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<\/a>Patrick’s Memorial Hike<\/p><\/div>\n
A week ago Sunday I had the pleasure of going on a \u2018Memoria Hike\u2019<\/strong> for our dearly departed friend, Patrick Michael<\/strong>.\u00a0 It was his birthday and he had passed a year ago April at 62; he is still missed every day, not just by his family, but by our entire neighborhood and a whole host of friends and co-workers.\u00a0 The hike took place at Peter\u2019s Canyon<\/strong> in Orange and was attended by 20+ neighbors and family, and several dogs!<\/p>\n Like I\u2019m sure most of his friends think, my relationship with Patrick was special \u2013 he always had time for everyone, could make or fix anything, although sometimes it cost him a finger or two, lost via his table saw, and he always had a great attitude and a good sense of humor \u2013 especially the ability to laugh at himself.<\/p>\n Whitney hikers<\/p><\/div>\n After moving into the neighborhood, for years I didn\u2019t really get to know him, or rather knew him as the guy who sang \u201cThere once was a man from Nantucket\u201d<\/strong> on a co-ed party bus during the holidays.\u00a0\u00a0 At another neighborhood holiday party in 2007, Patrick told us that he had just returned from climbing Mt. Whitney<\/strong>, the highest mountain in the continental United States at 14,505 feet. \u00a0This intrigued several of us at the party, so we asked him if he was interested in helping us train and lead another assent of Whitney. \u00a0He, of course, agreed \u2013 and thus was born, The Trail Boss<\/strong>.<\/p>\n He trained us on local mountains, climbing Mt. San Antonio (Baldy) many times and Mt. San Jacinto out in the desert.\u00a0 By June 2008 we were ready.<\/p>\n The night before our hike, we camped at Whitney Portal<\/strong> (altitude around 8,400 feet) at the trailhead to Whitney to get acclimated to the altitude. The next day about two-thirds of the way to the summit, one of our hikers, who is diabetic, could go no further due to a blood-sugar imbalanced, typical of Patrick, rather than continue the hike to the summit, he turned around to accompany the hiker back down the mountain, while the rest of us continued on.<\/p>\n Half Dome cables to the top<\/p><\/div>\n Me, Kirin, Dom, Patrick in Nepal<\/p><\/div>\n Patrick had reintroduced me to hiking and I loved it, so I wanted to do more.\u00a0 We planned to hike\u00a0Yosemite’s <\/strong>Half Dome<\/strong>, but the first time we tried, the cables that get you to the very top of the dome, were down, so our hike ended at the base of the final assent.\u00a0 In 2012, we returned, and with the cables up, we were able to reach the top and take in that spectacular view. After hikes in Joshua Tree National Park<\/strong> and neighboring Ladder\u2019s Canyon<\/strong>, in 2013, Linda had given me a 70th<\/sup> birthday present of a hike in the Himalayas<\/strong> in Nepal<\/strong> (I checked to see if it was a one-way<\/strong> ticket!)\u00a0 The trip was for two and she thought that my brother, Jack would accompany me, but he was not really into hiking, so my obvious choice was to ask Patrick \u2013 I did and he happily agreed.\u00a0 So, in June of 2014 I enjoyed my favorite hike of all time with one of my best friends of all time.\u00a0 On that 12-day journey, Patrick and I enjoyed the people and the culture of the Himalayas and shared many amazing experiences.\u00a0 It’s where we learned the meaning of the original Sanskrit greeting, Namaste <\/strong>– “The divine in me bows to the divine in you.”\u00a0 As a reminder of Patrick, a Namaste plaque and Buddhist prayer flags from Kathmandu<\/strong>, hang in my patio. As an aside, I still stay in contact with, Dom Tamang<\/strong>, our Nepalese guide for that hike.<\/p>\n A year later, Patrick and I, and a childhood friend of Patrick and the friend\u2019s son, did a four-day hike on the Inca Trail<\/strong> to<\/p>\n Patrick at my mirror<\/p><\/div>\n Machu Picchu<\/strong> \u2013 another spectacular experience that Patrick\u2019s enthusiasm and curiosity made even more special.<\/p>\n After returning from Machu Picchu, we discussed where our \u2018next big hike\u2019<\/strong> should be; I suggested Kilimanjaro<\/strong>, which Patrick, for whatever reasons, wasn\u2019t too keen on initially, but some time later he came to me and said, \u201cLet\u2019s do Kilimanjaro\u201d.\u00a0 Unfortunately, that box will remain unchecked.<\/p>\n I keep the program from Patrick\u2019s memorial service next to my bathroom mirror, so I see him every morning and am reminded of three things, 1)<\/strong> I was fortunate to have Patrick in my life, 2)<\/strong> I should strive to be more like him, and 3)<\/strong> no one is guaranteed tomorrow – live life to the fullest.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bob Sparrow A week ago Sunday I had the pleasure of going on a \u2018Memoria Hike\u2019 for our dearly departed friend, Patrick Michael.\u00a0 It was his birthday and he had passed a year ago April at 62; he is … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Whitney-300x227.jpg\")
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