Fall Hiking

My uncle Mark came to visit this weekend after he spent a week hiking in Slovenia. It's always good to have visitors because it forces you to seek out new places and to see your home in a different light. We had warm, sunny weather for exploring and hiking in the hills around Sarajevo. It takes a little faith in the people and the mine clearing agencies for one to step off pavement around here, especially since the areas we hiked saw heavy fighting during the war. It takes no time to become conditioned to staying on clearly marked and traveled paths--the feeling of grass under your feet feels like you could be skirting death. But, there were plenty of hikers on the trail and gorgeous views of the mountains and valleys to be had, mines or not. The leaves are just beginning to turn, the air was crisp and you can't help but think of Oregon when out in these mountains. Until you see the shell of a bombed out hotel on the side of the ski mountain (the 84 Winter Olympics luge went through here) and a clear spring dumping into a bathtub.