“When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren’t grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or an event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” ~ Cynthia Ozick

I begin this article with an incident that occurred in Montana the night before I crossed the Canada/US border while I was sleeping in Hobbes (my r-pod 180’s nickname for those joining the party already in progress) and which was parked in my friend’s driveway in Fernie, BC. Rollie and I had a variety of conversations during the day, one of which was regarding the four Grizzly Bears hanging out in the fields behind his house. So when I awoke to my trailer shaking at 12:38am my first thought was “Holy S#@t there’s a bear trying to claw its way into my little home on wheels. It lasted about 7-10 seconds, stopped and then shook again for another 5 seconds. I yelled “Go on bear!” and banged on the wall. When I pulled the window shade up and surveyed the area I saw only the moon lighted fields and trees surrounding the house. The next morning Rollie and I met for breakfast and I told him of my experience. He then informed me of an earthquake being reported in northwest Montana around 12:30am. Well, there you have it!

Now, turning my attention to my choice of the above quote. As I was walking the streets of Dawson Creek, BC this morning (more on how I ended up here will be revealed in my next article) and talking with Cindy, the topic of taking things for granted came up. I had just learned the day before that my cousin and his wife in Bend, OR had their second child and for a brief moment I felt regret rear its head in regard to Cindy and I not being able to have children. But just as quickly the notion came to me that perhaps all those parents with children who haven’t experienced the heartache of not being able to have them don’t really think about it. It might just be taken for granted by many, that you either decide to have or not have children. This then led me to the thought that Cindy’s and my relationship is so strong and that we mutually respect each others passions, interests and dreams that we might take for granted that everyone has this type of relationship. So my point being, perhaps I need to stop focusing on what I don’t have and appreciate all the wonderful loving relationships, friendships, good health and amazing travel adventures that I do get to experience! And once again, in the context of a person dealing with a substance-use disorder and working on my recovery everyday, it’s vitally important for me not to get caught up in playing the “if only I had this or that” game. There is a great lyric in a Dave Matthews song that says “What I want is what I’ve not got, what I need is all around me.”

Hello USA! After a month in Canada it felt good to come back to my homeland. As I arrive at Glacier Peaks RV Park I am greeted by a lovely woman and the owner of the park, Helen. A gracious person with a talent for capturing amazing wildlife and nature scenes through the lens of her camera, the office looks more like an artist gallery! Helen also is a gifted painter and decorated the bathrooms with wonderful murals as well as adding a little pizzaz to the entrance to the RV park!

Friday and I want to beat the weekend crowds at Glacier National Park and so we pack water and snacks for the day and begin our adventure! Driving along the “Going to the Sun” road we encounter a steady flow of traffic, but it doesn’t take away from the grandeur and majesty of this natural treasure.

After making the pilgrimage to the park, it’s time to get down to business. Using the All Trails app on my iPhone I find the Columbia Mountain Trail nearby. It should come as no surprise by now that I have a particular talent for taking a trail run designated as a certain distance and turning it into a marathon! Case in point, the All Trails app lists this trail as 5.3 miles (out and back), but as I hit the 1/2 way point I see the trail continues upwards and with my obsession of wanting to get to the top I tell myself I have to reach the peak! Now I don’t necessarily consider this to be a bad trait, but it does come with a cost. I am once again equipped with only a 20 oz. bottle filled with Perpetuem (a Hammer Nutrition endurance supplement mixed in water) and by extending my trail run from 5.3 to 11.7 miles (approximate elevation gain of 3,800′) I find myself dehydrated and exhausted by the end of the run. But I bagged the peak and it was worth it!

It is worth noting that this was the trail that killed my beloved Altra Lone Peak trail running shoes. When I take them off following this challenging run I sadly notice that the sides of both shoes have blown out and the fabric has ripped. But to my great joy I located a shop in Kalispell which has been in business for 40 years called Rocky Mountain Outfitters and Jen was so helpful with selling me another pair of Altra Lone Peaks that I bought a second pair just in case I need them (which I’m sure I will) further on down the trail!

Moving on to Idaho and a rendezvous with Cindy! First I set up camp in North Fork where I have the whole RV park to myself except for one other couple from Texas who I greet upon my arrival and then never see again. I am here to run the Wagonhammer Trail! The first loop trail system I’ve encountered in many, many weeks! I’m like a kid on Christmas morning! This time I’m prepared with my Camelbak filled with 3 liters of water, my 20 oz. bottle of perpetuem, endurolyte caps, ibuprofen, Clif Bars, first aid kit and bear spray! This 10.80 mile trail has it all! It begins with a gently sloping uphill meadow, then becomes rocky and steep as I ascend. As I reach the higher elevations the trail is exposed to wide open fields of rolling mountain sides with several shaded areas to escape the blazing sun. And while I didn’t encounter any wildlife (other than a poor deer I startled at the beginning of my run) I also didn’t encounter another human being on the trail and after the crowds in Glacier NP that was a welcome change!

Burnt Creek, ID is a hard place to find if you’re relying on google maps or your vehicle navigation system. Neither recognized the location and this is the subtle charm of this place! It’s not in Stanley as indicated by one and not in Clayton as indicated by the other. It is located between them and is only marked by the old sign for Torrey’s Burnt Creek Inn.

As this will be home for the next ten days and we have plenty of room, I decide to set up our R-Dome for the first time! Three hours later and one torn corner, I have successfully rigged the tent! I chalk it up to an exercise in patience, problem solving and free entertainment for the other campers!

Cindy will be arriving in Hailey, ID (near Ketchum/Sun Valley) this afternoon. Taking advantage of cool morning temps I head out on the Burnt Creek Trail just across the road from the campground. Mark (the manager of Torrey’s Burnt Creek Inn) was really helpful and a great source of local information. The trail is a continuous uphill climb for approximately 3.25 miles before it follows a ridge line with beautiful meadows and glorious mountain vistas. I will run/hike this trail again with Cindy and Friday the next day and then again (exploring the trail farther than the two previous times) on my last day in Burnt Creek.

Following a rest day Cindy and I drive to Stanley, ID to run the Iron Creek to Sawtooth Lake Trail. As we reach one of the prettiest mountain lakes I’ve ever seen I already know I’m going to take the plunge! But getting Cindy to jump in takes some serious prompting. I suggest we dedicate this 8.5 mile trail run (as well as the polar plunge) to her parents Pete and Roseanne Adams and an honorable cause they have both generously supported for years, the Moss Creek Marines. Originated by a group of former active service Marines now living in and around the Hilton Head Island, SC area they raise funds to send care packages overseas to Marines stationed in some rough places. I know Cindy and I are both grateful to her brother (an active service Marine for over 25 years), all those who serve our country, and to Pete, Roseanne and all the others out there who volunteer their time and energy to supporting this and so many other worthwhile humanitarian/animalitarian/plantatarian and any other itarian causes!

Typically the day after a long trail run I take Friday for a little hike to reward her for her patience with me as I run for hours in the mountains. And if an effort to find a trail not quite as challenging as the Burnt Creek Trail which she did with Cindy and I we find the O’Brien Campground located within a designated National Forest Service Wilderness Area. Signs indicate that the campground is closed due to mudslides which have washed out the road. But we can see that walking along it is possible and this proves to be a perfect spot to let Friday run free and stretch her three little legs! A mile and a half in we come to the Robinson Bar Ranch. With “Private Property” and “No Trespassing” signs posted we begin to turn back. As we do, we notice a trail with a NFS (National Forest Service) sign indicating we are allowed to hike it. It is steep with several downed trees across the trail, but it only goes a short distance before coming to the summit. And what a surprise we discover!

As we approach the parking area where I left Calvin (my trusty 2017 Toyota Tacoma) A guy on an ATV drives towards us and is coming from the direction of the ranch. Erik stops to say hello and we ask him if he is the caretaker of this stunning ranch. Turns out he is and has been for over 17 years. He also informs us that it is indeed owned by an individual and is not a hunting/fishing lodge available to rent as I guessed it might be. We do not inquire who the owner is and don’t want to seem nosy, but when we return to our campsite and tell Mark about our encounter he informs us that the ranch has been owned by the legendary singer/song writer Carole King for nearly 40 years!

Mark then tells us about another nice secluded hike up Slate Creek located just a few miles from our camp.

He also says there is an old wooden tub someone built years ago and fashioned pipes which divert water from both the cold water Slate Creek and a natural hot spring running adjacent to the creek. So Cindy, Friday and I load up our Camelbak hydration packs and go exploring! We don’t encounter another soul (deer, chipmunks and ground squires excepted) for over 7 miles when we arrive at a washed out section of the trial. But having come this far we decide to make the sketchy crossing (which feels very similar to my Yosemite snowfield crossing back in May) and are rewarded with the discovery of the old wooden hot tub! We waste no time inserting the plug and within 20 minutes it is deep enough to submerge ourselves. I’ve never really been a big hot tub fan, but this is awesome!

Time flies while Cindy is here and before we know it the day arrives when she is scheduled to return to Surf City, NC. As in Lake Tahoe, we enjoyed sharing the excitement of finding several of nature’s treasures and reflect on the importance of not taking these adventures for granted. We both realize just how fortunate we are to share our lives together and while we spend several weeks apart somehow this helps us more fully appreciate our relationship with each other. Trying to remain conscious of the gift of each breath, the beauty all around us, the loving family and wonderful friendships we are apart of and the gratitude to appreciate that we get to live this life TODAY! For me, it is essential to begin each day reflecting on setting good intentions which will help me to remember not to take things for granted, especially when those things don’t go my way. A missed turn on the road, a faulty electrical system in Hobbes, a lost item, etc. If I let these mundane things take me out of my appreciation for all the gifts and good fortune I’ve experienced, then I’m taking all those things for granted and acting from a place of self-centeredness. This in turn robs me of my ability to see all the beauty and wonders that surround me at all times if I just simply stop, breath and reflect on how amazing this world is and how fortunate I am to live the life I’m living TODAY!

HAPPY TRAILS!!