This is a trip that started weeks ago. We had not been backpacking together in 7 years (!!), so Mt.Greylock was our destination. It was the weekend of our fourth wedding anniversary. The weather was perfect, and we were only miles from the trailhead. Perfect weather, love, and soon...trail! Until...the car conked out. Would. Not. Start. We were too far from the campsite to rationalize hiking up the much longer, more strenuous trail, so we called a tow truck, settling in for what would be 5 hours of waiting. Luckily, I had my knitting.
Fast forward: After several rainy, humid weeks, the wet streak finally broke. Behold! There was sun! Sun! It was some kinda windy all weekend, but it made for great clouds.
We drove up to the Sperry Road lot (SKIPPING the visitor's center, the site of our last attempt's failure) and quickly hiked in to our site. We were there after maybe an hour or so, without incident. This was Zoe's first backpacking trip, and she handled it beautifully!
The camp sites were great! They were clean, verdant, and (best of all) secluded. We could hardly hear or see our neighbors. Perfect! They had compostable privies up the camp road, but one of them never seemed to have tp.
Munching on GORP (pepitas [pumpkin seeds], roasted almonds, sesame sticks, raisins, and dark chocolate peanut M&Ms), we set up the behemoth tent; and with the threat of rain not quite out of the question, Ryan set up an extra fly over the picnic table, even notching a branch for center support. Nice job!
Soon hungry hikers demanded dinner...Pindos Mountain Pasta: angel hair pasta with basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta (from Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin'. YUM! I made three servings for my generally starving family, but it was WAY more than we could eat. I could have gone with two and still had leftovers. We decided that we made enough to feed four starving backpackers or, as Zoe said, “Five ravenous raccoons.”
With bellies too full for dessert and some daylight to spare, we hung the bear bag (Ryan's aim was very fine indeed!), and hiked up to Stony Ledge for sunset. The clouds were rolling through at quite a pace, but the near-full moon was often in sight. Unfortunately, I had to go easy taking photos, realizing one of my batteries was not fully charged. I knew there was something more to do before I left! Hmph.
We hiked back to our tent by moonlight. It wasn't late, so Ryan started a campfire and we settled in, reading and chatting. Zoe roasted marshmallows, too. It wasn’t long before we zonked out. The wind howled all night long, but it didn't rain.
After a warm breakfast of Freezerbag Cooking's rice pudding (made 1.5 servings) and coffee, we packed up a lunch and headed to CataractFalls. Only a mile in, it was not a bad hike. I may have complained about all the recent rain, but they sure highlighted the falls! We stayed there for a couple hours, me taking photos, Z rambling around on the rocks. We enjoyed a lunch of LVB "Grunch," a tasty spread made from peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and graham crackers. We also gobbled some Gold Coins, flaky cheddar crackers that I know a certain girl will be asking for in the future! More GORP was consumed, too.
We hiked back to camp in the afternoon, Z telling us all about a story she had started writing, complete with character and setting details. WHAT an imagination! Knowing we would hike to Greylock's summit in the evening, decided to relax. We ALL fell asleep for a long summer's nap. I drifted off reading and watching the dappled sun on the sides of the tent. Decadent!
We awoke and decided supper was in order, so we would have plenty of time to make our way to the summit. We made burritos using another LVB recipe of Time-Traveler's Tamale, corn tortillas, and cheddar slices that melted on the hot tamale. Everyone ate a couple! Again too full for dessert, we decided to wait and enjoy it up at the summit.
We headed up the Hopper Trail and made good time to the intersection with the Overlook Trail.
But the wind was whipping. We took advantage of the empty Thunderhead Shelter (but sadly with windows busted out and firewood stolen), and enjoyed some of One Pan Wonders' Bailey's Mousse with some adaptations. They did not have vanilla mouse at the store, so I used dark chocolate mousse (oh, a tragic substitution indeed!), and we used an Irish cream syrup instead of Bailey's owing to the 10-year old among us. We brought graham crackers and dipped them in the mouse. Delicious!!! Another winner!
After licking our lips and our spoons, we headed back up to the summit to check out the fireworks. We layered in fleeces and raincoats, pulling up hoods, and burrowing hands deep into pockets. It was NOT feeling like July! Zoe and Ryan trekked back up the tower to see the light show from up there, but I stayed down to set up the tripod and get some photos. It was so windy that I had to hold the tripod, lest the whole rig go flying! Only got a few blurry photos before my battery conked out on me.
Plenty cold, we decided to begin the trek back down when the fireworks began to wane. Ah, it felt good to be out of the wind. The trail was slick, so it was slow going for a while. About a mile in, we crossed the newly paved road and decided that although it would be a touch longer, we'd take the road. With thankful knees and ankles, our pace picked up nicely.
Apparently, I was feeling a little overconfident once we hit the camp road, because one second I was walking, the next I was splayed on the ground! What?! I showed Ryan and Zoe my hands to prove I was trying fend off a bear, but for some reason they're not buying it. (Hmmmm....) We got back to camp in good time and hit the bags.
We woke to the morning sun for the best weather yet! After gobbling the rest of the rice pudding, we packed up camp and headed back out. I can't believe the things people lugged in. On our way out, we saw two guys trying to roll out a huge canopy, cooler, and other assorted stuff. They had to give up and leave most of it on the side of the road as they carried the canopy (yes it took both of them) back to their car.
Z was definitely tired and Ryan's knees were bugging him, so we voted to hike the paved road back to the parking lot. Unloading the gear, we talked about some day hike options. Lunch was on our minds, and Z was looking forward to LVB Fabulous Fry Brownies! As we drove out, the car began to act up again. Ugh! What was this? The wrath of Greylock once again?! Not wanting to tempt fate, we headed toward home. We found a nice park in Williamstown and ate lunch by a creek. I wanted to make Smokey Lentil Pate, but we ate it all on the last "trip" and I didn't have time to make it again. Z played for a while in the creek and at the playground before we drove our tired, dirty, happy bodies home.
All told, we hiked about 13 miles this weekend. My ankle fared very well, and I'm pleased! Zoe did a great job, and Ryan was a good sport, considering he took the bulk of the gear in an awful, borrowed pack. Must remedy that! We learned that most backpacking recipes make way more than we can consume...at least until we start putting in more miles.
It was the name given it on our hiking map. Intrigued, we followed a narrow, rising trail flecked with autumn, aspen leaves beneath our feet, young trees leaning across as if to guard the integrity of loneliness. At the end, we found the lake, small jewel shining in space, not obviously frequented, although there was a rickety dock and on it, a battered rowboat and dented canoe. No paddles. We sat, one in rowboat, one in canoe, the loneliness of the lake pared down to bare essentials— shore lined with thick, dark pine, intense and cloudless sky, sun flaring on water's changing surface. A hawk dipped down to startle the peace while two ducks rode the ripples unperturbed. Stunned by beauty, we reached across— boat to canoe, canoe to boat—to touch hands, our own lonely selves connecting as lightly and effortlessly as the dragonfly wing that earlier brushed against my face.
by Pierre Martory Translated from the French by John Ashbery
Under the elm for a long time I've been waiting for you, O my soul. Weeks follow each other like books Perused, my thoughts elsewhere, Full of music that's distracted too Full of a deep buzzing where words images Perceptions dwell in the jumble of memory Of which our mind is composed. And nothing comes to assert your coming No other sign than smoke. Is it you that we should have welcomed When tenderness filled our hearts? You that we should have discovered On the shores of pity or of love? I have not been taught to notice your presence Even when reveille raises the limbs Of a future happiness; even when Tired of a long day I seek Silence in the immense dark where I jettison What differentiates the sun from death. Hours accumulated, absurd riches, I am ready to give up the trees and the cities But I still hope to receive you, my soul, Laden with my own eternity. You who are me, who resembles nobody, You that I must give back some day to who knows who.
rating: 3 of 5 stars Finished this last night. Each chapter is its own flavor, some appealing to me more than others. Overall, a good, interesting read about one of life's tastiest morsels!
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