#77 & #18...

Click on photos to enlarge. 

OK, so Whitecap Mountain in Rumford is not an official "ski area," but all through the winter backcountry skiers skin up the trail and ski the snow fields at the top. So! I'm making an official decision to count Whitecap as a ski area. Am I getting tired? Nah, I just like having a backcountry "resort" as part of my list. Here are a few photos from today.

Climbing Adams Mountain (mountain #76) and Exploring Evergreen Valley Ski Area (#17 ski area) with Felix

After the hike, Felix posed at this famous Main sign

Felix and I headed about 45 minutes west to Adams Mountain in Stoneham and its defunct ski area, Evergreen Valley. I've long wanted to climb this mountain and see how the years have treated the slopes and its million dollar lodge with 3 cocktail lounges and outdoor pool. The ski area has been vacant since the 1980s and the lodge is in some disrepair but looks OK. Just off the hiking trail, the overgrown ski trail, there's a cemetery. I loved hiking this mountain with Felix because I kept remembering one of the first ski races I coached at Rumford High School being at Evergreen Valley against Tim LaVallee's team from Telstar High School. I could still picture the race course with the chair lift running just off to the side.      

Million dollar lodge empty for 30+ years. 

After the hike we went to our traditional hang out, Dick's Diner in Mexico.
I sent pictures of that burger to Felix's brother, Rasmus.  

Bailey

I discovered a fun cartoon-making feature on my fancy phone. Here's one:

After the Parkman Trail hike, MDI 2019 

Fast forward 54 years: Lunch with Aidan

In 1965, when I was 11 years old, I recall bringing my brother Fred to the University of Maine for his first year at college. His dormitory, Corbett Hall, is now the Human Resources building. In 2003, I spent my first day at UMaine in Corbett figuring out all the nitty-gritty of employment at UMaine; I may have even remembered Fred's room number. Today, I'm thinking it was 112, but 16 years ago, I'm not sure what I thought. Maybe I had quizzed Fred and looked it up when I arrived in Corbett. Talk about history hitting you square in the face. Fast forward 54 years....

FIFTY FOUR YEARS... and I'm having lunch in the student union with Pam and Fred's grandson, Aidan Michaud. Just how cool is that?

End for the first week of classes: Aidan, stir fry, and a Black Bear t-shirt
09/07/19 Click photo to enlarge

Yes...again.

Sebino, Bailey, and Guido

Over the past two weeks I discovered there were 6 international students without permanent homes. Now, there are only two... Meet Sebino from the Netherlands and Guido from Spain. How life can change in an instant. To follow the boys' American journey, click on their blog, Bailey's Brothers: Guido and Sebino. 

Currently, only two students remain without permanent homes. Here's hoping some good souls step up.

Town tour and more...

After the first day of school, the boys did some skateboarding, downed lasagna, cleaned the kitchen, and took a quick tour of the town, including the local ski area, Black Mountain of Maine. Before the tour, we dropped Bailey off at Sharon and Mike's. Sharon is our town's Dog Whisperer. Bailey loves Sharon and Mike's home and the tribe of dogs. 

Sharon, Bailey, and friends.

Talking about the mountain trails and the glades

Ping pong challenge and weight lifting

Whitecap Mountain (#72)

Mountains farthest away are the Presidentials in New Hampshire––Mountain Washington is far right. 

We took Guido, our Spanish student, up Whitecap today. Tomorrow our second student, Sebino, arrives from the Netherlands. It's all fun and games from here on out.

Hiking Mt Abram ..... Ski Area #16, Mountain #71.... I'm turning into a mountain goat! Bailey, too!

View of the western mountains of Maine
Remember... click on photos to enlarge. 

Barbara Burt Kent c. 1940s

On a pristine late-August day, we trucked over to Mt Abram in Greenwood to hike the ski area's trails. My best memory of this mountain is when my mother took Robert and me out of school to go skiing with her. Holy flying cows... skipping school? That never happened.

At the time, my mother battled a blood disease that eventually morphed into Leukemia and took her life. I'm guessing--perhaps hoping--that this ski escape was her way of creating special memories of her for my brother and me. But then again, maybe she just wanted to go skiing with her youngest boys on a sunny winter's day.

As I hiked the wide-open trails on Mt Abram, I thought of my mother and her adventurous spirit... she learned to ski in her late 40s after having 5 kids. Way to go, Ma.

Look close... Bailey's swimming in this pond

Old guy, Mountain #71

"We need a vacation."