Rose of Cimarron

This is Porphyry Creek, a photo my brother took on one of his hikes, close to where we will be hiking for a week.  I'll be back here by Bastille Day. Stay cool.

Packin'

I like a blog called "The No Meat Athlete". In it I learned that oreo cookies are vegan; no milk, no eggs, no honey, no animal products. Of course they are not organic and they contain high fructose corn syrup. In the interest of fair experimentation, a half dozen were sampled.

Then I baked my own cookies; lime-coconut shortbread cookies, double chocolate chunk cookies, and spiced chocolate chip kiss cookies. A half dozen of those were also eaten.

I speak the words that our neighbor, the not-quite-right-in-the-head-after-electric-shock Eddie, says when he emerges from the woods, "I'm packin'".

Counting Down

Yesterday Jim drove us to the lake in lightning, thunder and a downpour. One thousand one, one thousand...BOOM!

By the time we arrived he had a headache, relieved by a biggocuppawhoopass coffee, and the discovery that his peas have arrived. Well, his pea had arrived.

Today it is time to fill up those countless starved and shrunken cells with sugar. Today it is cookie baking day! Three dozen at least.

Christmas in June

Every year the debate is the same; comfortable sleeping vs heavy load. Should I take the luxury sleeping mat that weighs nearly 4 pounds, or carry the 3/4 mat weighing 1.6 pounds? Do I risk having cold feet and sore hips from hard ground, or sore hips from carrying too heavy a load, but warm feet at night?

The preliminary pack weight is 37 pounds with water, but there is no food or fuel. No cookies. No cake. No board games. This is getting to feel like deprivation. Well, duh.

Summer Activities

Launching of the USS Minnow,

Coffee with neighbors,

Airplane coming in,

Kayak going out.

Tour

Earlier in the day it was hot, still, and hazy.

We took an air tour off the lake, past kayakers,

up to Oxford and the Plains Speedway,

past the new casino, 

and quiet ball fields.

We landed at home and then it rained.

Ow, Ow, Owl's Head

Owl's Head, 4025 feet, 12 hrs, 3 min

The first mile

The ninth mile

The eighteenth mile

Nearly cured of hiking

Owly

Today is the attempt on Owl's Head, 4025 feet, 18 miles without a bushwhack, 15.4 miles with a bushwhack from Black Pond Trail. The new GPS is on the carabiner in the mesh pocket of the backpack. After spending hours trying to load the trail map onto the card and into the GPS, and then access it, I gave up. It will act as a heavy compass instead.

This has got to be good for a hiker. I'll take two, please.

Twenty Years (To Life)

This is the man I married.

When I introduce him, it is as my first husband. 'Til death do us part or something better comes along. And here we are 20 years later.

Handyman, small engine repairman, cheese head, master electrician, genius with knots, able to talk to a wall, his natural state is happy, the only thing he wants is to "have a nickel more than I need".

Getting Ready

It took one whole day to dehydrate organic vegetables for two whole hiking meals. But I bet they will be worth it! Just look at these attractive and nummy little bags of fuel.

Just add water, and the optional bouillon and Butterbuds for Souper Soup and Squash Soup. The hiking partners can add their bacon and pork sausage.

Tuckerman Ravine

 

A Word of Advice
 

The thin air of Tuckerman,

The rifleshot of subzero steps in the snow;

A cascade of ice melting

Into the grace of paired swans;

Silver green olive branches at the boundary waters,

The softness of late spring; 

Hold to that which brings you peace.

Two Tripyramids

N. Tripyramid, 4180 feet and Mid. Tripyramid, 4140 feet

11.4 miles, 7 hours

This was a hike with long cool leafy stretches

interrupted by 7 Sabbaday Brook crossings,

and a very rocky climb beginning in the middle.

On the way up I was so intent on the rocky ground that I missed seeing this tree. It bonked me so hard on the crown of the head that my upper teeth hurt for the rest of the hike.

The summits of both peaks were in the trees and buggy but I managed to look at leisure.

One viewpoint showed the Waterville Valley ski area.

Peaks Number 37 and 38, 1 tree head-bonk, 0 wet feet.

Rickenbacker

Our neighbor, who we usually buzz in the airplane, surprised us the other day. He appeared like a dogfighter right behind us before we could get to his place to buzz him.

"Where are you?"

"Four o'clock, above you."

He kept us company for awhile, then sped ahead, dropped down, turned towards the mountains and finally disappeared.

Go Forth

Okay, so now I can say I've tried bok choy juice, with zucchini, celery, green pepper and an apple. I liked the oatmeal and honeydew better. End of detox for now.
Hiking day today. Bring on the peanut butter, chips and energy drinks. It is a hiking choice of Tripyramids, South and Middle Carter, Carrigain or Cabot.

Flag Day

The day after a rain, it is windy from the northeast. The flags are not quite horizontal. We bought new flags for the season and turned in the old US flag. The welcoming committee at Bangor cuts up the old flags and presents each returning soldier with one star. I like that our old flag, hanging for a couple of years, day in and day out, in sunshine and in storms, will be divvied up and given to those coming home.

In the Food Lab

Day 8 of Organic Fruits and Vegetables

Most Liked Food: Potatoes

Least Liked Food: Kale

Food Not Yet Tried: Bok Choy

Results So Far:

Joints with less ache, loss of 4 pounds, new juicer enroute

The Peony Juice, made with apple, celery, soaked goji berries, maca, romaine, and a small cooked beet was supposed to look like a deep red peony. Instead it looks like a glass of blood for a vampire, and not at all like a fresh peony. The adventures of laboratory experimentation.

Pedo-Power

The tractor is not working. So yesterday Jim mowed the lawn with the push power mower.  He wore a pedometer and walked 21,499 steps for 10.85 miles.
This is Jim thinking about mowing the lawn again. See Jim sit.

Air Tour

On an airplane tour, we did the engine run-up in front of Loretta, the Lake House.

Then we climbed and found our landmarks; Pleasant Mountain in the distant foreground, the mountain used for backpacking practice. The Ledges Trail is 1.6 miles one way, with a climb to 2000 feet.

We buzz Jimmie's and Twila's place, but nobody comes out on the deck this time.

Over Panther Pond, next to the tower, a boat cuts through the floating pine pollen.

The Narrows is the outlet leading to the bottom part of Little Sebago Lake.

We complete our tour and take the boat to visit Tommy at Camp Beauty.

Tag Along

Yesterday was the 12th annual Seaplane Fly In and Safety Seminar at Naples, Maine. The grass runway was too wet to use without ruining it. I was more interested in the little teardrop tagalong parked at the end of the runway, just the right size for all the luggage I'd like to carry in the airplane.

Jive Talkin'

Even when you wake up and think you have nothing to say, there is always something to say, always another page to write, always a joke to remember.

Jim: "Always remember never to say 'always' and 'never'."

Julie: "If not now, when?"