LIving Virally: Time Loops

Episode 4

I have found a name for our current life style. It is called a “Time Loop”. As defined by Wikipedia “A time loop or temporal loop is a plot device whereby characters re-experience a span of time which is repeated, sometimes more than once, with some hope of breaking out of the cycle of repetition. The term "time loop" is sometimes used to refer to a causal loop ; however, causal loops are unchanging and self-originating, whereas time loops are constantly resetting: when a certain condition is met, such as a death of a character or a clock reaches a certain time, the loop starts again, with one or more characters retaining the memories from the previous loop.”

It seems our loop is a “time loop” and not a "causal loop". So here were are in week 9 and a process of loop resetting has taken place with the government starting to open things. To celebrate, we enlarged our bubble by organizing a get together with friends in a local park. Each couple brought their own chairs, booze and food. We set up our chairs in a circle using the government approved 6 feet of separation. As there were nine of us, the diameter of the circle became quite large. For you math types, the circumference of our circle became 48 feet so using the formula D = C/π meant our circle had a diameter of 15.281757 feet of distance between some of the couples. Since most of us are deep into our 60’s and those 70’s rock concerts left some of us with hearing loss, there were a lot of “huh”, “say again” and “didn’t get that” going around. To be fair, it was also very windy that day.

The only other change to our days of sameness was to make another attempt to summit Mount Nkwala. We picked a pretty good day with some sun and cloud that would keep the temperatures in check. The views were boringly spectacular as usual.

The rains have kept the meadows moist and well covered in a beautiful array or flowers. We took time on this trip to capture them. 

Arrowleaf Balsam Root 

White Yarrow 

Numerous trails proliferate up, down and around Mount Nkwala. The trails are shared by both hikers and mountain bikers. This is one of the reasons that we got some what side tracked on our first attempt to get to the summit. There are too many trails that don't really have any destination other than to create some gnarly berms, banks and kickers.

Indian Paintbrush

Scarlet Gilia

We decided to take the trail that looked the most traveled with the hope that we would at some point find ourselves taking photos from the summit of Mount Nkwala. Along the way we ran into a few obstacles. Nothing that couldn't be straddled and gotten over.

Bitterroot

Shooting Star

Our chosen trail walked us through a lovely heavily wooded meadow. Sadly some of the stately old trees had succumbed to rot and wind but made for a lovely photo opportunity.

Three Leaved Phachelia

Scentless Chamomile

Well, is seems that we have been foiled again. No summit. Our well traveled trail took us on a lovely wander around to the back side of Mount Nkwala where we came to a well traveled dirt road that we are told would eventually take us to the summit. We did try a trail off the road that wandered up toward the summit but as we climbed it became smaller, less clear until Mother Nature took it completely back. 

We will be back but I think we will wait till the wild strawberries are ripe. If we don't make the summit, at least there will be a snack. 

Wild Strawberry