White River Hike

Yesterday we hiked a large frozen river called White River (poor Bri had to work all day on the Olympic task force in case Americans had emergency or special needs during the Olympics, so he couldn't join us.  He has three all night shifts coming up next week and the next as well!).  We were invited to join our friends Charmhee, AJ, Toby, and Bryce, and a tour company.  Charmhee and AJ usually go it alone with the tour company, especially on hikes, with AJ acting as the tour guide.  However, the river being frozen and having to enter and exit at certain points on the river, they decided it would be best with a guide.  And we all agreed at the end that it was a smart move since it was a long river without clear signage. 

The scenery was beautiful.  It was cold, but beautiful.  Amazingly, nobody complained about being cold, except for my hands were pretty vocal. ;)  But without me really mentioning it, Charmhee and AJ offered their hand warmers they ordered from the States, and my hands finally felt warm!

We hiked and hiked, or I should say slipped, slid, and sometimes fell (Rhea, I'm talking to you!), but we made it!  Luckily AJ loaned me his crampons, because I would not have made it in one piece!  I was slipping all over the place and had to walk really slow until he gave me his crampons to use.  It was a night and day difference and I was able to enjoy the company and scenery instead of worrying about falling the whole time.  Of course Thomas and Savannah went on ahead of everyone else, most of the time, however they did stop for us to catch up and eat lunch with them for a little bit. Stopping for a lunch of chips, granola bars, mochi bread, nuts, dried fruit, etc.

One of my favorite focuses on the hike was the ice patterns and the way the water froze.  Fascinating to see perfect geometric shapes and frozen bubbles.  Toby asked how the bubbles formed under water and AJ replied that thousands of people had put straws down in the water and blew bubbles that froze.  We had a good laugh. ;)

And then I loved ice like this where it looks like the water literally froze mid ripple as the water was still running down the canyon.  Even the ripples were smooth like glass.This group came prepared with sleds tied together to slide around for the kids.And Bryce was trying to catch a ride holding onto AJs stick.  :)I love my good friend Charmhee!  The sweetest person I know!

What a day!  After having the kids cooped up a few weeks of online learning, and then another few weeks of being cooped up during Chinese New Year break (the Omicron variant has come to Beijing and we're not allowed to leave Beijing or go to certain parts of Beijing, and we're all afraid of getting Covid and ending up in the dreaded fever hospital!), we've had a pretty boring school break for the kids.  Too much technology and sitting around.  So this hike did our spirits good I think, at least mine.  It was great to escape the walls of our apartment and the city that sometimes feels like it's smothering us with its noises and congestion, and get out into quiet nature to explore its unique winter gifts, in near solitude.  It felt good to be active too.  To move my body differently than just walking around the apartment, embassy halls, or commute to work.  It's been a while since we've been hiking because of work demands and weekend exhaustion, fall and winter holidays, etc.  It was a much needed day trip.  Nature is good, friends are good, and family is good.  All three together - I feel blessed.