Paradise at Mt. Rainier!

The definition of the word "Paradise" according to Webster's Online Dictionary is

1. a place of rest, bliss or delight; 2. Eden..."

Last Monday (8-23-10) we visited one of our favorite places in the world.... Paradise @ Mt. Rainier! We truly had a taste of this "heavenly" place as we hiked among the meadows and hills covered with incredible wildflowers. We took the picturesque Skyline trail then out to the Paradise Glacier from the Visitor Center. The further from the main area we went, the more quiet and beautiful it became. God's delicate handiwork on full display! And then in addition to the visuals was the fragrance. Beyond description! Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I'll let them speak of the wonders we saw on our hike!

Noteworthy of mentioning, is the event that we witnessed after we headed back down the hill. It was at dusk that we saw a the marmots. There were Marmots everywhere- laying in the sun, eating flowers, running through the meadows and then some were...well...it looked like they were doing some type of wrestling dance. We found a video that shows what we saw...

We were amazed when we saw them wrestling like this right in front of us. Needless to say, we learned something new about marmots on Mt. Rainier.

To top it off, we stayed on the mountain to see it illuminated by the full moon. I'm glad we stayed! It was quite a sight to see. A perfect end to our day.

If you ever get a chance to visit Paradise @ Mt. Rainier (especailly in July, August months) maybe you'll see a glimpse of "heaven" also.

Running on His Course.
The Schillings (Jay, Vicki, Hannah & Grace)

Race Update: We have approx. 40 days until the Royal Victorian Marathon on Oct. 10th. We've been training and are looking forward to it!