Little Rickie
New member
3/12/2011
It was Kathy's first time. I wanted it to be gentle and but I was so excited at the same time. It had to be special. If this was good for her then we could be doing this over and over.
Dan the Man rented out the Loj bunk room for a group of friends. Among them was Rookie, Nutmeg Creeker and One of the Guys, Kathy my wife and myself. The balance were skiing friends of Dan's and his college roommate. A good group to hang out with.
I had been hoping to get Kathy to stay at the Loj for several years now. This group gathering offered a lot more fun and excitement then just going hiking with her old man. Except for a few local hikes Kathy hasn't hiked with me in the Adirondacks. Until this weekend! I hope there will be many more.
We drove up Friday, One of the Guys rode with us. The weather sucked, It had been raining for days and we had low expectations but we had $ in this deal so what the heck.
Dinner location got changed and Rookie and Nutmeg couldn't be reached by cell phone and waited at the Noon Mark Dinner seeing each other but not knowing each other. I was feeling bad about this but after some brandy and beers it kind of got forgotten, WTF, their big boys.
Dinner at the Loj is family style. I love it, lots of chit chat and BS flying around with the people we met and other guests at the Loj. Rookie had a tough day breaking trail in wind and rain. (His story to tell. It's not often I've seen him beat up.) He said he was going home Saturday and not hiking. I thought he was pissed about the dinner thing and I felt real bad again. Thinking back I had forgotten there was a pay phone at the Loj I could have used and at least tried to call him.
Kathy & I hit the sack early before the 10:00 PM lights out. We didn't fall asleep right away as there was a group of Scouts making a hell of a racket. Finally at 10:15 PM three Scouts were charging and yelling up the stairs to the bathroom. Now I have to tell you I've been a Boy Scout leader for quite a few years now and I am well practiced in gaining the attention of young spirited boys. I can out of the bunk room and gave those boys both barrels point blank stopping them in their tracks like deer in headlights. After a few forcefully projected, well practiced, reminders about how Scouts should act I ask them to go back to their room and their leaders. I guess they forgot they needed to use the bathroom. I followed them down to their room. Very firmly and sternly I lectured the other boys back in the room and parted saying if I heard them again they would be in the kitchen after breakfast washing dishes! I was thanked by several people upon returning to the bunk room. The boys were quiet for the rest of the weekend.
Rookie got up in the middle of the night and drove home. Bummer. The rest of us got up had our coffee and breakfast. The Scouts sat on the far side of the dinning room farthest from me. It went below freezing at night and a few inches of snow fell! No slush or wet trail! 28 degrees and cloudy, much better than we expected. Most of the group went to ski and snowshoe a section of the Jack Rabbit Trail from Placid to Saranack. I had always wanted to see the Avalanch Lake cliffs in the winter and thought it would be a great first snowshoe hike in the Adirondacks wilderness for Kathy, since she didn't want to climb a mountain. We waited until everyone was gone, packed up and got on our way. We had great snow shoe conditions, a firm but not icey trail and just below freezing temperature. The day was looking good.
I am of course slow and we were passed by many but I enjoy my pace, even though many do not and my wife, thank you very much, puts up with me. It was a nice walk in the woods. Marcy Dam was windy so we mover along after checking out a lean-to. The walk up to the Avalanch Camp was gradual and well broken. Not too tough on me. Kathy commented this part was a little boring with just looking at trees. I bit my lip. "Kathy just enjoy the walk like you do for your long walks back home." The bridge over Marcy Brook hand a tree across it and a spine of packed snow. This being the longest Kathy has been in snow shoes she approched and cross it cautiously.
I warned her this is the only steep part of the hike comming up but it wouldn't be very long. I guess long is a relitive term. Long for me is is fours hours straight up. Kathy didn't know what she was in for. After five min she states, "This is steep." Stupidly I say, "You haven't seen steep yet." She was griping about how hard it was to hike up hill. Griping is my job! She's in better shape than me. What can I say. About this time though I realize my sweet spouse normally pleasent disposition is running out of calories. She had a little fruit and eggs for breakfast and not many carbs and fats. Now I know the reason for her above average stubborness about stopping to snack. She says, "Lets just get there."
Several people passed us on their way back. First we hear were half way. Kathy, "No Way!." Then, "Only 20 min." Then, "Just ahead." Kathy, "Where is this place?" It really did seem a long way up and down to the lake and even I wasn't looking foward to climbing up on the way back, my calories are getting low too. "Honey, we really should stop and eat and drink something." "I'll eat when we get there." She's not a happy hiker right about now.
Once we get to the lake the wind is blowing and we are exposed. Bundeled up I wanted to go out on the lake for a few pictures. My beloved is a little cranky but is snacking. I talked to a women taking a video for her wimpy friends about 20 yards out and took a few pix. I thought the view was pretty cool. I looked back and could see my bride wasn't having much fun. So excused myself, walked back and we walked back into some shelter. I just had to sit and eat and drink. Kathy sat now and nibbled some more and drank.
Going back up the small hill wasn't so bad after I ate some and it went quickly and before you knew it we were going down the steep part of the hill and was back at the brook bridge. Two guys were crossing on skies and it was something to watch them do ballet movers while stepping over the wind fall on the narrow bridge. I had to ask a couple other guys to hold up and give my wife a little space as she crossed the bridge. I told them it was her first time out in snow shoes.
Half way down to Marcy Dam Kathy perked and said, :This was her kind of snowshoeing." Stupid me again and said, "Everyone likes hiking down hill." I thought to myself things were picking up. So this was going to work out fine after all. At Marcy Dam we grabbed a lean-to to sit rest, eat & drink. I explained that this last part was the toughest for me since my motivation and energy was low. I used the term death march which wasn't a smart motivator for my queen.
The walk back went ok. Kathy did well leading and I dragged my ass. Once back she dropped her stuff in the van and went inside to take a hot shower. "Great idea! And have some of that wine you stashed away. You'll feel much better about the hike after you rest up some." I sat at the I sat in the vans back door and sipped a beer while talking to the cook about her cabbage salad. She said some people think it's a little gasious. I told her everything I eat is gasious.
I filled a coffee cup with beer, grabbed my Kleen Kanteen of brandy and went inside to kill a little pain under the moose, by the fire, in a rocking chair. Man I live for moments like this after a hike. After a while I wandered upstairs to rest. Kathy and I chated while I rested my back. I had cramps in my lower back. I'm such a baby.
Dan's group came back and I gave them the stats 10 miles in six hours, great conditions. Kathy's first long snowshoe in the wilderness of the Adirondacks. It seems after they drove around staging cars the only skied 6 miles. Kathy got lots of positive comments from the group. I got a little more deeply involved with with my brandy. Wisely I staged a bottle of water next to my bunk, put on my sleeping fleec and slippers before supper.
Down stairs under the moose I ordered a few unesssary beers and gave one to Nancy (One of the Guys). The dinner bell was rung and we gathered around the tables. Social interaction was lubercated, loose and ran free. Lots of laughs. Something about the many benefits of bear fat. Dessert was served and I felt irrisitably drawn to my bunk. I headed the message, excused myself, got up and walked bare foot to the bunk room.
Next thing I knew I'm being harrased and poked about going out side for a walk. I mumbled something about them having too much energy because they didn't do enough millage and touching me was evil. After They left I turned off the lights, again, and didn't hear them come back.
Sunday morning we got up, ate and packed up or in my case just stuff my junk in my duffel. Kathy & I had a very plesent ride home talking over the weekend. Everything was worked out fine. We had a great weekend. Kathy was sore and tired for two days. I was for three. Now I have to get her up for a hike in the warm weather!
__________________
Lord grant me the wisdom to know what is right and the strength to act accordingly.
It was Kathy's first time. I wanted it to be gentle and but I was so excited at the same time. It had to be special. If this was good for her then we could be doing this over and over.
Dan the Man rented out the Loj bunk room for a group of friends. Among them was Rookie, Nutmeg Creeker and One of the Guys, Kathy my wife and myself. The balance were skiing friends of Dan's and his college roommate. A good group to hang out with.
I had been hoping to get Kathy to stay at the Loj for several years now. This group gathering offered a lot more fun and excitement then just going hiking with her old man. Except for a few local hikes Kathy hasn't hiked with me in the Adirondacks. Until this weekend! I hope there will be many more.
We drove up Friday, One of the Guys rode with us. The weather sucked, It had been raining for days and we had low expectations but we had $ in this deal so what the heck.
Dinner location got changed and Rookie and Nutmeg couldn't be reached by cell phone and waited at the Noon Mark Dinner seeing each other but not knowing each other. I was feeling bad about this but after some brandy and beers it kind of got forgotten, WTF, their big boys.
Dinner at the Loj is family style. I love it, lots of chit chat and BS flying around with the people we met and other guests at the Loj. Rookie had a tough day breaking trail in wind and rain. (His story to tell. It's not often I've seen him beat up.) He said he was going home Saturday and not hiking. I thought he was pissed about the dinner thing and I felt real bad again. Thinking back I had forgotten there was a pay phone at the Loj I could have used and at least tried to call him.
Kathy & I hit the sack early before the 10:00 PM lights out. We didn't fall asleep right away as there was a group of Scouts making a hell of a racket. Finally at 10:15 PM three Scouts were charging and yelling up the stairs to the bathroom. Now I have to tell you I've been a Boy Scout leader for quite a few years now and I am well practiced in gaining the attention of young spirited boys. I can out of the bunk room and gave those boys both barrels point blank stopping them in their tracks like deer in headlights. After a few forcefully projected, well practiced, reminders about how Scouts should act I ask them to go back to their room and their leaders. I guess they forgot they needed to use the bathroom. I followed them down to their room. Very firmly and sternly I lectured the other boys back in the room and parted saying if I heard them again they would be in the kitchen after breakfast washing dishes! I was thanked by several people upon returning to the bunk room. The boys were quiet for the rest of the weekend.
Rookie got up in the middle of the night and drove home. Bummer. The rest of us got up had our coffee and breakfast. The Scouts sat on the far side of the dinning room farthest from me. It went below freezing at night and a few inches of snow fell! No slush or wet trail! 28 degrees and cloudy, much better than we expected. Most of the group went to ski and snowshoe a section of the Jack Rabbit Trail from Placid to Saranack. I had always wanted to see the Avalanch Lake cliffs in the winter and thought it would be a great first snowshoe hike in the Adirondacks wilderness for Kathy, since she didn't want to climb a mountain. We waited until everyone was gone, packed up and got on our way. We had great snow shoe conditions, a firm but not icey trail and just below freezing temperature. The day was looking good.
I am of course slow and we were passed by many but I enjoy my pace, even though many do not and my wife, thank you very much, puts up with me. It was a nice walk in the woods. Marcy Dam was windy so we mover along after checking out a lean-to. The walk up to the Avalanch Camp was gradual and well broken. Not too tough on me. Kathy commented this part was a little boring with just looking at trees. I bit my lip. "Kathy just enjoy the walk like you do for your long walks back home." The bridge over Marcy Brook hand a tree across it and a spine of packed snow. This being the longest Kathy has been in snow shoes she approched and cross it cautiously.
I warned her this is the only steep part of the hike comming up but it wouldn't be very long. I guess long is a relitive term. Long for me is is fours hours straight up. Kathy didn't know what she was in for. After five min she states, "This is steep." Stupidly I say, "You haven't seen steep yet." She was griping about how hard it was to hike up hill. Griping is my job! She's in better shape than me. What can I say. About this time though I realize my sweet spouse normally pleasent disposition is running out of calories. She had a little fruit and eggs for breakfast and not many carbs and fats. Now I know the reason for her above average stubborness about stopping to snack. She says, "Lets just get there."
Several people passed us on their way back. First we hear were half way. Kathy, "No Way!." Then, "Only 20 min." Then, "Just ahead." Kathy, "Where is this place?" It really did seem a long way up and down to the lake and even I wasn't looking foward to climbing up on the way back, my calories are getting low too. "Honey, we really should stop and eat and drink something." "I'll eat when we get there." She's not a happy hiker right about now.
Once we get to the lake the wind is blowing and we are exposed. Bundeled up I wanted to go out on the lake for a few pictures. My beloved is a little cranky but is snacking. I talked to a women taking a video for her wimpy friends about 20 yards out and took a few pix. I thought the view was pretty cool. I looked back and could see my bride wasn't having much fun. So excused myself, walked back and we walked back into some shelter. I just had to sit and eat and drink. Kathy sat now and nibbled some more and drank.
Going back up the small hill wasn't so bad after I ate some and it went quickly and before you knew it we were going down the steep part of the hill and was back at the brook bridge. Two guys were crossing on skies and it was something to watch them do ballet movers while stepping over the wind fall on the narrow bridge. I had to ask a couple other guys to hold up and give my wife a little space as she crossed the bridge. I told them it was her first time out in snow shoes.
Half way down to Marcy Dam Kathy perked and said, :This was her kind of snowshoeing." Stupid me again and said, "Everyone likes hiking down hill." I thought to myself things were picking up. So this was going to work out fine after all. At Marcy Dam we grabbed a lean-to to sit rest, eat & drink. I explained that this last part was the toughest for me since my motivation and energy was low. I used the term death march which wasn't a smart motivator for my queen.
The walk back went ok. Kathy did well leading and I dragged my ass. Once back she dropped her stuff in the van and went inside to take a hot shower. "Great idea! And have some of that wine you stashed away. You'll feel much better about the hike after you rest up some." I sat at the I sat in the vans back door and sipped a beer while talking to the cook about her cabbage salad. She said some people think it's a little gasious. I told her everything I eat is gasious.
I filled a coffee cup with beer, grabbed my Kleen Kanteen of brandy and went inside to kill a little pain under the moose, by the fire, in a rocking chair. Man I live for moments like this after a hike. After a while I wandered upstairs to rest. Kathy and I chated while I rested my back. I had cramps in my lower back. I'm such a baby.
Dan's group came back and I gave them the stats 10 miles in six hours, great conditions. Kathy's first long snowshoe in the wilderness of the Adirondacks. It seems after they drove around staging cars the only skied 6 miles. Kathy got lots of positive comments from the group. I got a little more deeply involved with with my brandy. Wisely I staged a bottle of water next to my bunk, put on my sleeping fleec and slippers before supper.
Down stairs under the moose I ordered a few unesssary beers and gave one to Nancy (One of the Guys). The dinner bell was rung and we gathered around the tables. Social interaction was lubercated, loose and ran free. Lots of laughs. Something about the many benefits of bear fat. Dessert was served and I felt irrisitably drawn to my bunk. I headed the message, excused myself, got up and walked bare foot to the bunk room.
Next thing I knew I'm being harrased and poked about going out side for a walk. I mumbled something about them having too much energy because they didn't do enough millage and touching me was evil. After They left I turned off the lights, again, and didn't hear them come back.
Sunday morning we got up, ate and packed up or in my case just stuff my junk in my duffel. Kathy & I had a very plesent ride home talking over the weekend. Everything was worked out fine. We had a great weekend. Kathy was sore and tired for two days. I was for three. Now I have to get her up for a hike in the warm weather!
__________________
Lord grant me the wisdom to know what is right and the strength to act accordingly.
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