How wonderfully surprised I was to receive an e-mail from two hiketricities readers who blew my mind with their ambition and accomplishment!
Marilyn (left) and Julie (right) on one of their 40+ hikes from hiketricities.com
This was a dream come true for me as hiketricities.com was a motivator which helped this pair of friends be more active and overcome great obstacles. Julie and Marilyn literally lifted each other as they passionately made their journey through all 40+ hikes on the hiketricities.com web site. My thanks for them sharing their story and pictures. I left this mostly in their words:
Julie above Palouse Falls
This is the story of Marilyn and Julie and their journey through the 40+ hikes on hiketricities.com.
Marilyn at Wallula Gap
Our journey around the Columbia Basin
On March 29, 2015 we finished our goal of the 40 hikes with Johnson Butte as our final quest. The trail list and guide on hiketricities.com brought us to places we had no idea existed around the Tri-Cities; strengthened our friendship through many hiking conversations; provided great exercise; and taught us about the geology that shaped our area. We learned about the Ice Age Floods and can spot an erratic from a mile off. Our favorite trails were Palouse Falls, Devil’s Canyon, White Bluffs, Juniper Dunes and Rattlesnake Preserve. The hardest was McBee.
Marilyn enjoying the Columbia Basin beauty that surrounds us
Unexpected tragedy and challenges
While we shared many laughs and saw beautiful views and scenery, we also encountered unexpected tragedy. About a year into our challenge, Marilyn and her 15 year old daughter were hit by a truck in a crosswalk. After several months of recovering from a fractured pelvis and back injuries, Marilyn had to learn to walk all over again through physical therapy. Like in the poem “Footprints in the Sand,” there was only one set of footprints on the trail during this difficult time–those of Julie pushing Marilyn in her wheelchair. With only three hikes left in our goal at that time, we talked often during her recovery of finishing the 40 hikes. And we did!
Julie at the Palouse River above Palouse Falls
Thank you for the time and passion you pour into this website. This has been a rich experience for both of us. Our husbands and children have even come on a few hikes with us and had fun as well.
Palouse Falls