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| I
was a “late bloomer” in relating to the Adirondacks. I grew up in
Binghamton, New York, where most recreational activities centered in
the Finger Lakes Region. My family’s favorite pastime was sailing. When I moved to Albany in 1988, I took my first hiking trip to the Tetons with the Sierra Club. I was minimally prepared for the exertion and totally awed by the overall experience. This led to training for co-leadership on S.C. Service Trips in the Adirondacks, where my relationship with this special region really began. A fortuitous ADK-led canoe trip to the Dismal Swamp led to my eventual shift to ADK trip leadership. I thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie of the ADK groups--their flexibility and humor are always earmarks of each trip I have led: hiking Italy’s Tuscany and Spain’s Andalusia’s, paddling Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, and most recently, hiking Zion, Bryce and Escalante Parks. Since meeting my husband, Steve, through an ADK activity, we have spent most of our leisure time hiking and canoeing the Adirondacks, with hiking vacations to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Pecos Wilderness of New Mexico thrown in. However, we have found that traveling as ADK Outing participants has its advantages as well. In September of 2005, we traveled with ADK to hike in the Canadian Rockies, which we felt was the trip of a lifetime. Whether leading or following, the friends and experiences we have gained through ADK Outings have greatly enriched our lives. Ever Onward! Mery |