I have been to a lot of weddings. And by "a lot," I mean at minimum 26 that I can remember. That means I may have been to as many as 30 and simply forgotten about a few. That...is insane.
While all of them have had lovely moments (and I'll bet ALL of them have included at least a few musical numbers with me dancing like I'm having a seizure on the dance floor--and trying to imitate the disco-style dances from Airplane!), almost all of them have been quite traditional. I am at the point where I know each minutia of the ceremony and reception and I might as well be a wedding planner. Except that I am getting kinda bored of the usual.
Cue the wedding this past weekend for something slightly different. Yes, it still had many of the traditional elements, but its location alone made it really noteworthy and fun. Let's start off by saying it was in the middle of nowhere in Maine. Thank goodness is hasn't rained lately or else the dirt roads might have been a problem for out-of-town guests that don't have off-road vehicles.
Forget GPS from your cell phone; no reception for miles. Time to get off the grid and stop to ask directions from some friendly folks in the mountains!
The views along the way were stunning. We finally stumbled upon a modest farmhouse with a cute little front porch lined with rocking chairs and a barn--the Stone Mountain Arts Center, a revamped building that now boasts tasty food and fun musical acts that pass through...although passing through to where, I do not know. We weren't near much of anything except amazing scenery.
Check it out: http://www.stonemountainartscenter.com/ArtsCenter/index.html
It's a wickedly cool timber frame building!
Jeff's friends Jason and CJ (Jenn) got married, two quirky people who each manage an EMS store (and who have ziplined with us before, fun!). Jason was ready for it.
Jeff has never been to a wedding with me and now he knows that I cry at each and every one. Jason and CJ wrote their own vows and I cried to those as well, so touching! The father of the groom wore Crocs that matched his suit and Jeff wore black flip flops. Nice! I love casual. I wore my cute homemade red halter sundress.
The food was so tasty and Jeff and I had a blast dancing in our crazy way on the floor. Horse-drawn carriage rides during cocktail hour and amazingly beautiful weather...this was a fun, laid-back wedding that was simple and reflective of their outdoor interests.
Our friends Michael and Michelle are up next in October and Jeff is the officiant. That will be loads of fun!! I cannot wait for that one.
All my whines and complaints about "not having a true summer" last year apparently were heard by someone who has influence over the weather. New Hampshire has been awash in warm, even downright hot and miserable weather this summer, with very few rainy days. Drought aside, it's been lovely (but thank goodness for air conditioning in our apartment for the dogs and the man).
So, the quick recap:
We went to PA for a visit with family. Mom needed some TLC and the little sis was in town too. What luck! Time spent with the "Farm Mafia," as Jeff lovingly refers to our tight-knit family. Poor Shelby was miserable, barking at cows, getting zapped by the electric fence, nipping at the flies nagging her. Zoe was right at home.
Plus, we had a short trip to Knoebel's Grove, a groovy old-time amusement park in the forest of Elysburg, PA. The famous pig.
West-side mafia, K-style.
Jeff and I had our one year anniversary. How time flies! And yet, I cannot imagine life without him and Shelby now. *sappy tears* Here's to us, sweetheart, and all the memories we've made and have yet to make!
I've been busy with outdoor festivals to listen to acts like a funky zydeco band, Crooked Still, and Joy Kills Sorrow. Banjo fun for everyone, hehe.
Plus, lots of blueberry picking for blueberry lime jam, yummy!
The chances of getting a clear, warm Saturday to summit Mt. Washington are slim. There might be four or six such Saturdays the entire year, as this tall peak makes its own weather (home to the world's worst weather and insanely fierce winds). Clouds can blow in in an instant, leaving you unable to see your hand in front of your face. Alpine hiking is of course inherently dangerous, but at this point, we had prepared for just about everything.
Two days before our hike, we made the decision to take the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, which begins near the Cog Railway on the mountain's western flank (Crawford Notch side, not the Pinkham Notch/Tuckerman's Ravine side). This trail ends at the AMC Lakes of the Clouds hut, nestled snugly in between Mt. Monroe and Mt. Washington, connected via the Crawford Path. It would be about 10 miles round-trip, but with the most elevation gain I've endured yet: ~4,500 ft. of elevation gain.
We awoke super early on Saturday, checked the Observatory forecast: clear and 50, with the wind chill in the 30s. Winter hat and mittens, check. Thermal long underwear, check. Fleece and raingear, check. PLENTY of water and food, check.
We had an auspicious beginning to the day, when we were on Rte. 302 near Bretton Woods...a big bull moose by the side of the road!
We parked near the railway and began.The trail starts out nicely enough, lulling you into believing that it won't be so bad. Dogs were happy to be in the woods running around, and so were we.
The river flows through the woods, with piles downed trees the evidence of winter's harshness on the flora. Were they pushed there from a river swollen with snowmelt? An avalanche? Perhaps a vicious ice storm followed by heavy snow, or one of the few major wind storms we've had earlier this year.
We were sharing the trail with a number of groups and individuals, and once the trail turned into a neverending stairmaster of granite rocks, the people lined up like ants to ascend. Up, up, up, and up...the canopy opened up for views of the waterfalls we were about to climb up (slick vertical granite with very few hand- and footholds, yikes!) and also of the Cog Railway making its first trip up the mountain. We were doing it the old-fashioned way. Zoe and Shelby looked like mountain goats bounding up tall sections of rockface with little place for their paws.
We met a few cool folks on the trail, including a couple of native Pennsylvanians and Peter from NYC. We took a break at the AMC hut to take in the stunning views. The dogs were doing really well, thanks to the physical conditioning we've been doing and the coolness of the mountain air. Mt. Monroe on one side of the hut.
Only a couple more miles to go up to hit Washington...it looked like it was sooo close, just within reach, our goal for the summer. But it's a HUGE mountain, and looks are deceiving. We picked our way among boulders and millions of loose rocks, continuing our ascent to the peak. My legs were running out of energy, as I had blasted through my breakfast calories miles before. I was in need of my PB&Js at the top to regain some strength. Another breathtaking view of the "northern Smokies," as I call them. The presidential peaks that go on and on, the White Mountains a lovely smear of jagged and rounded blues as far as the eye could see. No sign of clouds, we were lucky. It began to get colder and we put on more layers. One last break along the way and finally! We had summitted the highest peak in the Northeast!! 6,288 ft. Boy, it was chilly up there... The unfortunate part is that the hike down was by far the toughest part of the climb.
Spending 10% or more going down a mountain on your butt because it's essentially a granite rock face for a waterfall nearby is not the most pleasant experience. (Hey, I'm klutzy, okay?) My knees felt like knives were slicing through the patellas with every step, my muscles too tired to bear the brunt of the impact, and my legs began locking into place rather than flexing. It was a very slow, painful, and frustrating descent for me. I bit back tears for most of the way until two elderly, very overweight men passed us. How could they be doing so well on this trail, when someone who is much younger and fitter was in so much pain? The tears began in earnest, despite knowing we were in the home stretch.
FINALLY! We got to the car, now super hot in the sun. Air conditioning at full-blast, hiking boots and sweaty clothes off, time for the long ride back and looking forward to sleeping like a rock after our hard word.
In my quest to shape up to hike Mt. Washington this summer, we have been getting up into some much higher altitudes. Our last one, summiting Mt. Eisenhower, allowed us to view the surroundings at ~4,700 ft. Mt. Washington is over 6,000 ft.
Alpine conditions can change on a dime and hikers need to be uber-prepared for any weather, regardless of season. The Mt. Washington Observatory offers camera shots so you can see if it's cloudy or clear, and they also give a detailed weather forecast for the current day and the next for the higher elevations (including some of the presidentials).
So we will be hiking Mt. Monroe in two days, hopefully hopping over to Lakes of the Clouds, and perhaps Mt. Washington, depending on how far it is and how we (and our dogs) feel. I just checked the weather on the top of the mountain. Keep in mind, down here, it's in the high 70s to low 80s. On Mt. Washington, on July 1st, it's just above freezing. Tonight the high peaks are likely to get ice. Not just frost, but actual ICE. IN JULY.
Jeff's friends Jason and CJ (Jenn) got married, two quirky people who each manage an EMS store (and who have ziplined with us before, fun!). Jason was ready for it.
The food was so tasty and Jeff and I had a blast dancing in our crazy way on the floor. Horse-drawn carriage rides during cocktail hour and amazingly beautiful weather...this was a fun, laid-back wedding that was simple and reflective of their outdoor interests.
