Sunday, March 13, 2011

Department of Scary Numbers

Vertical gain on the AT is equal to 16 ascents of Everest.  91 vertical miles.

If you think you're sore now, you got another thing coming


To celebrate the 99th birthday of Girl Scouts yesterday, my troop and two others went out on a kayaking adventure.  There were all the elements of high-seas drama--people tossed overboard, treasure hunts, high-speed races....  Or, we played some games and picked up some trash--always making the world a better place.
Launching Boats

Experimental water photography by 10 year old.

The scouts learned about water safety and the gear they need to stay safe on the water.  Then we armed them with paddles and shoved them out into the wild unknown.  There, they experimented with the proper ratio of dip to splash while lolling around in a big lagoon.  Trailing bare feet and watching shafts of light dive through the green water.   After a few minutes the guides impelled the girls into actual paddling by saying something about a Golden Paddle and a trip through Devil's Doom. 


After about three hours of tag on the beach, tag in the water, hunting for treasures both natural and un-natural we headed back in. 

The kids had a great time, I had a great time.  Unfortunatley, in the rush to get everyone paid up and registered with the outfitters, I forgot (actually brazenly neglected) to put on sunscreen.  I was burnt.






Next year, though, instead of nursing this  sunburn and wondering how I can feel this darn old after an afternoon of paddling (I did stretch first, afterall),

I'll be rolling out of my bag, stamping my feet to drive off the cold and trying to make my fingers light my stove somewhere between Hawk Mountain and Gooch Mountain shelters.  I'm hoping some of my scouts will come up and do this first section with me, so I can anticipate the morning mole-skin rituals and their unwavering


The Captain engages in some preemptive stretching
enthusiasm in all conditions.  And this is important.  This morning, Suchess GA woke up to 34 degrees and is expecting a thunderstorm later this afternoon...