Burnt Rock Mtn

The walking wounded (I had run a half marathon, Jesse had shoulder surgery) hiked the 2.6 miles each way to Burnt Rock mountain near Fayston VT with the kids leading the way. We had some great views and it was nice to be outside enjoying late May in Vermont.

Marathon Weekend

Mattie and kids manned a water station again for the Burlington Marathon. This year, they assisted friends at mile 11 handing out water and GU. The weather was perfect- 70s and dry. I ran a half marathon with Kristian, and we finished in 3:04, which was good enough for second place in the masters division.

Bike Ride Maple Corners

Josh and I went for a challenging bike ride near Montpelier.

Beautiful scenery!

We passed roving packs of teenagers on mountain bikes during our ride. Awesome!

We stopped in front of the general store for an ice cream.

Church Street

On a sunny Saturday with UVM graduation, Church Street was a lovely swarm of happy people. We rode our bikes through the Intervale and had lunch at Bolocco.

Character into Action

Josh won a great award this week. The Greater Burlington Y (formerly YMCA) awarded Josh the "Youth Character Into Action" Award. It is given to the one young person in Vermont who expresses the Y character values (caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility) best. Josh will be honored at a dinner at the Burlington Country Club on May 31. Some of his anonymous nominations stated: "Josh is a natural leader; kids are drawn to him by his charisma and positive attitude. Respect is a two way street, and Joshua is both respected and respects others. Through his involvement and influence, he has helped make his classroom a friendlier and more inclusive place for all. In his classroom, his teacher describes Joshua as his 'go to' guy for any assistance he might need, such as run an errand or lead the kindergarteners in an activity.. Joshua demonstrates a high level of responsibility for his age. He cares about other peoples' needs as evidenced in his participation in Youth Day of Service, his volunteering at the City Marathon, his donating proceeds from his lemonade stand to charity, his involvement in Hebrew School and in other charitable events. Joshua is one of the most requested helpers in the kindergarten groups because he gives them the attention they love." Wow.

The Spirit of the Adirondacks

I like this photo as it shows the spirit of the Adirondacks. Even so close to major Eastern cities, you can get a sense of wilderness. It still feels like a place where humans are small, travel is difficult, and the rewards are great. The weather can be fickle, and there can still be lots of snow in mid-May, but you'll be a better person for having visited and challenged yourself. If there's a better way to spend a weekend than being here with your eleven year old son, I can't think of it.

Day 2: Avalanche Lake and Mt Colden

We continued past Avalanche Lake with its plunging rock walls on either side.

After a steep, wet and rocky ascent, we finally clear the summit overlooking Flowed Lands.