Dave Bear
New member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2007
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My daughter Kimberly and I have been longing for a weekend to hike together since her 17th birthday last August when we did some Presis together. Its very hard for me to fit into her schedule with her working, graduating, socializing and trying to keep up with homework. So when the long weekend came and the forecast had some rain in it we knew it was time to squeeze something in. Her weekly schedule comes out on Saturday so after crossing fingers real hard and holding our breath we looked at it and saw she was scheduled all weekend. She is as determined as I am to see opportunity in any situation and said “ Dad, I get out at noon Sunday and don’t start ‘til three on Monday!” So then we conjured up our plan. We booked for the self-service at Lonesome Lake for Sunday night and she got her things ready so I could try to pack up quick. Remember this girl has a social circle and didn’t want to leave her friends out on the holiday weekend. Being a chip off the old block, she got in around 1:30AM Sunday then was off to work 7-12.
I picked her up at work where she changed and we headed for the notch. A brief stop for food in Lincoln and we were “toes on the trail” at 3:00PM from Lafayette Campground TH. We headed down the Pemi bike trail to the Basin-Cascade trail for a nice hike in. People were kicking back soaking in the sunshine and spring air around every corner. Children and adults were frolicking along and in the cascades and pools as we climbed the brook’s gentle path. I was surprised the current was as strong as it was because the Pemi was running low and calm. Once we crossed the brook and the trail was less crowded our talk went from chatting about the trail to a heartfelt conversation about her wanting to get and share an apartment with some friends in early July. I winced deeply but tried to stay upbeat. Birds leave the nest, that’s what they are meant to do! In my heart I know she is ready but I am not. My wife and I both feel there is more we can do to help her avoid housing costs for college and put more money away for school, whether she goes in the fall or waits a year as she has planned.
As I crossed the bridge over the brook I saw a young family playing upstream on the rocks. The young man was sitting back watching his little blonde girl in pigtails play innocently unaware of the pain and joy the scene rewarded me. I had spent years as a factory maintenance worker with an obligation to work all my weekends except vacations with the liberty to take a day off during the week while my wife was at work and children were in school. I had left home in the early spring when my father and I agreed to disagree, a matter long since resolved and now best of friends. I finished high school and went on to colleges paying my way as I went. The motto “Work hard, play hard!” was only modified to include “Study hard!” Somehow I would remain a straight A student through my bachelors, at times during seventy hour weeks. I always thought I could give Kim and her brothers something I had lost out on!
“What is this shit!” Kim said jokingly as we reached honest patches of snow. Meanwhile she was sending text messages and pictures to her friends. We were averaging about three miles an hour when we were hiking and she was keeping pace, cell phone in one hand, trekking pole in the other, deftly clicking off words with her thumbnail. She would notice sounds and sights along the trail as her agile thumb caressed the keys. Most of the time she was talking eye to eye unless she was giggling at someone’s reply. “Dad, they are calling me a real trooper for being able to hike with you after being out all night!” Maybe she didn’t actually get home when she said!
Kim’s energy is boundless and only subdued by boredom. She took SATs at 16 and was at 1659 on the new scale. At one point she did Miss Teen USA and got Miss Congeniality but felt most of it was too shallow. She went from cheering to being everybody’s cheerleader and shoulder too lean on. I looked at her gliding up the trail and can see endless possibilities if I only had the means she deserves.
We rounded the bend by the pond and Kim makes friends with another little bird playing with tiny fish where the brook leaves the lake. Olivia and her nice mom, Cindy would be our roommates for the night. The hut was not too crowded but alive with scouts and large meals being prepared. Kim took a short nap and later we would sit and enjoy the peaceful lake. Spying scouts and their flashlights making the loop in search of moose. She was amazed that such a place could be up there where most people pass by on the road in the notch completely unaware that it exists. She calmly said to me we have more time tomorrow, a friend was covering her hours until six. I was thankful but regretted knowing our enjoyment could be measured in hours.
We rose early and avoided the breakfast crowd with a quick bowl of porridge. It was a nice change to climb Fishin Jimmy in spring, having only seen it during a severe Nor’easter last year. Its brooks and ledges were easy and the muddy areas were most full of sturdy bog bridges. A light breeze kept the bugs away and the sky only threatened the predicted thunderstorms for and hour before turning light hazy blues. The previous days conversation still lingered on to discussions about the merits of staying home with less financial burden and more freedom than most. It turns out much of Kim’s drive in the matter is to look out for two friends but I fear it overshadows her reality of thinking about herself. Many times the conversations begin with “so and so and I were thinking…” It’s easier to give our children dreams and aspirations than too burden them with the values of harsh experience.
We climbed to the summit and took turns perching on the rock nestled in the trees. It would be Kim’s fourth 4K of hopefully many more we share. We spent a long time up top enjoying the views of the Franconia’s and admiring spring’s “green wave” bringing change up the slopes. Change can be a welcome sight if you’re ready I just have trouble sometimes seeing the way. We lay back on the rocks in the sun and chatted lightly knowing the hour hand was ascending to noon. I had planned to visit the new shelter at Kinsman Pond and anxiously headed back down.
It’s a sweet little cabin with big solid logs and a nice wide bunk. Caleb and Sarah were just leaving when we got there and we enjoyed talking for a bit while lunch cooked. I was glad we took the time for the detour to a very inviting spot to camp sometime. Had our time schedule been more generous it would have been fun to hike around the surrounding area. We descended back to the hut where some of our gear was waiting and found ourselves with only about twenty minutes to get to the trailhead if Kim were going to get a shower in before going back to work. Kim had spent most of the climbing pushing my pace and now found hers challenged on the way down. I tried to keep the momentum in check so I wouldn’t lose control but found us down below High Cannon junction in only fifteen minutes. Just as we crossed the second footbridge Kim said, “Dad, you can stop running. Ashley is covering the rest of my shift for me!” At a full speed descent her thumb had sweetly been hard at work buying us more precious time together! I swear her fingers move faster than I can think! We reached the car just before some light sprinkles and headed into Lincoln’s Mexican Grille for hospitality, food and refreshment out on the deck. As I drove south my sweet little bird slept peacefully and I prayed she’d keep her wings at her sides for a while longer.
Pictures:http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563621996BGGWic?vhost=good-times
Slideshow:http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/563621996BGGWic
I picked her up at work where she changed and we headed for the notch. A brief stop for food in Lincoln and we were “toes on the trail” at 3:00PM from Lafayette Campground TH. We headed down the Pemi bike trail to the Basin-Cascade trail for a nice hike in. People were kicking back soaking in the sunshine and spring air around every corner. Children and adults were frolicking along and in the cascades and pools as we climbed the brook’s gentle path. I was surprised the current was as strong as it was because the Pemi was running low and calm. Once we crossed the brook and the trail was less crowded our talk went from chatting about the trail to a heartfelt conversation about her wanting to get and share an apartment with some friends in early July. I winced deeply but tried to stay upbeat. Birds leave the nest, that’s what they are meant to do! In my heart I know she is ready but I am not. My wife and I both feel there is more we can do to help her avoid housing costs for college and put more money away for school, whether she goes in the fall or waits a year as she has planned.
As I crossed the bridge over the brook I saw a young family playing upstream on the rocks. The young man was sitting back watching his little blonde girl in pigtails play innocently unaware of the pain and joy the scene rewarded me. I had spent years as a factory maintenance worker with an obligation to work all my weekends except vacations with the liberty to take a day off during the week while my wife was at work and children were in school. I had left home in the early spring when my father and I agreed to disagree, a matter long since resolved and now best of friends. I finished high school and went on to colleges paying my way as I went. The motto “Work hard, play hard!” was only modified to include “Study hard!” Somehow I would remain a straight A student through my bachelors, at times during seventy hour weeks. I always thought I could give Kim and her brothers something I had lost out on!
“What is this shit!” Kim said jokingly as we reached honest patches of snow. Meanwhile she was sending text messages and pictures to her friends. We were averaging about three miles an hour when we were hiking and she was keeping pace, cell phone in one hand, trekking pole in the other, deftly clicking off words with her thumbnail. She would notice sounds and sights along the trail as her agile thumb caressed the keys. Most of the time she was talking eye to eye unless she was giggling at someone’s reply. “Dad, they are calling me a real trooper for being able to hike with you after being out all night!” Maybe she didn’t actually get home when she said!
Kim’s energy is boundless and only subdued by boredom. She took SATs at 16 and was at 1659 on the new scale. At one point she did Miss Teen USA and got Miss Congeniality but felt most of it was too shallow. She went from cheering to being everybody’s cheerleader and shoulder too lean on. I looked at her gliding up the trail and can see endless possibilities if I only had the means she deserves.We rounded the bend by the pond and Kim makes friends with another little bird playing with tiny fish where the brook leaves the lake. Olivia and her nice mom, Cindy would be our roommates for the night. The hut was not too crowded but alive with scouts and large meals being prepared. Kim took a short nap and later we would sit and enjoy the peaceful lake. Spying scouts and their flashlights making the loop in search of moose. She was amazed that such a place could be up there where most people pass by on the road in the notch completely unaware that it exists. She calmly said to me we have more time tomorrow, a friend was covering her hours until six. I was thankful but regretted knowing our enjoyment could be measured in hours.
We rose early and avoided the breakfast crowd with a quick bowl of porridge. It was a nice change to climb Fishin Jimmy in spring, having only seen it during a severe Nor’easter last year. Its brooks and ledges were easy and the muddy areas were most full of sturdy bog bridges. A light breeze kept the bugs away and the sky only threatened the predicted thunderstorms for and hour before turning light hazy blues. The previous days conversation still lingered on to discussions about the merits of staying home with less financial burden and more freedom than most. It turns out much of Kim’s drive in the matter is to look out for two friends but I fear it overshadows her reality of thinking about herself. Many times the conversations begin with “so and so and I were thinking…” It’s easier to give our children dreams and aspirations than too burden them with the values of harsh experience.
We climbed to the summit and took turns perching on the rock nestled in the trees. It would be Kim’s fourth 4K of hopefully many more we share. We spent a long time up top enjoying the views of the Franconia’s and admiring spring’s “green wave” bringing change up the slopes. Change can be a welcome sight if you’re ready I just have trouble sometimes seeing the way. We lay back on the rocks in the sun and chatted lightly knowing the hour hand was ascending to noon. I had planned to visit the new shelter at Kinsman Pond and anxiously headed back down.
It’s a sweet little cabin with big solid logs and a nice wide bunk. Caleb and Sarah were just leaving when we got there and we enjoyed talking for a bit while lunch cooked. I was glad we took the time for the detour to a very inviting spot to camp sometime. Had our time schedule been more generous it would have been fun to hike around the surrounding area. We descended back to the hut where some of our gear was waiting and found ourselves with only about twenty minutes to get to the trailhead if Kim were going to get a shower in before going back to work. Kim had spent most of the climbing pushing my pace and now found hers challenged on the way down. I tried to keep the momentum in check so I wouldn’t lose control but found us down below High Cannon junction in only fifteen minutes. Just as we crossed the second footbridge Kim said, “Dad, you can stop running. Ashley is covering the rest of my shift for me!” At a full speed descent her thumb had sweetly been hard at work buying us more precious time together! I swear her fingers move faster than I can think! We reached the car just before some light sprinkles and headed into Lincoln’s Mexican Grille for hospitality, food and refreshment out on the deck. As I drove south my sweet little bird slept peacefully and I prayed she’d keep her wings at her sides for a while longer.
Pictures:http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563621996BGGWic?vhost=good-times
Slideshow:http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/563621996BGGWic
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