In the jungle.....

IN DA JUNGLE DA MIGHTY JUNGLE.......by hippo n doggy - The best bloopers are here

John Crimi, Outdoor Education Specialist, Gander Mt. Sports

John and his wife have been to
Africa big game hunting many times, and will be sharing their experiences at an Outdoor Wilderness Weekend offered at a former hunting/wilderness lodge called the Big Moose Inn in Eagle Bay. Call them for a brochure - and enjoy this slide show I made featuring shots of John's trophies.
Now, I must admit, I have mixed feelings about this... as I am new to this world. But, it warrants exploring. Enjoy this demo - and share your thoughts....

Hunting and Seeing Africa...

3/8 - New program on Hunting and Seeing Africa at Big Moose Inn!

Wanna think outside the box?
check out the Outdoor Wilderness Program coming at the Big Moose Inn in March... which includes a slide show by John Crimi and his wife called "Hunting and Seeing Africa".
Get in the mood by visiting here! then call the Inn for details at 315.357.2042!
Talk about thinking outside the "Blue Line".... (grin)

Jamie's presence lingers in the halls of the many hospitals in which she stayed before she died last month. She and her sister, Mel - were google-eye fans. . . as is evident in this photo.
This blog was started, in part - in order for me to share the beauty of the Adirondacks with her as (we had hoped) she recovered from leukemia. She passed away on Dec. 12th.
Jamie was well-known for a ten year old. Her efforts at fund raising were carried on CNN - and her home town favorites - the Buffalo Sabres - are continuing to work towards Leukemia research in her memory.
They will soon be playing a game and dedicating it to her memory. Each will be wearing one of her designer wristbands. They knew and loved my niece well.

Whenever I climb, I think of her.
And what part of one's day is Not about climbing? . . . I climb out of bed, out of the car, out of the hot tub, out of trouble, out of drunken sleep, out of - despair.
Google eyes? Oh, yes.

The Adirondack winters give us plenty of opportunities to climb.

On Skiing the Brea Trails in Boonville, NY

12 miles of skiing... from Boonville to Pixley Falls State Park.
Wow... these trails are maintained with a double track - and everyone from aged grandmas to tiny tots were out enjoying the course.
I can't help but reflect on how easy it is to follow a track already laid out, as compared to bushwacking through the wilderness, which is how I normally travel emotionally. I will post a few pics of the falls and hope to go back there to ski again soon.
The trails follow an aged canal system - I look forward to reading more about the history of the area. Returned.... wanting to read poetry - and stumbled upon an article in Ploughshares about the work of Elizabeth Bishop, whose work I had not read in a few years. The piece was called "The Art Of Changing Your Mind"... google it if you are a poetry fan.
Pre-set cross country trails are not necessarily helpful for practicing this artform... instead they provide relief from the need to make any decisions at all. For this gal, who limits herself to three decisions a day, at most, choosing the Brea Trails on a day of rest (Sunday) made sense.

Mt. Adams Success

Images from Mt. Adams climb.

What do these shots capture?
Two dogs negotiating difficult crossings.
Left unseen...
two people doing same.



A few thoughts.
Up isn't easy.
Up is easier than down.



When sliding down - keep arms close to your sides...
(or risk having them accidently ripped off on the way down).

Did I mention my fear of heights?

When I am queen...

When I am queen, I shall forbid anyone from buying grey cars.
Have you noticed that there is an influx of overly sedate colors in the parking lots these days? What's up with that? Are all us boomers just sitting back and waiting to die? When I die, I want to be buried in a yellow convertible. Or while driving one.
AND when I am queen, I shall make it a rule.
ONLY Red cars can be sold in January, Blue in February, Chartreuse in March, Melon in May (oops, forgot a month there). You get my drift.

Mmmmmm- I am on a roll today. Not enough of something in my system.

HEADING TO THE HIGHLANDS

Taking the high road. Lots do it.
So will I, in a couple of hours. Mt. Adams.
I've been up since 2:30 am, as usual. Chicken soup is cooking on the stove top. Smells great.
I've showered, checked the email. Will write a press release (John Kribs and his son, Orion - will be playing next Saturday night at the Big Moose Inn. Orion was honored by having been chosen to be part of their 3 volume CD set of North Country musicians - (chosen over his father!). I can't wait to meet them - John started a couple of well known bands - Johnny and the Triumphs and Raquette River Rounders.
Anyway - I found photos of someone's Nov. hike up Adams - see here.

I have lost my camera (I think it fell when I was packing my swimming gear into the car last week. Until I find it, or a new one - my photo entries will be borrowed or bleak.
Old Forge area is happy this weekend, as the snow has been good. Snomobilers should be up in droves. I will cross country ski tomorrow.

Now, to work on a music video for a friend before daybreak.

Mount Adams

Leave before dawn - to Tahawus.... Upper Works... this time to cross a suspension bridge, and climb 1800 ft. to the Fire Tower - and, with any kind of luck... make it to the top to take a few shots. Gulp. Stay tuned.

On waiting -

The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

dumping physical memories

my computer has been crashing and alerting me with this warning - "Dumping Physical Memories".

Mmmm.
Wish it were so easy.

Hard to dump most physical memories.
Is that a bad thing?

Depends.

Tomorrow I will climb an almost 46er.
It's supposed to snow.

I'm ready.

On halfway measures

Jokingly, I had told a friend I was going to start a blog for people who climbed halfway up all the 46ers. Enough already! Say I! Even us alpha women need permission to forgo "going all the way" and "giving it all you've got". We are driven. Driven to succeed. Driven to have, do, eat, shit... do everything to the max.
Give it a rest! Say I!
Half a mountain's better than no mountain!
Half way is better than "NO WAY".
. . . oh, birdseed! . . . .

For some things, half is not whole.
I shall practice
giving myself over to tasks that are difficult.
Balancing my checkbook? Nah.
Flossing regularly? Nah.
Living with integrity?
mmmmm . . .
Full throttle.
And I shall practice it... by climbing.
All the way.
46ers...
here I come....
mumbling, bumbling, bellyaching.

Openings....

What strange dis-ease caused this opening, I wonder. Unsettling.
And beautiful.
Nature is always offering openings, isn't it?
Openings to create - and conversely - destroy.

I came upon this poem by Wendell Berry this morning before I went snowshoeing
on the golf course in Thendara where this photo was taken.

An odd place to reflect on wild things... a golf course.
In season, golf courses are tightly manicured paradises. Yet, this distorted tree lives there.

And in winter, it is as wild and forbidding during a storm as... well, any field.

Here are Berry's thoughts on wild things...
Click here. . . and rest in the peace of wild things.

Cross Country Skiing Long Lake and Raquette Lake NY

Some Cross Country possibilities within 35 miles or so!

Cross Country Skiing Long Lake and Raquette Lake NY

Andy At Ampersand

Up, up and away!

Thoughts on the "ampersand"

The ampersand itself is a symbol used to link two thoughts, ideas, separate entities together.
Today, Norm & I climbed Ampersand.
Today, Andy & Oliver climbed Ampersand.
Today & tomorrow, I hope that Norm & I, & Andy & Oliver, will continue to be so linked by this sexy little piece of punctuation. Some climbs are steeper than others.

From Atop Ampersand Mountain..

A steep climb today - but well worth the trip up (and the pleasure of sliding almost a mile down in the natural snowchute made by fellow snowshoers as a result of their own climb to the top.)

Take Time To Party

FOLK FEST AND OPEN MIKE:
100% Homemade MUSIC offered this Friday (and once monthly) at The Big Moose Inn... on Big Moose Lake. Hosted by Hamilton Folkster Pamme Swan (www.PammeSwan.com)
Begins at 8:00, and features guest musicians, open mike. No cover charge.
Their new by-line at the Inn is "Don't make a reservation, make a memory" - and this is my shameless plug for THAT concept. Call the www.BigMooseInn.com... I know they have rooms available for the weekend, too!

Roll With The Moment

This little video embeds my attitude for the coming year...
and last year provided plenty of practice!
Roll with the moment. And climb.
These pics are from the New Year's Day climb
up Castle Rock overlooking Blue Mountain Lake.
Enjoy the view.
Cathy

Happy New Year from Castle Rock, snowstorm!

A great snowshoe!
Details of this Blue Mountain Lake climb can be found here.
As the article notes, this climb is one of the most picturesque views from
a small mountain in the Adirondacks. . . and was a good 4 mile snowshoe. A solid base, with snow falling in huge powderpuffs most of the walk. Yeehaw.

For Cross Country Skis? One of the best Inlet has to offer!

Walter and his wife moved here from Germany decades ago, and started their cross-country touring and rental shop here at the edge of Fern Park in Inlet. Even with two new hips, Walter is a hard man to keep up with on the hills of this quaint town in the Central Adirondacks. And you won't find better prices on cross-country skis, with a healthy selection of used skis for beginners.