Beard-cicles
And “what’s left of me” ?
In the dead of summer here in Seattle (oh! the humanity)with all this heat and none of the air conditioning my mind wanders to our first wintry hikes. “Jon, are you sweaty?” is basically Madeline’s way of getting inside my head. She stays in my head and is only all too collaborative with her mom in ganging up on me for their entertainment. Fire for effect. So I sweat, big deal. It simply means my body’s cooling system is performing admirably. By the way Natasha has gone to extremes to help remedy my situation. I am the proud owner and wearer of what we affectionately call “diaper shirts” and I have a stick of this industrial strength/ commercial grade deodorant that basically makes you stop sweating altogether, at least from the armpits. Now the fear becomes what will come of all my backup sweat once the stuff wears off? We joke that I will somehow spontaneously combust into a heap of sweat or rather an entire ocean of the same.
This summer has seen Madeline at a Seattle Sounders FC sponsored soccer camp, one week in Wenatchee with temps in the triple digits and dance camp thus far and she herself is already all the HEAT. And that’s why I encourage proper hydration. I lead by example. The very reason I sweat like I do is because of my water intake. I pass on my “You are approximately 70% water Madeline so it makes perfect sense to drink water” and she is a quick study. I place a water bottle full of the life giving stuff in front of her and without pause she hydrates.
Back to the story of our adventure to Gold Creek Pond:
They weren’t exactly snow shoes yet we frolicked and played in the snow and ice with unparalleled confidence. It doesn’t get any better than how Natasha and I operate throughout the course of our lives together. She was reeling for an outdoor adventure. She was adamant. The Stable-Icers had already arrived, the destination predetermined, and we were but an hour away from our element. Gold Creek Pond promised to be a good “starter” route for the novices in us. The description of these contraptions she would later explain to her mother Rita was perfect. “They slide on your feet like rubber bands and they have these little spikes on the bottoms so you can walk perfectly normal.”
It must be noted where Natasha seized hold of my CD Case Logic binder on the Jeep ride up to Gold Creek Pond and began thumbing through my collection. I presumed all was well with my music stockpile until she came upon it. There it lay helplessly encased in plastic right next to three other CDs I am sure she was judging me for. It was Nick Lachey’s What’s Left of Me and she about lost her mind. I even recall the noise she made upon discovery. Surprisingly I did not crash. The entire episode would later be documented on Instagram and I am absolutely positive it left all or at least most of her friends peeing in their pants. By the time we arrived at the trail head our blood and circulation was just starting to return to the acceptable parameters to sustain life. “Baby, it’s cold outside!” It was colder than we had anticipated. Winter is a beautiful time of year in the Pacific Northwest. Just keep moving to keep your blood pumping and don’t forget to use all your senses while taking in nature.
I truly appreciated how our brand new crampons were “Made in the USA.” I knew the quality would be sound. The ease in which they fit onto our boots was as simple as affixing a rubber band. Not five minutes into our blissful sojourn on that wintry trail than Natasha takes one glance at me and proclaims beamingly “I am soooo happy,” with a smile reminiscent of our Chicago trip on her parents’ couch. In no time a warmth spread over my entire body. “We are really doing this Baby Bird, living our lives intentionally and full of purpose. And doing it because we want to.” Everything we do is intentional including this adventure. Traipsing about with a heart full of love and a special glow about me I added “There is no place on earth I’d rather be.” The loop portion of the trail is approximately one mile. What had formerly been a gravel pit, Gold Creek Pond had truly returned to nature and we couldn’t be happier. Despite only being a mile there were all these tertiary trails as well and so we ended up covering the better portion of five miles in what seemed our very own winter wonderland. Down by the pond Natasha looked up and alerted me straight away as I was completely unawares. Icicles formed on my beard. What a sight!
Gold Creek Pond:
Do not limit yourself solely to experiencing nature and getting outdoors when the weather is sunny and bright. We humans were built to move. Colder temperatures are conducive to burning more calories permitted you’re not all buttoned up in every piece of gear your local outfitter is selling. Live a little and take off one layer. Feel that? Great! It means you are alive. Your body knows what to do if you make up your mind and head down range. When it comes to getting outside In early December little hidden gems like Gold Creek Pond make for a gorgeous outing. Located atop Snoqualmie Pass, this accessible hike is whole family friendly. Bring your small kids and your aging parents. Natasha and I intend on sharing places like this with both our families once they come to town. One mile is totally doable and depending on what season you arrive, ensure you are properly equipped. Our crampons were pivotal in winter in that we wouldn’t have even made it from where we parked off the road without them. Even for the most stable of souls ice will send you to your “fourth point of contact” (Airborne reference). We always bring a snack and plenty of water on all our adventures. You will find inspiration in the vistas so bring a journal or a sketch pad.
Life is what you make it and we are here to tell you to live well. Natasha told me something just the other day on a recent hike that totally blew me away. As we were seeing new areas of our endless backyard for the first time and experiencing how beautiful it all was together, out of the blue she said “I would never be here right now doing this if it wasn’t for you?” We joke all the time how sentimental I get over everything but when she told me that I damn near cried right then and there because I knew the same was true. As I divulged in a previous post just find your people and get outside. More times than not it is the little things in life, upon reflection, that prove the grandest of all.
