Dave Bear
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- Dec 13, 2007
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I know this is old news but I stayed off the forums when the viruses were about. Then the virus hit home so time slipped away some.
This is the third year in a row that my mother and I have shared a hike on a weekend near her birthday. She gets very excited as soon as I call her to see what we might plan. This year we planned on possibly two but dallied enough on the first that we decided to take our time and forego the second.
Mom grew up in Somerville but spent her summers at Newfound Lake. She was always an avid swimmer, boater and anything "outdoorsie" she could do. She once showed me her "yard" in Somerville and it was easy to see why, it was smaller than most dining rooms! Her passion hasn't changed and she kayaks Newfound often and has section kayaked the perimeter to include every little cove.
We chose to hike the Sugarloaves along the West shore of the lake by way of the Elwell Trail. Mom and Dad had hiked them earlier this year and she was dying to get me to see them. Its an easy hike by any standards and was certainly doable in her bluejeans and work boots but she would have been more comfortable in her sneakers. The climb up Little Sugarloaf was a testament to how seldom the trail is used. It was heavily laden with beech leaves and slicker than ice though it was dry. Much of the way we hiked hand in hand since my weight gave me more sound footing. Damned scale says I'm back over an eighth of a ton, not metric yet, the holidays will test that!
We leap-frogged up the trail with a young woman and her friendly golden retriever. It was terrific weather for the views out over the lake and we spent time trying to get pictures that excluded the rows of condos on the East shore. Their effect on the view is near obscene with all the trees cleared back and lined up like a military encampment. Certainly hope other towns learn from what happened there. Despite the "Con Dough" gripe the day was perfect to be out and mom is always the best of company! On Little Sugarloaf there were several thin sheets of stone shingles that had been adourned with verses of Emily Dickinson's "Wild Nights". Vandals had broken the two that were there.
Once up on top of Sugarloaf we parted ways with the young lady and met a fine gentleman that had graced the trail with nice new signs recently. He and his two dogs shared views with us back down to Goose Pond and out to the trailhead. It was a wonderful day all around to spend with mom and as always time spent is cherished more than any bounty of gifts!
A few pics: http://family.webshots.com/slideshow/575600093bgtvMK
This is the third year in a row that my mother and I have shared a hike on a weekend near her birthday. She gets very excited as soon as I call her to see what we might plan. This year we planned on possibly two but dallied enough on the first that we decided to take our time and forego the second.
Mom grew up in Somerville but spent her summers at Newfound Lake. She was always an avid swimmer, boater and anything "outdoorsie" she could do. She once showed me her "yard" in Somerville and it was easy to see why, it was smaller than most dining rooms! Her passion hasn't changed and she kayaks Newfound often and has section kayaked the perimeter to include every little cove.
We chose to hike the Sugarloaves along the West shore of the lake by way of the Elwell Trail. Mom and Dad had hiked them earlier this year and she was dying to get me to see them. Its an easy hike by any standards and was certainly doable in her bluejeans and work boots but she would have been more comfortable in her sneakers. The climb up Little Sugarloaf was a testament to how seldom the trail is used. It was heavily laden with beech leaves and slicker than ice though it was dry. Much of the way we hiked hand in hand since my weight gave me more sound footing. Damned scale says I'm back over an eighth of a ton, not metric yet, the holidays will test that!
We leap-frogged up the trail with a young woman and her friendly golden retriever. It was terrific weather for the views out over the lake and we spent time trying to get pictures that excluded the rows of condos on the East shore. Their effect on the view is near obscene with all the trees cleared back and lined up like a military encampment. Certainly hope other towns learn from what happened there. Despite the "Con Dough" gripe the day was perfect to be out and mom is always the best of company! On Little Sugarloaf there were several thin sheets of stone shingles that had been adourned with verses of Emily Dickinson's "Wild Nights". Vandals had broken the two that were there.
Once up on top of Sugarloaf we parted ways with the young lady and met a fine gentleman that had graced the trail with nice new signs recently. He and his two dogs shared views with us back down to Goose Pond and out to the trailhead. It was a wonderful day all around to spend with mom and as always time spent is cherished more than any bounty of gifts!
A few pics: http://family.webshots.com/slideshow/575600093bgtvMK
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