in the captain's company

As Vic would say, "I strongly recommend this view" while laying with his head hanging upside down over the bridge while the river runs through it. This weekend Zeta and I escaped the concrete jungle and headed to Standish Hickey where the Eel River flows and Captain Standish stands 225 feet tall amongst his family of really big red woods. With a little help from our friends, the weekend was a tribute to all things good and revived my love for life in a whole new way. Even though Vic and Liz had been here before, they had never layed their eyes upon the big tree named Captain Standish, the third largest Redwood on Earth. After realizing that the river had our day, it was obvious the forest had our night. Zeta and I made a dinner of chicken and magic and we all four then headed out with a few wimpy flashlights into the woods.

The trail was full of stories, song, and beautiful night. The moon had not yet risen and was nearly 11pm. Night hikes present a wonderful new challenge to the team...especially on a trail no one has walked before. But after maybe only 45 minutes....there he was...like the bean stalk to the sky. It had to be him. How many other trees in the middle of the woods have a wooden post around it with benches to sit and admire?

Of course we step through the fence and join the Captain in his circle. Never have I felt so small and so in the company of true majesty without a tourist in site. It was me and the Captain and the stars.

The forest was silent with an occasion cricket, frog or bird as we all lay on the gigantic foot of the tree. A shooting star flies by. Zeta whispers into my ear. And the green grass grows all around and around.

We continued on the loop trail back down to the river where we had spent the day. There burned a fire surrounded by a conglomeration of different individuals mostly local who invited us to join their ring. They quickly showed their hospitality by sharing beers and off color jokes. I may as well have been in Southern Missouri seeing familiar faces in friends I've never met. In fact, the entire trip brought back memories of family trips, camping, and floating the Black River in Missouri. Home really is where the heart is. I guess mines green and brown with a river running through it.