Last year went in a completely different direction. For us, and for everyone. Just when we thought we had our new situation figured out, reality diverged from our best laid plans yet again. But I wound up being incredibly grateful for our 2020: it was a year of unexpected journeys and exploring-in-place.
In light of the lives lost to the pandemic, the economic recession and the emotional turmoil of 2020, I’ll refrain from saying it was the best year ever. Although Kent and I experienced hardship alongside the rest, we somehow managed to have a genuinely excellent year. I hesitate to type that, because I know it was awful for so many. But for me, 2020 contained a lot of wonder worth celebrating!
But it’s a strange year to measure! I’m tempted to measure last year from when we returned to California in February until now. That’s how 2020 feels to me.
Technically, of course, 2020 began while we were still living abroad. But we were visiting family in North America when the virus began rampaging through China, cancelling our flights back to Qingdao and closing our school. So we stayed in the States! At first, we thought our extended stay was temporary, and that things would eventually get back to normal. Now it seems like January 2020 was simply an extension of the life we were leading in 2019.
At the opposite end of the year and after several false starts, Kent and I thought we would be starting a new journey in late 2020. Flights booked and contracts in hand, I delayed reviewing the year until I knew how it ended. Without getting too far into 2021 here, I’ll simply say that the end of last year and the start of this year were, by far, my hardest of the pandemic so far.
I digress. Let’s talk about 2020 and how it actually turned out to be a pretty incredible year!
Of course, it was nothing like 2019 – the year we ran a race abroad once a month! Last year, we ran only two races – but both were superb examples of why we love to do what we do. The year 2020 was nothing like 2018, either – because that was the year we climbed 100 summits. Last year we climbed just a handful of summits – but they were huge ones! Maybe it was just a little like 2017 – another year during which we bloomed right where we were planted.
Top 3 overall highlights of 2020
California questing
Not possible to travel internationally? You can always explore every inch of your city, county or state! That’s exactly what we did with our year. When we didn’t return to our home in Qingdao, we made California our new home instead. We’ve had wonderful trips through the Golden State before – but living here gave us unprecedented and unlimited access, and we did our best to make the most of it!
In 2020, we visited all nine national parks in California. We fell head over heels for Lassen, returning time and time again to this remote gem. We finally made it to the Channel Islands, after a decade of dreaming! Pinnacles completely charmed me, and our whirlwind trip to Kings Canyon left us both wanting much, much more of that incredible landscape. Our first time in iconic Joshua Tree did not disappoint, and we did brand new adventures during our return to Death Valley. Back in the wonderland of Yosemite, we challenged ourselves. An amazing and unexpected return to Sequoia in December capped off 2020. And during this lucky year, home was where the Redwoods are.
We also visited over a dozen state parks, forests and other protected parklands. The King Range National Conservation Area stands out with the inimitable Lost Coast Trail. No trail was left untouched in Del Norte, Humboldt and Jed Smith Redwoods State Parks. We made vacations out of long drives with stops at at Andrew Molera, Mount Tam and Sugarloaf. Sinkyone Wilderness State Park set the stage for one of the hardest runs we’ve ever done, and we’re newly obsessed with the Trinity Alps. After a wintery practice run in Angeles National Forest, we took on our biggest adventure of the year in San Jacinto State Park.
California is a massive state. Lest you think we spent the entire year on faraway adventures, I’ll tell you this: we mostly stayed at home. We did two week-long road trips in our Ravi bubble, plus a handful of overnights at trailheads here in NorCal. More days than not, we were right here, discovering all the trails in our area. And when we had done that, we explored them all over again. In a one-year period in Humboldt County, we ran in our local forest 85 times, and sprinted down the beach another 43 times.
Like past years, this one was all about exploring on foot. But in 2020, our exploring was really centered around our new home.
Harder, better, faster, stronger
But last year, we didn’t run very much – at least by our standards. Our movement total for 2020 was 2506 kilometers – significantly lower than the previous few years. That doesn’t just reflect the lack of available races: we were simply only running once or twice a week for nearly half the year.
It’s not that we fell out of love with our sport. Rather, it was that we made a commitment to become more balanced athletes. This is a goal we’ve shared for many years, but our action-packed race schedule always took priority. This year was an opportunity to slow down and gain strength.
Instead of daily runs, in 2020, Kent and I did strength training every day. We assembled a home gym and got down to work on our weak upper bodies. I started our new program merely motivated to improve my running. That was before I discovered how much fun weightlifting is in its own right! We were quickly hooked, and strength has become an important element of our daily routines.
To claim that building strength was life-changing is not hyperbole, it’s literally true. I’ve long trusted my legs to do incredible things. Now, I’m starting to trust my arms to help take me to new heights, and a robust core to help me avoid injury as I explore the world for decades to come.
The year 2020 was about getting stronger. Mostly, this was about physical prowess, but in a year that swung wildly from optimism to missed opportunity, we definitely had to practice patience and master mindfulness too.
Not just surviving – but thriving
To my surprise, Kent and I were genuinely happy to stay in and do pushups. on weekdays. But on the weekends, we still played outside – and played hard.
The two ultras we ran last year were two of our best – and not just considering the circumstances, truly the best! I’m damn proud of our Hong Kong 100k performance: a great day (and night!) out on a very tough course! Antelope Canyon was pure playtime: a little desert escape just before the pandemic began to wreak havoc across the US.
In 2020, we were also supposed to also run above the clouds at Yading, climb up Mount Rinjani, and then return to conquer Oman. That’s not the way things turned out, and that’s okay. Instead, we ran our own ultras, and seven of them! Our Golden Prairie Skunk Ultra was a tour of the best of Redwood National and State Parks. The Lost Coast Trail was stunningly scenic, and its counterpart in Sinkyone Wilderness tremendously tough. We accidentally busted out a 50k during a mission to run every inch of our community forest. The very best of the year in independent exploration? The KnC special Run the Rim event!
The runs were great, but the peaks? Possibly greater still! We climbed an awesome 20 summits in 2020! Five in my favorite US national park, Lassen Volcanic. Grasshopper Peak emerged as an infinitely repeatable local fave. Mount Scott marked the top of the trail during our run round the rim of Crater Lake, and we were awestruck by the views from Granite Peak in the Trinity Alps. We were nearly blown off the top of a snowy Mt. Baldy, and then enjoyed possibly my favorite day of the whole year climbing Mt. San Jacinto on the famed Cactus to Clouds trail. As if that weren’t enough, we wrapped up the year with an unforgettable, bucket list summit of Mt. Whitney!
Those kind of epic adventures are what my life is made of, but that’s not all 2020 contained. Quality time with family grew out of shared work experiences and living spaces. Since we were light on work, Kent and I finally went back to school to pursue the credentials we’ve been talking about acquiring for years. With a little patience, we learned that fun always finds a way. Kent and I have each other and our health, and that’s more than enough for a very happy life, in 2020 and beyond.
Best Month
You’ll never believe it: this year, it’s November! I used to think little of the month: too soon to start celebrating Christmas yet too cold to linger outside. Plus, Canadian Thanksgiving is in October. But I absolutely loved November in 2020, including the moody, unpredictable weather!
However, I’ll admit there was a hack. We spent the month in Southern California performing cat-sitting duties. A brand new home base allowed us to explore new areas, like the amazing Boney Mountain State Wilderness and Channel Islands! But it wasn’t all sunshine and beaches: we went storm-chasing in Kings Canyon National Park and were rewarded with the first snow of the year (our only snow, actually)!
Plus, the latter half of the month was when we took our second road trip with Ravi! Our route: straight into the desert. Warm weather made for excellent camping in Joshua Tree and a successful and spectacular Cactus to Clouds climb up Mt. San Jacinto. We also got to return to Death Valley to explore new heights of our first US national park!
December comes in hot on the heels of November for second place. Our Mt. Whitney climb was a lifetime achievement and dream come true, and our hike took place very early in the month (basically November, really). We also did some winter adventuring in our own backyard. I also loved October, because of how much fun we had in the Trinity Alps and it includes some of our very best experiences at Lassen. August deserves honorable mention for our awesome return to Crater Lake and the start of our strength regime. Kent’s birthday in September was legendary, in July we accidentally ran an ultra, and June was when we did our first 2020 road trip. Of course, then there’s May, when we ran the Lost Coast Trail… And if we’re counting pre-pandemic stuff, January contained the amazing Hong Kong 100k and March took us to Antelope Canyon…yeah, it was a pretty great year 🙂
Best race(s)
…I’m not sure why I include this category, when they’re so clearly ALL always my favorite.
I was supremely proud of – and delighted by – our Run the Rim at Crater Lake – but this was not our first self-supported ultra of the year.
That honor goes to the Lost Coast Trail – another one of my all-time favorite runs! It’s counterpart, the Lost Coast Trail: South, was as beautiful as it was brutal.
Another fave was our extremely thorough outing in the Arcata Community Forest. We set out to run every inch of developed trail, and by complete coincidence – wound up with an ultra!
As far as sanctioned races last year, I couldn’t possibly choose between my favorite world city and my first time in the deserts of the American Southwest. There’s no way to compare the rugged elevation gain in the hills Hong Kong with our fast, flat run through the slot canyons of Arizona. Luckily, I don’t really have to. Hong Kong 100 was my favorite 100k and Antelope Canyon was my favorite 50 miler, for sure 🙂
Best mountain(s)
Another truly impossible category that I’m cursing myself for creating. I’d like to sing the praises of all the peaks, if I may.
Of course, Mt. Whitney was absolutely amazing and takes the cake in terms of our highest peak (both in the US and that we’ve climbed independently) and was an incredible experience to boot. I’m so grateful that we got to do it, and I’ll never forget it as long as I live.
But ditto Mt. San Jacinto, with – unbelievably – nearly double the climb, plus pushups on the peak!
And actually, Mt. Baldy was my bravest climb of the year, thanks to the untrodden snow on the Devil’s Backbone! I’ve got the warm fuzzies about our sunsets and sunrises on Lassen and friends… And Grasshopper Peak is – almost – our local summit. I absolutely loved Granite Peak for the solitude and stupendous wilderness views. All of the other summits were splendid too. Just…everybody wins.
Best adventure abroad
A hilarious category this year, given the state of the world. Here’s my dual perspective:
Obviously, our return to Hong Kong was extremely memorable as our only trip abroad in 2020.
But also, I’m a new resident of California! As a Canadian, this actually is abroad, at least for me. Furthermore, Kent and I have never lived any length of time together in North America before, so this whole year has been a pretty dang epic adventure too!
Best domestic adventures
In a year that was entirely about domestic adventures, it’s really hard to pick a single favorite! Seriously, I should probably rethink this category system entirely.
As mentioned previously, Mt. Whitney is a real highlight, not just of this year, but of my life. Mt. San Jacinto was just as epic. If I can’t just pick the whole month of November, those two climbs can share top honors. Our Crater Lake running of the rim deserves the podium as well. So does the Lost Coast! And I’m obsessed with Lassen…
And if I can hand out honorable mentions, I absolutely loved that we got to visit Zion and the Grand Canyon during our Antelope Canyon race trip. That’s a unique part of the world that I really want to return to!
But in truth, if I had to choose? I’ve lived here for a year now, but I never want to take Redwood for granted. How could this not be my top choice? Those gorgeous trees and their fern friends. The magical, nourishing and enshrouding fog. The tranquil trails among the giants of the forest. This setting has provided for wonderful every day adventures and is my greatest gift of the year as well as my favorite domestic adventure destination.
Best animal encounter(s)
Hands down, the banana slug. I read about these mysterious creatures before we returned to California and hoped to catch a glimpse of one. Little did I know that where we’d come to call home is a place absolutely bustling with them. They’re curling around each other on redwood tree trunks in the community forest and sharing our coastal trails. They’re in the garden, munching our veggies, and even sneaking into the house sometimes! I absolutely love them.
But also, birds deserve to win again! In 2019, I was super into our exotic bird sightings in New Zealand and Australia. In 2020, I got big into birds, period! We play bird board games. Kent bought me binoculars for better bird spotting. This year we got an excellent start on a life list. Yep, we’re birders!
It would be pretty tough to pick out a single bird that’s been most delightful, because they’re so unique! I can, however, narrow it down to three. I was amazed by the California condors we saw in Pinnacles National Park. We had some wicked water bird sightings, including an interaction with Canada geese goslings! And right here in our yard are resplendent, resident Anna’s hummingbirds.
If you want to know just how much I love birds and slugs, check out this video I made for school. (And I helped – aka insisted – Kent make this one about the redwoods, too.)
And also deserving top honors are the slugs of the sea: seals and sea lions! Approximately 99.9% of our dates over the past year have consisted of going to look at the local marine mammals at the seashore. A particular favorite are the northernmost colony of elephant seals, found on the best stretch of coastline in the world, the lost. If I went wrong somewhere earlier in life, it was definitely when I didn’t become a marine biologist. I have a real passion for pinnipeds <3
In more mammal news, we encountered bears every single time we visited Lassen, and we glimpsed what was either a mountain lion or a bobcat deep in Kings Canyon!
And if domestic animals count, there are three cats I love dearly right here, plus two more I adore in SoCal – and I’m friends with a small pack of local dogs. I have appreciated every horse, cow, deer, fox, racoon and squirrel sighting in the neighborhood too.
Best person
Obvious winner in 2020 and always 🙂 Kent was a rock-solid source of strength for me last year, with this unwavering patience and Zen ability to live truly in the moment. He also did A LOT of driving – and working – to support our team goals. It was a lot of fun to be students together, and he always championed finding new avenues of adventure in the here and now.
I have to say I’m also so grateful for the health, love and companionship of my family on both sides of the border. Surprise packages, board games and video calls have all made my day on many occasions. You know who you are – thank you.
I swear Liam is a person too, and he’s one of my best friends.
Best dining spot/hotel/teacher/traveler
For 2020, I’m introducing a brand new category for a very deserving winner. This year, Ravi was our restaurant with a view, our comfy home-away-from-home, our workout base and so much more. All of our dates involved Ravi. All of our road trips and weekend adventures too. Ravi went on some very adventurous roads, and waited patiently for us to come back from adventurous runs. We literally would not have had any of our last year’s fun without our beloved adventuremobile.
It seems only fitting that I finally learned to drive with our four-wheeled bff!
Ravi is more than just our third wheel: we’re doing life together. There’s a history of shared adventures there dating back to our first camping trip together in 2014. In 2020, we just took exploring together to a whole new level. And Ravi, we’ve got great things in store for you for 2021!
2020 by the numbers
Kilometers: 2506
2112 running, 389 hiking, 4.5 kayaking + 1 snowshoeing
Ultras: 7
2 official ultras: Antelope Canyon Ultras 50mi & Hong Kong 100
And 5 self-supported ultras, including:
1 60k – KnC Run the Rim;
And 4 50ks – the ACF every trail, every inch adventure & Golden Prairie Skunk Ultra, Lost Coast & Lost Coast South
New peaks: 20
2 in Hong Kong: Kai Kung Shan & Sai Wan Shan
18 in the US of A: Black Mountain, Boney Mountain, Brokeoff Mountain, Cinder Cone, Granite Peak, Grasshopper Peak, King Peak, Chamise Mountain, Lassen Peak, Mount Harkness, Mount San Antonio (Baldy), Mount San Jacinto, Mount Scott, Mount Whitney, Mugu Peak, Prospect Peak, Ryan Mountain & Telescope Peak
New places: 0…or 2,203,958!
Perspective is everything. Although we did not visit any new countries during our pandemic year, we did visit 4 new states: Arizona, Oregon, Nevada & Utah. Plus all nine national parks in California (and some more besides!). And just about every single trail in our county and a bunch of the neighboring ones too! All things considered, we adventured pretty hard in 2020!
I’m posting this review way too far into 2021 to be wishing anyone a Happy New Year. The pandemic anniversary hardly seems like something worth marking, but it did kind of define my year – even the parameters for this year in review! So instead of any particular greeting, I’ll just wish you the best for any and all times: health and a hug. I hope that, if you have those precious things, you have the capacity to appreciate them. The secret to happiness is wanting what you’ve got, not getting what you want.
One more thing, before you go…