Wanderlust

Last Saturday was one of those incredibly gorgeous days, the air so crisp and the sky a deep, clear blue without a single cloud. I had hours and hours of computer work to do and it really just felt criminal to me to be inside on such a day. Hunter and I went early-morning dogwalking with our new friends Ron and Elsa, out on the coastal trail here in Anchorage. The clarity in the view of Denali (Mt. McKinley) across the inlet was staggering. After some hard downpours over the previous few days, the trees weren't just sprinkled clean - they were pressure-washed - and the freshness of the leaves and branches picked up the sun from every conceivable angle, making the trees appear translucent and light-laden. We had a lot of moments to just stop and gaze.

Hopped in the car next for brunch with my friend Allen, out in Eagle River some 20 miles north. Perfect day for driving, so went on to Chugiak to pick up accumulated mail at the post office and get another eyeful of Denali and Foraker dominating the sky to the west.

Eventually I ran out of excuses and came back home to work. But dragged along as the afternoon passed, feeling unfocused and unimaginative for what was supposed to be light and peppy layout work. Finally bagged it about 5:30 pm and told Mom to get in the car, let's take a drive. I'd meant to take a quick spin around town, but we ended up driving south along Turnagain Arm, following the rolling high tide all the way to Portage Glacier. Drove up through Girdwood next and had a lovely dinner at the Alyeska Prince ski resort while watching tram cars make their way up the mountain to a spectacular sunset view across the water.

By the time we headed home around 9 o'clock, some clouds had rolled in to the west, filtering the sun from warm yellow to a pale bright white, the water on the inlet glowing silvery with that reflection. Made me think of all the lovely days I spent with friends on Lake Champlain about a year ago.

Mostly I found myself thinking how two years ago about this time, I was getting ready to drive by myself from Alaska to Pennsylvania. And then about a year ago, I was getting ready to make the drive back home. Something about this time of year now, I guess, because if money and circumstance allowed, I'd be ready to roll. Those long days on the road with small unexpected serendipities, and a sense of growing confidence in being capable to manage whatever arises... I miss that. The air is getting colder and it feels like it's time to go see what's around that bend.