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
