good lead on a studio near Mike's academy, but it's already been rented to someone else. That was a disappointment, but I'm sure something will turn up.

I've firmed up my summer plans a bit. I'll be volunteering as a roving ranger at Isle Royale NP for 1 month, and I'm so excited about it. What better way to spend a month than on Isle Royale, a place that I love so dearly?

Now the cold that Mike suffered from last week has ravaged its way into my system, leaving me with a very sore throat. It feels like my vocal cords (or something back there) are swelling and making it difficult to swallow. I didn't think I'd make it through my work session today; between the pain of my sore throat and the really bad behavior of my client, I just wanted to put my head underneath a pillow and call it a day! His mom is SO patient and well-informed about autism, and I've learned a lot by observing the techniques that she employs with him. I have so much to learn!

Once again, our church is a huge blessing. We attended an event last night called "Tables of Eight." One lady coordinates potluck dinners at a bunch of different houses, and assigns each person who is interested in attending to one specific house, with seven other people. We had a wonderful meal and really enlightening conversations with other folks from our church. During the service this morning, Mike commented that he feels like a real member of the church community now that we've gotten to know so many people there. We're very lucky.

Tomorrow is another day at the zoo. I'm looking forward to feeding raisins to the spider monkeys. :)