Moments that last forever

Everyone once in a while, there is a moment that feels so transcendental, so beautiful — you know you will remember it forever. You will remember not just what was happening in that moment, but exactly how that moment felt, with detailed awareness and memory of each of the senses, and the feelings that it evoked.

Last night was one of the moments. I was riding home on the quad from Playa Ostional, Sierra sitting in front of me singing to her heart’s content in the dark of the night, stars spread across the vast sky up above, and the warm wind blowing in our faces. When we crossed over a bridge, the tree canopy overhead would open up and we could see an entire expanse of night sky and stars. The darkness, rather than feeling confining, felt freeing – we had the road almost all to ourselves. Tim rode ahead with Rylan and Aubrey, so he lit the way and made it easier for me to follow along without thinking about what was next.

Our ride came after an already perfect day. The kids had just finished a week of camp and we had the weekend ahead of us. I got up and headed out early for a surf lesson first thing in the morning.

Learning to surf was tough, but rewarding – I was able to paddle out, pick a wave, and ride it in all on my own by the end of the lesson – the instructor said we covered what he normally covers in two lessons in one.

We played at the beach for hours, with the kids on their boogie boards, and Sierra playing in the sand. After hours in the sun, we played in the pool then relaxed at home working on our puzzle and reading for a while.

In the late afternoon, we picked up quads and rode over to the Beach Dog for an early dinner, before heading out for the evening. Our destination: the Arribada, the turtle nesting at nearby Playa Ostional.

You can only see the turtles at certain times of the month and only during the night or near dark.

I wasn’t even sure I’d enjoy a ride home in the dark, but it turned out to be a totally unique experience. (And yes, these photos on the quads are from earlier that day since I didn’t get any photos of the night time drive itself).

Riding a quad through a remote jungle is an experience like no other – you are powering along rugged back roads, in and out of turns through lush tropical forests, directly through puddles and streams that bury your tires… there is a sense of freedom, power, danger and adventure all rolled together.

I know it may not be for everybody, but I absolutely love it.

Then, you add in having your child with you, who is not just along for the ride but also enjoying the experience to the utmost – realizing that you are not only telling them to go out and live life to the fullest, but getting to experience it with them. Before we head out, Sierra will hop up on the quad by herself and hold the handles and make a “vroom vroom” sound getting ready to go. On the ride, they squeal with delight.