Waumbek with my Dad 7-8-07

[Jason Berard]

I've been walking in the woods with my Dad as long as I can remember. It started out with walking the dog in the local woods, then hunting, then hiking in NH/VT. In the early 80's we both a 50 miler in the White's with the Boy Scouts, and before I got married in '95, we did the Long trail end-to-end.

I have him to thank for my love of the woods, and I have continued to hike ever since. Until this summer I had not hiked with my Dad since '02, when we did a section of the AT east from Rt.4. After the first day, which was a rainy 8 miles, he was wiped out, and when we got to a dirt road crossing the trail, he stopped and said he was done, and that we could pick him up there when we got to where we had spotted our car. He said he was done with hiking.Period.

I was bummed to lose him as a hiking buddy, but I kept hiking, and have some great friends to hike with, but as I near completion of the NH48, I kept hoping he would complete them with me. We talked about it, and he began walking every day, lost 60 lbs, and went on a hike with my kids and I to Elmore Mtn a month ago to see how he was progressing. It was great hike, especially because I was with my children, and my Dad. After that hike, we decided to try Waumbek with my oldest, Abby( 6 1/2) and my nephew Logan(8).

Sunday we woke up to pouring rain, and Logan cancelled, and Abby, who doesn't have good wet weather hiking clothes yet, couldn't go, but my Dad and I decided to go anyway. We met in Littleton, had breakfast, left his car, and headed to Jefferson in the rain. At the parking lot, there were several cars, and a couple people heading up the Starr King Trail ahead of us.
I was surprised to see so many people out on such a dreary day, but as I found out throughout the day, we were all working on the NH48.

For hiking, the weather was pretty nice, actually. The light rain kept us cool, and seemed to keep the bugs at bay. The trail was in great shape, with recent blowdowns all cleared, and fresh blazes. We saw some cool stuff: frogs,a bird's nest, an unusual well house thing, the fireplace at the old cabin site on Starr King, and a purple-fringed orchid. The col between Starr King and Waumbek, with all the ferns and moss covered trees was especially cool with all the mist. Afterwards, I followed him to St. J, and he showed me the Greenland kayak he just built, and the one he's building for the kids, so I guess we'll have more than just hiking to do with the kids from now on!


So, it wasn't the last NH48 for me, as I still have Cabot, Isolation and Adams, but since he started them with me, it was nice to have him there near the finish!

 

[WSC]

Jason,
Very glad you and your father got a hike in. Maybe he can join you for some of your others!
Only three to go, you are catching up, I'll have to hurry up and complete my final two.
WSC

 

[Puck]

Jason- Thanks for sharing that. This hiking bug can be inherited I guess. It might pass from one generation to the next by sharing the same water bottle.

so which scout troop did you belong?

 

[Jason Berard]

The first one was Troop 14, i think. I was only in that one for a year, and then it disbanded. It met in the Grace Methodist church in St. J. The next one was Troop 7, also in St.J. I got as far as Star scout and quit, but I learned a lot of knots, which was cool....

 

[jjo]

Great story and a GREAT Dad!! Thanks.

 

[Toe Cozy]

Thanks for sharing that trip report. It must be hard for someone like your dad who's always enjoyed hiking to feel at some point it's all over for whatever reason. Maybe we all have to accept that at various points in our lives the focus changes, our abilities change and what we appreciate changes too. And then there is a readjustment period to figure out what's next and start exploring that part of ourselves. Hand made kayaks sounds pretty cool!

Glad you got out with your dad again. I hope you get some more hikes in with him and the kids too!

 

[Jason Berard]

Thanks for sharing that trip report. It must be hard for someone like your dad who's always enjoyed hiking to feel at some point it's all over for whatever reason. Maybe we all have to accept that at various points in our lives the focus changes, our abilities change and what we appreciate changes too. And then there is a readjustment period to figure out what's next and start exploring that part of ourselves. Hand made kayaks sounds pretty cool!

Glad you got out with your dad again. I hope you get some more hikes in with him and the kids too!

The kayaks are really cool, I can't wait to try one out! I'm glad we got out together again as well, and plan on doing many more hikes with him and the kids, now that they are old enough to go on some "real" hikes.

 

[Roxi]

Very cool, Jason!

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

That was a very special report of a very special experience. Cherish it. I have a feeling that it was every bit as important to your dad as it was to you (perhaps more so). Hopefully there will be other times together out on the trail.

 

[Jazzbo]

Don't forget those smaller summits!

Thanks for sharing your thoughtful TR. Don't forget those smaller peaks with great views. Perhaps your dad didn't have benefit of collaborative sites like this that offer opportunities to learn much more about our mountain regions than we could ever learn without the information trading that goes on in sites like this. In event your dad doesn't regain his hiking machine, there's dozens of mountain gems in the Whites and elsewhere that don't require hiking in 7 or 10 miles.... ones you can share with your little ones too making it a genuine famaily affair. Good luck and good traveling!

 

[jjo]

Agree, doesn't have to be Bondcliff or the Presidentials. In Steve Smith's book "Wandering", he mentions 10 Best bang for the buck hikes where great views in great country in the Whites are had for little effort. Willard, Sugarloaf, Welsh-Dickey etc. Your Dad sounds like a great guy. Just adjust your goals a bit and you can both still enjoy the mountains without climbing Mt Everest!! Just MHO...

 

[Jason Berard]

Thanks everyone. That's exactly what we plan on doing! I'm really looking forward to doing trips like that with my kids and dad. I've sent him a link to this thread, and I know he appreciates all the kind words written here.