four thousand miles of roadless, trailless terrain through a landscape

Before walking toward the forest’s edge, I offer a silent goodbye to the gray-green waters of the Pacific.

Tedium is a regular part of my job. But today the graphs and calculations fall away as I inhale the scent of dirt and spruce needles. Out here, I am half scientist, half disciple. I’ve left the laboratory far behind and, with it, the need to quantify and contain. In its place, I’ve reconnected with the simple act of observation.