Pilgrims and Rednecks

Thursday, June 26, 2008

We went to Plymouth Massachusetts!

I will not be able to adequately express how cool it was to visit the Mayflower II and Plimouth Plantation. It was amazing. As part of our Social Studies curriculum, we studied these things and I just had to see it for myself. I highly recommend this destination to anyone with a passing interest in American history.

The Mayflower II is a full scale replica of the original ship. It was built in the fifties in England and sailed here under her own power. Once aboard you are able to walk to most parts of the ship to explore. You may sit in the furniture, touch the table settings and explore at your leisure. There are people on board who are dressed in period costumes. These folks have assumed the identity of figures who actually rode the first boat in 1620. Some are Puritans and some are crew. They speak freely to the guests in the language of the time and are happy to answer questions or just talk about the voyage.

Next we drove several miles to Plimoth Plantation. This is a full scale replica of the original village. Again there are people in period costumes to answer your questions. One is invited to step inside the houses, peer into cupboards, and lay on the bed. It is a fascinating glimpse into what life might have been like in the early seventeenth century. We explored the gardens, investigated the fireplaces, and snooped around in the lofts. Zachary ran amok and touched everything he could get his hands on. We learned a ton and had so much fun doing it!

We camped last night in Miles Standish State Park. We were given a site right across the lane from the redneck party of twelve. We got to hear everything they said and did. What a contrast with our experiences thus far. Around eleven, Carrie finally yelled at them to shut up and they did! It was not the peaceful camping experience we had been searching for, but it was an experience nonetheless.

Today we drove back to Columbia, Connecticut by way of Rhode Island. This added yet another state to Zachary’s list of those visited. He has now been to 32 states and he is not yet six. Not too shabby… We are staying these next few days at the home of a high school classmate of Carrie’s. She and her husband and their three young children live in an old school house in this rural burg. Their oldest is a year younger than Zachary and they have many things in common. It should be a good visit.

MJR

Travertine Trinkets

Friday, July 11, 2008

I first met Tom Clausing in the summer of 92. It was the year I went through guide training. He and his girlfriend, Lucca, were in charge of the program. It was not until the following year that I would really have the opportunity to get to know either of them.

The summer of 93 was one of the best of my life. I had sailed in Alaska through the winter and come out debt free. This afforded me the luxury of collecting unemployment and rafting for the better part of the season. I hung with the two of them a lot that year, rafting and camping. I was a rookie so I still had a lot to learn.

Tom was a patient teacher. His ready smile made me eager to please. When he chastised me for mistakes, I worked that much harder to rectify things. There were times when I did not believe that I was capable of taking on certain descents, but I trusted him enough to know that if he thought I could then I probably could.

No matter the situation, Tom had a way of making me feel better. He never held anything over my head and he let very few things stress him out. I remember one day working on my Volkswagen. It had blown a main seal somewhere between Wenatchee and Leavenworth and I had to get it up and running. I had it towed to the depot, our launching spot for river trips, and was in the process of dropping the engine when I broke a bolt. I was pissed! This set the whole project back and now I would be lucky to get out of there in a day. At the peak of my frustration, Tom showed up with that toothy grin and easy manner. Within minutes he had removed the bolt and soothed my nerves. That’s just the way he was. I never knew him to put himself before others. He was easy to talk to and easy to be with.

The summer of 93 ended in great personal tragedy for me. Carrie and I were hurled into a deep, dark, pit of despair. I ran away the following Spring, showing my face briefly from time to time. As Summer turned to Fall, Tom and Lucca invited us to join them on the Grand Canyon. I was flabbergasted and more than a little scared. Neither of us had rowed a boat much and we had never been on an expedition float, yet here we were embarking on a three week odyssey through some of the biggest white water on Earth.

I learned a lot during that three weeks. Not just about rafting, but about myself. I always felt comfortable asking how I could have done better. I trusted that no matter how badly I screwed up, Tom would take it in stride and use the experience to make me a better boater. Although Carrie and I were not getting along well and we pretty much alienated everyone on the trip, Tom and Lucca stuck by us. One day, Tom came to me with a gift; a small trinket he had carved out of Travertine. It was a curious treasure, but one I still have to this day. I think of him when I hold it.

I worked closely with Lucca on the Skykomish after that so I didn’t get to see Tom much. I took Swiftwater river safety classes with them and of course there were the end of year bashes on the Tieton (Tom taught us how to open a beer bottle with a metal spatula). Soon, however, we drifted apart; Lucca became a Canyon guide and Tom became an E.M.T. aboard medevac helicopters in Arizona. On those rare occasions when I would see him again, Tom always had that smile on his face. It was a smile to melt away my concerns.

Tom Clausing was a model human being. He spent his life helping others. He was working to save a life when his helicopter struck another and crashed to the ground. He was my mentor, he was my friend, and I will miss him dearly.

As I write this, I can’t help but think of Lucca. She was his wife, his soulmate, and now she is his widow. Such great pain to face at such a young age. It reminds me that we must take nothing for granted. Life is a precious gift that can be recalled at any moment.

Thank you for helping me to know myself better, Tom. Thank you too for standing by me even when I pushed you away. Thank you for your strength, your courage, and your wisdom. And thank you for Travertine Trinkets to remember you by.

MJR

On The Road

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Not so much adventure these last few days, but enjoyable nonetheless.

We rented the car on Saturday and drove to Bear Mountain. There we rented a little peddle boat and paddled around the lake. We got there just about the time everything was closing so we had few options. After our boat ride we took a brief walk and then headed out once again.

We ended up in Cold Springs, New York for dinner. This is a wonderful little town on the Hudson full of beautiful old houses and antique stores. Our friends, the Palefskys live in Garrison which is just down the road. After our meal we ended up there for the night.

Jay and Marilyn are the parents of the art teacher from my old school in the Bronx. We became acquainted during a special event at PS 226. We have kept in touch ever since. They live in a great, sprawling cottage on a dirt road in the woods. They were not home when we arrived so we let ourselves in and settled down for the night. They had prior engagements for the following day as well so we lounged around the house; doing laundry, watching cartoons, and relaxing out of the rain.

Monday they hung out with us. We had a fantastic lunch on the porch complete with items we cannot get back home; pickles, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, and root beer. They watched Zman that night as Carrie and I headed off for Hoe Lanes to do a little bowling. It was an awesome visit; so relaxing and easy.

Today we loaded the car and headed off. We knew we had to get to Cabela’s in East Hartford, but beyond that we had no plans. We ventured north to Rhinebeck where we visited an air museum. There were replicas of the Wright Brother’s plane as well as others all the way up through World War I. It was fascinating to see them all up close. Since it was a weekday there were no crowds, unfortunately, it also meant we missed the air show that only happens on the weekends. We plan to go back again to see the dog fights and aerobatics that happen every weekend through the summer.

Our next stop was Cabela’s. We had a lovely drive on the back roads of New York and Connecticut, eventually winding up in East Hartford. Cabela’s sits at the end of a road that was built solely for the purpose of accessing the store. For those of you unfamiliar with the phenomenon that is Cabela’s, I will elaborate. It is a camping/hunting/outdoor store complete with an indoor museum of animals from around the world and a cafeteria that serves wild game on a daily basis. We had been given a $400 gift certificate for the express purpose of buying supplies for Bear’s Lair, our cabin in the woods. By the time we left we had so much stuff we could barely fit it in the car. Our next stop was a Quality Inn for the night and that is where we are now.

Can I just say how overwhelming it is to be here in the U.S.A.? There is so much choice! Anything you could possibly want is just a short drive away from wherever you are. After living for three years in places where we are content with what we can find, it is difficult to be here and have whatever we want. The supermarkets are huge! There is so much there, I wonder how it can all be used. I listen to people complain because they could not find the quart bottles of organic nonfat milk and I shake my head. Restaurants too serve so much food we have trouble cleaning our plates. Americans complain about the high cost of food without realizing the bounty they have before them.

On the other hand, I will be somewhat relieved when we go back to Venezuela. We are excited there by the fact that there is chicken in the store. Forget looking for boneless, skinless breasts, because they do not exist. Milk is so difficult to find that we are happy when we come across powdered, soy, or nonfat. We strive to use every bit of food we have purchased because of the cost and because we are unsure whether a subsequent trip to the market will reveal the same treasures. Somehow this makes life a little easier, though I’m not sure why.

At any rate we continue to overindulge in the things we do not normally have: good beer, milkshakes, root beer, corned beef, rye bread, sourdough, cream soda, sauerkraut, cheddar cheese, milk, bourbon, and the list goes on. I have no doubt that we will gain fifty pounds each on this trip, but what the heck, we have another year to work it off.

MJR