Marilyn Koolstra

I also wonder if Eric's irritation had to do with pace. Being older, he didn't hike as fast as Alan.

I also wonder if Eric's irritation had to do with pace. Being older, he didn't hike as fast as Alan.

I recall one instance where Eric would say, you know, he'd just charge off and I wouldn't know what was going on. And Eric liked to know what was going on.

I recall one instance where Eric would say, you know, he'd just charge off and I wouldn't know what was going on. And Eric liked to know what was going on.

Whatever the case, Marilyn figured it would blow over. Eric's friendship with Alan and the adventures it enabled were too valuable to give up. Eric and Marilyn spent a couple days in San Francisco, then rented a car and drove to Yosemite. They went to an overlook called Glacier Point. Marilyn marveled at the view, listening to woodpeckers and jays busy in the trees below. I saw my first bear.

Whatever the case, Marilyn figured it would blow over. Eric's friendship with Alan and the adventures it enabled were too valuable to give up. Eric and Marilyn spent a couple days in San Francisco, then rented a car and drove to Yosemite. They went to an overlook called Glacier Point. Marilyn marveled at the view, listening to woodpeckers and jays busy in the trees below. I saw my first bear.

We had fun.

We had fun.

We went through the Sequoia Forest. They visited Tuolumne Meadows, where a gurgling river runs through verdant fields bursting with birdsong. It was the first time Marilyn had seen a high elevation, subalpine meadow like this. There's no place like it in Australia. It felt magical. They left Yosemite late in the afternoon, driving east out of the park into the arid, empty expanse of Nevada.

We went through the Sequoia Forest. They visited Tuolumne Meadows, where a gurgling river runs through verdant fields bursting with birdsong. It was the first time Marilyn had seen a high elevation, subalpine meadow like this. There's no place like it in Australia. It felt magical. They left Yosemite late in the afternoon, driving east out of the park into the arid, empty expanse of Nevada.

We drove all night to get to Las Vegas for a Celine Dion concert. We just made that.

We drove all night to get to Las Vegas for a Celine Dion concert. We just made that.

Eric relaxed in the driver's seat with one hand on the wheel. Marilyn held his free hand in her own.

Eric relaxed in the driver's seat with one hand on the wheel. Marilyn held his free hand in her own.

Eric had always warm hands. He could always count on that. I have cold hands, so it's kind of a thing that I liked.

Eric had always warm hands. He could always count on that. I have cold hands, so it's kind of a thing that I liked.

They'd burned a mix CD with some of their favorite songs to fill the time during the drive. The tunes were epic and intimate. The score from Dances with Wolves juxtaposed against Girl from Yesterday by the Eagles.

They'd burned a mix CD with some of their favorite songs to fill the time during the drive. The tunes were epic and intimate. The score from Dances with Wolves juxtaposed against Girl from Yesterday by the Eagles.

We went then to Grand Canyon, and we camped and walked and explored Grand Canyon.

We went then to Grand Canyon, and we camped and walked and explored Grand Canyon.