Vacation Season

Vacation season has begun! So far I have been enjoying a relaxing summer break, teaching a few yoga classes, learning a lot about gardening, working on various projects around the house. But now it's time to strap my feet into a pair of hiking shoes and head for the great outdoors - tomorrow we'll be heading south to camp in California's coastal redwoods! I am super excited because the majestic trees, the moist rainforest undergrowth and the clear blue Smith River make this area such a magical place, one of my favorite places on the planet!

Once I return from the camping trip, I'll squeeze in a night's rest and a quick load of laundry before I head to eastern Oregon for a backpacking trip in the Elkhorns (edit: I meant Eagle Caps). I've been backpacking there once before, six years ago, but that time we had some very strong horses to help us over the rugged terrain...

Horseback in the Elkhorns, August 2002
The packing, prepping, planning phase leading up to camping and backpacking trips always wears me out. I like to be organized and comfortable on my trips, and loading stuff into the car and going somewhere to eat, sleep and lounge somewhere other than my cozy home can be a bit stressful! This is all part of the rise and fall of life; you can think ahead as much as you like, but at some point you have to stop planning, back out of the driveway, and trust that all will be well. I try to be relaxed as possible, knowing that even if I forget to pack my toothbrush and underwear, it won't stop me from enjoying priceless moments like this one.

Lookingglass Lake, August 2002
As an aside ... thank you for all the comments and compliments on my haircut! As much as I loved my dreadlocks - I was quite attached, har de har har - it feels amazing to have short hair again. I have new favorite things; driving around with the windows rolled down, feeling the breeze rustle my hair; sleeping soundly all night without having to wake up and move my hair out of my face, off my back, away from my partner; doing yoga without having to manage the weight and the bulk of 5 1/2 years of dreadlocks. There are things that I miss, too, but not as much as I expected to. I feel light and joyful and just right.

Many thanks to my friend Sylke who spent HOURS helping me start the dreadlocks, in her flat in Dublin ... I used the "Supa Dupa Dread Kit" from Dread Head HQ to get started, and they had some great FAQs that helped me understand what I was getting myself into.

Another thanks to my friend Chantel, my angelic hair stylist, who gave me - not one, but two - TWO free haircuts this past weekend. The first haircut, while cute, would have required me to do some things I'm not ready to do yet, like buying a comb, using hair conditioner, styling my hair. Ugh! :)

Haircut #1 (comb required)
Chantel & Irie - Haircut #2
As for what I'll do with the shorn locks, I've loved them long enough that I feel they deserve some sort of ceremonial farewell. Instead of tossing them in the trash with the melon rinds, I'm taking them along on my camping trip to be burned in campfire or swept down the river.