It's on the list!!

Everywhere you look, there is a list. There's a grocery list, David Letterman's Top 10 list, The A List, Most Wanted List, Billboard's Top 100 and even list of lists. Hiking is no different. If there is a peak, hill, crag, ridge, lodge, a fire tower, someone has placed it on a list.

When it comes to hiking, I love lists. I tend to get easily distracted, so a list definitely helps me stay on track and focused. I'm currently working on the 52 With A View List. This is a list of 52 mountains in New Hampshire, all under 4000 feet, each with a view. (http://www.nhmountainhiking.com/hike/lists/52view.html). These little gems are often overlooked because they are not the big mountains New Hampshire is known for.

On Saturday I decided to hike Mt Hibbard. Why? Because it's on the list of course. This is #27 for me, and I couldn't have picked a better day to hike. It was one of those days where it seems Mother Nature and the Mountain gods conspired together just to give me a great day. The sky was a cloudless, bluebird color, the sun bright and true and the temperature to start was 43 degrees. I could not have asked for better conditions.

One of things that I like most about hiking the 52 With A View list is that they tend be where the tourist hikers are not. For those of you who don't know, a tourist hiker is one that only travels the Interstate and hikes those popular peaks that are easily accessible.

The mountains on this list are generally way off the beaten path, and can be hard to find. One of the benefits of this is that I have been afforded the pleasure of seeing many of New Hampshire's small towns and hamlets, places most residents, never mind tourist, hardly ever see. I have driven my Volvo S60 on roads and cow paths such as the engineers at Volvo never dreamed of!!! Admittedly, I would have bought something different if I had known I would fall in love with hiking.

The remoteness of these peaks ensures that the trails are less crowded, even empty at times. While I enjoy my small circle of hiking friends, I also enjoy solo hiking. For me, going into the wilderness and hiking mountain summits is akin to practicing religion. The mountain peaks, streams, valleys and wild places are my cathedral.

While I hike, I also like to stop and inspect interesting things along the way such as moss covered trees, toads and slugs and photograph everything I see. Getting to the Summit is only part of the allure of hiking for me. Immersing myself in all that I see along the trail is also fun. Sometimes, I have just as much pleasure from watching a cascading mountain stream as I do from a spectacular view on a summit.

 

On this hike, I had the entire mountain to myself and never once saw another soul until I was on the last mile of the hike, heading back to my car. That is how I describe a perfect hike! There is something so relaxing, even Zen like, from sitting quietly in perfect solitude on a mountain summit. The hike was 6.2 miles and include 3 summits: Mt Wonalancet, Hibbard Mt, and Wonalancet-Hedgehog. A great day for sure.

 Here is a video from the hike.

Normally I begin planning my next hike almost as soon as I get home from the previous one. I have no need to do that for next weekend, since I was lucky to be one of the chosen few to attend the first ever Following Atticus Gratitude Hike.

If you don't know who Atticus is, his full name is Atticus M. Finch. He is an amazing little dog, who has achieved a measure of celebrity from appearing in a book written by his human friend, Tom Ryan. The book is called Following Atticus.

I highly recommend you read this wonderful story about friendship on the trail between a man and a dog. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting them both at a book signing in Concord, NH.

As a show of appreciation for all his fans, Tom decided that he and Atticus would lead a hike consisting of some lucky fans. Over 20 of us were picked.

The amazing part is that Tom & Atticus, for the most part are solo hikers, and generally keep to themselves. They are really going out of their comfort zone with this idea. This is something I share with them, since all of my hikes are either solo or with a very select few.

A private Facebook page was created for the group, and we have all been sharing bits and pieces of our lives and getting to know each other a little better. There are people from all over the country coming to this hike, some with hiking experience and others who have never hiked before. There are some who have never even seen New Hampshire before. They are in for a treat, as Mother Nature will have painted the trees in a riot of color just in time for their arrival.

I look forward to finally meeting them all on the hike. I will write about this adventure when it is done. If you would like to follow along, I invite you to "Like" the Following Atticus Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/FollowingAtticusBook

Happy trails, and as Tom Ryan says "Onward, by all means!!"

A Christmas Story...

Okay, I know it is not even Winter yet, never mind it being the Christmas Season. I just decided I couldn't wait to share this true Christmas story with you. This really happened to me!!!

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a young man (we’ll call him Jack) who got hired at Chubb Securities in Concord, NH.

Now Jack was a quiet sort (at least until he got to know you). Being somewhat shy, he never liked to draw attention to himself. Jack was also very proud to work at Chubb as a Securities Trader, dealing in selling stocks and bonds and mutual funds. He saw this job as a conduit to a long and fruitful career in the Financial Services industry.

Well, in early December of his first year of employment, Jack’s company held their annual Christmas Party at a local restaurant and bar. The same place they always held it year after year. The hall was decorated quite nicely with poinsettias, fake snow and other Christmas accompaniments. Christmas music played softly from the speakers. The crown jewel of the decorations was a beautiful artificial Christmas tree decorated magnificently with lights, glass ornaments, tinsel and red bows.

As is typically done at many Christmas parties, the alcohol was freely flowing. However, since Jack didn’t really know anyone too well yet, and the fact that this was his first Christmas party at Chubb, he slowly nursed a beer quietly in the corner, just watching all the shenanigans playing out before him.

One of the traditions at Chubb parties was to play silly games and win prizes, such as gift certificates to local restaurants and bottles of booze. As the night wore on, the games got louder and crazier. Finally, a game sort of like Let’s Make A Deal was started. The MC shouted out “The first person to bring me a comb will win a prize.” Employees scrambled to find a comb until someone ran up to claim the prize. “A movie stub will get you the next prize.” and so on. Everyone was having fun enjoying and laughing at the general mayhem that was occurring. All the while, Jack sat, quietly amused, sipping his only beer of the night.

The MC yelled, “The first one to bring me a Christmas Bow will win the next prize!!” The employees frantically searched through pockets and purses and presents for a Christmas Bow. No one was having any luck at all. In the mean time, Jack could not believe that these idiots didn’t see that beautiful tree covered with 50 red Christmas Bows!!!

Finally, having enough of their stupidity, Jack raced across the dance floor to the tree, grabbing a red bow. He turned to run back to the MC to claim his prize. Suddenly, from behind him, he heard this terrible crashing sound. Jack noticed the room had gone deathly silent. Slowly he turned and the blood drained from his face, while his heart desperately worked to rip itself from his chest! There, behind him, like the wreckage of a car crash, was the tree! The bows had been wired to the try to keep them from falling off.

Jack looked at his hand and there was the red bow. However, attached to the red bow was the top of the tree. Attached to that was the Christmas lights. Attached to the lights, 30 feet away, was the bottom of the tree surrounded by broken ornaments and scattered tinsel! For someone who did not want to bring attention to himself, Jack had certainly failed. He sheepishly unwound the wire from the tree and presented the bow to the MC and received his prize.

To this day, nearly 18 years later, this story is still told at the company Christmas party. Although this incident didn’t ruin his career, Jack was sentenced to serve on the Recreation Committee indefinitely and each year that they went back to the restaurant, the bar tender would always ask Jack “Are you going to destroy my tree again this year?”

The moral of this true story is “If you wish to remain quietly incognito, don’t play in any of the Reindeer games!!! Merry Christmas and protect your trees!!!

Butterflys Are Free To Fly...

I have to relate a very interesting, and for me, heart warming experience I had on Mt Hedgehog earlier this year. As many of you know, the trail on the backside can be difficult to follow at times. For this story you should also know that my mother, who passed away in November of last year, was very fond of butterflies.

In heading down the mountain, I got confused and headed off trail on three separate occasions. After the first time, this incredible feeling of love and safety overwhelmed me. It felt how I remember when I was little and frightened and being held by my mother. Right at that point, a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly started flying around my head, as if trying to get my attention. It circled me for about a minute and then flew off in a particular direction. I asked it if it were my mom come back to help me but she didn't answer me.  

Well, since I was off trail, I decided to follow this butterfly and wouldn't you know it, it led me right back to the trail. It flew around me several more times and then flew off on its way again. I thanked the butterfly for her assistance and continued on.

Well, I got off track two other times on this hike. Each time, I found a butterfly flying around me and it led me back to the trail. After the third time, I began thinking that someone was looking out for me.

When my mom passed, everyone told me she would give me a sign. Every day I since her death, I have looked for that. Each day I never saw a sign, I felt cheated, even though I didn't really believe in that. Was this butterfly my mom come back to lead me to safety? I don't know, but having it happen three times was a bit emotional for me. The best part was even at the end of the hike, as I was removing my boots, a butterfly came over, flew around my car several times as if to make sure I was safe and then flew away.

With my mom's death merely 6 months before this hike, this was such an emotional experience that I had to sit in the car for 10 minutes just to get my composure back. I will NEVER look at butterflies in the same way again!

  

Short video of my hike

A leap of faith...

How did I come to jump out of a perfectly good airplane you might ask? It's simple...sometimes I don't think things through! I have always had an adventurous spirit, which seems to have grown with age! Most of my friends seem to think I am insane..my family is sure of it!

It actually started quite innocently. The night before my jump, I was checking emails and saw one from Groupon. It was a big discount on a tandem skydive. (For those of you who don't know, a tandem skydive has you strapped to an experienced skydiver.) I had always wanted to try this and booked it for the following morning so I would not have time to reconsider. Even though I had a house full of friends that evening, I told no one, not even my family.

The next morning I made excuses for leaving the house early and headed to Maine. The day was cold, with full sunshine and blue bird sky! I barely thought of what I was headed to do as I drove the 1 1/2 hours to the drop zone. As I pulled into the road leading to the office, I saw a sign that said "Welcome to your new addiction!". The excitement and apprehension started to build as I proceeded to drive to the office.

After I checked in and paid the fee for jumping, I was shown to a room with a TV. One of the employees sat down with me and went over everything that was going to happen. We discussed the photographer I hired (of course I needed to capture this for posterity) and what he would be doing to capture the moment. When she was done with her spiel, she had me fill out what seemed like an inordinate amount of releases and waivers should anything unforeseen happen. Then it was time to watch the "Safety Briefing" on video. This amounted to a 1/2 hour of all the things that can go wrong...perhaps there was more to it, however, that is all my brain registered at the time. With heart rate sufficiently elevated, I went to tell them I was done.

I was told that my jump was on hold due to high winds aloft. This did nothing to alleviate my nervousness. I was instructed to stay in the area but to "relax" until they came to get me for the flight. I can tell you relaxation was hard to come by. With the unknown of the skydive and the weather delay, my nervousness started to increase exponentially! It was then that I remembered my yoga breathing. I went and found a quiet place and sat on the ground in the sunshine. I crossed my legs and closed my eyes and did some deep breathing exercises and was able to calm myself sufficiently to the point that wasn't going to throw up or pee myself with fear.

Then I heard my name over the loudspeaker. I made my way to the hanger where I met Scott, my skydive instructor and Tony, my photographer/videographer. Scott took me to the equipment room and found me a Jumpsuit that fit, gave me goggles to wear, and fit me for a jump harness. To say my adrenaline was already pumping would be an understatement. This was real and was happening now!!

We made our way to the transport vehicle that would drive us out to the airplane on the tarmac. There were 6 individual skydivers, along with me, Scott and Tony. When we arrived at the airplane, we went in first because we were scheduled to be the last one out. The plane began it's take off roll, slowly at first, but quickly gaining speed until the aircraft seemed to leap into the sky, as if eager to fly!

With the weight of all the skydivers, and the fact that it wasn't that  big of a plane, it seemed to take some time to get to altitude. Slowly the little planed climbed until we reached the jump altitude of 14,500 feet. The pilot did some clearing turns to ensure no other aircraft were in the vicinity. Then the green light came on, indicating it was time to jump.

The individual skydivers all gathered close to the door, while one of them opened it. There was a strong, cold wind that whipped through the cabin, and I could barely hear the other passengers over the howl of the wind. It was the morning of May 1st in Maine and the outside temperature at 14,500 feet is a brisk -15 degrees, yet I could feel none of that. The adrenaline in my system had completely taken over my sense of reason. I was totally committed to this jump, although admittedly, I was still quite nervous...

Suddenly, the other skydivers were all gone....and I was left staring at empty sky and the ground which is 14,500 feet below me.

I could see the skydivers as they quickly fall away, until they were no more than little specks in the distance. Then it was my turn. I was  strapped together with Scott, who continually assured me that this will be "Off the hook excitement". With a push, we fell backwards out the door along with Tony and I could see the plane I was until recently, safely in, flying away!!!

My first reaction was one of fascination as watched the pilot of my airplane, with very little regard for me, fly away. While I can't speak for others who have done this, I felt no fear at that point. I realized that there was no going back and I was, as they say, "all in".

As we began to plummet to the waiting arms of Mother Earth, I experienced absolutely no sense of falling or speed, although we quickly reached terminal velocity of about 130 mph. The only sound I could hear was the sound of the wind rushing by my ears.

Soon after exiting the aircraft, Tony seemed to materialize as if out of nowhere, taking photos and videos, all the while giving me the "thumbs up"!!

With only a sense of floating, I began to take in my view. It was stunning!  To the North I could see my beloved White Mountains in the distance, and to the East, the ocean coastline.

I was ecstatic!  The experience truly was "off the hook" as Scott had said. I was so happy and excited that I couldn't stop grinning.

Faster and faster we fell, yet I did not notice. I was enjoying a sight that relatively few have experienced. My excitement increased with each passing second. I was amazed at how much maneuverability we had with just the smallest movements of Scott's hands. All the while, Tony was still photographing and videoing my adventure.

All too soon it seemed, we reached 5000 feet, the free fall was over and we opened our parachute. I will readily admit that I was thrilled to death to see it billowing full above us. When you skydive, from the moment you leave the safety of the aircraft, you are dead unless the chute opens properly! Today, it did open and we cheated a certain death! Yes, that is actually what I thought at that moment!!

As we gently floated suspended from the parachute, Scott pointed out what looked like a small line scratched on the ground. It was the runway, which looked quite long from the down below. We continued to gently float, coming to a very gentle landing. I could not stop grinning and the adrenaline running through my veins surely produced a high more powerful than any drug! I immediately wanted to go right back up, but could not afford another jump. I loved it so much that I did end up going twice more that Summer, with one jump from 21,000 feet! Blue sky to you all!

Here is the video of the jump if you want to see what it was really like!