california dreamin'
returning to washington, it’s taken me a moment to stop, slow down, and integrate all the lessons and new experiences from my time in california. a full six weeks on the road, living out of the work van with my boss, guiding back-to-back multi-day trail running trips and adventuring around new mountain ranges, river valleys, lakes, and hot springs in such a special community.
wheeew, it feels like I closed my eyes for a single moment and have somehow been transported back to washington. driving south to california and starting with two lost coast trail trips, taking a week of exploration around tahoe, and finishing with three back-to-back yosemite trips, the time came and went in the blink of an eye. the dynamics of every adventure changed drastically week to week. with new clients coming on each trip, every day felt so different from the last and allowed for a fresh perspective, new energy, and an overwhelming amount of connection, inside jokes, and stories to be shared.
taking more time to reflect post-trip and utilizing the little moments of solitude between time with clients I’ve had a continual sense of awe that I haven’t hit a wall of burnout. with the compounding big mile days, 2:45 am wake-up calls to make breakfast, endless social interactions and long workdays I was certain it would hit me hard. sure, I’ve definitely felt exhausted from it all (hello x4 naps/day between guiding trips), however, it’s transferred more into a sense of happy, content exhaustion vs. total burnout. I can only speculate it’s due in part to being part of something that has personally felt so meaningful and joyful.
over the past six weeks, my boss and I found this really healthy flow of work, play and curiosity, joy, nourishing eats, endless water dips, and big miles that clicked really well for us. combine this with the amazing community of clients (both new and returning runners) and other co-workers/guides (aka the best of friends), the entire six weeks carried through with so much ease, purpose, and enjoyment.
after guiding full-time last season, these six weeks solidified an even deeper love for this work and amazing community. at times, I truly feel at a loss for words. whether it’s playing out in the mountains, joking around with the crew while cooking up a storm, early morning coffees, or engaging in a deeply meaningful conversation with our clients while on the trails or over a shared meal. all of these experiences hold significant meaning and feel a part of something so much deeper. this work has been about creating and sharing a space for individuals to experience breath-taking wilderness settings, pushing past physical and mental barriers, connect with others in an inclusive community, and finding a greater sense of self in the process.
while I work to help create this space for others, I’ve continually been blown away by what I’ve learnt from our clients/runners and this community at large. I’ve learnt how to be more present and hold space for others, deeper compassion and loving-kindness, how to feel more at home within myself and how that translates out to being with others, and how to approach situations more intentionally. if anything, I’ve been able to understand what a true, meaningful and engaged community can look like and be. simultaneously, I’ve felt inspired, uplifted, laughed my ass off, cried with others, and witnessed personal transformations. I hold this time so deeply in my heart and feel full embodied joy for each trip, each place, and to each person who was a part of it.
this feels like a smattering of my thoughts and reflections from the last six weeks messily bound together, however, it correlates perfectly to our time in california - pieced together in one big conglomeration of people, places, and experiences that all came together in a big wonderful, mess of perfect harmony.