May 24, 2023
I’ve returned from another month-long trip, volunteering and visiting family and friends along the way. More on this in a moment.
I also went to Seattle last week for a CT scan. That 3-day trip was far more challenging for me than the longer ones. It was the first time I’ve been to Seattle without Annette since she first started her cancer treatments in the fall of 2019. Neither of us has ever been to an appointment there without the other, so this was pretty emotional for me. After my appointment, I took a long walk that we often did together, reflecting on all we had been through, and the memories and emotions—both good and difficult—tied to that city. But my news was good. Late stage 3 Esophageal cancer has a survival rate of just 20% over a five-year period, making it the fourth deadliest cancer. I am one of the very lucky ones. After three years post treatment I remain in full remission or NED (no evidence of disease). As most recurrence happens in the first three years, my doctor is very optimistic. I’ll still have two more annual scans to ensure the cancer is gone.
My longer trip was far more fun. It began mid-April with a night in Bryce Canyon where it was still very much winter. The snow, however, made the amazing colors pop even more, and I took advantage of good weather to hike from Sunrise Point, down the Queen’s Garden Trail, Peekaboo Trail and up the Under the Rim Trail to Bryce Point. Stunning scenery!
The following week was National Volunteer week, perfect for a Wilderness Volunteers project in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument remediating rogue roads, campsites, and campfire rings along Hole-in-the-Rock Road. Though very windy and dusty, the work was rewarding and getting to know the folks in our 12-person work crew very enjoyable. On our day off we were treated to a nine-mile loop hike through the longest slot canyon in the monument that doesn’t require a rope (though a short one would be helpful in spots). We were guided on this journey by a local legend.
After that, I visited friends and family in Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Montana. Along the way, I took short hikes in Great Barrier Reef, Great Sand Dunes, Theodore Roosevelt, and Yellowstone National Parks, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Bears Ears, Natural Bridges and Florissant Fossil Beds National Monuments, along with the Garden of the Gods. These are all areas in which Annette and I hiked or skied within the past four years. In her memory, I left some of her ashes in each of these amazing places. She is now (so far) a part of eighteen national parks, monuments, and recreation areas in addition to many more beautiful spots overlooking the beauty and majesty of these areas she so loved.
It's now been over nine months since her death, and I still miss her every moment of every day. She gave my life so much meaning. But so too do my friends and family and my experiences in the natural world. The trips I’ve taken this year have been renewing (though I am looking forward to being home for a bit). For whatever reason, I was the one granted an extension to life and wish to make good use of it. Though I still have difficult days and sometimes slide backwards, I am still, overall, moving forward. As with hiking, climbing or other such endeavors, what seems a long and sometimes impossible journey is accomplished one step at a time… I know also that Annette is walking with me in this new chapter in my life. Thank you so very much, my dear best friend and soulmate!
