Woodsie News: Summer 2010

So after the knee surgery, we had to cram the rest of the summer into August. The last weekend in July we went camping with David's cousin's family. All the kids get along great, here are both familes worth of kids.

And here is just the oldest and the youngest.

They really enjoy being together

David and John

A week later found us canoeing on the Dunham Reservoir. On the back side you can canoe up the inlet quite a ways. You can see Grace and Gretchen up ahead in the red canoe while Grace looks on.

The wildlife comes out too - here a wild turkey was eyeing the chickens.

And then one of the best parts of the summer, the girls go to camp for a week, and David takes the week off so we can have a little vacation also. This year we went on a 3 day canoe trip St. Regis Canoe area, along the Seven Carries Route. Here is David with the loaded canoe just about to start off from Paul Smith's College on Lower St. Regis Lake.

The day turned grey and windy, but we kept going. After crossing Lower St. Regis Lake, then all the way down Spitfire Lake we got to Upper St. Regis Lake. Lot of 'Old Money' there. This shot is taken from where we took out on Upper St. Regis. You can see all the old style wooden sailboats plying the lake.

The portage was short, just up through that break in the rocks, across a little dirt road and done. Gretchen is getting her pack adjusted.

Then we had to cross Bog Pond, mostly like you see in the picture below. Short, but it beats carrying the canoe through the woods.

Then after another short portage, we ended up on Bear Pond. Just two or three campsites all the way around the lake. About 30 min after getting the camp setup, it poured for about 2 hours and everything got wet. Then it cleared up and we were able to get things dried out. Here is Gretchen saying the heck with whatever meal we were going to cook and eating some leftovers she brought from the night before while the gear dries out.

But then that night and the next day were gorgeous. This is the takeout at the far end of Little Long Pond, David says it is the nicest pond he has ever been on in the Adirondacks.

Then into Green Pond.

Here we are on the trail between two of the ponds. Not my favorite part of the canoe trip, but the wheels under the canoe make it easier.

After a nice leisurely lunch on a small island on St. Regis Pond (not to be confused with either of the lakes) we headed back. Here, from our campsite on Bear Pond we could see this little loon family. Mama and Papa and two little babies.

Here is Gretchen posing in our campsite, just enjoying the quiet.

And then the next day we got ready to get out. Here is the fully loaded canoe and David ready to go.

Then on the way back, while passing back through Lower St. Regis Lake, we took a detour and passed by Camp Topridge. All you can see from the Water is the boathouse, but it is spectacular.

The last stop before getting back was a nice lunch spot on the south side of Lower St. Regis lake, just across the lake from Paul Smith's College. You can see the college in the distance.

There is a nice leanto there, and David is sitting at the picnic table eating lunch.

So, after a few days it was time to go get the girls at camp. We like to do something fun when we pick them up, so this time we drove up to Gore Mountain and took the Gondola up to the top. It was a perfect day for it.

Then, just a week or so later, we went to stay with some friends on Lake George. The girls decided to sell Lemonade to passers by. They got some big tips.