“When I take you to the Valley, you’ll see the blue hills on the left and the blue hills on the right, the rainbow and the vineyards under the rainbow late in the rainy season, and maybe you’ll say, “There it is, that’s it!” But I’ll say. “A little farther.” We’ll go on, I hope, and you’ll see the roofs of the little towns and the hillsides yellow with wild oats, a buzzard soaring and a woman singing by the shadows of a creek in the dry season, and maybe you’ll say, “Let’s stop here, this is it!” But I’ll say, “A little farther yet.” We’ll go on, and you’ll hear the quail calling on the mountain by the springs of the river, and looking back you’ll see the river running downward through the wild hills behind, below, and you’ll say, “Isn’t that the Valley?” And all I will be able to say is “Drink this water of the spring, rest here awhile, we have a long way yet to go and I can’t go without you.”
Ursula K. Le Guin, Always Coming Home

#Hike15 of the #52HikeChallenge2021 took me to the top of Mount Saint Helena on the northern edge of the Napa Valley. Fun fact about this mountain: the quote above is from a novel about a post-apocalyptic society that considers this mountain sacred. Thinking about this idea always makes me smile a bit because I also seem to find myself drawn to this mountain. From my home in Sonoma County, it’s not unusual to look towards the northeastern horizon and find its looming presence, like a silent sentinel gazing upon the inhabitants below. And, at least once a year, if not more frequently, I heed its beckoning call to hike to its summit once more.

As if the five mile trek and 2,283 feet of elevation gain on a mostly exposed trail to the summit isn’t enough, I decided that this would be the trip in which I would finally do something I had long wanted to do and bring a full charcuterie board to the top of the mountain! I mean, why have cheese and crackers in a vineyard, when you could instead have them on the metaphorical roof of wine country! Also because champagne just tastes better after a long hike at 4,342 feet. ? ? ? ? ?