Greetings everybody! I hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Life is wonderful and magical here on Lake Ninevah; the hypnotic calls of the loons are echoing into an otherwise quiet night, the reflection of a star-filled sky is twinkling on the lake, and I am at peace, knowing that 15 Questers and their four leaders are healthy, well-fed, safe and happy. I am back at Saltash Mountain Camp from a fun-filled week of back-to-back resupplies. Let me tell you about your favorite Questers:
After packing what appeared to be an absurd amount of food and gear into the back of my trusty Quester-mobile, I took off for the Long Trail on July 3. What a gorgeous day! After their first week of rain every day, the Long Trailers definitely deserved to bask in the sunshine. If only I could pack sunshine into every resupply (sigh)! I drove up winding roads on Stratton Mountain, and parked on the side of a deserted dirt forest service road. . and waited. . and waited, hoping I was in the right spot. Then, all of a sudden I heard whistles, whoops and hollers, and three Questers and one leader popped out of the woods with empty packs, ready to be loaded with resupply food and gear. Hannah, one of the leaders, went for her day-off, while I hiked with Rowan, Rose and Simon, the 1.6 miles back to the campsite, where I was greeted with huge smiles and warm (and sweaty) hugs from the rest of the group, including Oliver, the other stupendous leader. After the hugging subsided, whether or not I had brought in mail was the first major concern. (Subtle hint to all readers: ALL Questers LOVE getting mail on the trail, so get a pen to paper and start writing!) My sixth sense immediately told me that all was well in Questerville on the Long Trail. Stories were shared, laughter was had, lots and lots of food was cooked and eaten, which included, but was not limited to, ham/veggie-burgers, hotdogs, pancakes, and bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches (not all in the same meal, of course). The first evening ended perfectly: lounging around a warm fire (the first one of the trip!) while Sarah read aloud to us “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”. Oh, how special it is to be read out loud to! Fortunately, everybody else was as eager to hear the entire story as I was, and she finished it after breakfast on my final day. Thank goodness, otherwise I would not have been able to leave the trail without knowing the end of the story. And then I would have been late for the Adirondack Questers. Thanks to Sarah, that disaster was averted!
With the weather the way it has been here so far this summer (wet, and wet), I’m quite astounded to report that not a single droplet of rain fell while I was on the Long Trail. We had a gloriously sunny and short day of hiking on July 4th, which was great, as it allowed for a peaceful Silent Meeting next to a beaver pond, as well as more time for Sarah to read to us. My final morning with the group, we hiked up Stratton Mountain, (the entire few hours of hiking, entertained and enchanted by a fantastical story, woven together by Sammy, who took over from Rowan, who narrated the hiking the day before. . these kids have quite the imaginations!). We took turns climbing a fire tower at the top, which grants a sweeping view of the Green Mountains.
We then arrived at the spot where we would be meeting Hannah. . at the top of a gondola! While waiting in the bright sunshine, we ate our lunch sitting in a stationary chair lift with an impressive view. Coolest resupply ever! I’ve seen resupplies by helicopters, water taxis and horses, but to eagerly wait at the top of a gondola while empty booths passed us by, then to finally see our fearless leader, Hannah (who arrived after a few other booths filled with resupply bags and huge food bags) waving and smiling at us, as she rose higher and higher, was quite a different kind of excitement!
After the resupply shuffle, I bid the group farewell and descended by gondola to the Quester-mobile. However, I didn’t leave without getting quotes from some of the Questers. Those who are not quoted are still pondering how to verbalize their experience (I’ll get ‘em next time!):
Amelia: Thank you parents for encouraging me to do this. I can’t believe I get to live in the woods for this long. Send me a package.
Aida: I am sweaty, stinky, and so, so dirty, but I am oh, so happy. Vermont is beautiful and I am so lucky to be here. Please send me a package.
Luna: I’m having a lot of fun, despite all the dirt and bug bites. I’m excited to get to know everyone even better than I already have.
Rowan: There’s always something more beautiful to see.
Rose: I’d have thought paradise would have less bugs!
Sammy: We will have hiked 273 miles in 38 days, have trekked through multiple mountains, survived the wilderness. . and our reward: the majestic wonderland that is Canada. Huzzah! “It’s a long trail. Someone’s got to hike it!”
To continue with the update: I slept one night at SAM Camp, then I was off the following morning with Jason, our wonderful Staff Advocate, to the beautiful Adirondacks to resupply the other Quester group. Sadly for me, I didn’t get to actively be a part of this group’s canoe travel on the magnificent lakes and rivers they had just paddled. My sixth sense kicked in again. . all was well in Questerville (hugs, laughter and smiles)! When I met them (also in wonderful sunshine!), it was time to load up the trailer with their canoes and paddling gear, and enjoy some down-time before their next section of backpacking, where they are currently about halfway done. Like their Long Trail counterpart, this group of seven is also wonderfully bonded. They enjoy hanging out all together like one big family, which is so beautiful to see. It makes me proud to be part of such a caring organization that focuses on community-building. We had a lot of fun over the three days that I was camped with them at Meadowbrook Campground. We cooked some epic meals, which included Spencer, our “Grill Master”, grilling burgers and hotdogs over hot coals, and a zesty peanut sauce served over rice noodles with chicken cooked to perfection in coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and chili sauce. Whoever says that you can’t enjoy gourmet meals while camping in the woods has never hung around the Questers before! We were also treated to refreshing soft-serve ice cream while watching a small plane take-off on the lake right in front of us. I guess this was nothing new to the group, as they told me that they had seen many water planes taking off and landing while on their canoe journey. They spoke fondly of secluded campsites, as well as mosquito-infested hideaways in the woods. They also spoke proudly of how they succeeded in their many canoe portages. Carrying heavy canoes as well as all of the gear is often a challenging obstacle for groups to overcome. Yet it seems that this group, according to their leaders, rocked the portages!! During an evening discussion about what they wanted to get out of the hiking section, many of the Questers spoke of excitement about being pushed physically, looking forward to having some solo hiking time on the trail, embracing each and every moment, and getting to know the group even better. I am very excited to see how their goals manifest. I know they will have a great time!
The final evening that Jason and I were with them, the group played a big game of Capture the Flag with a camp from Pennsylvania, who was camped directly across from us. There were many kids in that group who sat on the sidelines and watched without participating, while all seven of our Questers joined in. Another proud moment for Jason and myself, who were nicknamed “The Traily Godparents”. I’ve never been so proud of my godchildrenJ
The following morning we were reunited with their trip leaders, Emily and Woody (refreshed from a restful day-off), and we drove to a peaceful area where the trailhead was located near a babbling brook. The group was efficient in packing the heavy new supply of food and backpacking gear, and I didn’t hear a single complaint of heavy backpacks or having too much gear! In true Farm & Wilderness style, we formed a hug line and said our goodbyes. . and then, just like that, they vanished into the lush green forest.
Now I have been at SAM Camp for a few days, packing resupplies and catching up on other tasks, wishing that I was out on trail, one foot in front of the other, or out on the lake, watching the water drip from my paddle blade. Life is good for a Quester, as well as it is for a Quester Coordinator. Oliver, one of the Long Trail leaders, who had been on his time off, and I will be heading up to meet the Long Trailers on the 12th (they will have just celebrated their 100th mile on trail!!), and then I am off to the Adirondacks on the 14th to accompany the other group for their four days of rock climbing! May we stay dry and see the sun!
Thanks for reading, and continue to enjoy your summer, wherever you are and whatever you find yourself doing!