Lorrie, liberated from her subservient role as perpetual co-leader, led today’s hike, like Nike, the Greek mythology Goddess of speed, strength, and victory, as she led a spirited journey past ancient locks and contemporary archaeological excavations. And what was the reward for our arduous endeavor? A refreshing shower of mist provided by the effervescent fountain. Lest we not forget the cordial fellowship of our journey together.
Fret not! When I indicate mileage for a hike, it will be spot on. Today’s Long Lake 11-mile lollypop hike ended up being precisely 10.98 miles. Despite four distance hikers coming out today, Wesley decided to cut his teeth with his first club hike. Will he be back? If Paul’s vetting didn’t scare him off … probably.
Unfortunately, due to COVID, we couldn’t enjoy the after hike party and refreshing cold water immersion therapy of Pleasant Lake. Instead, Paul had to settle for a back flip in the mud. Banged up, bleeding profusely from his knee and arm, and refusing help from Carolyn, Paul kept trekking on to Long Lake for lunch. Thank God, the return was uneventful with the occasional annoying deer fly. Onto the next adventure.
Words you never want to hear on a hike “there’s a bear over there.” My first inclination was to run, I figured I could hopefully limp away faster than some of the other Tramps. Upon further inspection it was a petrified Smokey the Bear. That was the excitement. Other than that it was a leisurely 6-mile stroll under a canopy of deciduous greenery, along a staid lake under perfect weather conditions.The company wasn’t bad either.
JBL Weekend took place on July 19-21, 2024. It should be noted that Lisa arrived at the meeting location promptly at 6:45 am. And so, the race to parking spaces became our first feat to accomplish. With almost military precision, hikers jumped out of cars, backpacks were tossed to the side, and most vehicles were moved to Marcy Field. In all, 21 hearty hopeful high peakers gathered at the loj full of anticipation and still smelling pretty good! The weather for the weekend was 70s and clear with no rain through the end of the weekend – could there be anything better at the end?? And yet, there is a even better ending so grab your Cliff bars and read on. A small group headed to Big Slide on Friday afternoon and were graced with an unbelievable view of Mt Marcy which just happened to be the goal for tomorrow. Dinner was enjoyed by all but especially by Amanda and Tom who were heard to comment “good to the last drop of homemade ice cream”. Soon, it was time to chatter about hike plans and game playing and then to find a bunk away from a friend that snores. Saturday morning, excited and trepidatious groups left the loj for Marcy, Gray, Skylight, Basin, Saddleback, Haystack, Big Slide, and Yard with plans to be back by dinner at 6:30.
When the dinner bell rang, our gang gathered to share stories and break garlic bread minus four. Jiao and David (who were celebrating 38 years of marriage) were still on their way from Marcy and Skylight. Sue and Carol were somewhere between Skylight and the Loj. Jiao and David arrived safely around 8:30 pm, having passed Sue and Carol on Skylight. That left Sue and Carol who had not expected to be back until 9 pm but now seemed unlikely. Another evening began with hike stories (current and historical), games of chance, and sitting outside on the deck. New JBLers (Welcome Denice. Peter, Kevin, and Phil) became enticed and infused with the passion of experienced JBLers.
As the evening turned to darkness, the moon began to rise over the tall trees which nearly mask the peaks. It was full and as bright as the sun but with a whitest glow. A few of us watched for headlamps to signal the arrival of our last two friends, Sue and Carol. Instead the minutes turned into hours. There was no more waiting by 11:30 pm when the rangers were called. Information was shared and soon Ranger Wyatt was on the trail to locate our friends. It was with great relief that the ranger radioed with good news! About 2:30 am, we celebrated Sue and Carol’s return and Carol’s accomplishment of 46 peaks!!
Saturday, the group embarked on the Wakely Brook Overview hike, a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns that made for an unforgettable experience.
As we gathered at the sign in location, the anticipation in the air was palpable. However, our excitement was momentarily tempered when Lisa, notorious for arriving late, didn’t disappoint. Her late arrival caused a brief delay in our departure. Her excuse, “I forgot my poles”. Nevertheless, we set off determined to make the most of the day. Rte. 8 was fraught with deer, turkey and a mac truck that was all over the road. My guess was, the guy was under the influence of something. Paul, in a moment of bravado and unannounced to us, gunned it and actually passed him. You could see his MPG dropping to about 35.
We made a brief stop in Speculator, not for shopping, but for donuts. That’s where we had a close call; we almost lost one Tramp before we even started hiking. Darlene mistakenly tried to get into someone else’s car and may have never been seen again. Thankfully, we didn’t have to issue an Amber Alert.
We did make it to the trail head with no further incidents. Despite the minor mishaps, we got moving, braving the scorching sun that led to a case of heat stroke. The relentless buzzing of black and horseflies added an extra layer of challenge, but we persevered, determined to reach our destination. A wardrobe mishap was quickly addressed with all the women helping Paul get his pants on. A deliberate yet effective attempt at attention.
After traversing about 5 miles, the effort was rewarded as four of the group successfully reached the top, enjoying the breathtaking views, so I was told. Upon their descent, Bill woke up from his nap enquiring about the group and where they were. We did hear them, but they appeared to be getting further away. Instead of trying my Emergency SOS, I decided to go looking for them. Whistling got them going in the right direction. All Good. The sense of accomplishment and camaraderie among us was truly unparalleled, making every step of the journey worthwhile.
I changed the hike to an earlier time hoping that no one would show and I could enjoy my Saturday in peace. However to my dismay a plethora of Tramps appeared out of the blue necessitating my involvement in this group ramble. Not being at the trail site for a fair number of years and only in the winter time there was no groomed trail to follow, it was as if I was in never-never land. Persevering, only minor bushwhacks were necessary and no souls were lost. Peter sold some on the idea that draping your head with leaves would deter the insects. I don’t know if it worked or not but some really relished the opportunity to be one with nature.
Interesting bike ride, first of all, had a bike malfunction, rear derailleur broke. Then two 195-foot barges and a tug carrying a 266-foot pedestrian bridge making its way to Buffalo down the Erie Canal after a trek from Italy. It is the new Ralph Wilson Park Bridge that will cross Interstate 190. Once installed, the bridge will connect the Lower West Side of Buffalo to the newly-renovated park. This is the most cost-effective way to transport the infrastructure. Crews are using a tug-and-barge system to get the bridge across 34 locks. Tight turns will require a tricky single-tow maneuver, while the rest of the trip will need a four-person tandem-tow, all while navigating clearance hazards and low water depths. Got the data on the bridge from the internet, Mary Pat provided some of the photos and the crew was serenaded by our lovely Tramps with a rendition of one of the classical Erie Canal songs. Thanks to Dave for an interesting 25-mile bike.
How hot was it today? Freaking hot. It was so hot the horse flies didn’t bother us, they were by the creek enjoying the cool water, drinking what they drink and just horsing around. Meanwhile seventeen avid masochists endured 5 miles of sweat-induced trails even going down to the falls and up, up and back up. Someone with the initials PF, as in the sneakers, jumped the barricade and proceeded down to the creek. Thanks to the Foggs for an enjoyable outing.
