Excuse another sunset hike shot … this one was from last night, up on Mt Hollywood in Griffith Park … I know, it’s getting a bit tedious, right?

But the fact is, I’ve become a bit of an outdoors junkie. I just want to be outside. For hours. Every day. While moving my body.

And though I have always loved, needed, and relished alone time, now that I don’t have a family to come home to, I kinda like company. So my best discovery of late?

Meetup.

Specifically, hiking meetups. Which is how I found myself ‘walking very strenuously’ up steep hills in the gloaming last night, in the company of 20 or so others of varying fitness.

And how I plan to spend this Saturday night camping in Joshua Tree National Park, watching the Perseids Meteor Shower.

Three years ago, I said I would be back to Joshua Tree, “soon and often.” I haven’t. So I’m excited to go in a couple of days.

And all-round excited about my wide-open life these days. Freedom. It’s good.

And so is Meetup.