The Trip of firsts.... For years, Dawn has been wanting to hit the trail with Coral, but life seemed to always get in the way. Dawn… “Coral you need to teach me to backpack, Coral… “Nothing to teach, put a pack on your back and walk.” Finally, it happens! With much spontaneity, Coral coaches Dawn through her first backpacking experience. “Let’s do an easy, short ‘walk-up’ at Point Reyes to get you use to hiking with a pack.” Within 24-hours the planning began for a departure the following morning -Monday, April 9, 2018. With quick preparations, Coral assessed Dawn’s equipment and supplies and recommended a few key additional items. Since the hike was “easy,” Coral decided to carry a small ice chest for a few backpacking luxuries to be enjoyed during their beach happy hour and sunset fire. Departing Sacramento around 8:00 am, with enough time to enjoy a coffee stop and arrive at the Ranger’s Station to secure a “walk-up,” the journey began! Once at the Ranger’s Station… • Two spots were offered 8 and 14 – we opted for 14 - more on this later; • Coral secured a fire permit… Dawn, who knew you needed one?; • The Ranger warned us the trails were flooded and to be careful; • Dawn announced in the Visitor’s Center… “Tomorrow is Coral’s birthday;” • Back to the car and off to the trailhead. At the trailhead… • It was decided we didn’t need our boots, trail shoes would be fine; • An 1/8 mile in we came across fellow backpackers – with very wet boots and calves and an ice chest. They warned us what was to come on this “easy” hike. More importantly, their ice chest reminded Coral we left ours in the car. So back to the car we went; • With some thought about our shoes and the ice chest in hand we start anew; • The weather is perfect, the flowers in bloom and the trail just a little soggy; • All is well until the flood warnings came into view, about 1/4 mile in. And the firsts begin… Off came our shoes as we walked through what Dawn viewed as a swamp-land. Two steps in, Dawn says “Coral I am WAY out of my comfort zone – can you say Naked and Afraid” (a show on the Discovery Channel); • Shoes back on we continue to camp only to decide on campsite 8, Coral “I’ve never had to moved we should be fine”; • Camp quickly set, lunch consumed and then off to the beach to relax and gather firewood for “happy hour”; • After a full supply of wood was stacked, a firepit built, defense secured around the children trying to rearrange the evening setting – time was spent like lizards in the sun. • Thoughts of happy hour roused us and as we sat up whales provided a spectacular view; • Giddy from the relaxation and whale entertainment, we start back to camp only to be approached with the question… “Are you in campsite #8, we are supposed to have it, we are with a group of teenagers”; • Apologies offered, back to #8 and the moving process to #14 began; • Without missing a beat… campsite was moved, happy hour prepared and back to the beach we went; • Enjoying a delicious happy hour with the ice chest luxuries, efforts to have a roaring fire were thwarted by the too moist wood. After much effort and stubbornness, we settled on hot coals and remained at the beach for most of the evening; • Back at camp, Coral annulated Dawn in a quick game of Gin Rummy and we settled in for the night. Tuesday morning Coral’s birthday… • Anticipating rain, we had plan on breaking camp and heading out early; • With the weather cooperating we enjoyed hot coffee, breakfast and an off-key rendition of “happy birthday”; • Camp broke, packs covered with rain guards, we head back another route to avoid the “swamp-land.” Dawn wasn’t up for Naked and Afraid again; • Perfect weather, gorgeous scenery and fun conversation made the hike back to the car fly by! Backpacking officially over… • In no hurry to return to reality, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Nick’s Cove and a stop for a tea; • The drive home included a little more traffic than anticipated and an angry driver who tried to spoil our Zen by flipping us the bird – yes, grown men still do this? Not to be derailed from an amazing trip… The laughs continued, and Dawn’s madam journey ended with the backpacking itch!