John Muir & I

It is a cliché to say that behind every great man is a great woman. In the case of John Muir there were two great women. The first was Jeanne Carr. Her husband, Dr. Ezra Carr, was one of Muir's professors at the University of Wisconsin. She encouraged Muir to pursue his dreams as an explorer, naturalist, author, and advocate for the preservation of wilderness. She helped him get his works published and also introduced John Muir to many influential people. Mrs. Carr also introduced Muir to his future wife, Louie Wand Strentzel.

Along with Jeanne Carr, Muir's wife also recognized her husband's unique gifts as an explorer, writer, and advocate, and after ten years of marriage she released him from his day to day responsibility at the family ranch to continue to explore and write. Here is a link to great documentary about the life of John Muir. It's worth the time to watch it. I am inspired by the life of John Muir and the impact he made on the way that we think about preserving wilderness for future generations. 

While I have no delusions of grandeur in comparing myself to John Muir, we do have one thing in common. I also have a wife who has supported and encouraged me in my love for exploring nature. She has allowed me to hike weekly on my days off and use my vacation to take extended backpacking trips in the High Sierra and to climb internationally. I have been talking about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in retirement for many years and in 2013 Eva shocked me by suggesting that I should hike it now, before retirement, so she won't be a "trail widow" when we do retire. She would prefer I do it now while she is still working and busy volunteering at church. I have talked to enough married people to know that not every spouse is that supportive and willing to make sacrifices themselves to allow their husband or wife to pursue a passion that keeps them away from home for weeks and months at a time.

Eva, I love you and I am grateful for your love, support, and encouragement! You are truly the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I know I couldn't do this without you! Loren