It was the first sunny day we had in awhile. Indeed, it would be one of our only warm, sunny days for the entire summer. I packed up a bag of gear and drove to the harbor to meet a friend and one of her friends.

The person I didn’t know had a spare kayak that I borrowed for the day. After some initial instruction (I was a relative newby to kayaking) we set out on the gorgeous, calm water. It was the perfect day. A half-day of exercise, exploration, time to stop for lunch, and later to hang out in a bed of kelp and watch a couple of whales swim by.

In the midst of the pandemic, as my usually-busy travel schedule has come to a halt, and as I work nearly everyday building a new business, this was a vacation in a day.

It was pure delight.

When the two friends invited me on a 9 day trip, I jumped at the opportunity. Even though I was new to kayaking, I felt I would be in good hands. In my high school and college years I spent weeks or even months in the wilderness. It’s these outdoor experiences that I love more than anything in life, and yet, as I aged into adulthood, I so easily let these experiences slide. I didn’t make time for it, but also began choosing comfort over wilderness and even work over wilderness.

As I would recall on this trip, wilderness experiences are not always easy and pleasurable. I certainly feel alive, but sometimes it is bliss and other times this is where I experience challenges that I then get to look back on with pride, accomplishment, and I get to share the stories…

…(more to come)…