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Being a well-regarded lawyer and a part-time judge without a doubt entails a busy schedule. For Ed Wolfe, whose law office is in Bremerton, that kind of schedule has one mandatory appointment: spending the weekend outdoors.
“We all have stress and it’s just a matter of finding the outlet to relieve that stress. For me, it’s being outdoors,” he says.
Wolfe and his wife, Wendy Miles, who runs the Kitsap Business Assistance Center (KBAC) at Olympic College, have been including an outdoor outing into their weekend almost every week since they met 12 years ago. While some major events like family weddings (or illnesses) may prevent them from keeping their commitment, harsh weather usually doesn’t.
“I just need to go outside, rain, sleet or snow,” Wolfe says.
The couple’s activities range from hiking in the Olympics, biking local trails or swimming, to snowshoeing and running. They did a triathlon together on Mercer Island that included swimming in a cold Lake Washington. “That was the hardest part for me. She beat my by 45 minutes, I might add,” Wolfe says.
Some weekends, the Wolfes plan ahead, others they decide spontaneously. Two or three times a year, they also take backpacking trips in the Olympics. Wolfe’s favorite is hiking, and he says part of the enjoyment is the physical activity itself, while part of it is doing it with his wife.
The couple spent Mother’s Day this year hiking in Leavenworth with Wendy’s mother, who is 76.
“(Being outdoors) helps me balance my life. It gives me a center,” Wolfe says.
(Editor’s note: Things I Can’t Live Without is a new KPBJ feature. If you have something in your life you can’t live without, email Rodika Tollefson at rtollefson@wetapple.com). | 
