Scattered Thoughts . . .

At the trailhead... The grandchildren did their first mountain climb yesterday! The weather was kind of lousy for being at the lake house and beach (far too windy and chilly) but it was perfect for hiking on a trail... it was rather cool... it was windy which keeps the flies away... and it was sunny, clear with unlimited visibility. We decided early in the day that this was the ideal day for doing the short climb to the top of Owl's Head Mountain with the grandchildren. This is a very easy climb and quite short but it provides some beautiful views of our lake and a nearby pond. The kids liked the trail with stone steps... they liked the little toddler-sized caves... and it was short enough to provide a sense of accomplishment while not overburdening them.  When we broke out of the trees at the summit, we quickly realized that this was the perfect day for a climb because the view was crystal clear, colorful and beautiful. Best of all, we were able to spot our lake house...

I am starting to feel a little better so I think it is time for a blog post which is a little bit on the lighter side... A couple of weeks ago, Sheila, Adam and I climbed to the summit of Owl's Head Mountain overlooking Lake Groton. Because of my health, we drove up most of the way and then climbed for about 15 minutes to get to the summit. My days of climbing thousands of vertical feet in a day are behind me. I've climbed many mountains and reached many summits over the decades but now I need some help getting to even the shortest mountains. Any activity which raises my body temperature can trigger anaphylaxis so I always try to stay near roads and hospitals. I definitely try to keep my body temperature as low as possible too. Hiking and climbing deep in the woods could be a bit too risky so in recent years we have been choosing mountaintops which have roads winding to the summit. Besides, I have already climbed my share of mountains, many requiring steep vertical climbs...