This post was started in late August of 2009.

Somewhere in the Adirondacks

by Rob

This past weekend I tried to keep a promise.

Actually, it was a promise that I made to Nate last summer, after he finished his first-ever week of "out-camp" at Camp Fowler. He had spent the week backpacking through an area north of Speculator, near an area know as the West Canada Lakes Wilderness. He was bouncing when I first saw him on the day that we arrived to bring him home. "Daddy, Daddy," he said, "we are going backpacking next summer, and I am going to take you to the most beautiful place." He went on to explain the route and length of the trip that we would take. His enthusiasm was extreme, even by Nate standards, and I was flattered. The idea that his first thought was to plan to take me out on the trail so that he could share what he had seen was both unexpected and touching. So, moved as I was, I promised that we would go out on the trail this summer.

Unfortunately, I had no trail experience, and at that point, Nate had only one week. This weighed on me right away, since it was my intention to keep my promise, but it seemed obviously foolish for the two of us to head into the wood for four days and three nights with barely a week of experience between us. At that point, I began trying to figure out how to keep my promise without placing us at risk.

So for the last year, Nate has been talking about our hiking trip. He would remind me about the details of the location and the supplies that we would need, and he often reminded me that we needed to schedule our summer carefully in order to be sure that we would have a block of time available to make the trip.

As Nate continued to plan, so did I. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that we would need to take along someone with more experience. Choosing that person was fairly easy, since Eric Barnes, one of my closest friends, has lots of trail experience. His availability was always another issue. He was careful not to promise to make the trip with us, but said that he would try. At first we thought that late July would work, but eventually, that time frame became less than ideal for both of us. We decided on late August instead.

Next issue: Gear. Obviously, I needed to buy decent shoes, but the rest of the equipment I intended to borrow. Again, Eric to the rescue. Nate made a list of all that we would need, and we sent it to Eric. He had nearly every item, including an extra pack for me to use. On a fluke, we also found a pack for Nate in a thrift store that cost us only $6.00.

Our final plan was to set out for a three day, two night trip. Eric would be with us for the first night, and Nate and I would go it alone on the second. So we met at the trailhead last Friday at noon, and headed into the woods.

Our first leg was about 6 miles. When we found an available leanto, it seemed like a better option than tenting, since there was rain in the forecast for the evening and next morning. Packing a wet tent the next morning and then hiking another 7 miles to our next leanto seemed like a poor option. Right on schedule, by 8:00 PM on Friday, the wind was picking up and it started to rain lightly. By midnight, the wind was gusting, the temperature was dropping, and the rain was much more steady. It was hard to sleep that night, but at least all of our gear was dry, and we were able to stay warm in our sleeping bags.

By 6:00 AM, we were all up. It seemed as though the rain might be stopping, which was also what had been forecast. After pulling me aside to assure me that he was comfortable with Nate's level of knowledge and experience, Eric left us. It was was 7:00 AM.

By 7:30, Nate and I were packed and ready to head back out on the trail. By 8:00 it was raining. By 10:00 it was pouring. When we reached the West Canada area it was about 11:00, so we decided to find a leanto to warm up and eat an early lunch. Within minutes, Nate began to tremble from the cold. For me, anxiety quickly set in, and I began to worry. At this point, we were at least 10 miles from the car, we hadn't seen any other people, we were wet, our gear was all getting wet, and I realized that building a fire might not even be possible, since there wasn't any dry wood or bark anywhere. Add to that, the air temperature was in the 50's, and it was the middle of the day. I thought, "What if it keeps raining? What if it gets colder?"

At that point I decided that we had to get as close to the car as possible. I figured that even if we did end up spending the night on the trail, we needed to be able to get to the car in as little time as possible on Sunday morning. I rushed Nate through his lunch, and we got back on the trail by 11:30. Our goal was to reach the Sampson Lake leanto about 3 or so miles away. About an hour later we found a directional sign that indicated that we were 2.5 miles from Sampson, 6 miles from Pillsbury. This meant that we were still about 8 miles from the car.

Nate was onboard with the the idea that we should head for the car,

8/25/2012

I never finished this post.  Of course that's why I never published it to the blog.  But I know that what I would have written next was too raw and vulnerable at the time.  I couldn't finish it, much less share it.

The story ends with us reaching the car late that afternoon.  What transpired in between is something that will remain a strong memory for me.  It was one of the most challenging and anxious experiences of my life.  The rain never let up, and as we struggled through those 8 miles I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it to the car because my feet and back were killing me.  I remember that eventually every step hurt.

At one point we found another leanto site.  It was down a long, steep embankment, and getting there was hazardous.  When we finally reached the empty leanto, it was wet inside with a gushing stream flowing underneath it.  There wasn't any firewood prepared and everything nearby was soaking wet.  Having struggled down the hillside, I was concerned about trying to get back up it to reach the trail.  As cold and tired as we were, I felt helpless, but I still suggested to Nate that we needed to stop and try to hold out in that location.  His response was clear and calm.  "No, Dad.  We can't stay here. We need to keep going."

And so we did.  And that day my son led me out of the woods.  Every part of me wanted to stop and try to wait it out, but he just kept encouraging me and leading the way.  It took several more hours and a few stops, but we eventually found a leanto where a group had set up for several days of camping.  They offered us hot drinks and let us warm up by their fire.  Then we headed back out.  Those last two miles took forever, and my knees had now joined the chorus of screaming joints.  But we reached the car before dusk, and were soon on the road headed home.

Phew.

For the next couple of days, I couldn't talk to anyone about what had happened without becoming emotional.  I'm sure that's why I didn't finish writing this entry.  I had been quite scared, because with no one around to help us, I had no idea what I would have done if he had gotten an injury or severe hypothermia.  But the leftover fear wasn't why I was so emotional thinking and talking about it.  It was Nate's response to the whole situation and to me.  And it still chokes me up.  He never wavered.  He never complained.  And even though I'm sure I was totally unable to mask my anxiety, he never showed any fear.  That was one of the most challenging days I can remember.  It was also one of the best days I'll ever have.  I wouldn't trade the time I had with him that day for anything.

He left for college a couple of days ago.  I'm okay, but it's hard not to think about him and remember things, which is why this post came to mind.  I'm hopelessly sentimental, but I needed to revisit this memory, even though it makes me miss him all the more.

Millie and Zeke at 8+ Weeks

Dinner and a Show

by Rob

Today has been another great day. I know, broken record.

The weather has continued to be hot and sunny. Today the humidity dropped a bit, so the views became more clear, and everything seems bluer.

Aunt Susan and Uncle Jim came today. They arrived shortly after lunch. We sat on the porch and talked. After awhile, we walked down to Crescent Beach and dipped our feet in the water. Once again, the road was lined with cars and there were dozen of people swimming, beach combing, sun bathing and just hanging out.

We went to dinner in Rockland at Rustica, a restaurant that was recommended by Paul and Donna. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the meal. After dinner we went to the Farnsworth Museum. We saw work by Louise Nevelson, Jamie Wyeth, NC Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and Robert Indiana.

Sunny with a chance of hurricane...

by Rob

It's Wednesday of our second week, and the weather continues to be amazing. We certainly timed things well this year. Actually, the past few days have been some of the hottest that we have ever experienced here. Even right next to the water, it's been hot and sticky. The beach that we go to, just down the road, has been full of people for the last few days, unlike any time that we can remember.

Mom and Dad arrived at about 6:00 PM on Monday. It's great to have them here, and we have been getting caught up. Mom seems to be doing much better, and she says that she may actually be feeling better than she did before she got so sick. I'm glad she's well, of course, but especially while they're traveling.

This afternoon, Aunt Susan and Uncle Jim will be here. We haven't had them visit with us here before, which seems hard to believe. I'm not sure why we didn't invite them up years ago. The afternoon is forecast to be in the low 90's. I expect we'll hang out on the porch, or maybe head down to the beach. In the early evening, we'll be heading to dinner in Rockland, and then we'll take a look at the Farnsworth museum. It's open, free to the public, this evening.

We'll head home on Saturday morning. We're still buzzing about picking up the dogs on the way home. This weekend, Maine may be facing it's first hurricane in the last 18 years. I'm sure of this since I know that Hurricane Bob came on shore on August 19, 1991 -- while we were on our honeymoon.

The Rope Swing

A Good Day

by Rob

It's Saturday morning, August 15, and I'm sitting on the porch of the cottage. It's already warm by morning standards, and the sky is, for now, cloudless. I was awake at 5:30, and although it was light, the sun hadn't yet appeared over Monroe Island, across the channel from Hendrickson Point. I love to watch the sunrise here. I suppose it would be enjoyable to watch, just about anywhere, but on a clear morning here, you can see it rise, and as it comes up

the whole scene transforms, slowly but perceptively.

We're still hearing how great the weather is. We'd be pretty dense, not to notice it. Yesterday was sunny and hot, but not humid. We spent the morning on the porch reading and drinking coffee. By 11:00 AM, Kim had moved to the beach to do some more beach combing. The kids and I followed her a short time later, choosing to walk the 1/2 mile, so we could ride back in the car at lunch time. Lunch was homemade bruchetta. A short time later, our friend, Paul, came to pick us up and we went blueberry picking. Paul and Donna have a connection to a family that lives about 20 minutes north of here. They have over 3 acres of wild blueberries. We picked for almost 2 hours and brought home between 2 and 3 gallons of berries. Now we have the task of sorting and freezing them, so we can take some home. Of course, we'll also do some baking with them while we're here. When we returned home yesterday, I set to work, making a pie, which was ready to be eaten by early evening. It is quite a good pie, if I may say so.

This summer's exceptionally wet weather has had a substantial impact on the blueberry crop. In many places the berries seem to be in endless supply, and larger than normal. In other areas, the dampness has caused a "blight" to form on the plants and there's very little to harvest. As for our picking site, even though we took so many berries, it would be hard to tell that we were there. Most of the berries in that field will never be harvested. It's a shame, really.

It was remarkably hotter inland at the blueberry field. We all had to take breaks to sit in the shade and drink. We were all quite hot and sweaty by the time we finished picking. Paul suggested that we stop for a swim on the way home. Our kids were disappointed, assuming that they would need suits, which they hadn't brought along. Paul, casual as ever, told them they could just swim in their clothes.

When we arrived at the swimming spot, Paul parked the van at the road side, near an opening in the woods that resembled a trail head. It was easy to see that the pond was only 30 or 40 yards away. By the time I reached the waters edge, Nathan had already stripped to his shorts and was ready to take a plunge. The water was clear and warm and they both seemed delighted by the unusual circumstances. Then Nate noticed the swing in the tree. It took us awhile to reach it, and work out a system for lifting him up so that he could launch himself, but once we'd mastered it, he didn't want to stop. Abbie wanted to try it, but was clearly fearful. As I held her up the first time, she was trembling. But she did it... screaming. We all laughed. It couldn't have been too bad

though, since she took a second turn.

Once back at the cottage, we had grilled pork tenderloin, baked sweet potatoes, and fresh green beans. It was amazing how good everything tasted. After dinner, I sat on the porch until almost 8:00. No bugs. No breeze. Just clear sky and warmth.

It was a good day.

I figured out that this is our ninth trip to this spot. I'm not tiring of it at all. It has been my fear that our kids might begin to lose interest in coming here, and to a certain extent, there are times when it's harder for them to stay occupied than it used to be. But then there are days like yesterday. I know that they had a great day, one that they'll probably remember years from now. That seems to be the magic of this place for us. We continually have these good days. I expect that in the future, we won't be able to remember which year we did this or that. I suspect we might even start to blend activities that didn't happen on the same day, or even the same year. But those kinds of details don't matter at all. It's that we're here together, and having some of the best times that any of us will ever have. What an amazing thing it is to be able to say that.

If Today is Any Indication

by Rob

If today is any indication, this will be another great Maine vacation, with great weather. In fact, we have heard from several folks already that the past few days are easily the best weather that these folks have seen this summer. Apparently, it has been rainy and foggy here. We lead such charmed lives, because we always seem to hit it just right. If the forecast holds, the rest of this week will also be great.

We've had a full day as well. As is so often the case, we have met up with some folks that we got to know during prior visits. Yesterday, we spoke to a family who is visiting from Virginia. Peter's parents live just a few cottages down from ours, and he and his wife Margaret are here for a few days to visit and pick up their kids, Ian and Claire, who have been staying with their grandparents for almost three weeks. Although we only spoke briefly yesterday, Peter mentioned that his family would be going out to Sheep Island today, and they wondered if we would like to come along. Two years ago, Peter, Ian, Abbie and took the same outing. (click here to see the Original "Sheep Island" post from 2007) This time, Kim, Margaret, Claire, and their dog Sandy would join us.

Our time on the island was fascinating and relaxing. Kim and I enjoyed talking with Margaret and Peter, while the kids had a great time exploring and swimming. Kim also spent a great deal of time beach combing, and we both took several pictures.

As our time on the island was ending, Peter invited us to join them for dinner -- hot dogs cooked over a fire on the rocks in front of his parent's cottage. We all had a great time and stayed out until the sun had set and the mosquitoes started biting. Before we gathered all of the food and firewood to head inside, we spent some time gazing at the stars and trying to identify some of the constellations.

As I'm writing this summary of our day, the kids are off playing board games, and Kim is sitting nearby, reading a book. All in all, it's been a pretty great day for the second full day of our vacation. It's not realistic to think that everyday will be this full, but that's okay too. I'll be happy to sit on the porch and read for at least a couple of our days here.

From Hendrickson Point, 8-9-09, 5:30 AM

"We'll take two..."

by Rob

So today was the big day. Actually, it was a slightly bigger day than we had thought it would be. On our way to Owls Head for our Maine vacation, we stopped at Cheryl's house to choose our dog, but instead of choosing one, we chose two.

It's not the first time in history that puppies have swayed people's reasoning.

In truth, our decision to get two dogs was not exactly an impulsive one. Kim and I have been reading about these dogs for months. On more than one occasion we had discussed the thought of getting two. Our main reason for considering two was companionship. Of course, we understand that having a dog is a time commitment, but we also know that we need to leave for 7 to 8 hours each day. This is the factor that has never felt quite right to us. Today, this perspective seemed to really take hold of both of us. At that point, we started to calculate the time and cost of two verses one. Ultimately, we reasoned that having twice the vet bills would be about the only thing that would actually double by having two.

So on August 22, we're bringing home Zeke and Chloe. What happened to "Millie"? Well, we haven't ruled out the name Millie altogether, but after meeting the dogs and calling them by the names that Cheryl and her family have been using, Abbie started to warm up to the name Chloe.

For now, we're in Maine. This evening, we moved into our cottage. It's a beautiful clear night with a nearly full moon rising over the water. It's great to be back here. Nonetheless, we're each still buzzing about the dogs, and every now and then, one of us will say something about them. As we headed down the last stretch of road, just before we pulled in this evening, Kim and I overheard Abbie in the back seat; "I'm still in puppy shock. I can't believe we're getting two."

Chloe or Millie?

Chloe

Zeke

Abbie holding Chloe and Nate holding Zeke