Magic is taking myself on a solo adventure to Hood River, a gift from past stasia to present stasia, a gift of several days just to explore, wander, be.
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(sweet little bikey at “The Hook” in Hood River)
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Magic is a bonus two miles of bike path that I wasn’t expecting — only four more miles left between Portland and Hood River until you don’t have to ride on I-84 at all!
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(right now the path ends rather unceremoniously about 2 miles east of Viento State Park, though it’s possible to bushwhack back over to the highway from here. I saw more of it being built as we speak — it’s sooo close!)
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Magic is a tailwind on the way home today to make up for the sometimes-downright-scary headwind I fought on my way out. I’m not into “woman vs. nature” here, but this time it very much did feel like a fight.
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(find the hidden bikey by the large, wind-blocking rocks;) Though this was on my way home when the wind was helping me out;)
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Magic is also how crazy sunny it was today, so late in November! It was not warm, but I sure did love that sun.
Magic is a giant bull elk (!!!!) running alongside me as I biked early this morning, then stopping to stare, and running off again to join several other elk. That one truly felt like a rare and precious gift <3
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(magic is also a waterfall hike in the middle of your bike commute from Hood River back to Portland:)
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Magic is a million ducks and friends wintering in and along the Columbia River. Despite the freeway, I can still hear their calls and the sound their wings make against the water. It makes me wish for peacefulness and quiet, but it also makes me grateful that despite the human “progress,” I can still hear the birds’ wildness, at least a little.
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(you can’t really see any in this picture, but there were a MILLION birds in all this water:)
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Magic is all these little moments, hundreds of tiny and largely insignificant moments brightening a month that has frequently been hard and sad. Magic is the ability to see them amidst the sadness. Magic is this wild and crazy and beautiful world we live in.
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(and magic is also more waterfalls right from the bike path)
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Magic is living somewhere of such abundance where this sort of loveliness is just casually scattered about, for anyone to find and hold, just for a second.