Thursday, September 21, 2006



#25 Garfield
Garfield Mountain needs a sign at the summit. If you give it to me, I'll carry it up and hang it myself. I will bring some nails, power tools, whatever it takes. Maybe just a little marker even, indicating that the one small trail leaving Garfield's georgeous summit, branches into 2 distinct trails , leading to 2 different destinations. After the long 5 miles up Garfield which was cool, cloudy and autumn-like, I relaxed with some folks from Paris Maine. For a half hour we talked, took pictures and laughed as the dog cuddled up on a stranger's lap. Reaching the summit of Garfield, the clouds lifted to reveal a stunning cool fall day. A man and wife were staying at Galehead : with them , 2 bottles of wine and a radio for listening to the 1:00 Pats game against Buffalo. I wish I had a bottle of wine , a radio and a reservation at Galehead! Instead, I needed to dash down by 11:00 to catch the game on BCN for the drive home. Here is where the necessary sign comes in. I mistakenly assume the Garfield Ridge Trail is the trail I need to get down to the bottom of Garfield Mountain Trail. So, I'm soon climbing down Garfield on my way to Lafayette. I do encounter unfamiliar steep rocks. I then question myself, "I don't remember this part," I say. I turn around when a guy shows me the map and sure enough I am ascending Lafayette. So I turn around and climb back up Garfield. It is here that I wish to burst into tears but I don't. In reality, I am lucky. Instead I enjoy the trip down the mountain and meet lots of aspiring couples and their eager dogs. I want to be at my car at 1:00, but I have lost over an hour. It's well into the 2nd quarter when the station picks up the game in Plymouth: we're losing by 10! Crap!
By the trime I'm home we've turned the game around. Pats win it!

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