Saturday, May 9, 2015

Big Sky Country - April 1st

We spent a night in Butte, Montana and next day, the 1st of April, started moving towards Utah.

You have to be in Montana to understand literally what it means "Big Sky Country". It doesn't matter what season is, the sky in Montana is always high and big.



It doesn't matter what season is, the mountains in Montana are gorgeous!



Mountains and sky. They will continue to inspire and provoke us with wonder, joy, and fear as well.


We crossed Idaho again and made a couple of stops in Idaho Falls. Rain again.


When we drove closer to Utah the weather changed again.

Welcome to Utah!



and Salt Lake City!

Chasing the Rainbow...


Spring has sprung. Finally...

Last April was rainy and cold, but we didn't see it and didn't feel it. Most all the month of April we spent outside of Washington state enjoining warm weather in Utah, Arizona and California. We left Spokane on the 31st of March taking Nataly out of school. Actually she was sick and stayed at home for a week. We were certain we had to leave Washington state as soon as possible...

We left Washington state in rain that was following us through Idaho till we reached Butte, Montana.


It was hard to see through the windshield, this is how hard it was raining. I almost fell asleep sitting on the passenger's seat listening the kid's radio station when I saw something in the grey picture in front of me, something colorful. I grabbed my camera and took a picture. In the grey mass and sky tears' drops I saw a little rainbow.


It was growing up with each mile we drove.


It changed its shape, intensity and length each minute. We literally were chasing it. One minute it was so far from us and



another - so unbelievably close, I thought I would touched it with my hand.


Have you ever had a feeling you are about to touch the rainbow? That was the moment...


... and next moment: what has just happened? It was right here!!! Why the rainbow ran away?


Oh, not a fair! We have to go different direction! May be next time we will catch it. There is always time to chase the rainbow and there is always a hope one day you can touch it!

after summer's rain
God's promise is remembered
glorious rainbow

(Gen 9: 8-17)

to be continued...

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Indian Trail, Spokane - I saw colors

The day has seemed to be gloomy today. In spite of the fact that Jim had a surgery at the beginning of March and recovery was slow, he can walk better now. Spontaneously we decided to go for a little hike to the Little Spokane River trail, or as we call it, Snake trail.

We never made there. Why? Oh no, not because of snakes we saw last spring, even though that disturbing feeling never leaves me, but because it was me who was leading today, :))) I stopped somewhere on the road where I spotted a path deeply in woods.

It is hard to call it hiking. I mean that path we took today. It was only about 4 miles, but in the area we didn't know. Apparently, no woods, and it appeared that it was a restricted area as well, but we figured it out only on the way back making a loop, where we could see a sign "PROHIBITED. NO TRESPASSING". Oops!

It was a little bit boring as well and I didn't take many pictures as I usually do.

I don't know the name of this little fellow, but he was only alive thing around, so I tried to capture the beautiful colors of his feather.


Beautiful, but boring too, :))) He was sitting still and with his back to me, and I wanted to see him flying, yarning, singing, chasing a worm, whatever... I wanted to see LIFE...




Probably it was too boring for me or so I thought. Closer to the place where I parked the car, we saw a couple escorting their dog not on a leash, or vise versa, a dog was escorting its masters not on a leash. I was so engaged in the conversation with my hubby gesticulating and marching that didn't notice the dog cowardly went around me and bit my left hand. The dog probably didn't like my hand or it looked like a sausage. The bite was light, no traces of teeth or blood, but it definitely took my attention, :)) I could only whisper: "OH, MAMA!". A lady of the dog laughed out loud trying to make me believe IT was playing with me... I need vacation...

Oh, well! back to the hike...

It was afternoon, the spring is definitely somewhere in the air, you can feel it, or see it, :)))


Do you feel it? No? Did you click the picture to enlarge it?

There you go!

Can you see it? There, far away... there is Spring, and it is close, it is coming...


I guess, I can't complain on weather, because I know that many different parts of the world are still covered with snow... At least, it wasn't raining on the trail. It started raining when we drove back home. After rain stopped, we saw huge beautiful rainbow across the road. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to take a picture - I was driving and my camera was on the back seat.

It was nice to get out. Even though hike was not serious, we made our blood pumping, got fresh air, got to experience different emotions, talked to my Mom, and saw the colors...

Any colors in your life?
Natalia

Friday, January 2, 2015

New Year Resolution


New 2015 year has arrived bringing new plans, goals and ideas.

My sweetheart and I have been sharing many activities and hobbies together during last 9 years, but hiking has always been our most favorite.

The purpose of this blog is to journal about our adventures, learn from the vivid long term hikers, and share our own experience. We are always in a search of new hikes and paths.

One of the wonderful gifts that Santa brought to Jim last Christmas was a book "America's Great Hiking Trails" by Karen Berger. The book that gave a start to a new big dream - to complete a hike that takes more than a day (to start with...).


The book "America's Great Hiking Trails" by Karen Berger describes 11 America's best hiking trails. The longest, North Country Trail, is approximately 4,600 miles. The longest hike that we accomplished was only 20 miles. Even though we won't be able to start and finish the adventure as North Country Trail due to some life circumstances (not excuses), we want to dream big and may be somewhere when we are 108 years old and free of all obligations, we will sell everything and start our journey across America!

For now we are pleased to hike locally and prepare ourselves for long distance hikes in future, such as:

The Continental Divide Trail, approx. 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada.


The Pasific Crest Trail, approx. 2,700 miles from Mexico to Canada.


The Potomac Heritage Trail, approx. 800 miles from Virginia to Pennsylvania.


Dream big and happy hiking!

Jim and Natalia