Ever since last September when we completed the Outdoor Leadership Training offered through Youth Opportunities Program of the Appalachian Mountain Club, my friend, Lisa, and I have envisioned the possibility of a New England trip for some of the kids she mentors through ”Pathfinders” (a self-named club). After months of planning and fund-raising, it finally happened over the past 9 days. We returned to Des Moines from Boston yesterday, with four very excited and exhausted kids. Lisa and I were pleasantly relieved to hand the kids over to their own families and to sleep in our own beds last night without the heavy-duty “parenting” responsibilites we had taken on during this trip. We are both very thankful that we didn’t lose any kids, and that no-one got seriously hurt while we were responsible for them. Looking back, both of these things are major accomplishments!
On Friday, August 6th, Lisa and I drove from Des Moines to Kansas City (3 hours) with Prince (then 14), Uriah (12), Aaron (11) and Teri (11). In Kansas City, where flights are much cheaper than they are from Des Moines, the six of us boarded an airplane for Boston. This was Teri’s first very first airplane trip, and the boys’ 2nd time on an airplane since their flights from Liberia with their families 5 years ago. Prince experienced some motion sickness on the airplane, but managed not to vomit much to everyone’s relief. Upon arrival at Boston Logan Airport, we rented a van and headed to Dorchester, a 20 minute drive from downtown Boston, where we were hosted for several nights by families of Calvary Baptist Church. There was a subway station three blocks from the church, so we were able to leave our van parked at the church and take the subway into downtown Boston to do two days of “city stuff” before heading into the wilderness.
On Saturday we walked The Freedom Trail, starting at the Boston Common and ending at the USS Constitution accoss the river and 2.5 miles away from downtown Boston. Lisa had arranged for a privateer (not a pirate), a professional actor, to give us an hour of narration on portions of the Freedom Trail. The kids loved it! Our privateer was quite animated and provided rich, detailed information about Boston’s history. We learned alot about the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and saw the graves of some very famous people like Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
It was a new twist for me to experience downtown Boston in non-marathon mode. When we walked through Boston Common, I saw hundreds of pre-dawn 2003 and 2006 Boston marathoners scrambling through the park, coffee in hand, for the buses lined up on Tremain Street. When we walked a block or so on Boylston Street, I saw and felt the rush and triumph of the Boston Marathon finish line. When we walked by Feneuil Hall and Quincy Market, looking at various street performers, I tasted pre-race pasta suppers. All this, while taking a 9 day break from training since running shoes don’t pack light.
On Sunday AM, we worshiped at Calvary Baptist Church, and then headed by Subway, for the New England Aquarium, where we boarded our duck, a WWII amphibious vehicle, to see more of Boston by land and also by water.
It was a long but scenic walk from the Subway station to The New England Aquarium. From left to right, Prince, Teri, Aaron and Uriah are taking a break here on an empty HarborWalk bench.
Since we needed to travel light, each of the kids borrowed a moisture-wicking race T-shirt from me. Aaron and Uriah are wearing their Austin Marathon T-shirts here (one of the shirts is Lloyd's). They were able to convince more than one person that they actually ran the 26.2 miles! Teri took my Cinncinatti Flying Pig Marathon T-shirt along, and Prince chose a Madrid race T-shirt.
Once we boarded our duck, the driver provided an educational tour through the streets of Boston before sliding into the St. Charles River for the rest of the tour. The duck driver allowed the kids to take turns driving the duck while we were on the river.
From the St. Charles River, I could see the giant Citgo sign near Fenway Park. It was so relaxing to view this sign from the river rather than while approaching mile 24 of the Boston Marathon! Since the sign is so big, it appears closer than it looks, which makes for a long time running towards it!
Before leaving Boston on Monday AM, we stopped at the AMC office to pick up needed equipment for back-packing the rest of the week.
The Appalachian Mountain Club office, which houses the Youth Opportunities Program staff, is located in this old brick building located in the heart of downtown Boston.
Since Lisa and I had participated in the YOP Outdoor Leadership Training, the kids were able to borrow all back-packing equipment for free. It took awhile to outfit everyone for size before we headed 3 hours north for the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire.
Jake, a young man from Vermont, joined us for a few days of hiking. He and Lisa met at a Wilderness Training session this spring. When she told him about what we were planning to do, he expressed interest in joining us. He was a great addition to our team and helped a great deal with the technical aspects and group dynamics of hiking with 4 kids. We're taking a break here, on our way up to Greenleaf Hut where we spent two of the nights.
Greenleaf Hut
Greenleaf hut is located about 3 miles up the Old Bridal Trail from the parking lot where we left our van. It is one of 8 rustic huts built and operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club. Each hut has numerous bunk rooms for tired hikers to sleep, and a staff of young people who prepare a delicious breakfast and supper for all guests. There were about 25 other people staying in the hut while we were there. Some of them were AT through-hikers, and many of them were small groupings of family/friends. Very close but comfortable quarters! We had to hang our food at night to keep the mice out of our bags. I had to use lots of positive self talk in order to fall asleep!
On our second day of hiking, we hiked on the Greenleaf trail from Greenleaf hut to the summit of Mt. Lafayette, where the trail intersected with the Appalachian Trail. From there, we hiked along the ridge along the Appalachian Trail towards Mt. Garfield.
Aaron and I shared many special moments on the way up. He reminded me SOOOO much of Michael when Michael was that age!
Uriah kept us laughing all the time.
Teri was the only girl along. Somehow, she managed through all the boy antics of the trip. A very sweet kid.
Prince had his 15th birthday on Tuesday, while we were hiking up to Greenleaf hut. We celebrated his birthday a few days before at Chinatown in downtown Boston. He's wearing Lisa's YOP moisture-wicking T-shirt here.
By mid-afternoon of the second day, we had reached the summit of Mt. Lafeyette. Prince and Uriah are ecstatic here.
All the kids at the summit of Mt. Lafayette. We ate our lunch up here and enjoyed the company of many other hikers.
It was cold and windy at the top. Luckily, the sun was shining.
A very tired Uriah and Prince.
This picture of our group was taken at the summit of Mt. Lafayette by Brett, AT through-hiker, otherwise known as "True Value". We met, and talked extensively, with another AT through-hiker named "Little Engine". By the time we had finished hiking, we had trail names for eachother: Buttercup, Buff Love, Bolt, Thunder, Lolly-gag, Hot-Rock and Strawberry Shortcake.
Jake, Aaron and I on the ridge from Mt. Lafayette to Mt. Garfield, on the AT.
There were many Cairns towards the top of Mt. Lafeyette and along the ridge towards Mt. Garfield.
Some of us created a Cairn on Uriah's head while he was sleeping on the ridge at a place where we stopped to draw/write.
Much of the Greenleaf Trail and also the Appalachian Trail looked like this.
It was fun to teach the kids various back-packing skills along the way. In this picture, Lisa is showing Uriah how to filter water from the stream.
On our last post-wilderness breakfast together, Jake was invited by the kids, to join Pathfinders. He appreciated the invitation, and said YES! Since he's from Vermont, this makes Pathfinders a NATIONAL club.!
A typical sign along the Highways of the White Mountains. Per AMC journal,there are approximately 1 moose per square mile in the entire White Mountain area.
Lisa and I are now wondering about next year. Do we do a similar trip? If so, with the same kids or different kids? What are the pros and cons of this model? Is it worth it? Etc. We’ll just have to wait and see. We’re planning a get-together with the kids and their families in a few weeks, to share pictures, food and continued thoughts/feelings about this New England trip.
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