What I Did Last Summer

I am torn between the words of my friend, Rachel, "You should write about your amazing year. When you see your life, there is before 2015 and there will be after 2015," and those of my mother, "Why would anyone be interested in reading about your life?"  Guess whose words are winning out?  In fact, the events of the past five months have been so consuming, that I have nothing else to talk about.  So, here's hoping you find this post to be an enjoyable read.

In mid-winter, when my son, Thomas, and his wife, Marlie, announced that they were expecting a baby in early fall, and my daughter, Meredith, and her fiance, Brian, announced that their wedding date would be in late summer, I knew this would be a stand-out year.  And these were not the only events.  Meredith and I intended to finish our 15-year quest of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks, and I had a 90th birthday party planned for my mother.  I began to make lists, and more lists, and lists to replace the lists that I lost.

The summer did have a few glitches: Bill had surgery on his right hand, that is still healing, and my father had a few health issues, both pesky and scary.  But, now in October, I look back and see a summer of friends, family, and festivities. The following is a photo journal of my spectacular past five months.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the preparations for Meredith's bridal shower in mid-June.  It was just my style--simple, with a dozen close friends and family, and all food that I had prepared.  I had requested that guests give Meredith something from their own homes that they felt would be meaningful.  Many of them did, and those who did not, gave her gifts that were equally heart-felt and personal.  Every gift had a story.

(Marlie was in charge of the "bar.")

(lunch began with Watermelon Gazpacho)

(Meredith, the bride-to-be, on our porch with her gifts)

The day after the shower, Meredith and I headed north to hike our forty-fifth and forty-sixth mountains.  Our transition from ladies to woodswomen was abrupt, but underscored our versatility. We felt fortunate to be able to cater to these different aspects of our personalities.

Our first peak, Sawteeth, was fun, even though we hiked in a drizzle with no views.  We were excited about our plans to hike our final peak the following day, and I had booked indoor lodging--no backpacking and camping on this final adventure!

(Meredith shows off the completely clouded view)

Unfortunately, the next day dawned dry and clear, as predicted, and then turned to torrential cold rain. Hiking our 46th peak on this day did not meet our expectations. We were deflated and exhausted.  Despite my "46" sign, don't I look like a waif from a Charles Dickens' novel?  I would fit right in on an 1800s London street corner, begging passersby for a roll to eat.

And then, who should arrive an hour after we got off the trail, all the way from Syracuse to the Adirondak Loj, but our friends, June and Roger.  They were excited for us, and began to sweep us into the mood of what we had accomplished, with gifts, a card, and their overwhelming good cheer and generous spirit.

(Clean and dry, we are surprised by friends, June and Roger at the Loj.)

Three days after Meredith's and my return from the Adirondacks, Bill and I headed west to the Canadian Rockies' national parks of Banff and Jasper.  If this trip had not been planned months before, I doubt that it would have happened.  And yet what a getaway--gorgeous scenery, time together in a beautiful place, and all the gifts that nature and charming towns can provide.

(Moraine Lake in Banff National Park)

July was not to take a backseat to June.  My Aunt Dorothy's arrival from Toronto, to coincide with my mother's 90th birthday, began with lunch at my house.  My friend, Peggy, and I had been working on violin duets to play for my parents and aunt, on the porch.  What fun!  Music, food, and great conversation.

(My friend, Peggy, and I serenade my parents and aunt.)

(Chicken salad and fresh summer fruits)

And then came the party.  I hosted 10 of us at the Spa Park for a "hot dog" picnic, my mother's request for her birthday dinner, and then 19 of us for cake.  The muggy weather made me fear for the "Yaddo" cake that I had created to recognize one of my mother's long-enjoyed hobbies, working in the gardens there.  But rain held off, the family came from near and far, and the cake received rave reviews, both for its decoration and for being our favorite chocolate with mocha frosting.

(My re-creation of a Yaddo statue and rose arbor.)

(Bill grilling hot dogs at the Spa Park)

(My mother, father, and aunt)

And what did Meredith and I do next??  We headed back to the high peaks, to rectify our previous disappointment.  We felt fit and energetic, the sun shone, the atmosphere was clear, we soaked in the iconic views, and reveled in our accomplishment.  We considered this the true completion of our 46er journey.  To top it off, Gillian Scott, a columnist for the Times Union, wrote about our adventure for the newspaper.  I am still, months later, being congratulated, thanks to the widespread press we got locally and through Facebook.

(This is the iconic view of Mounts Colden and Marcy from Algonquin on the way to our final peak, Iroquois.)

(Meredith and I were thrilled with this hike.)

Marlie's baby shower began the month of August.  Marlie's mother, Nancy, and I had scoped out locations for the event, and chose the Olde English Pub in the Quackenbush House in downtown Albany.  Nearly forty people came and shared in the excellent brunch there, finishing with frosted rose-topped cupcakes that I made for the event.  Marlie had everything she would need for the baby.

(Thomas and Marlie, expectant first-time parents!)

(Four dozen cupcakes, in two flavors)

In mid-August, Bill and I went down to OWO, One World Observatory, to see Thomas's new work place.  As Director of Finance for OWO in the new One World Trade building, Thomas gave us the VIP tour on this clear summer day.  Unbelievable views, a delicious lunch overlooking the city, and sharing part of Thomas's day at this phenomenal new New York destination, left us awe struck.

(The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and boats on the Hudson, from 102 stories up!)

(Thomas taking time from his work day to show us around.)

And what a finish August had!  Meredith's wedding could not have been more perfect for her and Brian.  In the dress she made, Meredith looked fabulous and glowed all day long.  Marlie made the cake, a masterpiece and an incredible gift, especially considering how far along she was in her pregnancy.  This day was filled with love, fun, music, and all that parents could wish for their daughter's wedding.
 

(We walked  from Meredith's Brooklyn apartment to the wedding venue.)

(Meredith and Brian)

(Marlie is a professional pastry chef.)

September dawned bright, but by the 3rd, Marlie was on bed rest in the hospital. Apparently, the baby wanted to join our party summer.  Hayden Sophia Traver was born just three weeks early, on September 19 and weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz.  Could 2015 get any better than this?

(Marlie, Thomas, and baby Hayden)

(Virginia strokes Hayden's silky soft skin.)

(Bill examines Hayden's tiny toes.)

And now, I have just returned from a week in New Jersey, helping Marlie since Thomas has gone back to work and Marlie's mother has returned to Albany.  What a joy!  Hours passed by and all I did was hold little Hayden.  Her warm fuzzy head and her little coos and gurgles filled my days.

Marlie tells me that I was, in fact, a help to her.  I didn't just spend my time on the couch cuddling my first grandchild, but it was all fun having so much time with Marlie and Hayden, and snatching moments in the evenings with Thomas.

And now?  What's left for this year?  Life is the current project.  Momentous events lead to a new daily world.  Summer 2015 will always have a special place in our history.

Ogunquit, a Meditation

Most of you know that I am just nuts about mountains, the Adirondacks in particular, but there's another place that draws me, where Bill and I have gone for thirty-four years. We have made almost-annual trips to Ogunquit, Maine, before children, while raising our children, and as empty-nesters. 

(Ogunquit River from our lodging, and dunes beyond)

We know what to expect, so decisions are few.  We have stayed at the same lodging since 1981, and we eat out or get take-out at most of the same places. Some things have changed and we could do things differently, of course, but the location suits us and the food can't be beat.

Years ago, Thomas and Meredith thought we owned the cottage that we rented. We would put them in the Radio Flyer wagon we had brought from home, and walked the 3/4-mile to the Footbridge Beach.

(heading to the beach, 1986)

Now, we no longer get a cottage just for the two of us, but have a room with an efficiency kitchen, and cruise through the quaint neighborhood on our bicycles. Going to the beach is always our first activity after we arrive.

(Ogunquit Beach)

We walk over the Ogunquit River on the wooden slat Footbridge, up the board walkway over the dunes, and there it is, the 3-mile stretch of beach, spread out before us.  We've been there in drizzle, high winds, and on perfect blue-sky days.  Regardless, it smells like sand and salt, and we like the subtle gray-toned water crashing into white foam as much as the deep blue. We walk long distances on the sand.  Relax and breathe.

(Bill helps Thomas and Meredith make sand castles, 1988)

Eating is easy too, because we know just what we want.  Back in the day, when Thomas and Meredith's interest in daily seafood didn't quite live up to ours, they were thrilled to have a night of hot dogs on the porch of our cottage.  Bill and I would steam up the kitchen cooking lobster for ourselves.

(Oh yeah, hot dogs and Doritos! 1992)

But the big favorite for all of us was, and still is, the Clam Shack in Kennebunkport. We think the Clam Shack serves the best fried haddock there is. For decades, we have bought our fish and carried it in the back of the car to the stony town beach, where Bill serves up plates and we eat while watching the people, seagulls, and waves as they hit the shore. Listen to the rhythm of the waves rolling the small stones.

(the Clam Shack in Kennebunkport has won numerous awards)

Kennebunkport is a quaint village of shops and pleasant walks.  After our fish dinner, we often walk along Ocean Drive, past the big houses and inns, all the way to the first President Bush's estate.

(Thomas, Meredith, and Virginia play on the rocks in Kennebunkport, 1987)

When the kids were young, we searched for shells between the rocks or found stones with interesting colors and shapes.  Now, Bill and I watch the spray of water shoot into the air at the Blowing Cave.

(Blowing Cave and the Bush estate)

In recent years, Bill and I have added Cape Porpoise to our list of favorite places to go for fish.  It is still most-frequented by lobstermen and fishermen, and feels like the active fishing harbor that it is.  Here, we eat outdoors at picnic tables on a deck overlooking the harbor.

(Cape Porpoise is off the beaten path)

Our list of must-do activities always includes one or more walks along the Marginal Way, a paved public walkway across rocky waterfront to Perkins Cove, a pretty point of land in Ogunquit.  High tide or low tide can make the difference between thunderous waves crashing on the rocks or peaceful whitecaps rippling across the blue. Stormy weather brings its own drama.  Be mindful of the water's colors and textures.

(a good-weather scene from the Marginal Way)

Perkins Cove has lots of shops as well as being an active fishing harbor, where lobstermen get designated parking spots in this high-tourist area.  If we stay enough days to get tired of fried fish, we like to get chowder and a lobster roll on the Cove.

(Perkins Cove)

While walking the beach, eating fish, and climbing on rocks are all well and good, one must have ice cream at the ocean.  Granted, there are myriad ice cream shops in southern Maine, but we choose to go to Brown's on the way to Cape Neddick in York.  Going to Brown's is an excuse to drive the very beautiful Shore Road and to visit Nubble Lighthouse.

(Nubble Light at high tide on a cloudy day)

Mr. Brown used to serve us through the open window of the ice cream shop. Now, after almost 50 years, Brown's has closed and his protegee has opened Dunne's nearby.  Ice cream at Dunne's is still worth the trip.

This year, Bill and I had a summer full of major family activities, with fall promising more to come! We decided to take a few days just to get away.  What better place to let-down than coastal Maine, where everything is familiar and surprises are few.  Carry the serenity of the early morning into the day.

(sunrise on the Ogunquit River)

Hiking the 46 Adirondack High Peaks

I am thrilled to be able to share this article, written by Gillian Scott, about Meredith's and my experience hiking the 46 Adirondack High Peaks over a 15-year period.  The article appeared in the August 7, 2015 Times Union.

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Outdoors-Mother-daughter-complete-High-Peaks Adventure (Times Union)

by Gillian Scott

Hundreds of people become Adirondack 46ers each year, joining the ranks of thousands who

have climbed all 46 High Peaks with summits of more than 4,000 feet. The luckiest ones find

more than adventure or challenge or even natural beauty — it's the people they hike with that matter the most.

Virginia Boyle Traver and her daughter, Meredith Traver, finished their 46er quest in mid-

June, bagging Algonquin and Iroquois on a wet, miserable day. The tough slog in dangerous

conditions felt anti-climactic.

"We were definitely not excited," said Virginia, the outings chair for the Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

"We'd been looking forward to it for so long," Meredith said. "And then we couldn't see

anything and it was so windy and cold and rainy."

So one bright, sunny weekend in July, Meredith hopped back on a bus and came up to Albany from her home in New York City. The women slept in Virginia's car in the parking lot at the trailhead and got an early start the next day. They hiked the same mountains they had done a few weeks earlier, this time soaking in sunshine and ample views. Then they drove back to Albany, and Meredith got on the bus again. A music therapist for Hospice home care, she was back at work the next morning. Finally, they had closure.

The hike was the culmination of a 15-year experience for the two women, one that started when Meredith was just 16. Virginia would take the kids — Meredith and her brother, Thomas — camping for a week before school started every year. And every year, she'd take them hiking. Both Thomas and Meredith were "blown away" by Cascade, their first Adirondack High Peak, but it was Meredith that decided, almost right away, that she wanted to climb them all.  "It was just gorgeous up there and you have that 360-degree view," Meredith said. "I was just immediately inspired."

Up until that point, Meredith said, "I absolutely hated every mountain we did." So it's

understandable that Virginia had some doubts about her daughter's sudden ambition. The two started out with some Adirondack classics, like Marcy and Algonquin. They took two trips a year, chipping away at the mountains, and pretty soon they were determined to finish. "As the numbers add up, you get a little bit hooked," Virginia admitted. Virginia actually started hiking High Peaks with her father when she was 14 — they did about a dozen together, climbs she would repeat for Meredith.

"I think she thought at some point maybe I would bring my fiance and maybe he and I would do a hike," Meredith said. "Or maybe I'd have some hiking friends and we would go and do them. But I was like no, this is what we do together."

Some hikes were particularly hard — like when they hiked all five peaks in the Dix Range in one day — or particularly scary — like the steep cliffs between Basin and Saddleback. A hike would end on a summit socked-in with clouds, or the trail would be deep with mud, and they'd wonder, "Is it worth it?" But the next trip out would be better, and they'd be re-inspired.

That rainy June day on the trail to Algonquin and Iroquois, Virginia and Meredith talked over their long quest, discussing what they'd like to do next, which High Peaks they'd climb again and which they wouldn't, and what the whole experience meant to them.

Virginia talked about gaining confidence in her abilities on unmarked trails. Meredith talked

about learning resilience, the ability to keep putting one foot in front of the other, no matter

how hard things get.

And both of them talked about how much the time together meant to them.

"For me, there was nothing like spending that time with her," Virginia said. "To spend that

much time in the woods with your child is an amazing experience."

From the year Meredith was 16 until she was 30, she and Virginia had those long days together, twice a summer, to camp and climb and talk and just be. They worked around Meredith's summer jobs in college, a year abroad, and her move to New York City and a new career.

Meredith said in the past few years, she and Virginia have chosen to camp or backpack to hike peaks they probably could have done as day trips. "But it really was about enjoying the woods, enjoying each other's company and making the most of it," she said. "It really became about the whole experience."

Changes are afoot for the Traver family. Meredith is getting married this month, and Thomas and his wife are expecting a child. Virginia and her husband of 36 years, Bill, are about to become first-time grandparents.

Virginia and Meredith would like to keep hiking together, at least one weekend a year, but are not planning to move onto another list. The Catskill and New Hampshire peaks will

remain unhiked. "It really was about the Adirondacks," Meredith said. "Now it will really be about doing it for pure enjoyment."

gvscott.gvs@gmail.com • http://blog.timesunion.com/outdoors/

8/7/2015 Outdoors: Mother, daughter complete High Peaks adventure - Times Union

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A Day in Jasper National Park

May you enjoy this journal entry, that I have chosen to share with you, from the week that Bill and I spent in the Canadian Rockies, June 20-28.

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A list of recent animal sightings, posted at the Jasper Visitor's Center, indicated that people had seen wildlife on the Maligne Road (pronounced muh-leen, with a French twist). Our early-morning start should make our chances of seeing animals more likely.

(We thought Jasper was a charming town)

Through beautiful scenery, we passed “watch for bear” signs, “caribou crossing” signs, and “mountain goat area” signs. We saw nothing, not even a chipmunk. We pulled off at Medicine Lake. Medicine Lake is really just a clog in the Maligne River, but, at this point, the river goes underground, creating the lake and making it appear as a separate entity from the river. Over the summer the lake drains into the underground river, and becomes very shallow.

(Medicine Lake in shades of placid blues)

On this day, the water was still high. In the morning light, with mist hanging on the mountains, Medicine Lake was the picture of serenity. Is there something more that makes these scenes feel so meditative, besides the color of the water, the grandeur of rugged snow-capped mountains, and the morning light? Perhaps, it is also the vacation mood, and the newness of the views to those of us who come from a different geological area. Regardless, I loved Medicine Lake, and walked closer to the water, through the wildflowers.

(Maligne Lake is framed by mountains from end-to-end)

Maligne Lake, at the end of Maligne Road, is more developed, with a cafe, boat rental, boat tours of the lake, a gift shop, and a tea house. We chose to hike the 3k Moose Lake Loop, despite the warnings to beware of moose, and how to react in the likely case that we would meet one. For the most part, the trail was wooded, first leading to Moose Lake, a small green  body of water that felt very remote. A few ducks had it to themselves.

(Beyond the blow-down, but not quite to the lake.  Moose territory?)

From there, we wondered if we had come to the end of the trail, even though it still appeared on the map. Blow-down almost obscured the way, as we climbed over logs. Bill wanted to turn back, and I agreed that, if the trail didn't present itself more clearly in a few minutes, we should probably do so. I began to wonder if we would come upon moose in this dense area, and I wasn't so sure I wanted to right then. Suddenly, I saw blue beyond, and knew that we had almost reached the shore of Maligne Lake, the trail's destination.

(Virginia keeps her feet above this ankle-numbing glacial water, but what a setting!)

How nice to have nothing better to do than to sit on the stony edge of the lake and watch the water and mountains, or the occasional boat pass by. We spent a long time here. A few people passed us, but we were basically alone. The trail continued along Maligne Lake to where we had begun. 

(Mama is a little patchy.  It's still spring here.)

("Wait, I thought my mama was right behind me!")

We had a good lunch at the cafe, before driving back on Maligne Road. Part way along, cars stopped by the roadside, a sure sign of animal activity. We got out and joined the small gathered crowd, peering through the trees. We could barely see one black bear lying down and resting, and another yanking greenery off the trees to eat. A few miles farther along, female big-horned sheep and their lambs walked at the roadside, nibbling grass. With patchy fur, partly shed, the females were not pretty, contrasting with their adorable long-legged lambs. Our list of animal sightings was improving!

(the water is wild coming through the canyon)

Our next stop was Maligne Canyon. This was similar to the flume at Athabasca Falls that we had seen the day before, but bigger. We learned that the water had begun carving out the stone while the glacier was still on top of it. Once the glacier retreated, the water level of the river dropped, and the deep rock gorge was exposed.

(Both the high road above the Maligne River and the low road through the canyon offer spectacular views)

We walked the length of the canyon, about 2.5 km one way, going down stairs and through rock passes. On the return, we chose to walk the high ground, on a mountain-bike trail. More level above the canyon, this path was also beautiful, with wildflowers on the hillsides, views down to the river, and up to the mountains.

(It's interesting to see how the 1% lives when visiting the chateaux.)

Showers came on in the evening. Our after-dinner plan was to visit Jasper's Fairmont Chateau, and also to hike a nearby Flower Loop. We drove to the Fairmont, and decided that we liked this one best of the three chateaux--Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. In log construction, with colorful Adirondack chairs on the green lawn before the lake, the Jasper Fairmont seemed more relaxed and comfortable to us than the others, although staying here would be extremely expensive.

Rain came down harder. We chose to just find the trail head for the Flower Loop, but save walking the trail for the morning. Along the way, we again saw cars parked along the roadside. One man said that they had seen a brown bear, but now he was gone. We continued down a dirt road to the trail head, not far from the end of the canyon trail, where we had been earlier in the day.

Drizzle continued and we turned around going back along the narrow road. And there he was, just like a teddy bear and within feet of the road. We could drive very close, giving us a better view, by far, than other people had had just a short time before. This brown bear was busy, turning over rocks, looking for bugs. It was fun to watch him paw at the rock, make it tumble away, and then bury his snout into the dirt. And when he found all the snacks he could, he walked on.

We returned to the larger road, where a small herd of elk had caused a traffic jam! We certainly made up for the absence of animal viewing earlier in the day. If the weather had been nicer, we would have walked the Flower Loop and missed all this...or, if the weather had been nicer, would the animals have been elsewhere too?