A day to myself

Before I met JB, I was a huge believer in doing alone what I would have liked to do with a partner.    It took some courage to get to that point, but it led me to travel to Alaska and back alone, backpack alone, ski alone, hike alone, trail run alone, and take road trips alone.    I was lucky to meet someone who enjoys roaming and the outdoors as much or more than I do, but the stillness that comes from being alone in the outdoors is relaxing and meditative... 

On this day I dropped JB off at a nearby river to fly fish, which left me with several hours to myself in the middle of nowhere in the Pioneer mountains in Idaho... which led me to explore this trail.    I love hiking in Idaho because there is so much water, so many meadows and open views, stunning wildflowers, and of course the beautiful granite rock formations.  

Hiking is a time to stop the mind and absorb the sounds, the warmth of the sun, and the color around me... to just be absolutely in the moment.  

My photo does no justice to the beauty of this lightening-struck tree...