Ah, Our Trip: Perceptions
We will miss the grandeur and sweeping grace of the landscape in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We will miss the feeling of adventure and expectation stirring deep within us as we embark on the day's quest. We will most certainly miss - at least until the next opportunity arises - those incomparable sights, near and far, which speak to us of the wonders of nature, both tame and raw.We will miss the air of excited venturing evinced by Button and Riley as they stride out in their own quivering state of alert discovery, he paddling his little determined legs from site to site along a trail, sniffing his curiosity, lifing a proprietarial leg then bounding forward again. She, as excited but also diffident in her way, her four-legged stride regal, rippling, resembling that of a graceful jungle cat, roaming intently, intensely, through the underbrush on her own quest for adventure.
We will miss all those splendid opportunities to venture into the dark unknown of an overgrown forest path. We will miss the grinding ascent of a mountain trail, the triumph of gaining the summit, the breathtaking beauty of the vistas below, the cool majesty of the surrounding peaks, clouds mired in the masts of the mountains, green valleys below.
We will miss the life-affirming sounds of a forest stream, its aural insistence, its cool gleam as it tumbles over moss-covered boulders or finds its time-hallowed way through a channel long ago etched through an impervious mountain rock face. We will miss the sight of miniature forests living delicately atop the world of their boulder-sized hosts.
We will miss the proliferation of fantastical shaped fungi - fans, buttons, platters, elephant ears, stools, corals, springs, floral sprays. And their shades of grey, mahogany, blue, gold, orange, cream, purple, yellow, white and red. Magnificent works of nature's imagination, each and every one.
We will miss the spontaneous, often hilarious, sometimes informative and invariably pleasant conversations with strangers, intent like us, on pleasuring themselves through natural adventures in these most splendidly beautiful of nature's playgrounds.
We will not miss the need to constantly scrutinize maps, trail guides, tourist pamphlets in our determination to squeeze out as many opportunities for adventure and cram them into these too-few days of potential as we possibly can. We will not miss the frenetic drivers and their wilful driving escapades on winding mountain rounds, taking little to no heed of their surroundings, nor of the danger they pose to other people sharing the roads. We will not miss hearing or reading news or political salvos or interpretations of world events through the filter of the U.S. media, although in truth it is not that unlike our own in Canada.
We did enjoy C-span presentations of political debate and analysis and discussions and interpretations of recently-released books on everything from the Armenian massacre by Turkey in early 20th century, to the memoirs of a political speech writer, to a critical analysis of U.S. government economics, as well as a first-hand look at private/public life in China. The spirited and knowledgeable participation of the studio audience did great credit to that segment of the American population who exemplify the spirit of intelligent involvement, civil engagement in their communities and their place in the world.
We will not miss the grudging hint of comfortable relaxation suggested by the two tub chairs and futon-sofa in our cottage living area after an active day of gadding about, nor the sprung-seated discomfort of the chrome kitchen chairs. We did appreciate however, the hard, flat surface of the mattress which afforded us a good night's restorative slumber; the plentiful spray of hot water for morning showers; the fully functional kitchen appliances and ample counter space and shelving; the daily linen changes; the ample bathroom vanity counter and shelves; the bathtub; the large screened-in porch; the thoughtfulness and unfailing good cheer of our hosts.
We will not miss our thankfully-brief, but too-frequent encounters with Bostonian Yuppies whose manner it appears to be to look down haughty noses at lesser mortals, those decidedly not of their aristocratic caste. With rare exception, they so obviously prefer not to mingle with or be taken for one of inferior status, which would automatically include the citizens of their host state. These unfortunate encounters were more than balanced by the openly friendly, humanly-curious attitudes and eager helpfulness of our New Hampshire acquaintances of brief but sincerely genial intent.
Until next year. Unless, that is, unless U.S. Homeland Security makes border crossings more onerous to accomplish for we would-be tourists.
We feel on occasion a sense of guilt for not spending more of our summertime vacations and corresponding tourist dollars at home, in Canada. Then we cast our minds back to those times when, resolving to do just that, we have paid double the amount of a week's cottage rental for incredibly decrepit structures within shabbily maintained surroundings, where we must supply our own bed and bath linens, along with potable water for the week.
Amenities are never geared to the comfort of the guests, but rather for the convenience of their hosts. the surrounding countryside offers scant hiking opportunities, as the Provinces have not seen fit to develop such resources. In Ontario there was a Leslie Frost outdoor recreation centre. Those hiking opportunities which had been started were nasty little trails still in development and even that was discontinued, closed down by the Province a few years ago.
For many years we sought out the kind of exposure to nature in the raw that we craved through regular visits to Algonquin Park, that incredible semi-wilderness and wilderness area in north-central Ontario. And that more than fulfilled a particular type of need for us. As we've aged we're less inclined toward long canoe paddles and portages and the setting up of day-camps, particularly with two little dogs in tow.
So we continue to look elsewhere for our outdoor enjoyment and the fulfilment of our sense of adventure.
And that's just the way it is.
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, September 24, 2006
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