West by Northwest

Not out of the woods yet

Two years into the Covid pandemic and we’re still not out of the woods. Omicron, the latest variant, forced us to rethink and reschedule our trip across the pond. We canceled our flights abroad and went back to the drawing board.

Leap of faith

Manohar needed to train for the Paris Marathon coming up on April 3, 2022. Stranded in a January Wisconsin deep freeze, he was forced to complete a 16-mile training run on a treadmill. Enough was enough. We packed our car and headed west. We stopped in Denver, Colorado for an 18-mile run and then proceeded to St. George, Utah (home of the famous St. George Marathon) where in February we could run and swim outdoors under the sun. P.S. Swimming is my happy place.

After a few weeks we pointed our car northwest and made our way to California. We first stayed in San Luis Obispo. Long enough for a scenic run and a foodie-lovers evening at the SLO farmers’ market. Then we packed up and drove to the bay area to visit friends. Manohar caught up with some college friends from India and then we stayed with dear friends who were our neighbors in Minnesota. All of these like-aged folks have found success in their respective fields. It was meaningful now to compare notes about how each person is feeling at this stage in life. We are the first couple to have fully retired, so naturally others were interested in our philosophy as well. We wish the others success on their current and upcoming endeavors which include: obtaining a pilot’s license, buying a hobby almond farm, meditating in Bali, and hiking in the Swiss Alps.

Next, we headed to Oregon for a dog sitting opportunity. We started off in Portland so Manohar could complete a 22-mile training run. Then we followed the Columbia River to Hood River, an idyllic town nestled alongside the Columbia River in the shadow of Mt. Hood. To the north, we also had a beautiful view of the snow capped Mt. Adams on the Washington side of the river. This is definitely one of the perks of caring for pups in their homes (I will dedicate a future blog to pet sitting). We get to venture to far-flung places and live like locals. In this case we stayed in a wonderfully restored 100-year-old home and cared for a real lovebug, a Jack Russell Terrier named Zipper.

And now we find ourselves in Seattle, Washington, our last stop before heading overseas. Our daughter is in graduate school here and although she is busy, it is comforting to know she is just a few miles away and always up for a quick cup of coffee at one of the many Seattle coffee shops or a walk on the UW campus where we can bask in the beauty of the cherry blossoms.

My husband and I also appreciate our picturesque daily runs on the Puget Sound, but where exercise is concerned, I most look forward to our weekly hikes up to Poo Poo Point. It is a 7-mile, 1600-foot out-and-back up the shoulder of Tiger Mountain. You can hike up the steeper, faster, Chirico Trail named after the Seattle Paragliding owner, Mark Chirico. Mark’s paragliding school sits next to the landing pad at the start of the trail. Or, you can start at Issaquah High School and climb (or run) up the longer, more gently sloped trail.

Poo Poo Point is a funny name, right? I’ve read the name Poo Poo comes from the sound of whistles — either loggers blowing whistles: poo poo, or logging train steam whistles: poo poo. In any case, there are no more loggers, and hopefully no bears (I am always on the lookout). What you will see at the top are the many colorful fabric wings of paragliders leaping from the edge. Make a point to visit both launch sites on top. An easy 5-minute walk separates them. The one on the west side has been busier during my visits, but I’ve also watched launches on the larger, quieter south side. On a clear day, the south side also provides a glorious view of Mt. Rainier. Either site is perfect for lunch before heading back down. (The bathrooms up top have always been open too.) Our favorite lunch is a banh mi sandwich from My’s Vietnamese Sandwiches & Deli. They open at 8:00 am every day (except Tuesday) so you can stop and get your sandwiches en route to Issaquah!

Finally, if you don’t feel like walking down from Poo Poo Point, as we found out, catching a ride from a paraglider is sometimes an option. On our second trek up, one of the paragliders asked if anyone in our group wanted a lift down. We were all courteously declining when much to my surprise my husband piped up and said – Yes! Manohar explained, “I always say no. When will I ever say yes? Why not today?” Why not, indeed.

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