Patty and Dobie in the Adirondack Wilderness

Many years ago, my friend Bob and I were interested in backpacking.  We talked about and planned to do as many of the 47 High Peaks of the Adirondacks as we could.

Backpacking, although it had many devotees, was not as popular as it is now.  You could climb for days and not run into anyone on the trails. Just the Park part of the reserve is over 2 million acres.

On the second trip, I brought my dog, Dobie.  I had missed him too much on the first trip.  He always slept by my side, so I figured he would be fine, despite the radical change in scenery.  At that time I lived on the New Jersey bayshore.

We got to the trailhead in Keene Valley and hiked in.  I believe we climbed Gothics (one of the 47) and came down for the night.  The next morning Bob decided he wanted to climb another peak which was close.  I was too tired, so he went on ahead, planning to spend the night on the trail while I remained where I was.  We would meet up the next day when he came down.  I had the two-man mountain tent and my sleeping bag.

So off he went at around mid-afternoon.

Dobie and I hung around our campsite and went for a little walk.

After supper when it got dark I settled down for sleep.

I began to realize just how small we were.  Me and my little dog in this vast wilderness.  It was also extremely dark.  I had a little device that held a candle surrounded by a reflector that really worked, so I could read my Bible in comfort.   Snuggled with my dog, reading my Bible I felt a sense of comfort–not fear.  I blew out my candle and went off to sleep with my darling little dog.,

The next day, when Bob returned from his climb he asked how I was.

Great!  I replied (and meant it).

Something had changed in me–profoundly.  I had a sense of confidence, a feeling that I could handle whatever came down the pike. Spending the night alone in the wilderness can do that for you.

I could use some of that right now.

More to come tomorrow.

God bless everybody.

Patty