The Fun of Hiking With Friends, Followed By Learning of the Death My Lifelong Best Friend

HIKED WITH THE HEAVY-HITTERS TODAY AND IT WAS A FABULOUS OUTING FOR ALL. A nine-mile hike with only a moderate elevation gain of 1,400' still presented a good haul for most of us. Fortunately for me-- here for less than a week---there's still so much unprecedented, late snow in the mountains right now that the group had no choice but to offer a moderate hike. Any hike is a good hike when you return in one piece and can actually get in and out of the car.

As with many hikes into the wilderness, it's often impossible to get cell phone coverage. So today, I left my Blackberry in the car and was out of contact for almost 8 hours. When we were finally heading back to town and my phone lights came on, I saw that I had several voicemails---unusual for a Saturday. As I listened to the messages, I heard the husband of my best, oldest friend Pat, calling from Marin telling me she died quickly this morning of respiratory failure. She had been battling cancer now for about 7 years, and it was certainly not unexpected. Nevertheless, I felt a shock of deep grief go through my heart and soul, and will be dealing with this loss of her for a long time. We've been best friends since we were two and next-door-neighbors......