Carnation, WA
Letter #10: Meeting a good friend for the first time, and completing my first solo hike. Lots of firsts in the PNW!
My next destination on the west coast was Carnation, WA. Situated along the foothills of the Cascades, Carnation is a sleepy little town located about 45 minutes west of Seattle. It’s also the home of my dear friend, Megan, and her family.
My relationship with
is interesting, and maybe now a common phenomena for remote workers who know each other exclusively over the internet. We met through , both of us acting as Creative Advisor and Course Curator on the Approachable Design course. Megan and I have spent the past two years helping build out the course and learning more about each other. Sometimes our one-on-one Zoom calls included only 30 minutes of actual work, and over 3 hours of meandering conversation about our pasts and our dreams for the future. Very quickly I began to consider her a good friend, someone I could trust and be vulnerable with, and yet we’d never met in person.Seeing her for the first time was surreal. She embodied all the qualities I loved about her over video chat, and yet was much taller than I had imagined. She and her family were incredibly inviting and I settled into the easy small town life of Washington without hesitation. We had dinners at home together, and I spent the days hiking and unwinding at the health club / spa.
Washington will forever be the place where I had my first solo hike. I rented a truck for this leg of the trip, and relished in the freedom of driving through the mountains at my own pace.
For the first time I downloaded All Trails, something I could finally use regularly now that I was no longer a city girl. I chose a moderate hike to the peak of Little Si in the Cascades, just outside the town of North Bend. The hike took me about 2 1/2 hours out and back with breathtaking views over the valley and of the snow-capped mountains in the surrounding area. I ran into several other hikers along the way.
Two new moms with their infants strapped to their chests: Impressive.
Trail builders, the individuals that actually build and maintain the trails by hauling rocks up the mountain, their tools hanging from their backs: Super Impressive.
And, finally, a mountaineer in her mid 70’s with an 11 year old Chihuahua following closely behind: The MOST Impressive. She was kind enough to snap a photo of me at the peak, and offered some words of wisdom to a novice hiker like myself.
“Don’t be afraid to hike alone—people are kind and look out for each other.
“Don’t hike too close to nightfall. In the event you twist an ankle and need help, nightfall will only make it that much harder to get to safety.
And keep it up to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle. The woods are therapeutic.
Oh, and thank the trail builders.
Megan and I had a blast exploring our friendship in person. I greatly appreciate those that will take the conversation to unexpected depths and I feel fortunate to have made a new bestie.
The past few months have been an amazing social experiment. I’m saying yes to worldwide invites for a visit, booking flights, and developing new relationships outside of my New York and Midwestern lives.
Next stop? Seeing some of my favorite people in California. ❤️
☠️FYI: during my final load of laundry before leaving for Bali, I sent my AirPod Pros through the wash. As I pulled the clothes out of the machine and put them into the dryer, I heard the earbuds drop onto the floor. NOOOOOO! Sasha suggested I toss them in a bowl of sushi rice and pray for a miracle. Guess what? AirPod Pros can withstand a round in the wash. Apple gods be good.
🫀More FYI: You know how I wrote about adults that have many hobbies outside their careers, and how I find it incredibly inspiring that someone would dedicate so much time to becoming a diversified person of many depths? I appreciated reading
write about his fiancé, Cate in . She sounds so dynamic, honest about growth, and fearless. A beautiful tribute he wrote for her, and it's worth a read. (No this is not my same friend, Sasha, who I speak about frequently. 😆)Hey! Would you like to connect over creativity, self-growth, and problem-solving? Or just to have a virtual glass of wine or mocktail? Please book a time on my Calendly for us to chat! I can’t wait to see you. XOXO.
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I love the last piece of advice from the mountaineer in her mid 70’s … remember to thank the trail builders. Gratitude is the best Attitude!!!
Hiking solo is brave and I give you lots of credit for doing it! Good advice from the hiker you met along the way. Photos are awesome!