Almost time for departure

Just a few days left before we embark on this journey!  This weekend we took our last long hike before departure.  Last year, on our last long hike before our trek I ended up with a stress fracture and was unable to hike for entire trip, so this year, we definitely didn't want to be too ambitious.  We covered some of our favorite trails in the canyons that weave through and around the neighborhoods of Tierrasanta, then entered the vast expanse of trails in Mission Trails Regional Park.

From West Shepherd Canyon you can see North Fortuna

The Tierrasanta canyon trails have new signs

Krishna checks out some wildflowers

 Anyway, we both feel ready, both physically and mentally.  No aches and pains.  The toes, knees and backs are feeling good.  I can tell that Krishna is ready to once again be a pilgrim along the Camino - this morning he stopped to appreciate some purple wildflowers that he noticed for the first time, and during last week's hike he paused to protect a caterpillar as it made its way across the path.  He is living in the moment.
  

On Friday we were surprised with a beautiful send-off, emotional for us, from our Rotary Club, which included a reading form "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran, which started, "Then said a rich man, "Speak to us of giving". And he answered:  You give but little when you give of your possessions.  It is when you give of yourself that you truly give..."  A familiar reading with words full of meaning.

We attended a second Friday meeting at another Rotary Club as a make-up meeting.  In spite of our travels, we still try to keep our record of perfect attendance.  We visit other clubs wherever we travel.  Attending a meeting overseas is always an experience.  We've made many new Rotarian friends that way.  Attending a meeting in Peru even led us to an NGO that we continue to be connected with and that our own club supported by providing materials for guinea pig farms in a community outside of Cusco.  You never know what may come out of visiting a Rotary Club in another country.  This time, though, we couldn't find any clubs in France or Spain that meet on the days that match our hiking and travel schedule.