ADK Rick
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- Oct 6, 2003
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**Revisited this thread today 4/9/08 and found all the pic links broken so I fixed them...thanks webshots! 
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All you have to do is look at my avatar to know how I feel. I know that it has taken some people longer, but 32 years is plenty long for me. On Friday at 12:15 pm I summited Haystack #46. Indulge me a couple of paragraphs of personal history and then you can get the actual trip report .
First peak Phelps, age 10, October 1973. Was hooked from that moment. I remember vividly the fall colors, my grandfather telling my uncle, "Here's where we lose Rick" as we turned off the Van Hoevenburg trail, and my uncle's confidence in me. I also remember riding down Route 73 in the back of my Uncle's El Camino, holy cow was it cold but I insisted.
My uncle (Ronald Hartman, 46r #1387)taught me to love these mountains as he did. He led me up some tough ones when I was 13, we did the Santanonis and Allen that summer. The Santanonis was my first overnight camping trip. I was in awe of his outdoor skills, and I remember not thinking about dinner until right before it was time to eat. Suddenly I was petrified...what would we eat? Roots? Would we have to kill something? Imagine the delight of this 13 year old when he pulled out a can of Spaghetti-Ohs from his Adirondack pack basket. I still think of him whenever I see that red can at the market. My Uncle Ron passed away 3 years ago, much too young. I dedicated my first time around the 46 to him. I must say that I owe a lot to a lot of other people, too. I climbed 14 mountains this season, and it was only because of the indulgence and patience of a few other people that I was able to do so. So thanks to MDC, JPH, and BPO from my work who covered for me, and also thanks to my wife Ruth, without whose indulgence this event would never have taken place.
So why did it take me so long to finish my 46 if I love these mountains so much? Well, I was at 22 by the time I finished college, but I moved to NC for 5 years. Then it was Rochester NY for another 5 years during which I increased my total to 31. Then came a wife, a baby, and a 10-year period of hideous inattentiveness to my body, and January of this year found me at 32 peaks and 35 pounds overweight with a doctor issuing grave warnings about cholesterol and BP. Long story short, I found inspiration, and with the help of friends and family I got it together...June 2 I survived a solo trek of LWJ, UWJ, and Armstrong. And that got the ball rolling.
So on with the trip report, thanks for your patience with the above. All of the pictures are **HERE**. For this trip I had a team! My co-worker Brian (himself a major weight loser this summer) joined me, along with Kay and Arnie from Burlington. I had met Kay when I did Basin & Saddleback 9/30. We stayed at the Hostel and gathered at the Garden at 6:00 in the frosty dark. Outside temp 28. This was my first experience hiking with headlamps. We walked for an hour before the sun was sufficient to turn off the lamps. What a beautiful day. The ice above 3500 feet was fairly treacherous in many places. I had stabilicers in the pack and they would have helped in places but I resisted putting them on. We made slower time than I had planned due to the ice but we summitted at 12:15. What a feeling. I looked out at all the other peaks that had come before this one, and thought mostly about all the people I had shared them with. This is why we climb. And I was very thankful for those that braved the cold but beautiful day with me...you guys were great!
I wont go on too much about the route, conditions, etc. It was cold and icy but beautiful. The trail was wet (when aren't they). It was just a great day, a day 32 years in the making. We had a bonus at JBL, a nice wildlife encounter that helped put the day in perspective. We made it back to the Garden at 6:15 just as it was getting dark. Brian got his Diet Pepsi that he had been talking about since JBL. Kay and Arnie presented me with a bottle of champagne which they wisely chose not to lug up to the summit. We took a group photo and parted ways, me with 4.5 hours of driving ahead.
So what's next? Hopefully my 11 year old daughter will get the bug and I can go round with her starting next summer. I would also like to do some trail work (speaking of those I owe thanks to). Maybe some hiking in the Whites. And I'd like to meet more of you all, too!
Walk softly people, enjoy these woods and mountains whether you check peaks off lists or not, and remember those in our lives that make it possible for us to indulge ourselves. Peace.
ADK Rick
***********************************************************
All you have to do is look at my avatar to know how I feel. I know that it has taken some people longer, but 32 years is plenty long for me. On Friday at 12:15 pm I summited Haystack #46. Indulge me a couple of paragraphs of personal history and then you can get the actual trip report
.First peak Phelps, age 10, October 1973. Was hooked from that moment. I remember vividly the fall colors, my grandfather telling my uncle, "Here's where we lose Rick" as we turned off the Van Hoevenburg trail, and my uncle's confidence in me. I also remember riding down Route 73 in the back of my Uncle's El Camino, holy cow was it cold but I insisted.
My uncle (Ronald Hartman, 46r #1387)taught me to love these mountains as he did. He led me up some tough ones when I was 13, we did the Santanonis and Allen that summer. The Santanonis was my first overnight camping trip. I was in awe of his outdoor skills, and I remember not thinking about dinner until right before it was time to eat. Suddenly I was petrified...what would we eat? Roots? Would we have to kill something? Imagine the delight of this 13 year old when he pulled out a can of Spaghetti-Ohs from his Adirondack pack basket. I still think of him whenever I see that red can at the market. My Uncle Ron passed away 3 years ago, much too young. I dedicated my first time around the 46 to him. I must say that I owe a lot to a lot of other people, too. I climbed 14 mountains this season, and it was only because of the indulgence and patience of a few other people that I was able to do so. So thanks to MDC, JPH, and BPO from my work who covered for me, and also thanks to my wife Ruth, without whose indulgence this event would never have taken place.
So why did it take me so long to finish my 46 if I love these mountains so much? Well, I was at 22 by the time I finished college, but I moved to NC for 5 years. Then it was Rochester NY for another 5 years during which I increased my total to 31. Then came a wife, a baby, and a 10-year period of hideous inattentiveness to my body, and January of this year found me at 32 peaks and 35 pounds overweight with a doctor issuing grave warnings about cholesterol and BP. Long story short, I found inspiration, and with the help of friends and family I got it together...June 2 I survived a solo trek of LWJ, UWJ, and Armstrong. And that got the ball rolling.
So on with the trip report, thanks for your patience with the above. All of the pictures are **HERE**. For this trip I had a team! My co-worker Brian (himself a major weight loser this summer) joined me, along with Kay and Arnie from Burlington. I had met Kay when I did Basin & Saddleback 9/30. We stayed at the Hostel and gathered at the Garden at 6:00 in the frosty dark. Outside temp 28. This was my first experience hiking with headlamps. We walked for an hour before the sun was sufficient to turn off the lamps. What a beautiful day. The ice above 3500 feet was fairly treacherous in many places. I had stabilicers in the pack and they would have helped in places but I resisted putting them on. We made slower time than I had planned due to the ice but we summitted at 12:15. What a feeling. I looked out at all the other peaks that had come before this one, and thought mostly about all the people I had shared them with. This is why we climb. And I was very thankful for those that braved the cold but beautiful day with me...you guys were great!
I wont go on too much about the route, conditions, etc. It was cold and icy but beautiful. The trail was wet (when aren't they). It was just a great day, a day 32 years in the making. We had a bonus at JBL, a nice wildlife encounter that helped put the day in perspective. We made it back to the Garden at 6:15 just as it was getting dark. Brian got his Diet Pepsi that he had been talking about since JBL. Kay and Arnie presented me with a bottle of champagne which they wisely chose not to lug up to the summit. We took a group photo and parted ways, me with 4.5 hours of driving ahead.
So what's next? Hopefully my 11 year old daughter will get the bug and I can go round with her starting next summer. I would also like to do some trail work (speaking of those I owe thanks to). Maybe some hiking in the Whites. And I'd like to meet more of you all, too!
Walk softly people, enjoy these woods and mountains whether you check peaks off lists or not, and remember those in our lives that make it possible for us to indulge ourselves. Peace.
ADK Rick
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