January 12, 2025
Star Mine Trail, Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Antioch, CA
Total distance walked: 4.9 miles

My sister and I live three hours away from our elderly parents. For the past five years, we have devoted at least a week each month, nine months out of the year, to assist them with various tasks. While it has been a lot of work, it’s also been fun for us. With enough room in their house for both of us to stay over, we’ve enjoyed a lot of quality time with them while also completing the necessary tasks.

In the beginning, we focused solely on the work and didn’t consider anything else. However, since we both have children and grandchildren in the area, it made sense to find a balance. We’ve learned to incorporate family time into our monthly trips. This year, we decided to add family hikes to the monthly schedule.

This January, it was my niece, Nikki, who joined us. The three of us headed into the foothills for a quick walk. The day was cool with a brisk air sweeping through, yet the sun shone brightly in a clear, cloudless sky.

Sometimes hiking requires careful attention to your footing, but other times it’s as easy as walking on a sidewalk. This was one of those easy times. Once we reached the top of a hill, we could see all the way to the snow-topped Sierra Nevada Mountains.

We talked about how fun it would be for the family to travel together to the hometown of our ancestors in Italy. We spotted one coyote bounding up a hill and many cows grazing on the verdant slopes.

We paused briefly at the group camp and almost missed the Star Mine portal hidden just off the trail. 

I tossed a few buckeyes from the trees above into the shaft to gauge its depth; they tumbled for a few seconds before stopping. From there, we retraced our steps to the car.

On our way back, I thought about the early days when all we did was work at the house and how family time seemed like an afterthought. Our monthly visits have now evolved into a treasured routine. These visits perfectly blend work and family time.

As I looked at my sister and niece walking in front of me, I felt a sense of gratitude. These moments, these hikes, our family gatherings—they’ve turned into memories that we’ll carry with us forever. It reminds me that sometimes life isn’t just about the tasks we accomplish, but the people we share it with.

Until next time… happy trails.