The website had been rather static in September and October and I wanted to tell you why. My very painful spinal stenosis early last summer was fixed by an excellent surgeon at UCI hospital in Orange in mid-June, and on August 20, Helen and I took off on a COVID-19 delayed trip to Europe. We spent 2 weeks at “home” in Switzerland, hiking in the Alps along moderate trails; then went to France to lead a group along an ancient pilgrimage route; and finally I took myself to Crete to walk along the E4 long distance trail. My personal odometer added well over 200 mi. by the time I reached “the end” at the village of Chora Sfakion on the Libyan Sea on October 10.

I observed the Cretans, not the most organized bunch of people, doing an excellent job of wearing masks and getting jabbed. Their positivity rate is 0.22%, whereas LA’s is 0.81% (end of October, 2021). To approach the breakfast buffet at my hotel in Heraklion I had to wear plastic gloves, and to get into a store or restaurant, even outdoors, I had to show my health-pass proving I had been fully vaccinated. The was true in France, and in fall, in Switzerland, too.

During the days of lonely walking along the dramatic south coast of Crete I had time to, in common parlance, center and focus myself. Or, in my terms, decide on my priorities. Rather than sharing what I’d most likely will not be doing any more, I share with you what my emphases will be:

• Maintaining and deepening relationships with family and friends
• Staying physically and mentally fit
• Leading local and international hikes
• Getting rid of CO2 emissions in our home and with our personal transportation by 2030
• Maintaining the Sierra Sage website and keeping it lively

For me, that’s a pretty full schedule, and everything else will have to play second fiddle.