Clever Plans

I like to have a clever little plan to celebrate the summer solstice. After all it is my favourite day and I like to honour every little minute, every little second of the longest day of the year. So we went hiking up a mountain trail to celebrate summer solstice...in the snow...which is normally long ago melted at this time of year. But there had been torrential rains and then a freak snowstorm so there was snow. As we climbed further and further up the mountain the snow logically became deeper and deeper. We did not make it to the mountain pass as planned and had to turn back because it was cold and wet. Then we decided to try another trail that did not climb any elevation but remained in the mountain valley. After we cleverly made our way around the black bear sitting by the trailhead and munching on bugs underneath the bark on a tree, we had quite a pleasant little hike on a trail that did have much less snow. Following that little hike came the decision to go to the hot springs at the trailhead to warm up. Such a clever little plan. But the hottest hot springs in the Canadian Rockies were warm-ish at best because of, yes, the torrential rains and freak snowstorm. So as we floated in the warm springs feeling not so hot a clever plan was devised to drive into Jasper and go to the steam room and hot tub at the local rec centre. As we drove down the mountain in pursuit of this clever plan we came upon a mudslide that covered the narrow mountain road caused by...the torrential rains and freak snowstorm. The road was covered in mud and rocks and a tree surrounded by its own little plot of grass sat in the middle of the road having slid down the mountainside keeping its own natural little landscape intact and landing oddly upright and looking for all the world like it had been growing in the middle of the asphalt road for several years. We carefully drove over the mud and rocks and around the tree in the middle of the road knowing it was a very clever plan to not stop in an area with active landslides. The hot tub was hot and the steam room even more so. Finally feeling toasty and very very clever, we decided to visit the local pizzeria and enjoy a feast on their rooftop patio under the fading sun rays of the longest day. And then as the sun set

on our day we turned eastward for home and drove into the dark night getting home at 3:30 AM
which was well past the summer solstice. Perhaps that part was not so clever but we did cleverly sing
 songs and keep each other awake to make it safely home. A summer solstice to remember...and cleverly planned!