Route 153

Dear Wayne: August 31, 2016

We finally went back.

Back to the Adirondacks. Back to Osgood Pond. Slipped past Northbrook in our canoe.

It had been eight years since I’d even set foot in the park boundaries, I think. I was just too heartbroken. I spent what little time off I had traveling to other places: California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, London, Paris.

But after this nonsummer, this stressful time, this not-going-anywhere-alone-together stretch of more than nine months, Tim and I decided to spend part of our legal-anniversary weekend back in the ’dacks.

We have friends who have a creamery operation in Upper Jay, and we stayed there for three nights. About an hour away from Osgood Pond.

And on Saturday we drove to the pond and put in at the public access. We first cruised over to Little Osgood and Church Ponds, then back, and at last rounded the corner past Northbrook.

Someone was sitting on the boathouse porch. There was an expensive boat docked.

We went all the way up the Osgood River. It was beautiful. We’re out of canoe shape, though, and it was hot and sunny a good bit of the time, and we got tired.

When we paddled past on our way back, a man and woman were having a loud conversation (from boathouse to lawn) relaying something in the news about a black guy and a white guy.

Tim muttered, “I hate them.” Or something like that. I had to laugh.

We spooked an eagle, followed a heron, saw a loon.

We had only enough afterpaddle energy for Heron Marsh Trail. That whole scene is different now too with college ownership and more trails and new trail names.

Then Donnelly’s on the way back to Upper Jay. Chocolate with almond twist. You were missed.