It was going to be a big day! I didn’t know starting exactly how long that day would actually be though! We woke up at 4 am, and begin to hike around 5:15 am. We didn’t stop hiking until about 8:30pm..so 14 hours of hiking in the amazing wilderness of the ADK was simply perfection, exhausting, exhilarating, and a big self challenge, this one goes to 11! I knew Tela would not be suited for this journey, due to elevation gain (~7000ft) and length 18+ ADK miles.
We watched a bit of the sunrise on our walk in for my first time through the AMR. The hike up Colvin was slow to begin with, as I was really adjusting to my new pack and the extra weight. We made it to the windy summit, but hey, we therefore had no bugs or black flies abound, ate a sandwich, drank some electrolytes and took in the view we would get twice on this hike. Not a bad view to have to earn twice.
Next we began our way to Blake. Blake has a negative reputation as an ADK 46er. I found the trail to Blake nice as you can still have views around you. The summit however, compared with the other peaks we hiked this day offered no views.
The worst part of Blake, however is the fact you have to re-hike back up and over Colvin. What goes down, must go back up! Once we hit the summit of Colvin again, we refueled and took some Advil, and started our way to Nippletop.
Nippletop was one of the more technical peaks we did this date. It consisted of many steep rock scrambles, but we navigated the narrows and hit our (technically 4th summit of the day). We were at the summit eating and enjoy the amazing views, and heard a grandmother and her two grandchildren behind us. They had just came from Dial, where we were heading next. They were super kind, and we took each others photos, and we saw them again when we got to our cars at 830 that night!
After resting a bit on the summit, we made onward way to Dial. This was one of the easier hikes of the day, and I was happy we had chose the route we did to tackle these amazing peaks. We summited Dial with a victory selfie and started our descent out.
That indeed was a super long descent. It was a little up and down so just when you thought you should be lowering in elevation you would climb a bit. We finally hit Bear Den, but sadly saw no bears. Ahh the joy to our feet to arrive at Lake Rd no more rocks soft flat surfaces! Becky asked me if I had looked at the time lately, and I couldn’t believe when she told me it was 8pm. As we were heading out of the AMR gate and trail sign in, the ranger came out and talked with us, asking us basically what didn’t you hike today 😂. He commended us on a job well done, and we made it back to our cars. It was such a good feeling to be able to take my shoes off. When I arrived home, I was greeted with a meal at 10pm of steak, potatoes and brussels. Thank you to my dear husband!
14/46 complete. Our next adventure is on Sunday! Hike on! Opt outside, wilderness therapy for the win!
The past two weekends, I have been all consumed, with spending time with friends, getting into the mountains, working towards goals of completing the 46 peaks of the Adirondack 46ers, (Mountains above 4600 ft.) This maybe doesn’t sound that difficult, but the approaches are long, and even yesterday as I was reminded about reading this thing call an “ADK mile” where it feels like twice that. I digress. This range of mountains in the High Peaks Wilderness are special and reminds you that you must respect the mountain and the surrounding forests. You can’t rely on a cable car or restaurant at the top. This is true ruggedness. I thought my count was 6/ 46 but it’s actually 7/46 down, 39 to go. Challenging goal, I hope to accomplish.
Some photos of Big Slide, summit with my roommate in grad school that I had not seen since 2017 and Chris and Tela, then summit of Tabletop Mountain and Phelps Mountain with Becky and Tela.
And now to the reality. I am still without words on the tragic, horrific events that occurred over the past two weeks in the USA. There of course is so much conflict in our world right now, not just in the USA, but of course all over. I hope there can be some changes and healing not just on a surface level, but a much deeper level. Wishing all stay healthy and talk to someone if you need to in these tough times. Wishing you a nice Memorial Day, and a great start to the summer!
Time flies, and life has been moving at its usual lightning fast pace. Since we have relocated to Switzerland, we have not been to the movies. I was a frequent movie goer in my younger years, and have always enjoyed a trip to the movies. We started last Saturday evening on a double date with an American colleague and his wife, driving just south of Bern to a huge theater complex.
The set-up was impressive, yet of course carrying the CHF price you must accept for living here. First off, there was the movie theater…so maybe in big cities in the USA this type of movie theater setup could be commonplace, and living in the small town of Steamboat Springs has left me a bit in the dark. With that being said, I was overwhelmed by the concessions, it was all there for the taking, from the usual wares of candy, real food offerings, beer and wine, complete with real wine glasses, and of course as Swiss culture would require it a place to recycle or return your wine glasses.
The theater had several floors including a bar/bowling alley, a birch tree filled restaurant which had a great valued meal, burgers, vegan burgers, or specialty burgers with your choice of bread, salad, or several different pomme frites. The birch tree eatery, also reminded me of just how small this world is, after all. When we entered this eatery, for a pre-movie snack, our waitress advised she was going to be studying next semester at my graduate school alma mater, Appalachian State University in Boone, NC! I gave a few exchanges about how special the place is, my love for the Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone and the Parkway, and left with a big smile and reservations later for a full dinner.
Because I am always a kid at heart one of my favorite bonuses of this theater was the tunnel slide to descend from the upper floor to the lower floor. Another huge plus to movies in Switzerland- there is a 10 minute intermission. So if you usually are holding your bladder, like me and don’t want to get up to miss a minute of what you have paid for, not a problem. Indeed this set-up made me very happy.
We had heard lots of chatter about the movie “Joker”, but also had been careful to avoid any spoilers. I must say I am thrilled we were able to experience seeing this film in IMAX. You may ask why I was hesitant to see a movie abroad? I worried I would be distracted due to the French and German subtitles. Not only did I find this completely non-distracting, I found myself reading the German and picking out phrases that we have been studying in our lessons. Double win!
So I won’t give any spoilers, about “Joker” but I will give my opinion. If Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t receive an Oscar for that performance, I’m certain that I will lose faith in that organization too. This film although very dark, and disturbing, exhibited some of the best cinematography, character development, and evoked a deep connection and perspective for the origin of the Joker. Anytime a movie is on my mind longer than a day post watching, that says something. I’m not sure I would ever need or want to watch it again, but it was truly a work of art.
Window view from the office
Otherwise, life is as good as you choose to make it, so much has happened, and so many exciting things are in front of me before the close of 2019: work trips to the Netherlands, Norway, and then a long Christmas and New Years holiday in Spain.
We have enjoyed a wonderful fall season and Halloween celebrating with friends and neighbors. I am super grateful that for the past few months I have been running quite religiously early in the mornings with Tela and averaging around 20 miles per week. Keep smiling and shining for the world!
Again it has been a long time since my last blog post… life and time flies by as usual. We have been enjoying life as much as possible, on the positive enjoying some cooler summer weather and enjoying the fruits of Chris’s labor in our garden. We’ve been able to make homemade pesto, salsas, and soups. As I grew up with a garden full of fresh fruits and vegetables as a child, I can still attest there is nothing like fresh homegrown tomatoes!
We had been looking forward to finally visiting Zermatt since moving to Switzerland. I was able to take a couple of days off from a public holiday and bridging day; so we spent four fantastic nights in this beautiful city. Zermatt, in southern Switzerland’s Valais canton, is described as a mountain resort renowned for skiing, climbing and hiking. This sounded like a bit like a perfect match for our mini- vacation.
I need to take a moment and talk a little about the town of Zermatt. First off, the town is considered car free, which means arrival is by train. There are electric taxis, horse driven carriages and bikes allowed for transport within the city. The hotel picked us up from the train station in their electric taxi, and we were welcomed with a glasses of Prosecco and light snacks. After a three hour train journey, this allowed you to take in the beauty and catch your breath. I can’t say enough about the hospitality and care we received from our wonderful boutique hotel, Hotel Coeur des Alpes ❤ (https://coeurdesalpes.ch/). This family run hotel makes you feel completely at home and goes out of their way to ensure you have the best experience possible during your stay. Once we were shown our loft, we were so excited to be able to end and begin each day from our balcony area with a view of the Matterhorn.
Since Chris’s birthday was coming up the Friday after our trip, we decided to take our first ever helicopter flight around the Matterhorn with #AirZermatt.
Flying in a helicopter was something I had wanted to experience for many years. I have flown in planes more times than I can count, but flying in a helicopter was a brand new journey, and I hope to take many more helicopter rides in my life! The weather was not perfectly clear, but the clouds, wind shifts, and slight moments of turbulence as we flew over the glaciers, surrounding mountains and directly close to the summit of the giant Matterhorn, only added to the overall excitement of this breathtaking flight. There are no real words for the scenery or the experience. Seeing the glaciers from above, the movement of some of the glaciers, and of course being so close to the Matterhorn we were able to see the variation of the climbing routes was stupendous. Our pilot pointed out all the various peaks, ridges, huts, glaciers, and gave us information on the Swiss route vs. the Italian climbing routes for the Matterhorn. Getting the view of the entire area from an areal standpoint was such a brilliant experience. They don’t call it a bird’s eye view for nothing.
“Feet on the ground, head in the sky, it’s okay, I know nothing’s wrong…”
Chris Frantz / Christopher Frantz / David Byrne / Jerry Harrison / Tina Weymouth This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
After coming back to the ground, we leisurely strolled around town, checking out the amenities, and all the wares. We enjoyed settling in and planning for the next day’s outdoor activities.
The next day, Chris set out on his mountain bike, and I set out for an alpine hiking adventure. Although I planned on a 3-4 hour hike, it stretched to almost 7 hours. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking throughout the hike. It began with wildflowers, steep elevation gain, stone and rock faces with waterfalls. One of the many things I love about hiking in Switzerland are these fantastic family run restaurants at the top of certain hikes. As I approached the second one on my hike, I decided it was time to purchase something and enjoy the view I had climbed to. Not only was I treated to a special homemade ice tea, but also the owner started playing the Alpenhorn for the hikers who had stopped to enjoy the view and take a small break. Kindness prevails in the mountains as I overheard a couple who did not have cash, but only a credit card ask for food and beverage options. The owner did not have the capability to take credit cards, but as mountain towns are small worlds, the owner told the couple not to worry, they could pay in the town of Zermatt by card and order what they would like. The couple was so grateful, and it reinforced something I love about the Swiss culture which is trust.
Once I reached the summit of Trift, I decided to continue on for a bit. The bit due to a long descent became about four hours, but that’s what we call adventure and eventual soreness. Along my extended hike, I was filled with amazement about how truly stunning the alpine landscape I was navigating through was. There were wildflowers all along the trail, and so many honeybees searching for their nectar. A few flowers were covered with various types of bees, so their nectar must have been delectable.
Along the alpine hike, I think I only encountered a total of six people. I did find friends, beautiful black nosed sheep in three different herds. As time started ticking by and my Garmin clocked more miles, I tried to pinpoint my path. Unfortunately, I did not foresee myself able to complete the journey to the Schwarzsee and make it back to Zermatt. So once I encountered more exposure from the ridge hike and waterfalls creating a small obstacle, I decided to retreat and head back. It was a wise decision, as coming down the mountain,my pace was slow. The beauty of the experience outweighed any pain I may encounter. Along this ridge line, there were many plaques memorializing the locations where someone took their last steps or breaths along the way of my hike and it reminded me of just how special and delicate the alpine land and environment I was exploring truly was.
After a long decent, I finally reached tree line again and turned my phone back on. Oops where had the hours gone? I assured Chris I was safe and finally made it back to the hotel for a shower and getting ready for food. By this time, we were both starving, and it was exciting to get some much needed replenishment.
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
John Muir
The next days of our journey included more mountain biking for Chris, one solo hike for me in Gonergrat, and then we both had one of the top five massages of our lives. The massage therapist as not Esther (my beloved friend and massage therapist in NC); but she definitely knew the best massage techniques for the money. We both left feeling like our muscles had regained full blood flow.
Our last full day in Zermatt, I awoke and then proceeded to awaken Chris to a magnificent site, the moon dipping just below the Matterhorn.
Walking across this suspension bridge was pretty cool, but it was not my favorite experience of the trip. We ended the day leisurely enjoying a nice chef’s sushi choice dinner and relaxing at the hotel. Yes, in these modern times, it’s possible to get fresh fish even in Switzerland…
After four nights of a wonderful holiday, we awoke on Monday morning to some rain, this somehow made it easier to leave this magical place of Zermatt. We packed our gear after one last breakfast and the hotel owner dropped us off at the train station.
We had been waiting to visit Zermatt since we moved to Switzerland, and I’m very happy we waited for a time where we had a few days to dedicate rather than rush everything. It was a magical time, and I hope I’m lucky enough to return for more adventures sooner than later!
“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” -Roy T. Bennett
Although my home country, the USA went through Daylight Savings time a few weeks ago, today marks time change in Switzerland. Now that I have full clearance to physically to enjoy life in my own way, yesterday was indeed a true sunshine daydream. Physically and mentally challenging yourself to get back into what you love is uplifting bliss.
Two of my dear friends and colleagues are visiting Switzerland for the weekend, and we were quite blessed to amazing weather and the ability to truly enjoy the beauty of Switzerland’s great outdoors. Due to the funicular up to Harder Klum not yet being operational, we were forced to begin the hike from the bottom of the valley, adding quite a bit of elevation and hard work to our journey. Once we reached the top of Harder Klum, we realized why the funicular is not so operational, as the trail to Augstmatthorn still has snow fields, and dicey sections with washed out ridge trails. We used our “A team” skills with agility to navigate as far as we could, and ended the day with a respectable 10 mile hike with over 3,500 feet of elevation gain.
The first of many sketchy narrow crossings
Spring is often a time of re-birth, new beginnings and enhanced perspective. As I’m close to celebrating a new year of life and the anniversary of living one year abroad, yesterday was a reminder that although we have many challenges on our journey, it is indeed our responsbility in life to live the best life we can, spend more time with friends, and do the things you love. You cannot control what life throws your way with obstacles, but you must keep your mental and physical focus through the challenges. Stay positive, believe in yourself, and keep on moving!
A-team reunited overlooking the beautiful Brienzersee
So on this last day in March as we spring forward, I’m feeling quite happy. Keep living your best life! Inspiration song of the day- “Three Little Birds”… 🙂
I recall as a child, eagerly wanting to ‘grow up’. I would tell my Mama, “I can’t wait until I’m X years old”. As children we tend to think we understand how the world works, the concept of time, and somehow maybe that we know more than our elders.
As my husband and I were reflecting on the concept and relativity of time last night, it became clearer than ever before to me the old saying is so true, time does fly, and not only when you are having fun!
I have been living in Switzerland now for almost a year, but in many ways, it feels like years. I thought about just how quicky 2019 has moved thus far. Do we as humans measure time by what is happening in our life, or what we are ‘waiting for’? This past year living abroad, I have experienced so much personally and professionally, including some unique challenges, breathtaking moments of natural beauty and experiences, and facing obstacles it’s hard to wrap your mind around.
Yesterday, I took a day trip to quite possibly one of my favorite areas in Switzerland for deep reflection and meditation in nature, the Flims area of Switzerland.
Tela enjoying life in some slushy snow
The week ahead in my world will be quite intense, and I am blessed to have experienced a day like yesterday to meditate on all the beauty that I was surrounded by, reinforcing how grateful I am to be on this journey abroad, even if things don’t always work out the way we planned or anticipated.
Clouds covering the Grisons Mountain Range
As Tela and I hiked through the slushy snow, postholing in spots, I was surrounded by birds singing and mild temperatures, it was quite clear, Spring is coming, where did Winter one of my favorite seasons go already?!
The experience reminded me that I must seize every moment and chance I have to live my best life here in Switzerland. There is so much beauty and nature to take in throughout planet Earth, and I vow to soak in more moments, and create them as possible.
Life is indeed fleeting and short my friends, do not take it for granted. If we just stand by and do what we have always done, we will always end up with the same result. So, challenge yourself, whatever that looks like for you. Try something new, make the most of your day and if possible get out in nature. It’s healing for the mind, body and soul. Sometimes you just have to go belly up in the snow and surrender to the flow.
Ripple in still water When there is no pebble tossed Nor wind to blow Reach out your hand if your cup be empty If your cup is full may it be again Let it be known there is a fountain That was not made by the hands of men There is a road, no simple highway Between the dawn and the dark of night And if you go no one may follow That path is for your steps alone
~ Grateful Dead
Tela really wanted to catch the trout in the Blausee, but I don’t think this would have been appreciated by anyone else 😉
It’s post infusion Sunday, which typically means I am at home recovering and resting. Today, my cup was drained empty, and I desperately needed it to be refilled. There is no easier way to accomplish this than to push myself to gain the energy for a jaunter into nature. Snow White (our new Subaru) provided easy access to walk into splintered sunlight into this glorious landscape of the Blausee. Today’s short hike provided us with geniune smiles, and despite the pain I am enduring, love and laughter in my heart. Today was truly a gem of a day to be in nature, meditate and redirect my thoughts and feelings.
Reflections of a bluebird day in SwitzerlandThe beautiful variation in the aquamarine hues of the Blausee is something a phone camera fails to truly capture
I have been blessed in my life to experience many wonderful places, and to be surrounded with love from many who are thousand of miles away supporting me in the processing of current challenges and the pathway ahead. Specifically this week, I have received a beautiful prayer shawl from my family’s church, and lots of kindness, energy and healing from a few special women I am priviledged to call my friends.
As with all life obstacles, we go through stages of acceptance of our challenges, and no matter how independent we are, we all are blessed to have support. Thank you to all those who are by my side and giving me your support, good thoughts and love. I’m geniunely grateful in all ways for your friendship, love and kindness.
I have been missing the mountains and snow so much, glory to Tela’s soul and mine!
I have said many times before, but I will say it again, if you are lucky enough to not face health challenges, you should never take this for granted. In the same vein, if you do have health challenges, fight, take in every moment you can. Refill your soul with whatever makes you happy. Seeing my golden girl play in the snow and the beauty of the majestic mountains put my mind at ease over the next few weeks of challenge.
Before really plunging into 2019’s busy work schedule and the mountains that are before me, I want to take a moment to reflect on one of the best vacations I have ever experienced. My husband and I spent the week of Christmas in the beautiful island of Mallorca. Although we were there in the peak ‘off-season’, I could not have imagined a more amazing time. Days were spent in relaxation, hiking and meditation for me, and lots of cycling to re-energize his goals. The island, in particular the Tramuntana Mountain range, was added to the short list of special places that re-energize my soul. I am absolutely thrilled by the opportunity to experience such a rejuvenation before a very busy work year. I’m also excited to know a place I love is only a short flight away and look forward to enjoying more adventures on this island. From the people to the culture, and the beauty that surrounds, it was the perfect pick to end out a busy 2018.
Adventures in this thing we call Life 