I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

Eddie and I decided to be adventurous one morning and hike Panther Mountain. With bug spray applied and water bottles in hand we set out for what we thought would be a fun little hike in the woods enjoying nature. What we got was far from that. Our pictures show otherwise but here is the real story.


We signed the register book to make sure that if we got lost on this very little path, someone would hopefully see our name and come find us. Short little trail, so small chance of that actually happening. We were hiking along chatting for oh, about 2 minutes and then THEY arrived. Those horrible, horrible torturous bugs. They decided to be our friends for the morning and flew in wild abandonment around our heads. Faster we hiked. Faster. Faster. Pretty soon we were at an all out sprint to try and get away from the creatures, which is mighty difficult for people who enjoy a sea level altitude year round. We were laughing, praying to St. Francis, cursing, and pretty much begging them to leave. Sad sight I tell ya. We couldn't even enjoy the trek.



At one point Eddie took off his shirt and wrapped it around his head, but lo and behold the buzzing never went away. To this day Eddie is still haunted by the buzzing and doesn't like to spend too much time outside on the porch. Our only solace was a HUGE summer camp group of kids. What kind of people are we when we rejoice at the fact there are other people, kids no less, to have the bugs fly around? We were grateful for the respite. We finally made it to the summit but were beyond sweaty, exhausted and irritable. The view was stunning so it was worth it. Or so we tell ourselves. No really, it was great.



The trek back down the mountain was much easier and LONGER. Because were we practically running up we didn't realize how far we had gone. I guess if you look on the positive side we got a fabulous work out. Both of us realized how out of shape we are but were glad about what we had accomplished.



What started out to be a lovely day turned into attack of the bugs. All I could keep thinking about was those first settlers to the Adirondacks. Forget bears, moose, the freezing cold, and torturous terrain, I say anyone who survived the bugs is a hero in my book.