Cheating

When I am in the mountains I like to sleep outside. I usually sleep on the porch at the family cabin, but when it is occupied I have taken to sleeping in a cot near the campfire.

This works quite well, except on the nights we have campfires. Then the drunken boys hang out there until the wee hours of the morning playing with fire. Then they spend 38 minutes asking me if I’m sure I don’t need any more wood for the night.

All I really want is for them to go to bed. And I’m very tempted to point out to them that I did just fine last night, with no fire at all!

But it probably wouldn’t sink in. They’re drunk, after all.

Today’s Exploit:

While in the mountains I went for a hike to the almost top of Kennedy Peak. I went with most of the other kids. (The definition of Kid, in this case, means under 50, Ok, ok. Probably 35)

Anyway, the kids asked the adults how far the trip from the cabin to Kennedy Peak would be.

Parents: Probably .75 miles from the bridge to the turnoff, then another 3 to the peak. It’s about a 5 mile trip from here.

Kids: We’ll drive to the turnoff and hike from there.

Parents: Ok, we’ll see you later.

So the kids drive off into the sunset.

It was more along the lines of 3 miles from the bridge to the turnoff, and the sign said another 6 to the peak. So we decided to drive a bit further. No one thought to look at the odometer. So we stopped when we guessed we’d gone 3 miles. Eric parked the truck, we all piled out and strapped water to Brian’s pack and headed off toward the peak.

A good long while later Larry cruised buy on a four wheeler. He went to the peak and on the way back tracked the mileage. We had 2.9 miles to go. Then he went back to the truck to see how far we’d come. He came back and announced that the truck was 3.7 miles from the peak.

Everyone was a bit disgruntled about that. We’d been walking for hours! Ok, maybe 38 minutes.

After a few more dust showers as Larry drove by showing off, or playing, he told us we could cut off about half a mile by getting off the road and climbing straight up the mountain. So we did. We cheated. We blithely struck off into the little bit of scrub clinging to the side of the mountain thinking we’d make it to the top in no time flat.

Eric and Lindsay and Brian had no problem jumping up the hill like Billy goats. Elissa and I have been residing at lower elevations, and had a bit more trouble.

And then came the wind.

Over the course of about 10 steps the wind felt as though it had tripled in ferocity. At that point I wanted to put my sweatshirt on, but was afraid to untie it from my waist. I thought I’d never see it again. The wind would take it to Timbuktu before I even registered it was no longer in my grasp.

I also was afraid of moving too quickly, less the wind grab me and through me down the steep mountain we’d just climbed. I’d probably end up in Timbuktu as well.

We decided that the wind was too much, and didn’t make it to the top of the peak, and didn’t get to see the fire lookout. But we did make it back to the road without anyone flying away. So we thought it was a successful trip.

PS Dad: Tonight you should make Beer-braised Beef with Onions.