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January 4, 2004
Trek takes unexpected turn, lending new meaning to 'carry out'
Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | |||||
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My husband and I consider ourselves fairly well-prepared hikers, taking care to pack our backpacks with our family's mishaps in mind. But our younger daughter threw us for a loop on our latest hike to Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary in Lewiston. It was a cold but mostly sunny mid-December day and we thought it a good time to venture outdoors to get some fresh air. There are three color-coded trails at Thorncrag, all well-marked. We chose to hike the yellow trail, about 1 mile round trip, because the kids wanted to see the outdoor fireplace on that trail. So we set out, like we normally do, without complaints or concerns from any family members. My 6-year-old had us stop along the way to make snow angels and my 7-year old took some time to explore the small, rushing river. There were also a lot of dog tracks in the snow and the kids spent some time following them, trying to guess how big some of animals who made them were. There were several stone benches along the way for hikers to take a break and enjoy the woods, which my husband and I took advantage of on several occasions. Both kids were having a great time and enjoying themselves. No one had a complaint. Shortly before we reached the Anthony Fireplace, about a half-mile from the trailhead, my 6-year-old started whining. My husband and I assumed she was just a little tired from wearing heavy boots and a bulky snowsuit. Only when we were out on the trail in our snow boots and full winter gear did we realize how much more effort it took to hike. So when my daughter started complaining, we just encouraged her to continue and stop fussing, saying the fireplace wasn't much farther. But by the time we reached the landmark, my daughter was spent. She plopped herself on a bench and wouldn't budge. When I went over to her to give her a juice box, I noticed how red she was. And after feeling her forehead, I realized that she had a fever. After some discussion about how this could have happened, we tried to figure out what to do. We were a half-mile from the trailhead, where our car was parked. My daughter was in no shape to walk so we had to carry a limp, 45-pound child back down the trail, along with our backpacks. Now, a half-mile may not sound like a long way to carry a child, but having just experienced it, I can tell you it's a darn long way trekking through the snow. The trail had some icy patches, and the extra weight of my daughter caused my husband to slip, with her on his shoulders, on a very slick spot. Thankfully he managed not to let her hit the ground - but he landed squarely on one knee. I thought for sure that he was hurt badly and decided to take a break to check his injury. It turned out that his knee was OK, just sore, and I took my turn carrying the feverish load. My older daughter suggested we "crawl" over the next icy patch and we decided to follow her lead. Although we must have looked totally ridiculous, we didn't fall again. And we still made it down the trail a lot faster than we had climbing up. So even when you think you're an experienced hiker with children in tow, you just never know what those kids will throw at you out on the trail. Our story of this hike is one that has been retold many times already, and we'll not likely forget it anytime soon. But even the worst family "adventures" often have some humor to them, even if it's hoped that they'll never be repeated. I know my husband won't look at a patch of ice the same way again.
WENDY ALMEIDA is a content producer for the Outdoors section at MaineToday.com. She welcomes comments and ideas from readers. She can be reached at (207) 822-4079 or at: wea@mainetoday.com. |
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