It Starts

It’s day three of our trip and it has been of pure epic-ness so far. On day one we arrived and gathered intel for the proper trail to take. We found tucks to be closed due to seasonal conditions, huntsman was out of the question because the rain made it to dangerous. So on day two we took the Bootspur Trail up with the intention of hitting the tree line and heading back down to summit Lionshead the following day. About a quarter mile into the hike we crossed paths with a bat which freaked us all out a little bit because it wasn’t even midday yet. It flew around one small spot in the middle of the trail swooping back and forth, we weren’t sure what to think of it.
We ended up summiting it that day because we’re lazy son of a guns and didn’t feel like doing the elevation again the next day.  It was commiserating. It took us approximately six hours to go about five miles and four hours to get back down. Last mile and a half I was starting to get a headache. And though we all enjoy hiking we’d been wondering for quite a while why it was we hiked. Ethan kept blabbering about turning around because of the cloud that hovered over the summit. We considered it but since rain never came we pushed on. By the base of the summit we drank some refreshing spring water which was pretty cool.
We then pushed the last half mile to the summit. It was a bit like that scary movie “The Village”, We couldn’t see anything fifteen feet away. It was interesting to say the least… Though it killed the view we would’ve had. But it was an experience in itself, things never go perfectly for us anyway and a cloud ruining the view would definitely not be considered a problem compared to some of our trip spoilers. Reaching the summit felt great, but it felt absolutely amazing to pull out the dosomething.org banner and know that with this trip we’re helping a great cause.
On the way down we came to a cliff face. At which point I asked Ethan Your camera ready? To which he said Yes. So I proceeded to pushing him off Lionshead into Tuckerman’s Ravine. . .  Just Kidding, I haven’t made any money off his great ideas yet. Plus the whole overt moral compass made me feel bad just thinking about it. I’ll have to settle for hiring a thug after he gives me a million dollar idea or something.
The rest of the hike was a bit annoying, there was quite a bit of ice on the trail making us walk along the edge for about an hour. Jamie managed to lose his monopod at the bench at the entrance of the trail as we hastily went out to celebrate our success on the trail. We were all starving after that hike. The next morning we woke early to break camp and head out. As Jamie was finishing rolling the tent a moose walked right behind our campsite. Surprised us all, what are the chances. We got tons of pictures and a bit of video for the blog.
The hike was great though I’m not sure the amount of hiking is quite worth the view but I’m not much of a judge of that, hardly anything impresses me. Though there were a few spots that made it worth it. With the addition of the moose siting this trip was easily the most epic New Hampshire trip we’ve ever taken.

- The Ramblin' Gamblin' Monk

A Walk in the Woods (Never an ordinary day)

The directions were quite simple “Walk over bridge and follow river”. At first that was fine, a trail followed closely along the river for about half a mile. But to my displeasure the trail started to part from the river. I’d never taken this route and had no interest in getting lost out in the middle of the back woods of South Glastonbury so I decided I’d continue to follow the river, as I was directed. They couldnt be to much further I figured...

After a short bit the woods just to the side of the river became very much slanted. I slid down part of it, for various reasons, easier, I’m lazy and less risk of me slipping and getting knocked unconscious from the fall. Now normally this wouldn’t be so bad except it’s all covered in a thick layer of ice and was stuck on a slant which was ridiculously slippery.

And so at that point I decided to start cursing the person who gave me the directions. Now you may be thinking “Well, why didn’t you just slide the rest of the way down the slope?”. That would have been nice and easy and had someone bet me money I probably would have done it. But the problem with that is that the slope slants mostly towards the river, and only slightly towards upriver... Falling in, in this season wouldn’t bode well for my fashion, blue is just not a good look for me.(My friend helped me edit and suggested blue and dead instead. But I think blue and dead would actually be a decent looking fashion.) So I carefully made my way upriver, kicking my foot into the thick ice many times to create a foot-hole every few steps. I fell a few times; a nick here and there, and managed to have my left foot fall through some snow into a small creek and get soaked along the way. Just as it’s taking forever, I came upon a huge rock jutting out of the side of the hill and I was like phooey now I have to go around this darn thing. (Thats not quite what I thought but I’m working on cleaning up my language so use your imagination if you prefer)

As I’m looking up it I see a figure at the top and think, who’s this douche bag? And then I realize I’ve reached the cliff, and that it is my team leader, Ethan (I’ve got spot on instincts). He gives me a shout, glad to see I’ve finally made it out to do the shot.  I’m informed the trail would have lead me directly to this rock and they inquire why I didn’t follow the trail... I explain my instructions were to follow the river not the trail... I climb up to find that my other team member, Jamie Wilcox-Smith is across the river. The river has gotten significantly louder since Ethan scouted it out a week earlier and we could not complete the shot from that distance. So it is decided that we should tie ropes for a river crossing. I think its ridiculous, but as you come to know my team leader, you’ll find that any idea that comes out of him is ridiculous. Though every now and then an idea he comes up with is ridiculously and brilliant at the same time. Another thing you should know now is that I am a fool. If there’s good clean fun to be had, I’m along for the ride even if the idea would make most people look at you and wonder if you were senseless, like the time we spent two weeks kayaking the CT river and a swan tried to kill me, or when I decided to rappel down a frozen waterfall without a harness. But those are stories for another time.

I initially suggest just having him walk to the nearest crossing point, about half a mile down. They say it would take to long, which is obviously wrong, it would’ve probably taken an hour to carry all the gear around, which I point out. Ethan then remarks that it would be good content for the page, It’s ridiculous but that is the price of having a creative genius for a team leader.

Original plan foiled, class skipped, and not all that much content added. But I did get to watch my friend cross a twenty foot gap over freezing cold flowing water. That was pretty cool. Well that and I found I need to get in better shape before this trip. But such is the way of Sneaky Bear adventures. A bit off the mark but quite amusing.

- The Ramblin' Gamblin' Monk

Live Over The Edge

I looked out over the edge, I leaned out, and took one breath to calm my nerves, just

enough, to take the final step, and fall… fear tore my thoughts to pieces, then nothing. My sight
came back in tunnel vision and everything seemed too unimportant to think about as I
hung from a rope, parallel to the ground, facing my potential demise. The fear of death sent adrenaline surging through my veins. Which made every cell in my body resist movement, my limbs to tremble and become unstable as my eyes finally took in everything I’d just done. Each step, slow, deliberate, and possibly my last.  

All of a sudden Ethan shouted hold on... my cameras memory is full.

I cursed his name under my breath politely waiting for the pain in the butt, son of a gun to take the picture so I could be done. Stillness provided a slight sense of security, taken back from me as I continued to the end.

As I reached the ground joy filled my body, imparting a slightly enhanced sense of my surroundings, and the only thought in my head was the happiness of living. And so for a short time, I was at peace, no hatred, no loathing, no pain, no worries, not a negative vibe in my soul to hang over my head and drag me down. In that moment I was alive, and every second lasted an age, as I felt the invincibility of youth, and for a brief moment immortality.

 One of these days I’m going to push the chief-bad-idea-haver off a cliff, hopefully he’ll have his camera ready, I’ve heard gravity waits for no man.

-The Ramblin' Gamblin' Monk

The First great hurdle of any story, Crossing a challenging boundary

The directions were quite simple “Walk over bridge and follow river”. At first that was fine, a trail followed closely along the river for about half a mile. But to my displeasure the trail started to part from the river. I’d never taken this route and had no interest in getting lost out in the middle of the back woods of South Glastonbury so I decided I’d continue to follow the river, as I was directed. They couldn't be to much further I figured...

After a short bit the woods just to the side of the river became very much slanted. I slid down part of it, for various reasons, easier, I’m lazy and less risk of me slipping and getting knocked unconscious from the fall. Now normally this wouldn’t be so bad except it’s all covered in a thick layer of ice and was stuck on a slant which was ridiculously slippery.

And so at that point I decided to start cursing the person who gave me the directions. Now you may be thinking “Well, why didn’t you just slide the rest of the way down the slope?”. That would have been nice and easy and had someone bet me money I probably would have done it. But the problem with that is that the slope slants mostly towards the river, and only slightly towards upriver... Falling in, in this season wouldn’t bode well for my fashion, blue is just not a good look for me.(My friend helped me edit and suggested blue and dead instead. But I think blue and dead would actually be a decent looking fashion.) So I carefully made my way upriver, kicking my foot into the thick ice many times to create a foot-hole every few steps. I fell a few times; a nick here and there, and managed to have my left foot fall through some snow into a small creek and get soaked along the way. Just as it’s taking forever, I came upon a huge rock jutting out of the side of the hill and I was like phooey now I have to go around this darn thing. (Thats not quite what I thought but I’m working on cleaning up my language so use your imagination if you prefer)

As I’m looking up it I see a figure at the top and think, who’s this douche bag?. And then I realize I’ve reached the cliff, and that it is my team leader, Ethan (I’ve got spot on instincts). He gives me a shout, glad to see I’ve finally made it out to do the shot.  I’m informed the trail would have lead me directly to this rock and they inquire why I didn’t follow the trail... I explain my instructions were to follow the river not the trail... I climb up to find that my other team member, Jamie Wilcox-Smith is across the river. The river has gotten significantly louder since Ethan scouted it out a week earlier and we could not complete the shot from that distance. So it is decided that we should tie ropes for a river crossing. I think its ridiculous, but as you come to know my team leader, you’ll find that any idea that comes out of him is ridiculous. Though every now and then an idea he comes up with is ridiculously good at the same time. Another thing you should know now is that I am a fool. If there’s good clean fun to be had, I’m along for the ride even if the idea would make most people look at you and wonder if you were senseless, like the time we spent two weeks kayaking the CT river and a swan tried to kill me, or when I decided to rappel down a frozen waterfall without a harness. But those are stories for another time.

I initially suggest just having him walk to the nearest crossing point, about half a mile down. They say it would take to long, which is obviously wrong, it would’ve probably taken an hour to carry all the gear around, which I point out. Ethan then remarks that it would be good content for the page, It’s ridiculous but that is the price of having a creative genius for a team leader.
Original plan foiled, class skipped, and not all that much content added. But I did get to watch my friend cross a fifty foot gap over freezing cold flowing water. That was pretty cool. Well that and I found I need to get in better shape before this trip. But such is the way of Sneaky Bear adventures. A bit off the mark but quite amusing.

- The Ramblin' Gamblin' Monk