It was hard to return to work after hiking the JMT in 2016. Usually when I get back from vacation, I feel refreshed and excited. I’m not sure why this time was different. Perhaps it was my approaching 4-year anniversary at Sincerely—I had never worked anywhere longer. I had the itch to go off on an adventure, perhaps attempting something like the PCT. There was only one problem: Stephanie had just started her first semester at SFSU, with 2 years to go before she’d complete her degree.
I was sick the week of Thanksgiving, so we didn’t leave for Death Valley until Friday. Stephanie was instrumental in making sure we got out at all. Tradition! Though I helped with some of the food planning (yogurt, granola, dried fruits, and honey for breakfast; pre-cooked rice and veggies with curry simmer sauce for dinner), she packed our clothing and camping gear and did all of the driving that day.
This morning, a hawk chose the ledge outside the window in front of my desk (six stories above Market Street) to hang out for about an hour and a half.
I pulled back the blinds so I could get a better look
