Since the thread about 2008 is closed, I will report here.
My wife and I hiked 10 4000 footers together after we met back in the late 1970's. She had no experience with this type of hiking and I had little. We had some great times together. Life went on and I used my equipment on family camping trips and casual hikes when on vacation.
None of my kids had (have) any interest in taking a walk up a 4000 footer .I am working on that since the girls and I have a "Father/Daughter camping weekend (a family continuation of the Girl Scout event) every summer- an event I cherish since they are all 20 somethings and I know at some point they will be off to who knows where, living their lives. When planning this event in 2006, one of my daughters ( the one I would least expect it from), suggested a hike overlooking Campden Bay. Well, it rekindled my interest.
Last year, 2007, my wife and I hiked some easy to moderate trails on vacation. On one hike we planned as a casual walk, after a few hours of saying " We'll walk just an half hour more", we found ourselves on the summit of Mt. Killington. Not bad for a couple of 58 year olds who had been away for awhile. Bad weather on the next vacation put an end to that year.
Early in the season this past year, we began short to moderate hikes suggested by the AMC "Best Day Hikes in the White Mountains". Although we were encouraged by our Doctor to go ahead, we felt we should build ourselves up slowly- what was "foot to the floor" in 1976 wasn't gonna happen in 2008! Also, there were long periods of inactivity between hiking oppurtunities. In September and October we hiked Tom, Hale, and Jackson. For some, these are easy hikes; for us they were an accomplishment as a Team.
One facet of our outlook hasn't changed: we took our time and enjoyed the experience way back then, and we do the same now. I remember Harry Roberts writing in one of his books that the idea was not to rough it but to smooth it; we rough it enough in our daily lives. Everyone hikes their own hike. Rediscovering our hike has been wonderful.
My wife and I hiked 10 4000 footers together after we met back in the late 1970's. She had no experience with this type of hiking and I had little. We had some great times together. Life went on and I used my equipment on family camping trips and casual hikes when on vacation.
None of my kids had (have) any interest in taking a walk up a 4000 footer .I am working on that since the girls and I have a "Father/Daughter camping weekend (a family continuation of the Girl Scout event) every summer- an event I cherish since they are all 20 somethings and I know at some point they will be off to who knows where, living their lives. When planning this event in 2006, one of my daughters ( the one I would least expect it from), suggested a hike overlooking Campden Bay. Well, it rekindled my interest.
Last year, 2007, my wife and I hiked some easy to moderate trails on vacation. On one hike we planned as a casual walk, after a few hours of saying " We'll walk just an half hour more", we found ourselves on the summit of Mt. Killington. Not bad for a couple of 58 year olds who had been away for awhile. Bad weather on the next vacation put an end to that year.
Early in the season this past year, we began short to moderate hikes suggested by the AMC "Best Day Hikes in the White Mountains". Although we were encouraged by our Doctor to go ahead, we felt we should build ourselves up slowly- what was "foot to the floor" in 1976 wasn't gonna happen in 2008! Also, there were long periods of inactivity between hiking oppurtunities. In September and October we hiked Tom, Hale, and Jackson. For some, these are easy hikes; for us they were an accomplishment as a Team.
One facet of our outlook hasn't changed: we took our time and enjoyed the experience way back then, and we do the same now. I remember Harry Roberts writing in one of his books that the idea was not to rough it but to smooth it; we rough it enough in our daily lives. Everyone hikes their own hike. Rediscovering our hike has been wonderful.
