It can be easy to be pessimistic as we end yet another year of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as the Omicron variant runs rampant and communities re-institute confinements, curfews, and outdoor mask requirements. The desire to wish away and write off yet another year lost to abnormality is strong. But as with last year, I’m choosing to reflect on those times that I lived my life well this past year.
Month: December 2021
The Faja de las Flores is one of the most beautiful, classic routes in the Ordesa Valley (Valle de Ordesa), located in the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park. While I do love the evocative name, Monte Perdido—Lost Mountain, it’s also a fantastic place to see some color in the fall and I really enjoyed a fall day hike we did there last year. So we headed back there this October.
For a couple weeks in November, I participated in a caving course through a club here in Madrid called Flash. The course consisted of two classes during the week and two full weekends. For the second week of the course, we learned the geology and biology of caves and descended 100 meters into Carlista cavern.
For a couple weeks in November, I participated in a caving course through a club here in Madrid called Flash. My primary aim was to learn vertical caving skills. As a life-long lover of bats and exploration, the underground environment has always really appealed to me. I first started caving in the US, also through a local club.